Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a craft beer standard
In 1980, American craft beer was a shadow of what it is today. American tastes in beer largely favored light lagers over the full bodied ales that were popular in pre-Prohibition times. But breweries like San Francisco, California's Anchor Brewing, along with New Albion Brewing Company and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company helped to bring about a changes in perception that would gradually work their way into American tastes over the following decades.
While Anchor Brewing helped to bring back full bodied flavor profiles into beer production in the 1960s, it was with the help of California breweries like Sierra Nevada Brewing Company that helped to raise awareness of these beers' availability and appeal in the American public. Sierra Nevada Brewing was founded in 1979 by two Chico, California homebrewers, Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi who with $50,000 in loans purchased and constructed the brewery's first brewing facility. The first fruits were seen in November, 1980 in the form of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, a beer that is still produced today and is also one of the best selling craft beer in the United States.
In its first year, Sierra Nevada Brewing's output was just under one thousand barrels and they have grown to an impressive 800,000 barrels per year. Similar to Anchor Brewing's struggles prior to the 1980s, Sierra Nevada had difficulty establishing itself as a viable business. But with the help of some early press from local newspapers as well as a stop on a few local menus such as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse, Sierra Nevada's beers began to gain a following.
By the late 1980s, the brewery's production was ten times its opening capacity almost ten years earlier and was distributed across multiple states.
One of the first American craft brewing operations, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company helped to revive the craft beer revival during the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the near three thousand craft breweries that now operate within the United States.
Sierra Nevada offers six year round beers. The brewery's flagship beer, the Pale Ale (5.6% ABV) is its most popular beer, and the second best selling craft beer in the United States. Torpedo Extra IPA (7.2% ABV), Sierra Nevada Porter (5.6% ABV) and the slightly stronger Sierra Nevada Stout (5.8% ABV), the Bavarian style wheat beer Kellerweis (4.8% ABV), as well as the Old Chico branded beers.
Old Chico Brewery existed between 1865 and 1899. There is one year round offering, a Crystal Wheat (4.8% ABV), and three seasonals: a Pale Bock, Old Chico ESB, and Old Chico Brown Ale.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has won thirty-two awards at the Great American Beer Festival, fifteen of which are gold and six at the World Beer Cup, two of which are gold.
While Anchor Brewing helped to bring back full bodied flavor profiles into beer production in the 1960s, it was with the help of California breweries like Sierra Nevada Brewing Company that helped to raise awareness of these beers' availability and appeal in the American public. Sierra Nevada Brewing was founded in 1979 by two Chico, California homebrewers, Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi who with $50,000 in loans purchased and constructed the brewery's first brewing facility. The first fruits were seen in November, 1980 in the form of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, a beer that is still produced today and is also one of the best selling craft beer in the United States.
In its first year, Sierra Nevada Brewing's output was just under one thousand barrels and they have grown to an impressive 800,000 barrels per year. Similar to Anchor Brewing's struggles prior to the 1980s, Sierra Nevada had difficulty establishing itself as a viable business. But with the help of some early press from local newspapers as well as a stop on a few local menus such as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse, Sierra Nevada's beers began to gain a following.
By the late 1980s, the brewery's production was ten times its opening capacity almost ten years earlier and was distributed across multiple states.
One of the first American craft brewing operations, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company helped to revive the craft beer revival during the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the near three thousand craft breweries that now operate within the United States.
Sierra Nevada beers
Sierra Nevada offers six year round beers. The brewery's flagship beer, the Pale Ale (5.6% ABV) is its most popular beer, and the second best selling craft beer in the United States. Torpedo Extra IPA (7.2% ABV), Sierra Nevada Porter (5.6% ABV) and the slightly stronger Sierra Nevada Stout (5.8% ABV), the Bavarian style wheat beer Kellerweis (4.8% ABV), as well as the Old Chico branded beers.
Old Chico Brewery existed between 1865 and 1899. There is one year round offering, a Crystal Wheat (4.8% ABV), and three seasonals: a Pale Bock, Old Chico ESB, and Old Chico Brown Ale.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has won thirty-two awards at the Great American Beer Festival, fifteen of which are gold and six at the World Beer Cup, two of which are gold.
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