Sierra Nevada Pale ale is THE quintessential American Pale Ale. This is the one that put California breweries on the map.  It's an absolute classic among American beers.  It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Those of you who've been enjoying the WRRV Beer Of The Week for the past 5 months or so have been able to taste quite a few IPAs and Pale Ales.  By now you may probably be able to distinguish a difference between the different varieties of hops used in each beer.  This one is classic Cascade hops all the way.  Cascade hops are grown in the Northern Pacific area, giving this beer it's distinctive bouquet of citrus and grapefruit.  Take notice of these strong flavors in this beer and you'll be able to distinguish what other beers also use Cascade hops.  For fun, compare this to a Samuel Adams Noble Pils, which uses a few different varieties of Noble Hops from Europe.  You'll start to appreciate how these different hops varieties can really shape the flavor of beer.

 Official rating:A-