New Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Torpedo Variations?!

:-)

As I was trying to figure out if there was useful information on that site, one of the first things I realized was that I didn't know enough to make use of it if it was there.

 

should we move the pellets vs cone discussion elsewhere?

 

You'll sell a ton of 18 pack 16oz cans in PA...

 

No thanks. I don't want to die just yet.

 

I haven't tried it with Bigfoot but I did drink a six of Brown Shugga' once on an extended evening. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn't.

 

Well done is well done, I'll wait to drink them before I judge the beers. I like Grapefruit Sculpin, fresh it's a great beer, the Pineapple version is another matter. Same might apply here.

 

Perhaps I'm an outlier but I've been drinking SN since I lived in Arizona in the 90s and I had no idea they used whole cone hops until this thread.

I know they use hop oil, "fresh" hops, and "wet" hops for certain beers, but I had absolutely no idea that they completely eschew pellets.

Again, maybe it's just me, but I've literally never heard anyone talk about it as a selling point or an aspect of SN beer.

 

I see #1 a lot. I couldn't tell you the # of times that I just wish I had a Boston Lager, Fat Tire, or a SNPA over some ridiculously terrible tasting "local" craft beer that is also seemingly more expensive than others.

I will say, its sad that SN sits here and I just dont like buying Torpedo or SNPA that has 2 months on it. Hop Hunter, on the other hand has such great shelf stability. I want to say its the hop oils just aiding in a never ending find to keep that beer always tasting fresh. That is one beer I would buy even at 90 days old.

As far as some backlash SN may be feeling. Over the past year alone, we have beers like Uinta Tangerine Hop Nosh, Skaa Modus Mandarina, and probably most notable, New Belgium Citradelic (which I had heard was selling really really well. How long that stays up, who knows?). Over the country, I'm sure there is even more. It sort of feels like they are late to the party or grasping at straws. But as long as they don't interfere with my choices (who wants a full fridge shelf with 12 plus SN products, much akin to what BP tried to do locally)

If anything, I hope these two new ones can renew some interest in the originals, and people begin to rebuy them more consistently.

 

Couldn't agree more. Everyone else out there can chase after the latest "it" beer or try to find their local "double-dry-hopped-mosaic NE Style IPA that has to be less than four days old or it goes bad" and I'll gladly go to any beer place around me and pick up 30 - 50 day old SNPA and Torpedo and be happy as hell. I'll also be waiting anxiously to try both of these and will enjoy cases of Celebration between now and then. Cheers!

 

the torpedo I see in brooklyn is never less than two months old.

 

I'm on board

 

Sierra Nevada started me in this Craft beer Journey and I will always have shelf space in my beer fridge for them. So new beers coming out from them is a good thing to me.
Can't wait to try these beers. ONE LOVE

 

I am having the same issue here now, the other day I saw cases of Torpedo in a store and the bottled on date was April. Another store was early July...

 

Looking forward to trying the tropical Torpedo. Love Torpedo, love that this beer will be brewed using hops to get the flavor, and can't wait to try Sierra's take on the style. They make damn quality beer!

 

This exactly how I feel about SN and SA. I love trying out new beers, but I seem to crave beers like Torpedo, Boston Lager, etc... More and more.

 

Any reviews on the Tropical Torpedo yet? It was released at Mills River gift shop yesterday. I tried the Side Car and it had a great nose and I really enjoyed it!

 

The Sidecar Orange Pale Ale is kinda weird. It doesnt taste anything like the regular pale ale and is more sour and bitter than hoppy. Glad I tried it but cant say I loved it.

 

There were some reviews on the page: www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/251571/

Also this video:

 

I'm enjoying a Sidecar Orange Pale Ale right now from a fresh growler. Seems like a tasty formula to me.

 

Sidecar is solid. Picked up a 12 pack. Not artificial tasting at all and we'll integrated imo

 

Hmm sounds like their Tropical IPA seasonal they had which I liked but didn't find to be very tropical.

 

Six packs of Sidecar are available in Lafayette, IN. I like it...nothing special...but a little different and very drinkable.

Anyone seeing the Tropical IPA? Have not seen it yet in my area. Hoping it is like last year's Beer Camp Tropical IPA....even though it was not tropical, it was tasty...we'll see!

 

According to sierranevadabill when it was announced, it is exactly the tropical ipa from last year renamed

 

It's not exactly the same beer, they tweaked the hops to make it more fruity.

