Sierra Nevada & Firestone Walker – Torpedo Pilsner (Beer Camp 2014)
A “Hoppy” Pilsner
Beer Name: Torpedo Pilsner (Beer Camp 2014)
Brewery: Sierra Nevada & Firestone Walker
Beer Style: Hoppy Pilsner
ABV: 5.2%
IBUs: 45
Size: 12 oz. bottle
Beer Advocate: 83
RateBeer: 96
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Torpedo Pilsner is a hop-forward take on the crisp classic lager. We and the folks at Firestone Walker share a passion for New Zealand hop varietals, so we loaded our legendary Hop Torpedo with southern hemisphere hops for a fruity, floral twist on the pilsner style.
Just down the road from us in California’s Central Coast wine country, this rock star brewery has earned “Mid-size Brewery of the Year” at the World Beer Cup four times. Like us, Firestone is passionate about hops. Their skill with the ingredient shines in their Pale Series and elsewhere in a long beer lineup driven by a premier brewing team.
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First off, I am going to be incredibly biased with this review, I do not like Pilsners, there really haven’t been many to change this bias, and the few that have were Imperial Pilsners. With that being said, I LOVE Firestone Walker, I like everything they do, especially hoppy.
APPEARANCE:
Light, incredibly light. To a non-pilsner fan, this is terrifyingly light.
AROMA:
I was not a fan of the smell, it reminded me a little of what Miller Lite smells like.
TASTE:
Super light, not much hop. Actually a sad amount of hops in this. Granted its a few months old, but still, it doesn’t even have that sweetness suggesting that hops were once here. Honestly, my Miller Lite smell is leaking into how this is tasting for me.
OVERALL:
When I read “Hoppy ____” aka hoppy anything, hoppy IPA, hoppy pale ale, hoppy lager, or hoppy pilsner, I have an expectation. This didn’t even come close to what I was hoping for. Sadly, I had it a few months after it was brewed, so I’m sure that some of the hops fell out, but still. I was disappointed in the lack of hops for a “Hoppy Pilsner” So far on my Beer Camp quest, this is the only beer I haven’t finished.
RATING:
2.5 out of 5
Until the next beer:
Beer God
