Fully Loaded and Dangerous
Written: May 08 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Definitely a hop lover's delight
Cons: I'm still waiting for malt bomb.
The Bottom Line: Another hoppy classic from the Left Coast. Drink it when you want some heavy hops.
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| fuche_bu's Full Review: Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA |
You have to give credit where credit is due. Sierra Nevada is one of the pioneers of the craft beer movement. It is easy to lose sight of that these days. There are so many great breweries now that it's easy for a beer geek to get jaded. I can remember when it was a real treat to find Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in a bar. Now, it's almost a disappointment if that's all they have. I sometimes have to remind myself that this is a classic and legendary craft brewery.
It's easy to forget that that is a world class beer. The brewers, to their credit are not sitting on their laurels. They are still trying to push the envelope with their beers. They are still throwing out new beers of high quality. One of these newer beers is Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA. This is a beer for the hop fiend. This brewery has never been shy about using hops. That is a trademark for most West Coast brewers. Sierra Nevada has always done it well.
My initial reaction to learning of this beer was to incorrectly assume that they were merely dressing up the Celebration Ale as a year round contender. That assumption was mistaken. This beer is a hop hound's delight but it is its own beer. They use a different hop combination to get this beer. They use magnum, citra and Crystal hops to brew this one. That allows this beer to take on nuances not present in the other beers.
I was anxious to try the beer when I learned it was a different recipe. I picked up a six back at a local beer store. It was time for the test. I cracked open the bottle. I always like it when I get a whiff of citrus aroma upon opening the bottle. That was certainly present with this one.
I poured the beer slowly. It is well carbonated. I thought it was slightly overcarbonated. After a slow pour, I was able to note an amber to orange hue. The beer is medium in body. There was a foamy head that quickly dissipated. The pine and citric aroma from the hops well readily apparent. I think I would have detected the hops even if I had a cold. It's a fragrant nose that I greatly appreciated.
The first sip was very hoppy. There was an almost pungent note in that initial taste. That surprised me as the beer has only 70 IBUs. Usually beers approaching or exceeding 100 IBUs tend to be the pungent ones. That was a quality that subsided quickly. I found the beer had a nice doughy quality. I was also picking up some nice malt character in the flavor.
This is something I like. The beer has a good malt backbone. The hops are upfront but there is some balance. The hop bitterness was very nice. Torpedo IPA finishes out very nicely. I like to have a lingering dryness in the finish. The hops do splendidly here. This is a very good beer.
It's not an overbearing double IPA but it does have a great hop character and it packs a nice punch. It weighs in at 7.2% abv. This is higher than most beers so inexperienced drinkers should exercise caution. If you drink a few of these, you might want to consider a designated driver or a bus token.
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is a very good beer. I think this one will please beer geeks and hop fiends. It's another great beer from a legendary brewery. My hat goes off to Chico, California's favorite sons. I recommend this one for beer lovers everywhere. When you need a hop fix, Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is a good place to turn.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
fuche_bu
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Member: George Schaefer
Location: West Bristol, PA
Reviews written: 1103
Trusted by: 326 members
About Me:
Busy at work and missing a lot of epinions fun.
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