The Creative Creatures of Campus are relentless in their pursuit of better IPA. Reading the latest technical publications, tuning-in to live conference presentations in the middle of the night, pouring over specifications for the latest hop crops, hop-related products, and generally clamoring for anything that might offer novelty or improvement to the style that (arguably) defines modern craft beer!
The BETA TEST IPA is a series demonstrating the aforementioned ingredients and techniques as applied to Hazy or New England style India Pale Ales; with each release showcasing new ingredients, techniques or novel recipe design.
The innovations and lessons from the BETA TEST IPA series are sure to find their way into our year-round, seasonal and limited release IPAs but stay tuned here to be among the first to experience them.
in the face of underwhelming ipa we’re left with but one option,
We’re going to have to science the SH*T Out of this.
BETA TEST #2 is a Hazy/New England Midstrength IPA. The very same careful mash/lauter steps, various oat and wheat additions to the grist, paired with a suitably chalky water profile give a smooth, clean, satisfyingly-bodied base for a juicy, hazy hop bomb of a beer; albeit atop a reduced alcohol content and bitterness. The result is a marked increase in drinkability and stronger demonstration of the mouthfeel-enhancing bio-transformed hop polyphenols characteristic of hazy IPAs.
Using a new technique incorporating hops at specific stages of the enzyme-rich mash, aromatic thiols are derived to increase the saturation and profiles of hop flavour and aroma.
A specific strain of yeast was selected for it's high level of an enzyme that converts these mash-derived hop thiols into potent secondary aromatic compounds, creating an absolute excess of fruity hop flavour and contributing to a spectacular stable haze and soft mouth feel.
BETA TEST #2 is a Midstrength Hazy IPA. Providing balance and sessionability to a beer that drinks like fruit juice is a scientific responsibility.
Mashed with a ramped temperature profile and hop additions of Southern Cross, Mosaic, NZH 107, Cryo-Citra and Zamba at multiple times across all stages of the brew (mash, boil, whirlpool, pre-ferment, mid-ferment, post-ferment) this Hazy IPA features a satisfying mouthfeel enhanced by residual sugars and a hop aroma/flavour saturation that would have it easily mistaken for a much bigger beer.
It's safe to consider Beta Test #2's Midstrength Hazy IPA the antidote to Alpha Test #2's IIPA - we did.
BETA TEST #1 is a Hazy/New England IPA. Careful mash/lauter steps, various oat and wheat additions to the grist, paired with a suitably chalky water profile give a smooth, clean, satisfyingly-bodied base for a juicy, hazy hop bomb of a beer.
Using a new technique incorporating hops at specific stages of the enzyme-rich mash, aromatic thiols are derived to increase the saturation and profiles of hop flavour and aroma.
A specific strain of yeast was selected for it's high level of an enzyme that converts these mash-derived hop thiols into potent secondary aromatic compounds, creating an absolute excess of fruity hop flavour and contributing to a spectacular stable haze and soft mouth feel.
Triple dry-hopped with Cashmere, Sabro and Mosaic, and finishing at 6.4%, BETA TEST #1 is a juicy, aromatic flavour-bomb of an IPA that warrants grabbing a four-pack instead of a single. The results of these experimentations are a pleasure to explore - we recommend taking the time to really dig deep with the sensory appreciation here!
