While perusing the shelves at my Trader Joe’s, I noticed that the orphan section had some of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2016 beers being sold as singles. Sweet Sunny South, the Southern Table Beer, Moxee Moron, the Imperial Session IPA and West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus were available. Where the other 1/2 of the variety pack went, I do not know.
So, let’s delve into the lighter/hoppier side of this years collaborations….
Sweet Sunny South Southern Table Beer (4.9% ABV) – An easy-drinking, malt-forward beer with a tangy finish, featuring traditional Southern ingredients like peaches, tea, corn grits and honey.
A great start to the 2016 variety box. Aroma starts a little metallic but then the corn notes start popping and don’t really stop until tropical fruit (papaya, guava, prickly pear) step into the breach. There is a wine-like tannic finish that I wish was more tea like because I would call this beer more Sunny South and lose the sweet descriptor from the name. But this is a complex summer beer that I quite like.
West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus (5.5% ABV) – A Session Rye combining a Hawaiian influence of hibiscus with California’s love of hops.
Another beer and another winner. Hibiscus is usually too potent of an addition to a beer but due to the rye and darker malts, it is lessened. The potpourri aroma is really nice. A dry finish. The tea that I wanted in the first beer is really evident here. Just a touch of bitterness as well. Well done to the Bay Area + Maui Brewing.
Moxee-Moron Imperial Session IPA (7.5% ABV) – A style contradiction honoring the Pacific Northwest’s hop-bomb heritage.
This is a weird one. Probably my least favorite but not by far. It seems more Belgian than IPA. Almost a hint of Brett aged IPA + Weizen + Kettle soured. Quite a bitter punch at the end though. I can’t pin this one down which is frustrating.
This is a damn fine start to a variety box. I honestly don’t know if the other 3 can top this start from a weirdness and unique standpoint, these three really nailed it.