I'd been reading about these beers for a while before they were available, and I was pretty excited to try them out. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company worked with 12 other breweries across the country, to collaborate on 12 different beers. A pretty fun idea, I thought. They worked with some of my favorite breweries: Russian River (of course, I'm from Santa Rosa), Ballast Point, and Firestone. They also worked with some breweries whose beer I hadn't experienced yet: 3 Floyds, New Glarus, and Cigar City. They made some great beers a few other breweries that pleasantly surprised me. Here's my take on the first couple that I tried.
Of course, the first one I had to try was Yvan the Great, brewed in collaboration with Russian River. This is a Belgian Style Blonde, and was an instant hit with me. It was hoppy, but not too hoppy, and very dry, which I appreciated on the sunny afternoon when I was drinking this on the deck in the back yard. It wasn't the kind of day for something sweet and filling. I would have to say drinking this type of beer isn't for everyone. It is unique in taste and mouthfeel, and the dryness of it could be surprising (as my girlfriend made plainly obvious with the face she made when I gave her a taste). I really enjoyed it, and enjoyed that it was different than my every day stuff. This was a great first impression and a great indication of the unique surprises that awaited my Beer Camp adventure.
Since I was in a "light and refreshing" kind of mood, I next opted for the Torpedo Pilsner, brewed with Firestone Walker. Firestone has recently become one of my favorite breweries to visit. I drive past their place in Buellton a couple of times a month, and I make an effort to stop by when I have the time (who am I kidding, I can always make time for beer!). I really enjoyed what Firestone did here, substituting the classic German noble hops, typically found in Pilsners, with some southern hemisphere hops, which are much more vibrant and fruity. This beer was noticeably lighter in alcohol, at 5.2% (Yvan the Great was 6.2%), and carried a more noticeable fresh fruit smell up front, which I really enjoyed. This one went down quick and easy, and at that point I decided it was time to call it a day, since it was a weekday afternoon, and I did have to get up for work the next day at 5:45AM.
I'll fill you guys in on a few of my other favorites next time around. Until then, if you can find a 12 pack of these guys, definitely pick it up. It wasn't cheap ($25.99 at Whole Foods), or easy to find (I had to ask if there was anything "interesting" in the back that wasn't on the shelves), but it was definitely worth both the money and the effort. Cheers and enjoy!!
