Sierra Nevada Tumbler

Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler (brewery site) replaces Anniversary Ale (article from Beer News on the switch), and I couldn’t be happier. It’s not that Anniversary wasn’t good, it was a fantastic IPA, but that I’m not sure the world needed another hoppy ale variation from a company with two in the regular stable (Pale Ale and Torpedo), two seasonals (Celebration Ale and the, albeit a lager, Summerfest), and two special wet-hopped ales (Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively). Although I’m sad to see Anniversary go, that it’s been replaced with a Brown Ale makes it completely worthwhile.

This is a very good brown ale. It seems on the lighter side for a brown (perhaps it’s the fresh malt they use), and is not excessively sweet or malty. It is definitely not a toffee or butterscotch-ey brown, and would seem at home on a warm or cool fall day. It has a clean finish, and, without being unnecessarily bitter, definitely has the bite and brisk finish that you’d expect from Sierra Nevada.

With all that said, my only complaint is that this beer isn’t a regular. How can a company that produces a Porter, a Stout, and a Wheat beer year round justify only brewing a versatile Brown Ale for three months out of the year? Of course, Sierra Nevada isn’t alone in making this style an occasional. I probably can’t drink enough of it to turn the market around, but the beer is good enough I might try.

In the meantime, hopefully other breweries will follow suit and brew up a brown. Moreover, hopefully this beer, or one similar, might find its way into the regular Sierra Nevada line up.

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