If anybody knows Cascade hops, it has to be Sierra Nevada Brewing. OK, you can’t say that without saying Anchor Brewing Company does too, but I can’t think of any other brewers with such a history with the Cascade. Why do I say this? Two reasons: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Anchor Liberty Ale, two of America’s oldest craft beers and two fine showcase beers for the Cascade.
Hence, you can imagine my excitement about Sierra Nevada Single Hop Cascade IPA. If Sierra Nevada could make Cascades sing as they do in their pale ale (which is not a single hop brew; it includes Perles for bittering), imagine what they could do with nothing but Cascades, and in an India Pale Ale at that!
I got 3 bottles of this beer in the 2016 Sierra Nevada Snow Pack Seasonal Sampler, which also includes 3 bottles each of the aforementioned Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Maple Scotch Ale, and the excellent Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout.
From the label:
Cascade has become one of Sierra Nevada’s most beloved hops. It was featured as the sole hop in our original draught Pale Ale and we’ve been enamored by its classic citrus-pine flavors ever since. This all-new Single Hop IPA features Cascade throughout and is heavy with its bright grapefruit, pine and floral aromas.
Ingredients from the website:
Yeast Ale yeast
Bittering Hops Cascade
Finishing Hops Cascade
Malts Two-row Pale, Caramel
Sierra Nevada Single Hop Cascade IPA has an alcohol content of 6.3% by volume with 45 IBUs. I paid $13.29 for my 12-pack. Mine was packaged on September 19th 2016 and I drank a bottle on December 4th.
Sierra Nevada Single Hop Cascade IPA pours to a bright orange color with a light head formation on a fairly vigorous pour and a soft piney nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a light caramel maltiness up front followed by those wonderful classic resiny, piney, grapefruity notes and a long dry bitter finish.
Just as the label promises, you do get those lovely classic Cascade notes here, though they seem light to me and I would like more of them, especially in an IPA. I think I was expecting more from this, perhaps a Cascade party in my mouth, and I didn’t quite get that. Still, the beer is delightfully tasty and eminently drinkable. Even an average beer from Sierra Nevada is better than the best beers from many brewers.
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