Beer Camp is back! That’s right, Sierra Nevada is at it again with another 12-pack sampler of fine collaboration brews. There have been some changes, though, since the last time they did this two years ago. Back in 2014, the 12-Pack had 12 different beers; this time it’s two bottles each of 6. Then too, the first go-round featured for each brew a collaboration with Sierra Nevada and a unique brewer per beer. Now, each beer is a joint effort between Sierra Nevada and several notable brewers.

Then too, I had to spend some time hunting down the first one; this time, the Beer Camp Across America 12-pack found me. I was in Total Wine in early May when I spied them in a large display; several customers were already walking out the door with them. One of my very favorite beers in this assortment was Sierra Nevada Beer Camp West Latitude Session Rye.

This beer is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada, Bear Republic, Faction Brewing, Mad River, Magnolia Brewing and Maui Brewing. I’m not sure the benefit of a number of breweries versus just two, but the beer is very nice indeed.

From the label:

West Latitude combines our Californian Left Coast love of fruity hops with a touch of Hawaiian “aloha” from the addition of hibiscus flowers, all anchored by robust malts and spicy rye. This session beer is light in body but looms large, like the long shadows of a westward setting sun.”

Ingredients from the website:

Bittering Hops: Centennial, Comet and Mosaic

Finishing Hops: Comet, Citra and Mosaic

Malts: Maris Otter, Golden Promise, Rye, Vienna and Moonlight Wheat

Other Ingredients: Hibiscus

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp West Latitude Session Rye has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 55 IBUs. Sorry folks but 5.5% is too high for a session beer in my book. My bottle was likely packaged in Mills River, North Carolina. It was bottled on April 4^th 2016 at 1:02 in the afternoon. Now here’s the kicker: the price. Two years ago, I complained about the $25 price tag for BCAA; this year we’re up to $30 a 12-pack. The fact that in 2014 the pack was a selection of 12 singles helped soften the blow of the high price. Today, that’s not the case, although there is the advantage that if you really like the beers you will have another bottle of each one to enjoy. Still, the price here is just too high.

Sierra Nevada Beer West Latitude Session Rye pours to a beautiful dark mahogany color with a thick creamy head and a soft spicy rye nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a gentle smooth maltiness up front which is packed with hearty rye bread goodness. It’s spicy and dry and in the finish a little flowery with the hibiscus. A balancing herbal hop aroma and gentle fruity bitterness really round this one out nicely. Just wonderful, I love rye, and this liquid rye bread is an amazing beer indeed. 

Overall, I’d give West Latitude Session Rye a full five stars. OK, it's a little pricey, and it's not really a session beer, but I love rye beers and this one screams spicy rye grains. So yeah, if this one were released again, I'd be all over it folks!

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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