Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. announced the release of Torpedo Extra IPA as the newest addition to its year-round roster of beers. This is the first full-production IPA to come from the brewery and the first change in its year-round lineup in over a decade.

Torpedo Extra IPA has been offered in limited draft form for awhile, the the addition of the IPA to the year-round lineup is a big move for the Chico-based brewery. The brewery has spent years experimenting, searching for a way to highlight bold flavors without resorting to hop extracts or pellets. Sierra Nevada has brewed with 100% whole-cone hops for 29 years. Whole-cone hops offer subtle flavors and complexities that are unavailable in processed form.

The name itself comes from a device called the “hop torpedo” that was conceived, designed and developed at the brewery. The result is a revolutionary method of dry-hopping that harnesses the vital hop oils and resins that lead to an unusually flavorful and aromatic beer featuring the full, nuanced range of spicy complexity that hops have to offer.

Torpedo Extra IPA will be available nationwide in 6-pack bottles starting late January 2009.