The Big Green House

Thursday, November 07, 2002

 

Not so much an ale as a way of life

Something occurred to me on my way home last night: maybe what�s making those cows happy is all that nutmeg. I seem to remember reading somewhere that nutmeg, in sufficient quantities, can cause hallucinations. (Not a practice I�m endorsing, by the way. Please, by all means, bake responsibly this holiday season.)

Onward, campers. Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the high-water marks of microbrews, at least as far as I�m concerned. They�ve been doing it right, consistently, for 21 years now. The Pale Ale is the benchmark against which all other American Pales are judged. Their Stout is a bit too roasty for my taste, but the Porter they make is definitely worth looking for. (And I understand that Sierra Nevada is distributed coast to coast now, so you really have no excuse not to look for it. Unless, y�know, you don�t want to.)

The Celebration Ale is their entry into the Xmas ale sweepstakes. Oh my. Rich copper color, full body, and bitter enough to pass as an IPA. It�s not really in the traditional �winter warmer� style, but who gives a rat�s ass � it�s good! If you�re bringing beer to Thanksgiving dinner, bring this one. If you�re watching a game with your buddies, offer them this. Hell, if you�re sitting alone in your apartment thinking of a good way to get quietly trashed, why not do it in style? Celebration Ale to the rescue! Cut your finger opening a tin of dog food? Sterilize your wound the Sierra Nevada way. You�ll be glad you did.

Uh, glad you sterilized the wound, that is, not glad you cut yourself.



bmarkey 11/07/2002 07:35:00 PM