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Beer Camp

Our Beer Camp® brewhouse is where our best ideas are born. Here, we develop recipes, try new techniques and turn concepts into new beers. At Beer Camp, we invite our biggest fans to the brewery for a week of in-depth, hands-on learning. Each camp challenges our brewers to make a new and unique beer—the crazier the ingredients the better. Each year, we release some of our favorite Beer Camp creations in the bottle, but mostly, the beers are very limited draught-only rarities. If you see one at a bar near you, search out the lucky camper, buy them a beer and get their stories first hand because while the beers may disappear quickly, the memories will last a lifetime.

  • Floral IPA
  • Imperial Pilsner
  • Imperial Red Ale
  • Oatmeal Stout

Beer Camps of Yore

  • Blood Shot

    December 2012 | ABV 9.5 | IBU 95

    An appropriately named Imperial Red Ale, Bloodshot has an incredible balance of huge hop bitterness—100 IBUs!—and sweet caramel malt. Tropical fruit and licorice swirl freely in the aroma, and a smooth body cloaks this beer’s power. 

    Sleight of Hand

    December 2012 | ABV 8.0 | IBU 52

    As it’s apt to do, a Belgian yeast lends this beer complex aromas and flavors, which give the high ABV just the smoke and mirrors it needs to surprise you. But you know its trick, so slowly savor Sleight of Hand’s banana bread, clove and spice.

    Black-Eye PA

    November 2012 | ABV 7.5 | IBU 91

    This bruiser throws its first punch with a big herbal hop aroma that features a hint of fresh pumpkin. The malt’s roasted coffee notes and a dry finish round out the fighter’s repertoire, making for a very drinkable black IPA.

    Cabin Fever

    October 2012 | ABV 4.9 | IBU 33

    There’s no shortage of holiday spirit in this ale crafted by Sierra Nevada employee Beer Campers. The malt-focused Cabin Fever reveals itself first through mild ginger and nutmeg aromas before a smooth body hosts slight vanilla and orange flavors—the result of citrus fruits zested by the beer’s creators.

  • Simmer Down Brown

    October 2012 | ABV 7.0 | IBU 63

    This brown ale departs from its peers, trading the common sweetness of its style for a prominent piney aroma and flavor imparted by an Australian hop variety. A familiar nuttiness is still present in Simmer Down, but its savory backbone and dry finish alongside the expressive hop profile may give you pause. Once you’ve calmed, enjoy this beer’s big personality.

    Fistful of Hops

    September 2012 | ABV 6.3 | IBU 44

    This balanced ale will inspire friendships, not face offs. Savor among good company the expressive citrus notes that plentiful wet hops from the 2012 harvest provide to this pale rider. The malt bill keeps the proverbial scale even, though, making Fistful of Hops an approachable brew.

    Hop Secret 644

    September 2012 | ABV 7.5 | IBU 48

    An extensive dry-hopping lineup injects this red wheat IPA with a gripping aroma. The experimental Hop 644 in particular contributes intriguing wafts of strawberry and blueberry. Other powerful hops added during the boil, including Centennial, accomplish a balancing earthiness and a pleasant bitterness that lingers after the finish.

    On The Rocks

    August 2012 | ABV 7.1 | IBU 30

    Locally sourced river rocks, glowing with heat, were added to the kettle so the sugars could impart caramel and toffee flavors to this Scotch Ale. For all the sweetness, though, rye malt contributes to a fairly dry finish, making for a balanced, toasty treat—keep the ice cubes in the freezer.

  • Eighty-Six'd

    August 2012 | ABV 8.6 | IBU 86

    Taking its name from the hefty ABV—well, throw a decimal in there—Eighty Six’d is a fresh-hop IPA whose big aroma is charged by several hop varieties, including a healthy dose of estate-grown, wet Citra hops used during dry hopping. The citrus, mildly tart flavors are kept in check by bready malt, making Eighty Six’d, despite what its name suggests, welcoming to many palates.

    AlteRed

    July 2012 | ABV 6.2 | IBU 43

    As you place the first logs into your fireplace, AlteRed is perfect for your spare hand. This mahogany Altbier delivers a sweet maltiness and hosts notes of burnt sugar. A low primary fermentation temperature kept fruity esters to a minimum, giving way to roasty and smoky characteristics. Sip on Altered while stoking the flames for all the warmth you’ll need this fall. 

