Big Little Thing IPA by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in California, United States

About Big Little Thing IPA by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Make way for the Big Little Thing, an imperial IPA flexing a full malt body, restrained sweetness, and tropical hop flavors of mango, grapefruit and tangerine.

Big Little Thing defies brewing logic. A monster ABV and booming hop character, but tame sweetness and a clean finish? This anomaly of imperial IPA starts with the mash. More than just using a huge volume of malt (and Sierra Nevada Brewing does fill their mill to overflowing), they mash their grain aggressively to yield a higher ratio of fermentable vs. unfermentable sugars. This allows yeast to metabolize nearly all sugar, which both boosts the ABV and cuts the malt sweetness. At the same time, yeast and hops collaborate on their own magic. Dry hopping during active fermentation sparks biotransformation: yeast cells alter the chemical compounds in hops to unlock entirely new aromas—like the tropical wave that washes over Big Little Thing.

We set out with a simple goal: brew the beers we wanted to drink. We started small, with a homebrew shop, a love of American hops and plenty of passion. In the process, we changed the beer world forever. Decades later, we’re still at it, and the passion burns brighter than ever.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company makes Big Little Thing IPA American Double / Imperial IPA