Sierra Nevada Yvon the Great
Yvon the Great is the third beer that I opened up from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp Across America mixed pack. It is a 6.3% ABV (50 IBU) Belgian-style blonde ale that was brewed in conjunction with Russian River. Knowing what these two breweries and all of the other parties involved in this release are capable of, it feels as though accessibility and approachability are the goal with each bottle and can.
That’s not to say that the beers are boring far from it. Each beer that I enjoyed has a twist on their style, but don’t match some of the brewing wizardry the pairings are known to wield.
Back to Yvon the Great, we see an easy drinking beer with a light bit of funkiness and a pronounced hop character that adds a good bit of fruitiness and herbal qualities. It’s an easy drinking beer with a refreshing quality and, so far, has matched the previous reviewed brews in terms of depth of flavor and quality.
Appearance
Golden in color, the brew has a dense cap of white foam that dropped relatively quickly to a thin ring.
Aroma
Distant spices (clove is in the mix), herbal notes, grassy hops, light fruits, peppery yeast and a soft bit of funk waft gently from the surface.
Taste
There is a strong fruit character than spices here on the tongue as grains and lightly toasted bread arrive. A moderate sweetness presents itself smoothly as a slightly viscous mouthfeel glides toward a lingering, clean finish. I’d personally like a bit more of that funkiness the nose hinted at
Overall
All in all, Yvon the Great hints at greatness, but still finished well-rounded and approachable. It drinks easy with the standard blonde character, but a touch of funkiness that was a welcome and unique twist. I’d like to taste a bit more of that myself, but maybe that would be pushing it too far.
Rating: 3.75/5