Sierra Nevada brews up two limited-time beers

New IPAs from the craft leader

By Mark Stock Published December 11, 2024

Sierra Nevada Hop Tropical IPA. — Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada has released a pair of new beers this month. The west coast brewery officially debuted Rad Little Thing and Hop Tropical IPA.

Rad Little Thing is a continuation of a popular series and, stylistically, a west coast hazy IPA. Meanwhile, the Hop Tropical IPA is pretty much what it sounds like: a seasonal winter release evoking a getaway to paradise.

Sierra Nevada Rad Little Thing IPA. — Sierra Nevada

“Rad Little Thing lives up to its name because it is a fun, limited time offering that combines what I think are some of the best attributes of these two highly regarded IPA styles,” says Brian Grossman, chief brewer and second-generation brewery owner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “The result is a unique beer that is both vibrant and approachable.”

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The beer comes in a 7% ABV and 30 IBUs. It’s made with a handful of hop varieties and a bit of a hybrid, east coast-meets-west coast IPA. Alternatively, the Hop Tropical IPA comes in at 6.5% ABV and offers big mango and passionfruit notes. Both beers will be available at the usual retailers by mid-December.

“I love winter, but sometimes the biting cold can be a bit much, and I find myself thinking of a beach somewhere in the tropics. This beer is that kind of thought process–its bright, fruity hop flavors transport me to that topical scene in my mind, which is a welcome escape in the depths of winter,” says Grossman.

Sierra Nevada is also behind some of our favorite non-alcoholic beers, should you be interested in that or on the verge of a Dry January. Be sure to check out our features on the best winter IPAs and the best Christmas beers as well.

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Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

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Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

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