Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co - Tumbler

Tumbler

As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. In honor of this yearly dance, we bring you Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale and invite you to enjoy the show. We use malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. So pour a glass, and grab a window seat to watch as the leaves come tumbling down. 

alcohol content: 5.5% by volume	yeast: Ale Yeast
beginning gravity: 13.6 Plato	bittering hops: Challenger
ending gravity: 3.5 Plato bitterness units: 37	finishing hops: Challenger & Yakima Goldings
malts: Two-row Pale, Crystal, Chocolate & Smoked

Appearance: Pours a nice brown, a little bit lighter than a Hershey bar. Crystal clear with a slightly off white head that sticks at about one finger. The lacing is stupendous and sticks around the full rim of the glass.

Aroma: The aroma is a little light but malt driven. Roasted, nutty, and some sweet caramel show themselves. A tinge bit of smoke reminds me of sitting by a wood burning stove.

Flavor: Flavor very much resembles the nose. There is more flavor than the aroma would suggest, starting off with rich roasted malt and some sweet caramel. Toasted nuts covered in slightly burnt sugar start to come forward near the middle of the sip. Earthy somewhat herbal hops are also present which balance very very well with the profile of this beer. The sip ends with a touch of sweetness and a touch of smoke.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low carbonation. Feels fluffy in the mouth and goes down smooth.

Overall: I was once angry with Sierra Nevada for discontinuing their Spring ESB for the (not as good) Glissade bock. They have redeemed themselves to me with this new Fall offering. Out of every Fall seasonal I have reviewed these past few days, this is the one that really exemplifies the Fall season. With each sip I can imagine the trees starting to turn and the neighbors starting to burn their leaf piles. The touch of smoke is what I really think puts this beer over the edge. Smoked malt is a touchy thing to play with but they really got it right in this beer. I highly recommend going out and getting yourself a 6 pack of this, so you can try it for yourself.