272. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, CA) - Life and Limb

“Life: This living brew is naturally carbonated to enhance complexity and refinement and to encourage aging. Limb: For the birch and maple trees, whose syrup give this unique ale its flavor and symbolize the collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head.”

When I was a kid, it seemed like we could only ever get birch beer when we went to New Jersey to visit my aunt and uncle and our cousins. It’s more prevalent out here in flyover country now, but somehow never tastes quite the same as it did when I was a kid. I’ve never seen birch syrup listed as an ingredient in beer, so I had to give this one a shot (even though the thought of maple syrup in beer does not sound at all appealing). I get a little bit of each flavor, but neither are very heavy. I don’t drink strong ales very often, but this one seems to be par for the course in terms of the style: a little bit sweet, and almost chewy from the high alcohol (10.2%) and the chocolate malt.