We are excited to bring Joe’s fantastic Double IPA offering out of the sporadic Brewer’s Special Release line up and into it’s own label and more consistent production.  We have renamed it Hop Sutra and our own Scott designed a fancy new label.  Also new, it will be packaged in a four pack instead of single bottles.

Based on the original idea of the Hop Wrangler to make a multinational IPA, this brew hs 2.5 times the hops and 1.5 times the malt.  It has fabulous hop aroma and bitterness but is well balanced with the malt.  Coming in at 9% ABV, it is a hefty brew but not so heavy you couldn’t drink a couple.  Beer Advocate gave it an A- excellent rating last winter!

Why Hop Sutra?  Well as usual, our beer names start with a beer fueled brainstorming session.  At one point, Merry Hoppins was in high contention.  And then Dan suggested Hop Sutra and it was done…

Instinctively, we just liked the name and the way it rolled off the tongue.  But on further reflection Hop Sutra fits in a broader sense.  First, this is an India Pale Ale, brewed by the English for shipment to India.  Sutra’s in the Hindu religion of India are a collection of aphorisms relating to some aspect of the conduct of life.  This beer is Joe’s doctrine on hops and trust us, it is a religious experience when you drink it.

Scott designed a label that gives a nod to the Indian background as a show of respect for how this style originated.  The rich color palette is reflective of the hefty, regal dose of hops to make this a double.

We are taking delivery on 3 new 40 barrel fermenters in early September and that will allow us to keep this beer in more regular rotation.  So we hope you will enjoy a meditation on this Sutra often!