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 fourth beer I popped from this sampler (I'm already a third through!) was Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across the World Atlantic-Style Vintage Ale, brewed in conjunction with Fullers Brewery. Sierra Nevada and a classic English brewer like Fuller's seemed a win-win for everybody, and it turned out to be that that was exactly the case.

From the label:

Fuller's Brewery in London has been producing some of the UK's finest ales since the mid-19th century. Together we created a new recipe for an Atlantic-Style Vintage Ale-a Robust beer, perfect for aging, and brewed with plums for a touch of rich fruit flavor that both mimics and enhances the natural yeast-driven aromas.

Ingredients from the website:

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Atlantic-Style Vintage Ale with Fuller's Brewery has an alcohol content of 8.5% by volume with 40 IBUs. This beer is obviously a variation on the classic Fuller's Vintage Ale (with the same ABV). I have tasting notes recorded on the 1998, 2009, and 2011 maltages for comparison.  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 Vintage Ale was packaged on 4/13/17, most likely in Mills River, NC.

By the way, 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 Atlantic-Style Vintage Ale  pours to a ruddy muddy reddish color with a thick creamy head and a tart fruity plum nose. Taking a sip, there’s rich toffee-caramel malt up front with brown sugar and rock candy notes, and a tart plummy note combining with warming alcohol to balance in the finish. Superb!

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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