Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

Style: IPA

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

From: Chico, California, USA

Purchased From: Tesco

Located in Chico, California,Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the United States, behind the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It is currently the sixth-largest brewing company in the United States.The brewery produced 786,000 barrels of beer in 2010.

The brewery was named "Green Business of the Year" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 for its practices in sustainability.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was founded in 1979, with founders Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi expanding their homebrewing hobby into a brewery in Chico, California. Along with the brewery's location, Grossman claims the company's name comes from his love of hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.With $50,000 in loans from friends and family, Grossman & Camusi rented a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) warehouse and pieced together discarded dairy equipment and scrapyard metal to create their brewing equipment.They later were able to acquire second-hand copper brewing kettles from Germany before moving to their larger, current brewing facility in 1989.

In January 2012, Sierra Nevada announced it will build a second brewing facility with an attached restaurant in Mills River, North Carolina. It is scheduled to open in early 2014.

I have sampled Sierra Nevada's pale a couple of times but this is the first times I have tried there Torpedo. Lets hope the Torpedo hits its target! Damn that's cheesy. 

Colour: A beautiful golden brown colour. Once poured you get a luscious think white head that temps you into the beer. This head dissipates after a couple of minutes in the glass but leaves a little foam for you to play around with. The colour is warm and inviting, it makes you want to dive right in.

Aroma: Once in the glass you can pick up notes of freshly cut grass and newly fallen pine needles. This has to be the first beer I have reviewed that smelled likes pine. Maybe my nose is developing and I can pick up new scents or I'm just becoming a beer snob. I hope it's not the latter as that's the last thing I want to become. Smelling deeper, you can pick up notes of fresh pink grapefruit and tropical fruits. These amazing aromas come from the three hops used in the making of this beer. These hoppy buds of love are Citra, magnum and Crystal.

Body: This is a lovely easy to drink beer. However, It can be a little sticky in the mouth and it has a semi bitter after taste which comes from the three hop combination used in the making of this beer.

Taste: Just like the nose, you can pick up notes of grass and pine. After swallowing the beer, you will receive a slight caramel and biscuit after taste in your mouth. This is extremely tasty and satisfying. There is an outstanding balance of flavor and bitterness from the hops. this comes from the dry hopping technique employed in making of this beer. In summary a very fresh beer and the ABV is extremely well hidden. A real treat for the senses and well worth a second visit or five.

Sink the Ship!

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St. Austell Proper Job

St. Austell Proper Job

Style: Indian Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 5%

From:St Austell, Cornwall, England, UK
Purachsed From: Tesco

St Austell Brewery is a brewery founded in 1851 by Walter Hicks in St Austell, Cornwall, England. The brewery's flagship beer is Tribute Ale, which accounts for around 80% of sales. Tribute was created to commemorate the 1999 solar eclipse, and has won several awards around the UK since. This includes becoming the Winner of the SIBA South West awards in 2007. Other popular ales include Proper Job, Tinner's Ale and Duchy Bitter. Personally, I am a massive fan of Tribute. Ever since I first tried it down in Somerset, it will always be my go to pint in my work local, the Jolly farmer. So with that in mind; I am looking forward to trying this beer.

The next couple of reviews will be slightly different to my previous posts. Last Sunday, I took four bottles of craft beer over to my parents house. Myself and my dad would have half a bottle each and review them together. Since i have been writing my blog, my dad has been very supportive and curious about the craft beer world. Below is a picture of the four beers i took over to my parents. This should be interesting!

 

 

Colour: A glorious light amber. It looks almost like heaven it's self. Once poured, you will notice that this beer is heavily carbonated. Upon looking at my dad's glass, I noticed that his vessel was slightly flatter. After closer inspection (and reading the bottle), we decided that my glass had some of the yeast from the bottle conditioning in it. This caused a secondary carbonation in the glass. The head is a brilliant white that will linger throughout you drinking experience.

Aroma: As soon as you open the bottle you are blasted with notes of sweet grapefruit and oranges. You can tell my old man was impressed, as he did not describe the aroma as "malty" as he seem to say about all beers. Instead he suggested oranges, lemons and kiwi. Maybe my influence is starting to rub off on him.

Body: After a few sips, I think my dad is rather taken with this beer. After carefully placing his beer on a coaster, he declares; "You know what? I wish I had knew about this beer ages ago. It's my perfect summer beer. How many did you buy of these?" There is a lovely crisp feel to this beer. Refreshing and delicate on the palate, this ale is getting a thumbs up from the Parsons boys. Just have to try and convert my little brother now.

Taste: Now for the tasting. Taking my first sip, I pick up notes of juicy citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and kiwi. There is a slight sweet honey quality to the finish which is cut though by a bitter hop blast. This leaves you wanting another more. The old man suggested, "The lemony flavour makes this beer refreshing and extremely drinkable." High praise indeed from the big man.

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