    Ch-Ch-Cherry Bomb

    July 2012 | ABV 5.7 | IBU 26

    Inspired by the punk rock classic, this unique brown-ale-meets-sour-cherry-beer shows its rebellious spirit. A balanced mix of roasty and toasted malt flavors blends seamlessly with a hint of tart cherry character, blending into something reminiscent of a carnival caramel apple. Drinkable and delicious, this complex ale is a great start to autumn.

    Sierrandipity

    July 2012 | ABV 5.3 | IBU 38

    Sierrandipity is copper-colored ale brewed in the British Extra Special Bitter style, but with an American hoppy twist. It has an unusually complex malt body from the use of Golden Promise malt, Caramel malt, rye, and a touch of chocolate malt. It has a bright grassy and green earthy flavor from the use of American dry hops, adding balance to this uncommonly drinkable beer.

  • The Headliner

    June 2012 | ABV 5.3 | IBU 53

    The Headliner is a black ale made with our friends from the Asheville, NC, brewing community and features aroma hops, but in an unusual way. The toasted malt character and creamy body are accentuated by the use of an experimental hop varietal for dry hopping, which adds a bold and unique fruity, almost berry-like, aroma. This interesting and complex medium-bodied beer is well balanced with a dry, drinkable finish.

    Carolina Dreamin'®:

    June 2012 | ABV 9 | IBU 41

    A red wheatwine made with our friends from the Asheville, NC, brewing community. A wheatwine is a cousin to the better known barleywine style of ales, but brewed with a larger percentage of wheat. This big, rich ale has a mild caramel flavor and slight tang from the wheat malt with notes of grapefruit and peach balanced with a blend of Galaxy, Magnum and fruity Nelson Sauvin hops.

    El Pluorado

    May 2012 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 39

    El Pluorado is single-hop golden ale brewed with 30 pounds of ripe pluots added directly to the kettle. The beer is medium bodied and golden with intense and layered fruit flavors, not only from the pluots but also from a hearty dose of unique El Dorado hops. The resulting beer is sweet-tart and drinkable with a crisp, dry finish.

    ApriQuat

    June 2012 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 31

    This unique golden ale was brewed with apricots, kumquats, and a blend of intense and fruity American whole-cone hops. The aroma is complex with a mix of citrusy fruit notes from the hops and kumquats. The flavor is equally fruity with stone fruit character from the apricot and light but layered hops.

  • Baltic Joy

    May 2012 | ABV 7.4 | IBU 35

    This beer is a real treat! A rich, chocolaty Baltic porter with an addition of toasted coconut and toasted almonds. The aroma is layered with a mild malty sweetness and slight hints of coconut. The flavor, however, is something truly special—toasted malt and caramel flavors, coconut, chocolate and a touch of almond all shine in this complex brew. It has hints of sweetness, but remains drinkable with a clean and refined finish.

    Lost Guy Rye

    May 2012 | ABV 5.5 | IBU 44

    Named for a lonely Beer Camper who never found his way, Lost Guy Rye is something of an unusual brew. Sharing similarities with an English mild, a dry stout and exceptionally dry brown ale, this dark-yet-light-drinking ale is a unique beer. With notes of chocolate, roasted malt, a hint of smoke and the signature peppery spice of rye, it is extraordinarily complex for such an easy-drinking beer.

    Hop Syndicate

    April 2012 | ABV 7.2 | IBU 52

    Inspired by the German tradition, but influenced by the American love for hops. It’s something we call an IPL—an India Pale Lager. Extraordinarily light in color, this delicate-looking beer hides the full force of hop flavor within. Torpedoed with Simcoe, Citra, Columbus and Amarillo hops, it features a profoundly fruity aroma with notes of citrus, apricot and pineapple.

    Cosmic Haze

    April 2012 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 47

    Cosmic Haze is a sessionable, low-gravity ale that’s generously hopped and amazingly drinkable. Brewed with rye malt to add a peppery spice to the malt backbone and heartily hopped with newish hop varietals Sorachi Ace, known for tropical fruit and coconut flavors, and Galaxy, a blend of citrus and passion fruit aromas.

