123. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Company info:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
California, U.S.A

[No website listed on bottle]

Bottle size sampled: 355 mL

Alcohol: 7.2%
Standard drinks: 2

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for $4.75 AU

Label info: ‘Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale is a big American IPA, perfectly balanced yet full of flavor and aromas highlighting the complex citrus, pine and herbal character of whole-cone American hops’.

What the label really means: Fair call, guys….fair call.

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: The label for Torpedo Ale is very similar to that of  the previously reviewed Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Only the background colour is different, acting as a good identifier between the brews. Here’s what I said last time, that still applies now: ‘I love this label. It has a certain story-book / fairy tale feel to it and it speaks of greatness. It looks traditional, it looks inviting, it serves as a good reminder of the brew’s au naturale intent’.

I’ll take off half a point for lack of originality.

I give it a label rating of 7 out of 10.

AROMA:  There is a delicious caramel infused, floral aroma, wafting up from the glass. It smells very inviting.

Taste: GLASS – Take a swig of this ol beggar and you’ll hit be hit with a genuine smack to the mouth bitter punch. There is a noticeably high alcoholic taste to this brew – attributed, I then realised, to the 7.2% alc/vol. Torpedo Ale (also listed as Extra IPA on the bottle) is distinctly IPA in being heavily hopped, and herbalised, tinged with a caramel, burnt, smokiness. It’s smoothly finished, exceptionally dry, and perhaps a little too bitter intense for my liking.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 6 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE – Torpedo Ale is actually a little better from the bottle. It doesn’t hit with the same smack-to-the-chop bitterness as that experienced from the glass. And that’s a good thing. But, it’s still not a beer I can drink a huge amount of.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 6 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Due to the flavour intensity of this brew, I’d like to suggest that this may suit something mildly flavoured such as chicken.

Best season to appreciate: This may just work as a Winter Warmer / apres-ski kind of beer. 

All-nighter beer? No, not for me. Too flavour intense, but most of all it’s just too dry.

NEXT WEEK: Victoria Bitter