Visited: December 29, 1994

Opened: 1981

Annual Production: 800,000 bbl

Contributors: Mario Kornmesser, Diane Crawford, Justin Ainsworth, Ralph Wells

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Chico's out in the middle of nowhere, but if you don't make the day trip from the San Francisco Bay area out to Sierra Nevada, you lose. Outstanding beers in the bottle...just wait until you have them brewery-fresh! I stopped by on a Sunday morning during my Beer Odyssey.

Directions: Highway 99 into Chico. (If you're on I-5, use Highway 32 to cut over to Highway 99, then head south.) Exit at 20th Street, go west. Sierra Nevada is a couple of blocks along on the left.

Updated: February 10, 2023

• 2020-05-06: Sierra Nevada to start producing COVID-19 test materials for local hospital in its brewery lab (Craft Brewing Business)
• 2019-02-04: Sierra Nevada Makes First-Ever Acquisition, Buys Fast-Growing Sufferfest Beer (Brewbound)
• 2017-05-25: Sierra Nevada’s revered and influential brewmaster calls it a career (Sacramento Bee)
• 2017-01-02: Sierra Nevada donates $2 million to UC Davis brewing science program (Craft Brewing Business)
• 2016-04-26: Sierra Nevada Partners with Mahrs Bräu on New Oktoberfest Beer (The New School)
• 2015-01-20: Sierra Nevada Founder Grossman Becomes Billionaire on Pale Ales (Bloomberg Business)
• 2014-05-01: Sierra Nevada updates ‘packaged on’ dates to promote freshness (Craft Brewing Business)
• 2013-03-20: Sierra Nevada To Open Taproom In Berkeley (Brookston Beer Bulletin)
• 2012-12-08: Sierra Nevada Brewing, Narwhal LLC locked in trademark dispute over ‘Narwhal’ name (BeerPulse.com)
• 2012-05-29: All about the beer: Sierra Nevada giving tours (Oroville Mercury Register)
• 2012-04-10: Beyond the Pale: new Sierra Nevada book coming this fall (Beer Pulse)
• 2012-03-02: The brewery that changed America (The Independent)
• 2011-10-30: Sierra Nevada no longer has sights set on Montgomery County (The Roanoke Times)
• 2011-09-19: Where will Sierra open its East Coast plant? (Washington Post)
• 2011-07-27: Alcoa Might Have to Ante Up for Sierra Nevada (Metro Pulse)
• 2011-06-24: This One Time at Beer Camp (CraftBeer.com)
• 2011-05-16: Sierra Nevada Brewing issues Tennessee statement (Beernews.org)
• 2011-03-05: Sierra Nevada Brewing to start canning later this year (Beernews.org)
• 2010-08-06: Sierra Nevada joins with Trappist Monks to brew Authentic Abbey Ales (The Beer Spot)
• 2010-06-02: Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Imperial Helles Bock released by Sierra Nevada (Examiner.com)
• 2010-05-16: Sierra Nevada unveils plans for beer camp this September (New Jersey Newsroom)
• 2010-01-21: Sierra Nevada at 30: Brewery to honor roots, pioneers (New Jersey Newsroom)
• 2009-12-15: Sierra Nevada celebrates 30th anniversary with a tribute (Beverage Industry)
• 2009-11-01: Sierra Nevada Brewing takes top sustainability honor (Food Engineering)
• 2009-09-01: An interest in shrinking the plant’s carbon footprint and a good neighbor attitude... (Food Engineering Magazine)
• 2009-08-17: Ballard on Beer: Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis (Charleston City Paper)
• 2009-06-22: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co does its part (Mother Nature Network)
• 2009-03-06: Sierra Nevada Introduces Kellerweis As Newest Year-Round Beer (BeerAdvocate)
• 2009-02-03: Sierra Nevada to turn beer yeast into fuel (Sacramento Business Journal)
• 2008-12-29: Sierra hops on recycling: Treated industrial water will be used to make more beer (Chico Enterprise-Record)
• 2008-10-23: New Glass Promises To Improve Beer Drinking (KHSL)

• 
  3 Weight
  Session India Pale Ale
  4.00% abv.
  • Date: March 11, 2020 (#10241)
    Package: bottled
    Place: Northbound Liquor Store, Elk River MN
    Score: 18½ points
    Appearance (3)
    Golden. Lots of carbonation. Big dense head.
    Aroma (4)
    Biscuity and fruity. Mild citrus, mild melon.
    Mouthfeel (9)
    Light body, fairly fizzy. Grassy, nutty like rye. Fruity hop flavor, mildly citrusy. Low-medium bitterness. Finishes clean and fruity.
    Overall Impression (2½)
    Kind of a light Pale Ale.