Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale Review

In Sierra Nevada's 30 years of brewing, they've brewed a lot of beers. Most of them, though, have been focused on the hoppy stylings of the West Coast craft beer scene. This is a bit of a change up for them, though, with a malty brown ale for their Autumn seasonal.

When you think of Autumn craft beers, you normally look for either an Oktoberfest Märzen style beer or a Pumpkin Ale. In 2010, though, Tumbler is just one of a few non-typical fall seasonal ales. So let's disperse with the talk and get to the drink!

Appearance: A fairly light head, given the beer which is a brownish ruby and crystal clear. The head is large at first and dissipates to a thick, craggy foam on top.

Smell: Mild malt sweetness leads on this one. Almost a hint of brown sugar and a clean finish.

Taste: Just like the smell, mild malt leads on your tongue. The beer is far from sweet, even finishing quite dry, but feels full and coats your mouth; the effect is aided by light carbonation. The only issue with this beer is a bit of mustiness on the end of the taste, but this goes away as the beer warms and a little more fruity, sweet chocolate comes through. If you like Oktoberfests, check this one out... it’s got a bit more toastyness and cocoa and the yeast character is a bit stronger, but we think it’s a good progression.