Beer of the Week: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a remarkable beer: its focus on American hops has established it as the country’s signature pale ale. “When we first brewed our pale ale in 1980, we knew it was a departure from what was available, but as serious home brewers, it was what we and our friends loved to drink,” said Ken Grossman, founder and owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. His brand is now worth an estimated $1 billion. “We honestly had no idea it would have such staying power or such an impact.  We’ve continued to brew to our originalrecipe—using lots of whole-cone Cascade hops and 100 percent two-row malt—and still embrace natural bottle conditioning. We started out with a strong vision for what we wanted pale ale to be, flavor-wise, and stuck to the highest standards without ever compromising on bitterness or hop flavor. I think that even after 35 years, our clear focus still shines through in the beer.” It’s been more than 35 years since Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was created, and it's still an amazing beer. Innovation is a great thing, but classics such as this will always remain a flagship. So if you haven’t had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, please do yourself a favor and go get one… NOW!