Sierra Nevada - Torpedo Extra IPA

Torpedo Extra IPA is a 7.2% ABV American India Pale Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, one of the best known and longest established craft breweries in the United States. Named after the hop-infusion device the brewery developed specifically to dry hop this beer, Torpedo has become one of Sierra Nevada's flagship beers since its introduction, sitting alongside the brewery's original Pale Ale as one of its most widely distributed products.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co was founded in 1980 by Ken Grossman in Chico, California, and is widely regarded as one of the pioneering breweries of the American craft beer movement. Still independent and family-controlled decades on, the brewery has grown into one of the largest craft breweries in the country while maintaining a reputation for consistency and a strong focus on hop-forward beer styles. Torpedo Extra IPA reflects that focus directly, built to showcase American hop character at a strength above the brewery's standard pale ale.

The beer is brewed with Magnum hops for bittering, Crystal hops for their spicy, floral character, and Citra hops added late in the process to bring tropical fruit aromatics, resulting in a bitterness of around 65 IBU. Expect a dank, resinous hop aroma with citrus and pine notes, backed by a firm but not overwhelming malt sweetness that keeps the beer more balanced than many IPAs of a similar strength. The finish is dry, with lingering bitterness carrying the hop flavour through, while the malt provides just enough backbone to stop the beer tipping into pure hop bitterness.

Torpedo pairs well with food that can stand up to its hop intensity and moderate strength. Spicy dishes, particularly those with chilli heat, work well against the beer's bitterness and citrus character, as do grilled and barbecued meats, strong cheeses and dishes with a good amount of fat or richness to balance the hop bite. It is also a solid match for classic American bar food such as burgers and wings, reflecting its origins as a beer built for flavour rather than subtlety.

As one of the defining IPAs to come out of the American craft beer scene, Torpedo Extra IPA remains a useful reference point for the style, showing what a well-established, technically accomplished brewery can do with a straightforward hop-forward recipe. For drinkers wanting a benchmark American IPA from a brewery with decades of experience behind it, Torpedo is a dependable choice.