  • Lucky Punk

    March 2012 | ABV 5.6 | IBU 30

    Brewed by Sierra Nevada employees, Lucky Punk is a hop-forward session lager. It is modest in alcohol, but big in flavor from use of Strisselspalt, Chinook and El Dorado dry hops. It is light in body with a mild bready sweetness and a hearty dose of citrus, floral, and tropical fruit aromas from the hops.

    Blindfold

    March 2012 | ABV 7.4 | IBU 75

    Blindfold—as the name suggests—blankets us in darkness, yet maintains a surprisingly light body and bold hoppy character. This black IPA features Australian hop varieties Nelson Sauvin and Southern Cross paired with American Chinook hops to produce an aromatic and fruity hop aroma that contrasts the coffee-like malt flavors and dry finish.

    Anything Gose

    March 2012 | ABV 4.7 | IBU 17

    Until recently, gose (pronounced goes-uh) was lost to the fog of history, but thanks to the craft beer boom these ancient German ales are experiencing a renaissance. Brewed with Meyer lemon peel and coriander, this hazy golden beer is low in alcohol, light and refreshing. Anything Gose has a mild lemony tartness and a quick hit of minerality from the use of kosher salt in the brewing process.

    Token Lager

    March 2012 | ABV 7.4 | IBU 54

    The vast majority of beers we make are ales, but every now and again the odd lager comes along and reminds how good these cold fermented beauties can be. Token Lager is just such a beer. With a bright herbal and citrus hop aroma and a toasty, semi-sweet malt body, this strong golden lager manages to be crisp and drinkable, yet still complex.

  • Love Potion (No. 69)

    February 2012 | ABV 6.9 | IBU 52

    Traditionally, IPAs are flavored from hops alone. This beer throws tradition to the wind. Brewed with 15 pounds of fresh raspberries and five pounds of cocoa nibs, this unique beer defies expectations. It has a fruity and floral aroma that highlights the delicate interplay between the fruit and hops, and a dry finish with just a hint of cocoa. This is either a hoppy beer for fruit lovers or a fruit beer for hop fiends!

    Red-Oric

    November 2012 | ABV 8.5 | IBU 65

    This Imperial Red Ale takes the bold hop profile found in a traditional Imperial IPA and turns up the malt. It has big, aromatic hop notes of grapefruit, peach and melon, balanced by a very smooth and surprisingly robust malt body. Hops take the lead on this beer, but the malt tames the bitterness and adds a unique drinkability.

    ALTernate Ending

    November 2012 | ABV 6.1 | IBU 48

    ALTernate Ending is an adaptation of the traditional German Altbier style with an American twist—an addition of experimental American hops. Brewed by members of the American Homebrewers Association, this copper-colored beer has notes of caramelized sugar with fruity and floral aromatics. It is balanced and drinkable with an even mix of European malt flavors and a bright hoppy finish.

    Bravo Red

    November 2012 | ABV 6.2 | IBU 46

    This beer is the brainchild of a group of Sierra Nevada employees—from the pub kitchen to the front office—who rarely get the opportunity to work in the brewhouse. It is a session-style red ale: low in alcohol, but big on flavor. A smooth and malty body is perfectly balanced by citrusy whole-cone hops, making this a complex yet easy-drinking beer.

  • Huckleberry Finnish

    October 2011 | ABV 6.1 | IBU 29

    This unique black lager is a beer not to be missed. Brewed with fresh huckleberries, Huck Finn-ish is a complex and interesting beer—approachable and very drinkable. Mild notes of chocolate and semi-sweet malt carry berry flavor and aromas that are enhanced by the use of an experimental hop known for its blueberry-like flavors. This is a fruit beer for people who don’t like fruit beers!

    Birra Vina

    September 2011 | ABV 7.4 | IBU 34

    This unique beer is brewed with 300 pounds of crushed Petite Sirah and Tempranillo wine grapes. This amber-colored beer has an intensely fruity aroma with notes of citrus, strawberry, and green table grapes. The flavor has a moderate malty backbone with the sweet-tart flavor and mild tannins of the grapes. Birra Vina is hopped with the unusual Nelson Sauvin hop variety to add to the grape-like flavor.

