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Author Topic: Chico or Mills River?  (Read 2222 times)

Offline BrewingRover

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Chico or Mills River?
« on: November 02, 2014, 07:56:27 pm »
I bought my first Celebration of the year on Friday (I think they changed the recipe  :P ) and was wondering whether it was from Chico or the new brewery in Mills River. After some poking around on their web site, I found this
http://www.cdn.sierranevada.com/sites/default/files/content/wysiwyg/SNBC_ALL_DATE_CODES_2014.pdf
(6.6 MB PDF)

There's a code sprayed on the bottles that includes a C for Chico and an M for Mills River. It's pretty much impossible to read unless you shine a light into an empty bottle. My Celebration came from Chico, bottling line 2. The carrier didn't have all of the codes they list there, though.

The beer itself is excellent again. I look forward to this release more than any other seasonal.

*edit to correct a howling geographical error
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 07:59:46 pm by BrewingRover »
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2014, 09:01:30 pm »
Right on. Time to stock up on poinsettias beer. Love that stuff

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2014, 05:44:30 am »
Can't wait to get some. I agree, it's one of the seasonals I look forward to most.
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Offline MDixon

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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2014, 05:21:15 pm »
I'll be curious what the verdict is on Celebration as a whole this year. I've bought it every single year since it arrived in Indy. Checked the code on the neck that Mike referred to - mine was bottled on 10/3 @ Mills River given the "M" in the code. Honestly, not as good as I'm used to every year and that REALLY hurts to say it. I'm gonna have a few more before I decide how much. I'd also like to hear what the 'Chico' people say about theirs before I say more. I have a real soft spot for Celebration.
Jon H.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2014, 05:59:59 pm »
They did extensive flavor matching of Pale Ale when they started up Mills River. Brew, ferment, mature, package, and send back to Chico overnight for a side by side.

I think the equipment and process would be so similar that you can rule that out. Same for water, they know how to treat water.

One thing that they have said is that Celebration has the same recipe, but the hops differ from year to year.
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Offline brewday

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2014, 08:22:43 pm »
I took the hard hat tour at Mills River and I think they said all ingredients were sourced identically for both breweries. Since Celebration relies on "fresh hops", could the extra travel time/conditions have an effect?

I'm three "C" Celebrations in tonight and I'm finding them to be tasty as ever!

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2014, 08:32:23 pm »
FWIW, I'm used to the yearly variation (usually in hops). It's just that this year's seems a bit outside the norm, at least in this 12 pack.  Love SN and Celebration, so I want to be fair - sometimes a day or two removed gives a new perspective. I'll be thrilled if it's just me - might well be.    ;)
Jon H.

Offline MDixon

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2014, 06:40:55 am »
I had it on draft this week, seems more muted, but still tasty. I actually thought last year's was subpar, but still good.
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Offline Stevie

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2014, 04:43:29 pm »
Looks like North Texas is getting it's beer from Chico, at least for now.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2014, 06:47:51 pm »
Cracked my first 2014 celebration just now. Its a chico. The label is different. No more poinsettias.  Not quite as aromatic as I recall and the flavor is grapefruit zest dominant but I still get that typical celebration malt bill behind it.

I have to remember that im comparing the memory of a stale 2013 drank around march, to a fairly fresh sample. If they used same everything, hot dry summer must bring out the grapefruit zest. Or, my real guess would be that they got a deal on some simcoe.

Offline BrewingRover

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Re: Chico or Mills River?
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2014, 11:29:47 am »
Cracked my first 2014 celebration just now. Its a chico. The label is different. No more poinsettias.  Not quite as aromatic as I recall and the flavor is grapefruit zest dominant but I still get that typical celebration malt bill behind it.

I'd finished what I bought when you posted that, but restocked yesterday. The flowers are still there, but under the text

It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.