Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Beer Camp 2011

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is in Chico, California.  Their Beer Camp Series is a release of some styles different from their usual lineup.

http://www.sierranevada.com/

Double IPA Camp #29 - This 8.5% ABV beer pours a dark golden orange in color, slightly hazy.  There is a half inch of thick, creamy, foamy head that is off-white in color.  The aroma is fruity, some citrus and tropical fruit.  This is a few months old, so probably not as fruity as it was totally fresh.  The malt is also apparent, with a slight rye-like spiciness.  The taste is fruity, tropical fruit and melon, over a very hearty malt base, with an extremely bitter finish and a fruity and bitter aftertaste.  I wish I could have tried this as soon as it was released.

Juniper Black Ale Camp #16 - This 8.0% ABV beer pours absolutely pitch black with a tall foamy head that is light brown in color and leaves medium lacing down the glass.  The aroma is pine on top of dark roasted malt, coffee, slightly sweet.  The taste is deep, dark, rich, roasted malt, coffee, with a very bitter finish that has a note of pine and a touch of sweetness. 

Weizenbock Camp #37 - This 6.8% ABV beer pours orange-copper in color, hazy, cloudy, yet bright.  There is a half-inch of white head.  The aroma is yeasty, banana, slightly spicy, almost root beer-like at times.  The taste is very yeasty, like a big slice of aromatic banana bread, a bit sweet, with that root beer touch on the finish.  Not my favorite style of beer, but very well done and flavorful.
California Common Camp #8 - "The California Common, or Steam Beer, is a unique 100% American style lager. It's usually brewed with a special strain of lager yeast that works better at warmer temperatures. This method dates back to the late 1800's in California when refrigeration was a great luxury. The brewers back then had to improvise to cool the beer down, so shallow fermenters were used. So in a way the lager yeast was trained to ferment quicker at warmer temperatures...Anchor Brewing Co. trademarked the term "Steam Beer" and as such all other beers must be legally referred to as "California Common."  From the Beer Advocate.
     This 6.5% ABV beer pours a bright and vividly glowing orange-copper in color.  There is a large foamy head, just off-white in color that leaves some lacing down the glass.  The aroma is fruity, plums and oranges, with a touch of sweetness, caramel, creamy.  The taste is fruity, biscuity, bright, clean, grassy, with a lightly bitter finish.