    Raiders of the Last Hops

    September 2011 | ABV 7.6 | IBU 80

    Created by the winners of our 2011 Beer Camp contest, Raiders of the Last Hops is an adventurous take on an Imperial Red Ale style that uses 100% estate-grown Chinook hops grown on site in our hop yard adjacent to the brewery before being aged on toasted wood from a lemon tree. This beer has an intense, earthy. hop-forward flavor, a medium body and a touch of woody tannins at the finish.

    Pitch A Tent

    July 2011 | ABV 9 | IBU 46

    This unusual beer is a great example of what Beer Camp is all about—starting with a tried-and-true style and adding a twist! This American-style IPA was brewed with lavender and just a hint of honey to highlight the unique floral character of the lavender, with the bold citrusy aromas of American hops. Pitch-A-Tent is dry, crisp, and dangerously drinkable.

  • Bad Luck Blonde

    July 2011 | ABV 6.5 | IBU 36

    A wise soul once said, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” In the case of Bad Luck Blonde, this is all the luck you’ll ever need! This hazy blonde is an easy drinker with a pleasant fruity and floral aroma from the use of Saphir, Styrian Golding and Crystal hops, and brewed with a touch of coriander for a light citrus flavor and a mild peppery spice.

    Black Hop Rising

    May 2011 | ABV 5.6 | IBU 24

    This unusual beer is an anomaly—a rowdy blend of beer styles old and new. It has the clean, medium-bodied smoothness of a classic German black lager (Schwarz bier) and the aggressive resiny, bold hop flavors of an American black IPA. Black Hop Rising features a silky body with hints of black coffee maltiness contrasted by intense grapefruit, pine, and tropical fruit flavors from the heavy-handed dose of Simcoe, Citra, and Crystal hops.

    Earth Day Extra Pale Ale

    April 2011 | ABV 5 | IBU 26

    Despite the “extra” in the name, EPAs are typically a lighter-drinking version of the wildly popular American ales. This “earthy” brew has a medium body with loads of flavor from an unusual mix of hops. Featuring bright tropical melon flavors from the use of Sorachi Ace hops and accented with floral Nelson and Motueka hops from New Zealand and bright citrus notes from Chinook hops grown here in the USA. This extra pale ale is a perfect summertime drinker for Earth Day or any day.

    Hop Smack Double Black

    April 2011 | ABV 8 | IBU 72

    This big black IPA smacks with the bold aromas and flavors of resinous whole-cone hops. It is midnight black in color with a hint of smoky and earthy roastiness from the use of roasted malts, but hops are truly the stars of the show. Featuring intense hop flavors of grapefruit, pine and green herbal notes, Hop Smack Double Black surely lives up to its name!

  • Maple Red Eh'l

    February 2011 | ABV 6.3 | IBU 53

    With a nod to our Canadian neighbors to the north, this hoppy red ale has a dose of pure maple syrup added to the kettle in addition to a hearty bunch of dry hops. This unique red ale has a complex toasty malt flavor with a touch of the maple that gives way to a dry, full and floral hoppy finish.

    Sticke Pilsner

    January 2011 | ABV 6 | IBU 35

    Traditional German altbier brewers call their special release beers “sticke” or “secret” because of their limited availability. This hopped-up golden pilsner uses the name because of its limited release, but also as a play on words due to its hearty dose of “sticky” and resinous Crystal and Pacific dry-hop flavors and bright floral finish.

    India Ink

    January 2011 | ABV 7.5 | IBU 75

    This black IPA strikes a perfect balance between dark and roasted malt flavors and bright and floral whole-cone hops. Featuring a hint of black malt, India Ink has notes of chocolate, anise and mild roasted flavors working in counterpoint to a blend of aromatic experimental and New Zealand hops.

    Ewe-96

    September 2010 | ABV 5.5 | IBU 46

    This black lager proves that beer cannot be judged by appearance alone. At first glance, the beer looks dark and heavy, but by contrast, it has more in common with a crisp and lightly hoppy German-style pilsner than a rich English stout. Hop forward in aroma, this beer transitions briefly into a lightly smoky and roasted flavor that quickly gives way to a crisp and hoppy finish.

  • Hopsichord

    September 2010 | ABV 9.7 | IBU 80

    Brewed with the musical winners of our Beer Camp contest, Hopsichord hits all the right notes. This reddish-amber IPA works its way up the scale of hop flavors and aromas, featuring tones of tropical fruit, light pine and citrus zest. This symphony of hops is balanced by a robust malt body that blends the bright hoppy highlights with a long, smooth, and bittersweet finish.

