Has Sierra Nevada Torpedo changed?

I would say the overall definition of an IPA has not changed in the last 7 years, it's still the same. There have always been some variation within the overall definition - and it just so happens that right now some of the popular newer beers have skewed toward what you described.

But the "Beers of Fame" examples of the style still exist and haven't changed, and are still IPA's too. Because there was always variation within the style - Bell's Two Hearted is quite different than Victory Hop Devil for example.

 

They would be avant-garde. I'm not sure what would be a post-modern IPA. Maybe Mikkeller 1000 IBU.

 

Like Victory HopDevil, I think Torpedo needs to be revisioned. Still good, but far from a standout. I found my latest (and granted I had not had Torpedo in over 2 years) and it was very malty, but in a good way. Or perhaps SN knows this, and that is why HopHunter was born.

Anyone know where Torpedo stands in sales for SN?

2008 would not classify as a new age IPA. Too many hop varietals have come and changed the landscape. And while Torpedo my use Citra, that Citra is very hard to detect

 

You must be thinking about Celebration Ale!

 

It's #2 behind SNPA.

 

Here we go!

Wait -- a lowly Pale Ale tops their sales? The shame.

 

Torpedo's recipe has definitely not changed. We were running a little long on date codes (beer slightly older than we would like) to accommodate some other brewing, but that should be cleared-up now. There is always a touch of variation in the beer due to the natural shift in ingredients, but the overall recipe hasn't shifted at all.
Also, to the comments about a change from Mills River... our trained tasters who critically drink Torpedo every single day have only noticed a tiny shift from Chico to Mills River. That shift: Mills River beer is about 2% more hoppy than Chico.

-Bill

 

I'm not sure if I agree with you.
Since 2009 Torpedo has been the best-selling IPA in the country. (Although, it was recently de-throned by a new entry.)
Now it is number 2. More people drink Torpedo than most all other IPAs combined. If it's all the same, I'd prefer to leave it just as it is.

-Bill

 

That's exactly what I experienced with Sucks, the cat piss note is the B.O. note I was talking about. It went from a beer I absolutely loved to a beer I no longer buy. That's a major palate change.

 

Malt isn't a dirty word. I seek out IPA's that are actually balanced with some decent kilned malt or caramel malt flavors. No one said IPA's have to be all base malt - I personally don't like the trend that direction.

 

And I thought the labels of "Belgian", "white", "red", "black", "rye", "session", were bad enough!

 

I've been thinking this for a while. Torpedo used to be vibrant and full of citrus. Now, it leans more towards resinous pine.

 

It is strange that this question arose as a topic, because I was asking myself the same question just a couple of weeks ago. Torpedo just isn't as bright to me. Seems muted and dull.

 

Nothing wrong with more hoppy Torp. Now I need to get some Mills River 'Pedo out here.

[Edit 11:54PM 7-14-2015]

That came out wrong...

 

Hop hunter is gross.




That's all.

 

Anyone care to guess what that "new entry might be?

 

Probably either Lagunitas IPA or BBC's Rebel IPA. Both are in the IRI's Top 10 Craft beers, and up ~60% from last year. But Rebel better fits the "new entry" comment.

NB's Ranger is also in the Top 10 but nearly stagnant in sales.

 

This whole thread wreaks of a thread about bigger batches = change in recipe.

Like Bill said, most all breweries of any size have regular taste panels with both professional and amateur tasters to monitor taste profile and quantity. Not to mention, I'm sure SN has several employees with advanced degrees monitoring water chemistry and acid profile in hops at each facility.

 

Yes, the IPA market has changed. There is now a plethora of inconsistent, mediocre beer masked by late hop additions hitting the market on a weekly basis to much fanfare. In the meantime, bastions of consistency like Torpedo are deemed to have changed recipes and quality pale ales are viewed as flavorless.