I as soon as quipped in one in every of my columns that there have been solely two sorts of beer lately, IPA and the whole lot else. I used to be joking on the time, however the variety of sub-types inside that beer style — double IPAs, triples, West Coast, East Coast, hazy — simply retains rising.
The most recent rising type is the Chilly IPA. It’s just like the India Pale Lagers that debuted a decade in the past. You don’t see these IPLs too typically now. Some individuals consider its unpopularity was as a result of beer’s identify, which confused beer drinkers. There have been primarily two sorts of IPLs: IPAs brewed with lager yeast and lagers that had been dry hopped, i.e., hops added late within the brewing course of. Each strategies achieved roughly the identical outcomes, though the dry-hopped selection tended to provide a sweeter or fruitier style profile, versus one thing spicier, partly as a result of these brews typically used sure pungent hop varieties.
I consider the primary brewery to take this concept, however alter it simply sufficient to create one thing new — a Chilly IPA — was Wayfinder Beer in Portland, Oregon. The beer is comparable, however Wayfinder’s brewers use adjuncts — rice or corn — together with lager yeast, however ferment it at hotter temperatures like a conventional ale or IPA. On the finish of the method, it's dry hopped. The result's a light-colored beer that’s brilliant, clear, very crisp and hoppy, however doesn’t categorical the hops as overly bitter.
Chilly IPAs are inclined to exhibit fruit, floral and vegetal traits that you'd usually affiliate with American hops. Wayfinder’s Chilly IPA debuted lower than 5 years in the past, and the variety of breweries making an analogous beer has steadily increasied.
As you would possibly count on, Chilly IPAs began popping up at different Portland breweries at first. Ecliptic Brewing makes a superb one, for instance, and so does Rogue Ales. However they’re slowly discovering their strategy to the remainder of the West Coast and past. Final 12 months, twenty first Modification Brewery made one — Solar and Moon Chilly IPA — at its authentic brewpub, however the brewery hasn’t packaged it, a minimum of not but.
One of many 5 SF Beer Week collaboration beers this 12 months was a Chilly IPA. It was brewed at San Carlos’ Satan’s Canyon with a recipe by Sunnyvale’s ShaKa Brewing and extra help from East Palo Alto’s Brewing with Brothas for the Silicon Valley area. Referred to as Pure Honey, the collaboration beer makes use of native honey within the brewing course of to provide it somewhat extra sweetness and steadiness.
Given the recognition loved by each IPAs and lagers, I count on we’ll begin seeing many extra native breweries have a go at Chilly IPAs this 12 months. In some ways, they’re the most effective of each worlds, crisp and clear like a beer with the spiciness we’ve come to like from an IPA — they usually’re the antitheses of a hazy IPA. Chilly IPAs are very mild in colour, straw to pale, and brilliant and clear. They’re loaded with hop character, with out the bitterness, they usually have a crisp total really feel.
Will they be the following massive factor? It’s most likely too early to inform, particularly given what number of several types of IPAs come and go. However this one has potential, and it seems to be one to look at. If you happen to see a Chilly IPA, give it a attempt. Let me know what you suppose.
SF Beer Week combine packs
Possibly you didn’t make it out to many SF Beer Week occasions this 12 months, however that doesn’t imply it’s too late to attempt some Bay Space beer. The Bay Space Brewers Guild has partnered up on a direct-to-consumer mission with a curated mix-pack ($90) of a dozen beers created by 16 breweries. Three SF Beer Week collaboration beers — together with Pure Concord — are a part of that blend, providing beer lovers an ideal alternative to pattern an ideal instance of the Chilly IPA type. That is the guild’s first curated mission, however they hope to supply extra combine packs all year long to assist assist SF Beer Week and the work of the guild. Discover particulars at sfbeerweek.org/mixedpack.