Let me tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve gone to beer camp. I went to Oldenberg’s Beer Camp in Fort Mitchell, KY many moons ago. And while that brewery (sadly) is now defunct, others have taken up the banner of beer camp. One of them is Sierra Nevada Brewing of Chico, California. This Beer Camp is a little different, however, so it’s probably best to explain why.

Oldenberg’s camp was all about drinking beer, experiencing beer, learning about beer, and enjoying beer. Sierra Nevada’s camp has all that going for it too, but with one important difference: you get to make beer, too. It’s also a bit tougher to get into. To attend Oldenberg Beer Camp, one plunked down one’s hard earned cash and got to Fort Mitchell (just outside Cincinnati). Money won’t buy your way into Sierra Nevada’s camp. Instead, you have to go the Beer Camp Website and make a case as to why you should be selected as a Beer Camper.

Even if you don’t get to go, though, you can still enjoy the fruits of Beer Campers’ labors in the Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp 12-pack sampler. The sampler offers 3 bottles each of four different past beer camp favorites. Under consideration tonight: Sierra Nevada Beer Camp #37: Weizenbock.

Weizenbock is a German-styled wheat bock of strength 6.8% alcohol by volume.

Sierra Nevada Best of Beer Camp 37 Weizenbock pours to a hazy straw color with a thick towering rocky head formation and a spicy clove nose. The palate has tasty tart wheat up front laced with chewy caramel, fruity apple, banana, clove. Tart wheat reemerges in the finish and imparts a quenching quality to the brew. There's an oh so subtle alcohol warmth to boot.

A nice and easy drinking Weizenbock, if not an exceptional one.



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