Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a 5.6% ABV, 38 IBU American pale ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, California, sold here as a six-pack of 12oz servings. Per the brewery's official page, it is brewed with whole-cone Cascade hops over caramelized and two-row pale malts and bottle-conditioned for natural carbonation — the 1980 debut the brewery credits with sparking the American craft beer revolution. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 5.6%
- IBU: 38
- Size: 6-pack of 12oz servings
- Style: American Pale Ale
- Hops: Whole-cone Cascade (current US official listing)
- Malts: Caramelized malts and two-row pale
- Origin: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, California — founded 1980 by Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi
The Beer That Started a Revolution
Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi founded Sierra Nevada in Chico in 1980, and the first batch of Pale Ale that November became, in the brewery's own telling, a spark for American craft beer: a pale ale built on whole-cone Cascade hops at a time when American beer meant something far blander. The brewery notes it took first place in the consumer preference poll at the second Great American Beer Festival in 1983, and a medal in 1987 when professional judging began. Four decades on, it remains the reference point for the style. Stock up from our craft beer shelf, or visit the Sierra Nevada Brewing vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Bright citrus with subtle pine and floral notes, per the brewery's staff tasting note. Palate: Smooth caramel malt behind the hop character, medium body, with a hint of fresh apple the brewery attributes to bottle conditioning. Finish: Clean, piney-citrus bitterness at 38 IBU.
How to Enjoy
Pour it into a pint glass and let the bottle conditioning show — a gentle pour keeps the carbonation lively. It is the classic burger, pizza and barbecue pale ale, and still the benchmark against which American pale ales are judged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hops are in Sierra Nevada Pale Ale? Whole-cone Cascade, per the brewery's current US product page — the piney, citrusy signature of the beer. Older listings naming additional bittering hops do not match the current official spec.
What does bottle-conditioned mean? A dose of sugar and yeast is added before packaging, so carbonation develops naturally in the bottle, per the brewery — it also contributes a hint of fresh-apple character.
How is it different from Torpedo? Torpedo is Sierra Nevada's bigger Extra IPA at 7.2% ABV and 65 IBU with Citra, Crystal and Magnum hops. Pale Ale is the 5.6%, Cascade-only original.
The 1980 original, still the benchmark — order Sierra Nevada Pale Ale online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.