    Loch, Hops & Barrel

    September 2010 | ABV 7.8 | IBU 28

    Created by the California winners of our Beer Camp contest, this wood-aged Scotch lager is a cold weather beer not to be missed. It is a deep ruby brown color with a rich, roasty, and caramel sweet aroma. The flavor matches the aroma with velvety malts offering hints of molasses and a mild barrel-like finish from aging on cherry wood chips.

    Westnatte Lupulus

    August 2010 | ABV 6.3 | IBU 35

    This is our take on a Belgian-style ale ramped up with plenty of whole-cone American hops. Westnatte Lupulus is copper in color with complex aromas of spicy clove, black pepper, and stone fruits from the use of a traditional Belgian yeast strain. The beer is hopped with Sierra Nevada estate-grown hops and features some Ohio-grown Cascades from the heartland.

    Writer's Block

    August 2010 | ABV 6.2 | IBU 45

    Made by influential beer industry scribes Benj Steinman and Harry Schuhmacher, this hoppy golden ale should encourage creativity. Beautifully balanced toasty malt flavors work well against a crisp hoppy backbone, making this medium-bodied ale approachable, drinkable and enjoyable.

  • Back Porch Lager

    July 2010 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 39

    Made with the folks from the Telluride Blues and Brews festival, this easy-drinking lager is available exclusively at the event. Perfectly balanced flavors of malt and hops make this beer the perfect drink for all-night, back porch jam sessions and plenty of the blues. Enjoy!

    Hoppy Camper's Ale

    July 2010 | ABV 6.3 | IBU 41

    Created by Taproom regulars, Hoppy Camper is an easy-drinking, hoppy amber ale. This medium-bodied beer has an engaging fruity and floral aroma anchored by sweet hints of malt. The flavor is an interesting mix of caramel-like roasted malts balanced by a solid dry and hoppy finish.

    Saison Vice

    July 2010 | ABV 5.2 | IBU 39

    A traditional Farmhouse Ale with an essence of tangerine and spicy pepper overtones.

    Saison Versa

    July 2010 | ABV 5.2 | IBU 39

    A traditional Farmhouse Ale with an essence of orange, coriander, and spicy pepper overtones. Saison Versa is refreshing and light with a more complex yeast character than its cousin, Saison Vice.

  • Almond Märzen Project

    April 2010 | ABV 5.6 | IBU 29

    This unusual beer is based on a traditional German-style Märzen lager, but with an added twist—the addition of Maisie Jane’s locally grown almonds during fermentation. It is a polished copper color with delicate and sweet lager aromas. The flavor is an interesting mix of moderately sweet toasted malt with hints of marzipan and roasted almonds coming through in the finish.

    Exporter

    April 2010 | ABV 5.8 | IBU 34

    ExPorter is a dark and mysterious brew, pitch black in color with a heady aroma of wood smoke and roasted malt. The flavors are complex, but milder than the aroma suggests, with light malt sweetness and notes of milk chocolate, molé and caramel, balanced by a moderately full, semi-dry finish.

    EuropAle

    April 2010 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 42

    Europale—Made with our Italian distributor partners, this beer is a unique European/American hybrid pale ale. Europale is a brilliant golden color with interesting floral and grassy hop aromas. The flavors are a balanced mix of toasty malt alongside crisp and spicy noble hop flavors from the use of German Tettnanger and Spalt Select hops.

    Knightro

    March 2010 | ABV 5 | IBU 41

    Knightro ESB is a fully nitrogenated beer designed as our take on the creamy cask ales of England with a decidedly Sierra Nevada twist. Knightro is mahogany brown in color with a rich caramel and bready malt aroma used as a platform to showcase bundles of earthy and herbal English-style hops. This beer has a creamy mouth feel and gentle carbonation from the use of a high percentage of nitrogen instead of the typical CO₂.

  • Nautilus

    March 2010 | ABV 5.4 | IBU 41

    Nautilus is a Czech-style pilsner infused with dry-hopped aroma and flavor from our unique hop-torpedo process. The beer is brilliant golden in color and has an intriguing mix of malty, lager-like aroma blended with light fruit-forward hop notes. It has a medium body with a touch of biscuit-like malt flavor and fruity and floral hop flavors.

