Beer Camp is back, and maybe, just maybe mind you, better than ever. Let’s look back at a little Beer Camp History, Sierra Nevada style. First off, 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 (late 90s actually). And while that brewery (sadly) is now defunct, others have taken up the banner of beer camp. Sierra Nevada for one.

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.

At least, that’s how Sierra Nevada Beer Camp began life. For a few years, including 2011 and 2012 Beer Camp followed the above model, with homebrewers coming up with the winning recipes. They might have released such a sampler in 2013 or none at all; I’m sure I don’t know. In 2014, however, the game changed with Beer Camp Across America, a 12-pack of Sierra Nevada brews made in conjunction with other brewers from, as the title suggests, across the land.

That 12-pack was a bit pricey at $25 and in many areas hard to find, but it consisted of 12 different beers in collaboration with 12-different brewers. That made it a bit easier to swallow, and the beers were wonderful, too. The following year, 2015, only saw a single Beer Camp six-pack of one particular beer, Hoppy Lager, but the Beer Camp Across America 12-pack returned in 2016.

Many beer geeks (this reviewer amongst them) were disgruntled by the fact that the price had gone up to $30 a 12-pack, while selection had dwindled to two bottles each of six-different collaborations. Sierra Nevada seems to have taken notice, and for 2017 gave us….

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across the World.

From the 12-pack sampler pack box:

Join Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and a crew of 12 on an epic exploration of international craft beer. In your hands is a treasure of rare styles-each a unique combination of energy, passion, and purpose from the world brewing community. Continue your adventure during the 2017 summer beer camp tour. The largest celebration of craft beer.

For me, there was no question with which beer I would begin my journey-my love for German beer and Germany sent me to pop open my bottle of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Dunkle Weisse with Ayinger Brewery before any of the others. Sierra Nevada has for the past few years done memorable Festbier collaborations with German brewers in the fall (with Brauhaus Riegele in 2015 and Mahrs Brau in 2016), so hopes were high here.

From the label:

Bavaria’s Ayinger are legends in the brewing industry, known for their love and perfection of classic German beer styles. Playing off their background, we came together to create this dark twist on the Bavarian-style wheat beer. This beer features layers of wheat malt malt falvor and was handled through traditional open fermenters to highlight Ayinger’s famous hefeweizen yeast character.

Ingredients from the website:

Yeast: Hefeweizen

Bittering Hops: Tradition

Finishing Hops: Tradition

Malts: Two-row Pale, Wheat, Acidulated, Carafa III

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Dunkle Weisse with Ayinger Brewery has an alcohol content of 5.7% by volume with 10 IBUs. I paid $24.99 for the 12-pack this year, back down from last year’s high. It really isn’t a bad price when you think of this sampler as 12 singles. My bottle of Dunkle Weisse was packaged on 4/25/17, most likely in Mills River, NC.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Dunkle Weisse with Ayinger Brewery pours to a murky dark brownish color with a thick creamy head and a soft chocolate chip cookie nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace formed on the side of my glass and followed the liquid all the way to the bottom of the glass. Be sure to rouse, swirl and decant the yeast!

Taking a sip, the beer is smooth and creamy, tart wheaty, nutty and reminds us again of the chocolate chip cookies the nose promised. A little clovey, with hints of banana and tart wheaty in the finish. This is very good indeed and I’m very impressed my friends! I’ll give this one 4.5 for style, and while all the desired elements are there, I just want a little more of them to make this a perfect 5. Still and all, it’s a delicious and authentic example of the style.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



Home