A legitimate excuse for frivolous hedonism comes but once a year, so we say make the most of it. Don a silly hat (everyone else will look stupid, too), enjoy 16 hard ciders on tap and blow your horn: 2018 is finally done. Sixteen ciders on tap? Yes, it’s True. Peaks and Pints has tapped 16 ciders, well 17 when we tap 2 Towns Riverwood Brut Cider at midnight. It’s also Monday, which means Peaks and Pints always offers a flight of ciders. Indeed, all draft ciders are available to build a five-cider flight of your choice. In addition, to calm the nerves of those who don’t dig the appley nectar of the gods, we present Craft Beer Crosscut 12.31.18: A Flight of New Year’s Eve IPAs. Come say goodbye and/or good riddance to 2018 at Peaks and Pints and have a Hoppy Brew Year!
Craft Beer Crosscut 12.31.18: A Flight of New Year’s Eve IPAs
Silver City Supafly IPA
6.5% ABV, 52 IBU
Brewed for Silver City Brewery pop-infused party funk house band Booboolala, SupaFly IPA is a “supa-fresh, supa-dank, supa-fragrant hop deliciousness dancing around a supa-hazy, yet delicate malt profile brought to life by a specialized yeast,” according to Supafly hype. Brewed with Cascade and Mosaic hops, bright citrus and bitter dank hops dominate this IPA.
Double Mountain Cool Camp IPA
6.6% ABV, 55 IBU
Double Mountain Brewery and their brewer Matt Coughlin brewed Peaks and Pints bottle shop/taproom a house IPA named after Coughlin’s favorite spot to camp in the Olympic Mountains. Simcoe and Centennial hops take the lead, with substantial additions throughout the boil (2, 5, and 3 pounds to be exact, Tacoma’s area code) with more in the hop back and dry hop. Kolsch yeast provides a lightly fruited character, supporting the hops and letting them shine. There’s enough weight in the malt bill to let some biscuit and cereal through but it’s light enough to carry along the adventure. Cool Camp IPA is built for adventure. Dank evergreen and ripe citrus lead an adventurous crew wandering through a rainforest of pines.
Port Brewing Nelson The Greeter
6% ABV, 70 IBU
Named the Best Small Brewing Company in the world at the World Beer Cup when it opened in 2006, The Lost Abbey/Port Brewing Company dual-personality operation has continued to excel, especially the avant-garde, Belgian-inspired The Lost Abbey component. Acclaimed master of barrel-aging Tomme Arthur crafts sour, Brettanomyces-spiked, and liquor-laced beers of mind-boggling diversity. On the Port side, brilliantly hopped West Coast-style single and double IPAs rule the day, including Nelson The Greeter IPA. Paying homage to a rather (in)famous surf spot/clothing optional beach in San Diego, Nelson the Greeter (naked Nelson greets at the beach trail head) incorporates the brash flavors of Nelson hops to lead the charge, with a strong hop supporting cast of Denali, Lemon Drop and Mosaic varietals to round out this IPA. Notes of gooseberry and passionfruit dominate the nose with a clean tangerine and freshly cut stone fruit notes leading to a smooth, bitter, citrus finish.
Old Schoolhouse Ruud Awakening IPA
8% ABV, 75 IBU
Casey and Laura Ruud purchased the floundering Winthrop brewery in 2008, changed the name to Old Schoolhouse Brewery, cleaned it up, and quickly turned it into an award-winning gem of a brewpub. Nate and Jake Young, and their buddy Troy Anderson — longtime fans of the brewery — bought it last year with the intent of keeping it awesome. Ruud Awakening IPA, named after the brewery’s previous owners, beautifully balances fruity bitterness with malty sweetness. It tastes malty, hoppy, fruity and piney, thanks to Warrior, Columbus, Simcoe, Citra and Amarillo hops.
Sierra Nevada Resilience Butte County Proud IPA
6.7% ABV, 85 IBU
In November 2018, the Camp Fire devastated northern California, becoming the sixth deadliest fire in U.S. history. It burned more than 153,000 acres and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings. In its wake, Chico, California brewery Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has put out the call for aid to every craft brewery in America, asking them to take part by brewing batches of Resilience Butte County Proud IPA, getting their suppliers to donate malt, yeast and hops to 1,400 volunteer breweries across the country who have agreed to pitch time and staff hours. All sales proceeds will go to Sierra Nevada’s Camp Fire Relief Fund, which the brewery has set up to help fund long-term rebuilding and support efforts in Butte County, where the fire took place. In regards to the IPA, flavor is massively West Coast influenced with lots of pine herbal hints supported by a toffee malt backbone. Pine plus the caramel reminds us of a Sierra Nevada throwback to 1998.
