Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA:

This honey-colored hop-fest pours with a foamy, almost soapy head on top. The head holds a serious up-front bitterness and hides a deep-seeded full-bodied bitterness underneath. There's malt in there somewhere, but hop-heads rejoice at this swirling vortex of flavors. Bitter up front then surprisingly smooth. Then a little more bitter... then, that's kinda grapefruity. Oh yeah, nice hoppy, bitter aftertaste. Wait, there's an after-aftertaste.

So says Sierra, "Utilizing the 'Hop Torpedo', our unique method of dry hopping, we harness precious oils and resins to showcase the complex citrus, pine, and herbal flavor and aromas that hops have to offer."

And it seems that Sierra Nevada has managed to reach deep into the hop and draw out some essence heretofore unreached. Geez, did I just say 'heretofore'?

A dear friend (Brigita from Mycancerdeployment.blogspot.com) once commented that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale seemed somehow less hoppy than it had in the past. Could that be due to a recipe change or even a hop shortage? Or could it be that when a hop-head is born, he or she chases the flower forever after taking that first taste? Sierra's Celebration is pretty darn hoppy and Torpedo seems to top that. The Harvest collection is unbelievable as well (look for Vol. 13 coming soon). So maybe the Pale Ale hasn't changed after all. Rather, our taste for the hop may have changed, our appetite more voracious. If you seek a rich hoppy experience, Torpedo should satisfy your cravings.

Just a wee bit short of a session beer at 7.2% abv, Torpedo's one weakness may be accessibility. Like I said, great for hop-heads but keep in mind that the bitterness is pretty substantial. Not just an IPA... Extra IPA.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA:

Representation: .98

Accessibility: .88

Style: .95

Personal Preference: .98

Total Score: 3.79 Flags