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Sierra Nevada Brewing | Craft Beer from the USA

The story of Sierra Nevada Brewing is the story of Craft Beer. The brewery is considered one of the founding fathers of the Craft Beer movement and is still one of the most popular and best in the world.

Everything started 40 years ago. In 1980 founder and still owner Ken Grossman built his own small brewery and brewed his first beer: a Stout. After homebrewing was legalised in the USA in 1978, beer-lover Grossman was convinced that beer from small breweries was the future. Sierra Nevada Brewing was born.
The American bought his first brewing plant from Germany in 1983, but it was not installed until four years later. The money was no longer enough.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - THE Craft Beer

Grossman already brewed the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - the original type of craft beer - in 1980. Almost every hobby brewer in the world uses this beer as a blueprint for his first home-brewed beer. Even today the Pale Ale with its resinous and fine citrus-fruity notes is still considered an absolute hit and classic.

The breakthrough of Sierra Nevada

In the late 1990s, Sierra Nevada Brewing became increasingly well known and popular in the USA and especially in the state of California. This friendly and independent brewery, with its intense and "different" beers, was a welcome counterpart to the country plagued by corporate breweries.

It is somewhat surprising that it was only in 2009 that the first regular IPA was brewed in Sierra Nevada. The Torpedo Extra IPA, however, hit like a bomb. The beer was and still is cold-stuffed (dry-hopped) in a then new method. This allows the intensive hop aromas to be added to the beer even better.

Innovations and future

Even today, the now 400 employees still do a lot of research and testing at two brewery sites. Because Sierra Nevada never stands still. The fan base continues to grow and expand with a number of special brews and special beer creations. The brewery's charitable and environmentally friendly approach is also important to mention. Not only was Sierra Nevada Brewing named "Green Business of the Year" in 2010, but also during the forest fires in California or during the Corona crisis Ken Grossman and Sierra Nevada take care of injured parties and brew beer, from which the income is donated.
An exemplary company, a great brewery and many great beers! This is Sierra Nevada Brewing.