Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
12oz bottle purchased at Huckleberry's in Spokane for $1.29. No obvious freshness date, though there's an odd sequence of numbers and characters above the upc label. The label seems almost generic, with virtually the same colors as their regular IPA that was released a couple of years ago. Why not have a destroyer circa 1942 launching a bottle-shaped torpedo at a Japanese battlewagon? Or perhaps Admiral Farragut or Tom Petty paraphrasing themselves by shoouting "Drink the torpedoes,"? Instead there's a picture of a hop field. That's okay, the beer does indeed have hops in it, but it could conceivably work on virtually EVERY beer that's being brewed. Just looking for something to set this one apart visually. Tried this on-tap in the past, but never before from the bottle. Poured a slightly hazy, burnt orange kind of color. Big, off-white, creamy-looking head. Lots of lace. Right off the bat there's a big, piney and citrusy hop presence in the nose. As it warms up a caramel maltiness becomes evident as well, though it's well dominated by the hops. Tastes similar to the smell, though the hops seem to increase in complexity, giving off an herbal flavor in addition to the citrus and pine tastes already encountered through the nose. Malts are present to provide balance and lend a subtle sweetness to the proceedings, but they are emphatically not the stars of this show. Ends with a crisp zap to the palate. Sticky mouthfeel that's oily with hop resin. Medium bodied. Very drinkable on what feels like the first true day of spring, with sunny skies and the temperature above 70 degrees. This was an excellent post-work, pre-cooking dinner beer. Not a session beer, but I'd be happy to quaff this one again.