The Twelve Beers of Christmas - Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
The only unifying characteristic of Christmas Ales is that they tend to be more intense and more flavorful and more alcoholic than other seasonal brews. Celebration Ale (6.8% abv) by Sierra Nevada takes the idea of a Christmas Ale and presses the intensity along the hop dimension. I don’t picture myself sipping this one thoughtfully by the fire. This is a beer for drinking standing up and for lively conversation.
Eyes: The head you get depends on how you pour the beer. For the first Celebration Ale I poured in preparation for writing these notes, I upended the bottle into the middle of my pint glass. This produced a rocky head that lasted for a full five minutes and left traces of foam lace on the sides of the glass. For the second taste (several days later) I decanted that bottle gently down the side of the pint glass and got almost no head at all. Celebration Ale is golden red hue with hints of orange. [2/3]
Nose: I said this beer is hoppy. If you ever wanted to know what Centennial and Cascade smell like, take a whiff of this beer. It’s like inhaling a freshly pealed grapefruit. [3/4]
Taste: This is a refreshing beer. Because of it’s gassiness, it feels light, almost springy, on the tongue, but at the same time it comes across as full bodied. Bitterness is the most obvious component of the flavor — that and grapefruit. There are detectable levels of alcohol, but the alcohol heat remains in the background — the alcohol is not pushy, clamoring for attention. [6/10]
Overall: Celebration Ale is a big, hoppy beer. Very refreshing and drinkable. It has a pleasant aftertaste that dissolves into sweetness. [2/3]
For Brewers: I found an all grain “Celebration Ale Clone” recipe. This clone recipe doesn’t include Centennial as a finishing hop. You may wish to split the amount of finishing hops between Cascade and Centennial, if you try this yourself.
My Rating: 13/20 or 6.5/10 (see also Beer Advocate, Ratebeer.com, Brian’s Belly, and My Life Is Beer!)
Pro: More satisfying and flavorful than Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Con: Not particularly warming. This beer is all hop. If you aren’t big on bitter beers, this one may not be for you.
See the full list of Christmas Ales I’ll be reviewing.
Here in the Great Northwest, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale has an almost cult-like following. It’s arrival on store shelves (usually not until November 1, even though other “winter beers” show up practically alongside Oktoberfest brews…) is eagerly anticipated every Fall.(and it’s always the LAST to arrive; probably some savvy marketing strategy by the brewery.) The ‘Woodstock Wine and Deli’ in Portland, Oregon hosts a “Lineal Tasting of Celebration Ale” each November. The owner saves a keg or two of Celebration each year, and offers a “flight” of at least FOUR vintages (this years’, and the previous three years’). The change in hops/malt profile is impressive. Flavors morph from grapefruit juice to maple syrup, as the “live” beer ages. What a treat!
The only ‘con’ I can think of for this bottle-conditioned brew is its slightly sulphurous nose when it’s young. (I think maybe they use gypsum in the brewing water to replicate an English wassail.) After 6 months or so, it’s no longer detectable, but by then, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is usually gone from store shelves. Enjoy it while you can! Happy Holidays.