Per one of the longest running American IPA releases in the nation, Sierra Nevada has dropped its latest Celebration Fresh Hop IPA. The beer is a perfectly bitter ale, arriving in the wake of the latest hop harvest. As one of the major players in the craft beer movement, Sierra Nevada is a label we always like to pay attention to.
Available now through December, the beer offers a pleasant mix of biscuit and caramel notes, checking in at 6.8% ABV. The iconic California label first launched the beer way back in 1981. Since, it has grown to become one of the most-anticipated beer releases among west coast breweries, if not nationwide.
“It starts at the hop farms each year when members of the brewing team make the trek to the Pacific Northwest to hand-select lots of whole-cone Cascade, Centennial and Chinook,” says Sierra Nevada’s chief brewer, Brian Grossman. “The select lots are then expedited to the brewery to begin brewing Celebration as soon as possible. It’s important to capture the freshness of the season’s hop harvest, an iconic characteristic of the beer. The whole process is a tradition that my father started decades ago, and we’re proud to continue.“
The can depicts a snow-covered cabin dressed up for the holidays. It’s a fitting look for a beer that has enough depth to drink well into the winter, with piney, woodsy notes from the neat bill of hops. Enjoy a Celebration on a crisp evening, preferably before a fire.
And if you need one more reason to check out the beer, note that the brand is donating $1 of every barrel of Celebration Fresh Hop IPA brewed to the North Carolina Craft Brewers Association (Sierra Nevada has a production facility there). The label is also supporting Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Check out our sibling pieces on the best beers and other fresh hop beers worth checking out.
