Phantom Torpedo
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Review: 2597
Name: Phantom Torpedo
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing
Location: Chico, CA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6%
Canned: 07/14/2025
Date: 01 May 2026
Initial Impression:
I didn’t realize this one was pushing 10 months old—right on the edge for an IPA. That said, I’ve had a few of these before, and the hops still seem to have plenty of life left.
Appearance:
Served at 48°F in a tulip. Pours a clear golden yellow with pale straw hues (SRM ~6). A frothy, creamy white head forms about a finger thick with above-average retention, slowly dissipating and leaving lacing—a clean, classic presentation for an IPA.
Aroma:
Hop-forward with good layering, especially for the age. Tropical notes lead—pineapple, mango, passion fruit—followed by citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and a light resinous pine character. Secondary notes include floral tones (honeysuckle) and a touch of grass.
The malt provides structure with light toast, biscuit, and cracker notes, and a subtle sweetness that supports without overshadowing the hops.
Flavor:
Well-integrated and balanced. The hop profile shows a mix of tropical and citrus—pineapple, mango, peach, pear, lemon, tangerine peel, and grapefruit—along with pine resin, floral, and light grassy notes.
The malt backbone is firm but controlled, offering biscuit, toasted grain, light sweetness, and a hint of bread. Despite the age, the hops remain expressive, though slightly softened rather than faded.
Mouthfeel:
Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. A touch of tannic astringency leads into a crisp, dry finish that reinforces the beer’s structure.
Overall Impression:
A fantastic IPA that holds up remarkably well for its age. The hops have softened slightly but haven’t fallen off, still standing up against a firm malt backbone.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company continues to show why they’re so consistent—the Torpedo series is a great example of balance, structure, and longevity in an IPA. I’d still prefer this fresher, but it’s impressive how well it’s drinking this far in.

 

I liked this more than I was anticipating being that it weighs in at 6%. I was expecting something thin and leaning to Pale Ale territory. Phantom pours nice and full with bountiful foam. Scents and flavors of pink grapefruit, rind, and light onion are available. Maybe some pine. It is a touch on the sweet side, but it's hopped enough to keep balance. The touch of onion at the end is really pleasant making this tasty and interesting for a smaller IPA.

12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Slightly hazy honey color beneath a large foamy white head that fades at a slow pace leaving a small amount of sticky lace and a thin cap. Nose of piney hops and syrupy malt. Slight grapefruit-like bitter finish. Mouth is crisp and quenching. Overall, good balanced American style IPA but nothing too special. Wouldn’t seek out again. Note: This is my first alternative to the traditional Sierra Nevada Torpedo, which I personally love though many consider to be overly hopped.

Sampled as part of the Torpedo Variety pack.... Had the Extra years ago, so three new ones to check out...

Pours a lovely, slightly hazy golden color. Has plentiful, aggressive carbo swirling topside. The brew is covered by a creamy, fine layer of fluffy white foam, with nice lacing on the glass. Aroma has some toasty malt plus some piney, resiny notes. Body is a solid medium, and the feel is mostly smooth and creamy.

Flavor also leads off with some toasty malt, with a bit of cracker thrown in. Then it's rindy, fruity and pithy. Finishes on the dry side... Solid overall.... Prost!!

4.02/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2526

Poured from glass bottle to pint glass. Nice light hoppy smell and mild cloudy color. Quick bite but overall mild bitterness. Very smooth, nice easy drinker. I like it.

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow with some chill haze, nice white head, excellent retention, spotty lace
Dank, citrus candy, a bit of pine, bread aromas
Tastes like it smells
Light body with a bit of oiliness, appropriately carbonated
I like it

Poured into a wide mouth, grip shaped goblet: color is gold, head is off white to brighter white with fine bubbles and presents one finger thick, head laces the glass with a thin solid top remaining.

Smell is pith, candied, light dank, hints of stone fruit, some base malt and light biscuit.

Taste is similar with pith, candied dank notes, light fruit, clean base malt, light biscuit, drying.

Mouthfeel is moderate carbonation, moderate sweetness, moderate bitterness that lingers with a drying note.

Overall this seems more bitter than the Electric Torpedo with lighter hop flavors but a drying bitterness. Interesting renditions but still prefer atomic and base torpedo.

Look: It pours golden and quite clear. It has an off white head with very good head retention.

Smell: It has candy like aromas up front with citrus and light tropical fruits.

Taste: It has candy like flavors with some citrus. There are light tropical fruits with some lime touches.

Feel: It has a medium body with a medium bitter finish.

Overall, a favorable and easy to drink beer.

Another season, another Sierra Nevada variety 12 pack. Here was have Torpedo variations. Man, I remember the first beer festival when Torpedo made its debut. Good times and bees.

Pours a honey like color. You want professional grade clarity, you get professional grade clarity. 1/2" white head on top. The aroma isn't all that, hits the commercial tug job regarding woodiness I guess, and some pine that follows as well. A light stone fruit sensation occurs.

The taste is still dropping some woodiness from what seems like the Vienna maltings and the hops. Double time. Some grapefruit rind to it. Not grasping too much Azacca hop in here, seems like the other two dominating. They're still pretty crushable, just a slightly different twang going on. Preferred the other ones more than this one essentially. Can't beat the price point and accessibility.

This one comes the closest to the original Torpedo malt bill which seems excessive compared to contemporary maltings in the ipa departments. Still liked it.

Squeezing every bit of juicy hoppiness that they can from Azacca, Magnum and Vic Secret hops, Sierra Nevada's new Torpedo is quite enigmatic.

Hazy and golden-amber upon it's pour, Phantom Torpedo swells in aroma with perfumy tropical and stone fruit scents wrapped in citrus, hemp and hay. Sweetness hits the palate first as the malts provide a blanket of grain sugars and their lightly toasty, crusty and nutty nuances. The hops soon dominate the middle palate with sharper notions of orange, apricot, mango and peach. Trending more grapefruit, papaya and nearly tobacco-like, the late taste soon morphs into a sprucy bitterness of woodsy herbs and damp cannabis.

Medium bodied and trending drier, the ale finishes decidedly bitter and with an extended aftertaste of peppery hop bitterness.

C / AVERAGE

Appearance - Pours a bright coppery color and relative clarity with an off-white, finger width head. Good retention before dying to a thin but consistent layer of suds across the top. Good lacing with fat webbing, lines and spotting.

Smell - Dank, piney and bready aroma. Slight fruitiness.

Taste - Follows the nose. Dank and piney, with fair bready maltiness. A hint of citrus pith bitterness. Toward the finish. Aftertaste hits on dank and citrus pith.

Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied with fair carbonation. Slick in texture before a dry, slightly sticky finish.

Overall - This tastes like the lesser version of the Electric Torpedo. All the same character, but just lighter in profile all across. Not a fan of either.