Sierra Nevada Hoppy Lager

[Kealia]

Obviously not my picture, but mine looked exactly like this.

It's a beautiful beer, and the smell is somewhat unique. I had this a few nights ago so I'm working from memory and unfortunately can't pick out the nuances for this review (maybe there was some candied orange rind in there? ).

Taste - um, not my favorite SN offering by far. I actually found this to be harsh and a bit alcohol-y (like the taste from a IIPA). It wasn't overly bitter, it was more hop-forward in flavor but from this beer I get the very resiny mouthfeel that really destroys my taste buds and ability to like this beer. Again, it's not overly bitter but it seems like there were so many late additions that there's more hop oil in the beer than anything else - almost like a straight hop-tea.

I'll be interested to see what others think of this, but I couldn't drink more than just a few sips. And that was after a good long day of hiking.
This one is a 'miss' for me.

ALCOHOL CONTENT 7.0% by volume
BITTERNESS UNITS 55
BITTERING HOPS Palisade, El Dorado
FINISHING HOPS Citra, Equinox

More information about the beer on their site here.

[Inkleg]

Maybe it's the Citra.

[Beer-lord]

Or El Dorado.
I'm still floundering about how to use the pound I have.
I've noticed Sierra Nevada is pushing out beers a bit faster than they use to and maybe trying to keep up with Stone. I'm not even sure it'll show up here for me to try but on first glance, it sure is a pretty looking brew.

[BlackDuck]

(maybe there was some candied orange rind in there? ).

That one made me laugh!!!

I'll keep an eye out for it and pick some up if I can.!!!

[Kealia]

I was pretty excited to try it since the other IPLs I've had were really good, but this just wasn't for me. I like the one I brewed MUCH better. That's not to say I'm a better brewer than SN, or they didn't brew it well of course, just that mine was tailored to my taste and therefore much better for me.

I am definitely interested in what others think of this, though. It seems my taste buds seem to ebb and flow. For a while I seem to like a wide range of things, then I come back to only liking pales, ambers and IPAs for a while, then back and forth....

[Inkleg]

For a while I seem to like a wide range of things...

[mashani]

What your getting as candied orange is probably the el-dorado. It tastes like orange and cherry and other flavors of Jolly Ranchers and even what I'd describe as "baby aspirin" (fake orange/citrus candi flavor even weirder then Jolly Rancher) in every beer I've put it in. I'm only liking it in dark beers, and even in them I wouldn't use them again. I'm not a fan so much.

[Beer-lord]

What your getting as candied orange is probably the el-dorado. It tastes like orange and cherry and other flavors of Jolly Ranchers and even what I'd describe as "baby aspirin" (fake orange/citrus candi flavor even weirder then Jolly Rancher) in every beer I've put it in. I'm only liking it in dark beers, and even in them I wouldn't use them again. I'm not a fan so much.

I remember where you mentioned this before and I frowned since I truly don't know what to do with them. So many people brag about these and I wonder why.......doesn't sound appealing to me.

I wonder if as only late additions or dry hopping would be ok. One way or another, I'm going to give this a try. That Jolly Rancher flavor doesn't sound so great for a dark beer either.
When I searched for ideas on that, I keep seeing Flying Dog's beer:
Flying Dog Brewery El Dorado Single Hop Imperial IPA
Pours a pale orange color witha forthy white head. Aromas of pine and citrus. Medium bodied with flavors of piney and citrusy hops.
A nice beer to see the full aroma and flavor profile of El Dorado hops.
Hops: El Dorado
Malt: 2-row, Rye, Carapils, Biscuit

Ron, so sorry for hi-jacking your thread. May I apologize to you by sending you some El Dorado hops?

[Kealia]

Ron, so sorry for hi-jacking your thread. May I apologize to you by sending you some El Dorado hops?

Um, no.

And to further hijack the discussion, this review sounds like every other APA or IPA out there:
"Pours a pale orange color with a forthy white head. Aromas of pine and citrus. Medium bodied with flavors of piney and citrusy hops."

[mashani]

@Beer Lord, RE: the late addition idea for El-Dorado:

I used 1/2oz total in the "15 minute dubbel" I made. As in 1/2oz at 15 minutes. Single hopped.

I like that beer better then anything else I've put the El-Dorado in, but it even with age it does still have a very noticable candied orange/candied cherry/aspriney vibe going on still. It makes the beer seem a bit "candy sweet" even though it fermented out dry as it had a good bit of candi syrup in it.

So ... it depends on how late you mean by late addition. Maybe as only aroma or dry hop would be interesting, I dunno.

[Knightmare]

I seen this in the cooler at the store down the street a couple of days ago. I was intrigued because I'm a SN fan. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of IPL's. They just don't do it for me. I'll take an IPA any day. Guess that why I walked out with some Dogfish Head 60 Min...

[RedBEERd]

I wish we could get Dogfish Head down here in Nawlins....gotta go west to Houston or east to Pensacola to get some.