Sierra Nevada Pale Ale With Pale Ale Pork Chops

The Beer That Made Chico Famous

Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Pale Ale has been around for over 20 years and I have been drinking it almost that long.  It’s “the beer that made Chico famous” to paraphrase another brewer’s proclamation about their beer and Milwaukee.  By the way, if you haven’t had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale yet, it tastes a bit better than Schlitz (which is making a comeback by the way)

What To Have With The Beer

It had been a while since I had one so I picked up a six-pack and decided to pair the pale ale with some pork chops.  I also got a goofy idea to make some “Pale Ale Pork Chops” by marinating the chops in a marinade I made from the beer (see the end of this post for the recipe as well as the last part of the video):

Appearance: The beer pours a crystal-clear copper color with  slight off white head.  Lacing is pretty good.

Smell: Floral hops (clover, citrus, pine) and malt sweetness are most prominent.  There is not harshness or bitterness.

Taste: Malt with caramel up front with the floral/citrus right behind.  Crisp finish provided by the hops. Aftertaste has nice floral component. Approaching medium bodied.  Well balanced, a thirst quencher.

Drinkability: The ABV of 5.6% makes this a fairly easy drinking beer.  The beer has a crisp finish and nice floral/malt mix which helps here.  This is a refreshing beer, especially on a warm day.

I have enjoyed Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for years.  It’s always been a nice, crisp, refreshing go to beer with a nice mix of malt sweetness and hop bitterness.  I think the beer is one of the standard bearers for the American Pale Ale style.  I really enjoy the beer and think that most fans of craft beer will agree with me.  Give it a try!

Here’s the score:

1.  Appearance- 7 points (out of 10)
2. Smell- 7 points (out of 10)
3. Taste- 17 points (out of 20)
4. Drinkability- 8 points (out of 10)

Total 39 (out of 50) Points-4 Mugs

Pale Ale Pork Chops Marinade

Here’s the “recipe” for the marinade.  I almost never measure so the amounts are approximate (except for the beer ’cause it says 12oz on the bottle).  Add a little at a time and taste often to get something you like.

• One 12oz bottle Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• 1-2 tablespoons honey (to taste)
• 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard (to taste)
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil

Mix all the ingredients, tasting often as you add stuff, to get a mixture you like.  Marinate the chops for 40-60 minutes then grill to medium on your Big Green Egg or other outdoor cooking device.  Enjoy!