Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale

2007 Anniversary Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California

How I choose which beer I review next is like a game to me. I get a mixed six-pack from a local liquor store (Jensen’s or Mass Street Beverage in Lawrence or Lucas Liquors in Overland Park, are some of the ones I go to) and I randomly assign numbers to the beers. I have Jameson pick a number and I drink and review the beer that corresponds. I wish I had a cooler way of figuring out which beer got reviewed next, like Johnny 5 in “Short Circuit” prints out a slip with a beer’s name on it. But I digress…

This past year Sierra Nevada produced its 27th incarnation of their autumn seasonal, the Anniversary Ale, and finally bottled it to bring it to the consumer. Before this year, this gem of a beer was only available at their brewpub. In a press release, Sierra Nevada Brewery was surprised that some people had driven 3 hours from San Francisco to taste this beer. Imagine if Jameson and myself made the day-long-plus trek from Lawrence, Kansas to Chico, California, where the brewery is located, just to taste it…

Sierra Nevada is the second largest craft microbrewery in the United States, second only to Sam Adams of Boston. They have won numerous gold medals and first place awards for their four-year-round beers (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Porter, Sierra Nevada Wheat, and Sierra Nevada Stout) as well as for their two other regular seasonal beers (Summer’s Summerfest Ale and Winter’s Celebration Ale) and their limited supply beers (Bigfoot Ale, a barleywine ale, and Harvest Ale, a fresh hop ale, of which is also available for the first time in the brewery’s history in 24-oz. bottles).


Body: 17. The Anniversary Ale is a light and bright American India Pale Ale that opens itself up tremendously after a few minutes.

Nose: 17. I picked up grassy and earthy undertones as well as a slight citrus aroma. This is primarily due to the Chinook hop varietals used to bitter it and the Cascade hop varietals to finish and dry hop it.

Character: 18. This American IPA did not have that sharp, bitter first taste that I was expecting. Instead, it left you with that quandary of whether or not it truly was an IPA and left you with the desire to take yet another sip. With that being said, it was a nice balance of hop bitterness to malt sweetness.

Originality: 20. So this is the first time (granted it is only my second review) I will have bestowed the prestigious score of “20”, but Sierra Nevada deserves it. For 27 years, beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs would have a difficult time getting this beer. It was only available in their restaurant. The only unfortunate thing is that since this beer is one of their seasonals, so it may not be available by the time you read this. This may not be the best American-style IPA I have had but it certainly ranks in the top 10.

Versatility: 16. IPAs tend to busier on the tongue and have a bitter mouth-feel, but the Anniversary Ale is subtle in its appearance and taste, which could make it more appealing to the average consumer. Sierra Nevada recommends pairing this with something spicy, like Southeast Asian or Indian cuisine.

Overall: 88/100. This beer was a great adaptation of the India Pale Ale process. Its availability is limited so pick one or a six pack up if you see it.

Beer: Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale
Style: American India Pale Ale
ABV: 5.9%
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewery (Chico, CA)
Reviewed by: Jeffrey Ward