Here is another IPA brewed in the spirit of more is more and going for maximalist hop expression. Our friends Jake, Alex, and Abe from Colorado’s Westbound & Down traveled up to Portland to nerd out on west coast IPA and design a new beer with us. We knew that we wanted to brew a modern West Coast IPA together, and we married together techniques from each brewery to create a recipe that explored unexplored flavor territory for both of us.
Hop-wise, we leaned heavily into HBC 586 for this beer. 586– known for its exotic stonefruit and rhubarb aromas– has gotten a lot of airtime in our beers over the last year or two, but this is the first time where we are really letting it be the center of attention. Mosaic and Simcoe take on supporting roles here, letting the rising-star hop shine but grounding the beer in familiar notes of resin and berry. Factor in some dip hopping at knockout, a little wheat in the grist for body, elevated BUs that scratch the itch for old-time bitterness, and some added cellar touches to focus on foam stability and voila– an IPA that will fulfill you materially and spiritually.
Who are the cowboys and who are the poets?
Anyone who likes making West Coast IPA needs to be a little bit of both.