About a year-and-a-half ago Sierra Nevada established "Beer Camp". The idea was to bring amateur brewers from all over to brainstorm & learn in an "an all-inclusive, hands-on, high-octane beer education bonanza!" It's been described by brewery officials, as nothing short of a Willy Wonka experience.
Those who were selected came up with many unique beers. Some of them are now available and for sale at the Bayou.
Called "The Best of Beer Camp," the pack includes a California common, double IPA, weizenbock, and American black ale. The following are SN's descriptions.
The California common (6.5 percent ABV) -- also known as a steam beer -- has a bready aroma with hints of sour apple. Orange-yellow in color and mildly hoppy, it has a bit of a citrus bite. The weizenbock (6.8 percent ABV) is a superb take on the style. Quite cloudy with a big, frothy head and an aroma that boasts lemon, bananas, and clove, it's incredibly tangy and somewhat spicy.
The Double IPA (8.50 percent ABV) -- Hoppy smell, with citrus the obvious primary sniff. A good combination of grapefruit and pine with some lemon battling to make some noise. Citrus hops dominate the initial taste, with grapefruit and pine battling for supremacy. Fairly bitter aftertaste. The bitter taste kept coming back, but it was pleasantly bitter. Medium body with moderate carbonation.
The Wiezenbock (6.60 percent ABV) -- Differnt from the normal Wiezenbock -- The aroma is sweet and malty with some spices (clove), banana, and yeast. There is no sign of alcohol in the nose whatsoever. The taste is equally as good as the aroma. The taste starts out with a lot of sweetness with some wheat and banana. The clove flavors come in next along with some yeast and a touch of warmth from the alcohol in the finish.
The Black Ale -- called Juniper Black Ale (8 percent ABV), because it's brewed with juniper berries -- provides healthy doses of malt and hops. Dark brown with a strong scent of roasted malts and notes of burnt chocolate, it offers sweetness up front and bitterness on the back end. The double IPA (8.5 percent ABV) has a big citrus nose and a hops assault that brings to mind fresh oranges and pineapples.
All are at the Bayou now and possibly state-wide soon.
Cheers!
4 comments:
New beer Wednesday! I hope I can find these in some of the state stores. I think I would like the weizenbock and the black ale most of all.
Cheers,
Scott
Nice! By the way, superb article on the BBC about drinking:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15265317
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someday I will join the Beer camp! It's my dream since I was a child!
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