    Idle Trellis

    March 2010 | ABV 5.8 | IBU 36

    This American Pale Ale was brewed with hop growers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and naturally their crop is the star. Brewed with organic Palisades, Cascade, Crystal and Citra in the kettle and dry hopped with organic Palisades, Cascade and Crystal for aroma, this beer has complex and abundant hop flavors without losing balance.

    Rhymes Wit

    February 2010 | ABV 4.7 | IBU 18

    Rhymes Wit is our take on a traditional Belgian Wit or “white” style of beer named for its hazy, pale straw color. This beer has interesting aromas of spicy Belgian yeast, wheat malt, and a hint of citrus. It has a silky smooth body, slight black pepper character, and a malt graininess that fades into a mild tart finish from the use of locally grown mandarin oranges.

    Hoptimum

    January 2010 | ABV 10.4 | IBU 91

    Hops, hops, and more hops are the stars of this big West Coast double IPA. Resinous “new-school” hop varieties, including Chinook, Simcoe and Citra, carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavors follow suit with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar and tropical fruit flavors and culminating in a dry and lasting finish. This beer underwent our signature “torpedo” process in addition to traditional dry-hopping and use of a hop-back.

  • Biggar Beer

    January 2010 | ABV 6.8 | IBU 52

    Made with our Prairie Malt growers from Biggar, Saskatchewan, this golden ale is a perfect session beer—medium bodied and perfectly balanced. Mild sweetness and delicate malt flavors play smoothly against an understated backbone of hops, offering a dry finish and superb drinkability.

    Hopstar IPA

    November 2009 | ABV 7.5 | IBU 60

    This classic West Coast style India Pale Ale is loaded with pronounced citrus and grapefruit rind hop notes with a hint of sweet malt in the aroma. The smooth malt flavor is backed by an assertive hop character from generous amounts of “new-school” aromatic hops, including the Amarillo and Simcoe varieties used during dry hopping. This bold and aggressive IPA remains drinkable and will keep you coming back for more.

    Juniper Black Ale

    November 2009 | ABV 8.2 | IBU 61

    This dark, russet-colored beer has an intricate aroma of roasted malt and fruity esters with a touch of resinous pine note from the use of juniper berries. The flavor is deep and complex with an upfront sweetness and flavors of dark baking chocolate, which give way to a dry finish from a mixture of hops and a mild hint of juniper. Juniper Black Ale is very drinkable and perfect for a cold winter night.

    Red Taxi

    October 2009 | ABV 6 | IBU 46

    Red Taxi Ale, created by the Sierra Nevada Citizens Advisory Board (C.A.B.), has an earthy, green hop aroma. This reddish-amber ale has a full, bready and toasted malt flavor and fruity esters followed up with a hearty dose of hops. This friendly, drinkable ale is balanced with a dry hoppy finish. Red Taxi Ale will get you where you’re going.

  • Golden Ticket Baltic Porter

    October 2009 | ABV 6.6 | IBU 41

    Golden Ticket Baltic Porter is an opaque dark brown lager with big roasted malt flavor with notes of raisin and milk chocolate. This Baltic Porter is profoundly smooth with a full, flavorful body, making it both drinkable and satisfying with slight hop presence and clean finish.

    Old Cantankerous Stock Ale

    October 2009 | ABV 6.6 | IBU 41

    Old Cantankerous is an interesting example of the nearly forgotten Stock Ale style of beer. It is full bodied with sweet malt aromas reminiscent of raisins and toffee. The flavor is rich with complex malts with notes of caramelized sugar and toasted walnuts. This English-style beer is clean and balanced with a restrained hop finish.

    Edge of Darkness

    September 2009 | ABV 6.9 | IBU 63

    Edge of Darkness is deep chestnut brown color. The light roast continues in the flavor and feels relatively dry (drier than the apparent extract would suggest!), but with a nice malty sweetness as well. Hop character is slightly piney and slightly spicy, but not overpowering. Definitely an assertive hop character, but balanced into the roast malts nicely. A nice, big hop bitterness along with a pleasant amount of dark malt roast character in the finish along with significant alcohol warming to the back of the throat.