Pour Me - Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversery Ale

So I googled 30th Anniversary, and this is one result:

30th Wedding Anniversary
Traditional Gifts: Pearl
Modern Gifts: Diamond

This Sierra Nevada does not come in a pearl glass, encrusted with diamonds. It does not come in a diamond shaped glass encrusted with pearls either. It does come with a cork and cage. And that is good enough for me to want to give it a whirl.


I really enjoy Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. Some of the other SN offerings have been mediocre at best, but since I am pretty loyal to the Pale Ale, I figured that paying the premium price for this special bomber would be worth it. So I took the plunge, and ponied up that $8USD at my expensive grocery store, frosted a glass and prepared my mind.

This beer is good. Having had a number of bad beers in my day, that is a good thing. However, a great beer, this is not. It is approachable, and easy drinking. I like beers like that. Beers that are really strong (given the season; summer time, currently), or really fruity, or really light do nothing for me. I mean, a good stout porter is all I really want from life, but its hard to have a coffee porter when its 105F outside. Light beers are worthless. I stopped drinking beers to get drunk long ago. Beers that are light should only cross my palette if there is nothing else to drink at the party. Aside from Frambozen, which I do not find fruity, fruity beers just are not my cup of tea. Some Hefeweizens are ripe with fruity odors and taste like peaches. Not exactly what I look for in beer: if I want something fruity, I will have a cranberry juice, THX. This Sierra Nevada certainly stays far away from my "dislike-zone," but it doesn't hit my "OMG dudes, this is amazing-zone." Few beers do, so its not all that bad.

So here are some notes that I took while sipping away:

Note: Imperial Helles Bock (I opened this bottle expecting something foul like Shiner Bock, but this was many, many times better than Shiner)
Smooth
Foamy
Strong-stout
Has presence
Tasty
Sipper
Good, not great
Subtle
Okay
Not mind blowing
A little hoppy
Good maltines
Approachable for being a caged beer.
Very subtle sweetness
Sweetness is present, but not really felt
Nothing amazing, but a good beer


I think this 30th Anniversary is good. It is tasty, and as a whole, very enjoyable. However, for the price, I would rather purchase a six-pack instead of one bomber bottle. I would recommend this to friends with money. I would not recommend this to my poor friends. This beer seemed more like a rough pearl than anything else. It is defiantly not a diamond, in the rough or otherwise, but I can see it as a roughed up pearl.