Another Piece of the Puzzle

As Elaine Benes of Seinfeld fame would say, "And another piece of the puzzle falls into place." This new Dogfish/Sierra Nevada IPA glass keeps taking odder turns by the day. I don't particularly care for it or for the fact that its creators are hailing it as the new standard for drinking IPA's. Then again, I'm a really stubborn person.

Debate continues on Twitter concerning this new glass. I have a few more tidbits to share with any of you that haven't come across this information already. There was a small discourse I caught on my timeline yesterday. It looks as if this new IPA glass isn't as unprecedented as it's being made out to be.

.@brewkkake @blakex Funny. That brand is actually owns the company that DFH and SN "collaborated on the design" of their IPA glass with.
— Craft Pittsburgh Mag (@CraftPittsburgh) February 14, 2013

@dogfishbeer queencitydrinks.com/2013/02/14/bee…
— Blake Kunisch (@blakex) February 14, 2013

Dogfish replied to this exchange by saying that the stem is the same, but the bowl is actually different. Now, if you take that and read what Craft Pittsburgh posted through its Facebook feed you'll discover that Dogfish and Sierra Nevada possibly might have just updated an already-existing wine glass.

The Queen City Drinks link in the embedded tweet above includes a side-by-side comparison with the new glass and a shaker pint. The results are pretty much what I stated in yesterday's post. Visually appealing, but it's still the same beer in both glasses.

No Sympathy for the Smitten

As it usually is, (except in instances when everyone on your timeline tweets about idiotic television programming that you refuse to switch on) Twitter is a valuable source of information. It doesn't matter what your area of interest is. There's something to indulge in for everyone. Yesterday it was by this here Twitter account that I came across something interesting. Those of you in a big flourish for this new Dogfish/Sierra Nevada IPA glass might want to click "back" on your browsers.

What came first? The chicken or the egg? That Red Lobster glass and the new standard for IPA glassware look quite similar. Both have that etched stem to enhance your flow of carbonation and everything.

I don't feel sorry for anyone that immediately fronted the $9 plus shipping fees for the new IPA glass. If you really think the experience of drinking a certain type of beer is going to be dramatically increased because of the vessel you pour it into you need to think about returning to Earth soon. A glass can slightly change how a beer appears, feels or might even enhance the smell. It's not going to change the experience.

If you want it as a collector's item. That's great. That's why I wanted my Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. I'm not really sure what a perfect pint even is, but it's got some nice curves and I can pick aromatic notes better out of it. Beers still taste exactly the same out of a shaker pint, though.

BEER GEEK TIP: If you ever want to get the carbonation going in your beer just swirl it in the glass.

Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Summerfest

Serving Type: Draft

ABV: Five percent

Appearance: Sierra Nevada Summerfest has a straw-colored initial body. It's almost crystal clear, as you can see right through it. You can clearly read something on the other side of the glass if you had to. The head is white, but very thin. You can spot a few spots of sticky lacing as you consume the beer, though.

Smell: Summerfest smells much like a normal Pilsner does, but has a few subtle differences. This beer features a floral aroma that I'm not too familiar with when it comes to beers of this style. It also developed a scent of lemon or citrus, along with that grassy scent we expect from summer brews.

Taste: I'm one of he biggest fans of that biscuity taste that most Pilsners feature. This beer had that, but I prefer it to be substantially stronger. The lemon and grassiness provide a slight sweetness to balance things out.

Overall Rating: 

When it comes to beers of this style, I prefer them to be a bit stronger. That doesn't mean that Summerfest isn't a decent beer to drink on a hot day. I was impressed with the sweetness in the taste that made up for the lack of biscuit/bready taste.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Since Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was in the news this week for deciding on a location for an East Coast brewery, I felt that it was fitting to review their top-selling beer this week as well.

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 5.6 percent

Appearance: This beer looks like your typical American style light beer. It looks very crisp and golden with a thick white head that threatens to overflow the glass. It also appears to have plenty of carbonation. I love to look at a beer and watch all of the bubbles float to the top.

Smell: I got plenty of hops when I took a waft of this beer. When it comes to pale ales you expect to get a decent hit of some citrus fruits as well. The citrus was present, but ever so slightly.

Taste: I was surprised to actually taste a bit of floral sweetness in addition to the typical pale ale flavors this beer supplied. The taste was very balanced and very flavorful. None of the three flavors overwhelm the other, a rare characteristic in pale ales.

Overall Rating:   

For me, this was one of those beers that seemed pretty elusive. It was almost everywhere, except for when you wanted to try it. I'm satisfied that I came across it and wast actually able to try it for once. I can see why this beer is Sierra Nevada's staple brew.