Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 6.7%
Find this beer and more at Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown.

Intro: Sierra Nevada uses organic wet hops and barley grown right on the grounds at their brewery in Chico, Cal to craft this brew. This is taking the idea of “local ingredients” to a whole different level than most breweries are able to. Cheers to Sierra Nevada for continuing to push boundaries in the craft brewing industry.

Description: Pours a medium amber with big off white head that sticks around. Light earthy and grassy hops mix with some toasted malt sweetness in the aroma. The taste follows with more fresh hops that aren’t overly intense, but quite enjoyable. A moderate amount of lightly sweet toasted malt balances an intense bitterness well. Finishes lightly sweet and bitter with fresh hops lingering. Very drinkable. Sierra Nevada did a nice job of incorporating the fresh hop flavors into a fantastic base beer. I’d love the fresh hop flavors to be more prominent, but this is still a great beer. At a retail price of around $10/22oz bottle, it is an expensive indulgence. But, I’d say it is worth it.

Compared to the Port High Tide Fresh Hop IPA I reviewed yesterday, I prefer this Homegrown Ale. The High Tide has more hop presence and intensity, but Sierra Nevada does a better job of creating an enjoyable, balanced beer that still lets the fresh hop flavors shine.

Verdict: Buy it

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Commercial Description/Press Release:

Here in the sun-drenched fields of California’s North Valley, the black soil is rich with promise.
In winter, rows of barley seed are laid in the freshly tilled dirt. In spring, trellises are set for hops.

From our fields comes a remarkable homegrown ale, made with organic wet hops and barley grown at our brewery here in Chico and one of the few estate-made ales produced anywhere in the world!

This Estate Ale is rich with the flavors of the valley—featuring hops with earthy, grapefruit-like flavors and layered spicy aromas and barley with mild sweetness and smooth, toasted flavors. Together, these crops grow alongside the brewery to make a truly unique brew.

Enjoy!