Love (Wild IPA)

Brewer: Brewlander Co.  (website)

Type of beer: IPA
ABV: 6.5 %    IBU: 65

Consumed at Siem Reap, Thailand on February 27th, 2018.

Brewer’s Blurb:
One could argue that the global Craft beer revolution is mainly fronted by the everyone’s obsession with IPAs. Every brewery must have one, and we are no different because I love good hoppy IPA!

One thing I wanted to steer clear of was brewing a West Coast IPA, because there are so many great ones out there, and I felt pointless at this moment to brew yet another one. I wanted to brew an IPA that is something different and unique, and gives a memorable experience.

This beer’s recipe was initially a pale ale which I’ve first brewed 3 years ago, and I’ve decided to bump up the bitterness and alcohol level, and hop the IPA hell out of it!

We are using a unique Saccharomyces strain which was a topic of confusion in the brewing community. It was first believed to be a Brettanomyces, but further tests later revealed it to be a Saccharomymces.

This is great news because this yeast creates a peculiar and intense tropical fruitiness (Pineapple, Passionfruit) that is unlike any other yeast.

I’ve gone with Extra Pale Maris Otter from Crisp as our base malt, which plays nicely with juicy hops. I have a very soft spot for Maris Otter, which happens to be my favourite barley varietal! I also used a high percentage of flaked wheat and oats in my homebrew recipe, because back then the yeast was thought to be Brett. Brett eventually breaks down most malt sugars and could possibly “thin” out the beer. The flaked wheat and oats helps create a pleasant airy/creamy/fluffy mouthfeel which makes this beer very enjoyable to drink.

Bucket loads of Citra, Mosiac and Hallertau Blanc are added during the whirlpool and in the dry hop to compliment the yeast driven flavours, creating an intensely juicy beer.

One may find similarities with the current darling, New England style IPA, but there are also noticeable differences. In short, just enjoy the beer!

This is a hazy beer! Do not feel alarmed when you pour a cloudy beer. It’s unfiltered and unpasteurised, and the yeast is the main reason why the beers tastes so juicy. There will be levels of yeast sediments in the bottle, so pour gently if you prefer a cleaner tasting beer. Those how want more “bite” in the beer are encouraged to get all the yeast sediments in the beer.

Enjoy!

Michael’s Notes:
Just when you're about to give up on finding anything other than a lager, you stumble upon one of the best beers ever in the most unexpected place: a vegan restaurant! This beer reminded me of the great craft beers I had in New Zealand, and brought me back to earlier times, when it was cold and rainy in Auckland. Wow, that seems so long ago!! A true, strong-tasting IPA, with all sorts of fruity and herby flavours that made for a very satisfying beverage. Can this be imported back home?