 

They need to make a beer like Pizza Port Swamis fruity, dank, and fresh. The funny thing is they helped pay for the breeding of Citra. The first super fruity hop that really changed iPas.

 

Have not even heard of these until seeing this thread... I would definitely pluck these off the shelf if I saw them...

 

Instead of throwing different twists to already established beers, I think SN needs to come out with a solid IPA and double IPA. For instance, last night I had the single Hop Cascade and Lagunitas Maximum and they weren't even close in comparison. I understand different hops, but SHC tasted like water compared to Maximus. I feel SN is starting to fall behind and this is their idea to bring them back. Why not try brewing a solid IPA and Double IPA that can stand with other West Coast options and is also reasonably priced?

 

I figured Tropical Torpedo would be the spring seasonal again this year, but I guess it is the Golden IPA instead. Not sure if it is the same one that was in the IPA variety pack a while back, but I don't think so as the ABVs are different. I much prefer the Tropical IPA, but to each their own.

 

I am guessing that you are of the opinion that Hop Hunter and Torpedo are not "solid"? If Sierra Nevada were to reformulate these two beers to be "solid", what would they have to do?

Cheers!

 

I'm not a SN shill boy like most people on here. Reality is, HH and Torpedo are decent beers. But, they are not up to par with other West Coast IPAs as mentioned previously. Idk what they can do? I'm not a brewer. Plus I never said I didn't like them.

 

Man, I could not disagree with you more. The two IPAs you mentioned may not be similar to the aroma-driven flavor bombs that are trendy right now; but they are incredibly well-crafted, clean, and deliciously flavorful. Torpedo, especially, is a true hop-lover's IPA. Not a "melt your face off" type of IPA; but an incredible example of the style. Furthermore, Hoptimum is a great example of the DIPA style. It actually angers me to hear someone state that Sierra Nevada needs to brew some "solid" IPAs. No offense.

 

I fear that your mentality reflects that of many new craft beer lovers; especially younger ones: anything that is not extreme (juicy IPAs; barrel-aged anything; coffee/chili/chocolate stouts; ultra sours; etc.) gets overlooked. You can see this shift in taste in other aspects of our culture as well, e.g., music, movies, and idolizing celebrities who are the most audacious, etc. I feel bad for these large breweries like Sierra Nevada and Stone who are having to run around with their hair on fire to try and keep up with beer drinkers who will never try the same beer twice; whilst beers such as the fabulous original Stone Pale Ale and IPA and the more than "solid" Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Torpedo get eclipsed in favor of beers that have the subtlety of an axe to the forehead.

 

Cliff notes.

 

Amazing to think (and maybe even a bit troubling?) that the day has come where the beers you mentioned can be labeled as boring and not flavorful enough. So what about Lagers and the even "less flavorful" beers? Interesting times indeed...

 

I like SN's Celebration and won't refuse a SNPA. Their lagers actually aren't bad either. But otherwise, I don't enjoy their hop profiles. They're decidedly old school, even with their "Tropical" IPA/Torpedo attempts. They weren't leader of the pack even when released, as Pliny and anything Lagunitas were far better.

But even with that, here's the thing: People do get bored. People's tastes change.

Although I feel NE-style hazy beers are good but overrated, I personally evolved to only like West Coast IPAs that use new-school hops. The traditional Cascade/Centennial/Columbus and Simcoe flavors are so played out that it's hard for me to enjoy them anymore. Make a piney, resinous, dry IPA but with Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, any of those more new hops with or without the old school hops and now we're talking. Cellarmaker is killing it with old meets new, so I can't even drink most of the old guards - even Pliny.

But as usual, let the market dictate what they want.

 

Learn how to read, dude. I said a reasonably priced IPA or double IPA like Lagunitas. Hoptimum is not reasonably priced . . .

I think it's more troubling to think that my opinion doesn't matter because "I am a new craft beer lover" lol. Too many SN shill boys on BA. I knew I'd hit a few nerves with my post, but it's my opinion. I respect your opinion. Again, Torpedo and HH are decent beers. But there's many more that are better and equally priced.

 

They need to adapt they are loosing market share, this is just not the case of beer nerds talking trash. Lagunitas is expanding, just different hop profiles fruiter and danker.

 

That is correct and I made zero mention that you didn't like them.

I used the word you selected of "solid" in my communication with you. I will quote that question to you: "I am guessing that you are of the opinion that Hop Hunter and Torpedo are not "solid"?"

Cheers!