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.

The ninth beer I popped from this sampler was Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager, brewed in conjunction with Surly Brewing Company of Minnesota. We don’t get Surly beers in Georgia, so this is the closest I have come to Surly beer. I also was a little late to the party on this one, as I didn’t get to drink it until May 28 of 2018. I did keep it refrigerated in my main beer refrigerator, however, for the duration.

From the label:

The abrasive attitude of Minnesota’s Surly Brewing Co. brings an aggressive yet refined approach to creating recipes. We came together to create this easy-drinking but complex ginger-infused lager. It’s brewed with hot ginger and a pinch of cayenne to spice up the heat and then dry hopped with an inclusion of oak for a touch of woody vanilla to round out the flavor.

Sierra Nevada describes this beer as “Lager Brewed with Ginger & Cayenne, Fermented on Oak”.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager with Surly Brewery has an alcohol content of 6.2% by volume with 20 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 can of Ginger Lager was packaged on 4/27/17, most likely in Mills River, NC.

Interestingly, while the Beer Camp 12-packs have at times been scarce in years past, I saw a display of them in Kroger this year for $1 less than I paid at Total Wine.

Beer Camp Ginger Lager pours to a hazy orange color with a full fluffy head and a robust ginger nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a full caramel maltiness surprisingly firm for a lager. The ginger jumps right at you, pungent and delicious, and I get a citrusy note as well. The cayenne cannot be missed; it starts out slowly and intensifies as the beer progresses, leaving the finish surprisingly spicy with spice. A soft slow burn lingers on the back of the throat after sipping. The oak is the softest impression here, but it is definitely discernible, especially as the beer warms.

Wonderful! I may have taken my time drinking this one, but I really enjoyed it and it has aged well. If they released this again I would certainly buy it. I hope you would, too.

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



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