Review Date 6/29/2018
Try? Re-buy?
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 tenth beer I popped from this sampler was Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Thai Style Iced Tea brewed in conjunction with Mikkeller Brewing Company of Denmark. Mikkeller does not really have a brewery, instead contacting out to a number of brewers, so having Sierra Nevada do the work on this one is nothing new for them. Now, I had just drunk my can of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across the World Ginger Lager a week before this, and both a bit en retard as the French say. I drank my Thai Style Iced Tea on June 3rd, 2018.
From the label:
Denmark’s Mikkeller brewery is famous for pushing the boundaries of beer, so when we decided to partner we knew the result would be a wild ride. This beer was inspired by flavors of a classic Thai Iced Tea. It’s sweet and rich, with warmning spice notes and delicate fruit flavors that maintain a drinkability from the use of black tea in the finish.
Sierra Nevada describes this beer as “Ale Brewed with Lactose, Orange Peel, Black Tea, Tamarind, & Star Anise”.
Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Thai Style Iced Tea with Mikkeller Brewery has an alcohol content of 7.2% by volume with 12 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 Thai Style Iced Tea was packaged on 4/20/17, 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.
Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across the World Thai Style Iced Tea pours to a hazy orange color with a light creamy head of foam on a vigorous nose and a nose of orange rind and soft tea. Taking a sip, the beer is interesting indeed with a light maltiness supporting earthy black tea notes, bold citrus, and a hint of anise. The lactose adds body, though the tamarind doesn’t come out so much. That might be my fault for waiting so long to drink it. The finish is earthy and herbal from the wonderful tea notes.
While this one did not age as well as the Ginger Lager did, I still very much enjoyed it and would try it again for sure if it were released all on its own.
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