Celebration & Refrigeration

Just picked up my first case yesterday. Haven't taken the opportunity to try one yet. However, for those keeping score, I'd swear the shade of red on the label is a bit darker than in previous years.

Yes. Exposure to heat and light will speed the aging and staling of any beer. Most beer does not benefit at all from being stored warm. Celebration Ale certainly will lose flavor faster if stored warm. The most you can do is point out the "Keep Refrigerated" text to your local retailer, and hope they care enough about their product and customers to pay attention.

And undoubtedly, last year's red was better.

Still waiting for my first SNCA of the year, though probably more due to laziness than anything else.

Witzel

Bahahahahaa! I noticed the red label too! It's definitely deeper this year, last year's red was SO much better. Damn Sierra Nevada! Soon the label will be no more than a tomato-basil color.

_Randal

I've noticed that same thing. One shop I've notice that World Market does the same thing. They have a very nice selection of beers you can't always find. And you can buy them as singles to try which is nice. But they keep them all out of refrigeration, and I'm sure some sit there for quite some time.

Also, our local Kroger's has a pretty good selection, and some are kept on the shelf rather then in the cooler. But damn, it's so cold in there, the ones on the shelf are cold enough to drink.

Haven't tried this year's SNCA yet. It's on the list though.

Larry T

The label is very different than in previous years, including a red border. (Yes, I have 6 years of cellared SNCA, so I checked.)

At first sip, I thought the flavor was a bit different this year, too. Of course, I think that every year. One thing for sure - the SNCA that's on draft right now is much more interesting to my palate than the bottle. I expected just the opposite.

It's entirely possible that I'm less bowled-over by SNCA this year than in the past because my palate's been broadened.

As the man says, further research is indicated. Think I'll start now.

dave in austin

Broadened probably. But I've got a 2005 (kept in the fridge all year) open next to a 2006 and the difference is pretty substantial. I loved the 2005, and it is still beautiful. It starts out clean and bright with a silky mouthfeel and then comes a wave of light sweetness & autumn leafy hop complexity, and then comes the hard concentrated hop finish that lasts and lasts. The 2006 has a burst of pleasant hops at the start leading into a long lingering hop finish, but it is far thinner on the palate--there is a whole mid-range fullness/richness missing, and the overall hop impact, despite the nice long finish, doesn't seem as big.

I thought the 2005 was a real winner--from day one--but with so many incredible pale ales and IPA's on the market, I wouldn't buy another

Thanks for the report. I have a few years' worth in the fridge, but only one bottle from each year, so I'm having to work myself up to do a vertical. I think I'll try the '02, and if it's held up, I'll wait 'til next year to try the '03, and so on.

dave in austin

You are a man with great will power. It would be hard for me to see this every time I opened the frig, and not be tempted... I've got a sixer of the SNCA 2006 that I will save and serve to the men-folk sometime after Thanksgiving dinner, and that's about the extent of my staying powers.

Has anyone seen or heard about Anchor's offering this year?

Larry T

I'm still surprised at the number of people who cellar an approximately 6%abv beer. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me-- especially for a beer that is a celebration of fresh hoppiness.

I've seen it, in 12-ounce sixpacks and in magnums. Haven't tried it; I stopped getting excited about that beer many years ago (though some years I break down and try a bottle).

I do it out of curiosity. I want to see how it changes over time. If I open that '02 and it sucks, I'll have the green light to kill the rest of the reserves.

I'll also cop to having a bit of a hoarder/collector mentality about things I really love. (Sadly, money doesn't fall into that category.) I used to have a few thousand comic books, and I still have a couple thousand vinyl LPs, even though I haven't had a turntable in years.

dave in austin

I always buy some, and most years enjoy it. Although I'm with you on the excitement level. Anchor it seems has gone down hill since they've upped the distribution. Very little new and exciting, but I still enjoy the Liberty Ale from time to time.

Larry T

Vinyl LP's have that industrial, resinous character that can develop a slight mustiness with cellaring, but which also maintain their robust, analogue resonance over time. Particularly if the cuts have more treble notes, they can survive extended lagering, while some of the the bass components can start to muddy. If you unsleeve them anytime soon, be sure to decant onto a vintage turntable, but do use a new stylus to bring out some of the excitingly funky elements of the more rarified grooves.

Sweet! I admit to having both vinyl *and* a small collection of vintage beers. (The ~9 years of SN Bigfoot is getting sampled away when the new batch comes out-- I've determined I don't like how it ages, so will no longer save any.)

Your just jealos giggy you haven't laid a bottle (magnum) for 10 years like I did. ND: 10YO Anchor OSA. Beyond FG. Beautiful mild chocolate notes, a faint hint of the old spice, and lovely conditioning. Superb.