Here’s what we know about Jim Dignam:
He opened Fox Island Brewing in his Fox Island garage in 2015, brewing on a 3-barrel system;
He grows his own hops on his property;
His wife’s favorite beer is his Belgian Wit;
You can always find his beers on tap at Fox Island’s favorite and only craft beer taproom, Zog’s;
He enjoys a good conversation;
He just brewed a CenColSim IPA;
He enjoys a good conversation.
It’s a great honor to host a release gathering for Fox Island Brewing’s CenColSim IPA 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at Peaks and Pints. Dignam will be in the house, chatting up the CenColSim IPA and well as his love for travel, movies and beer.
CenColSim?
“CenColSim” is an ancient Sumerian word that roughly translates to ‘Late Bitter Flower,’” Dignam explains. “Ok, that was a load of crap, but it sounded good, huh? The name Cen-Col-Sim actually comes from the three hop varieties used in the boil and as dry hops to make this IPA.”
Dignam means, of course, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe.
“Centennial is an aroma-type hop, bred in 1974 and released in 1990,” Dignam launches into conversation. “A relatively new hop as hops go and described by some as a ‘Super Cascade’ but it’s not nearly as ‘citrusy.’ Used for aroma as well as bittering with a bitterness that is quite clean and can have floral notes depending on the boil time. Columbus is a high alpha acid variety and has a pungent aroma and clean bittering. Excellent for bitter ales and American IPA styles, and can be dramatic when dry hopped. Simcoe is a bittering/aroma type hop bred more recently by Yakima Chief Ranches and has quickly become a favorite of many US craft brewers.”
Dignam goes on to explains hops’ role in the brewing process — from its primary role of bittering, to adding hops during the final minutes of the boil to retain aromatic oils, to adding hops in the fermenter — dry-hopping — to bump up the aroma and favor without adding more bitterness.
Drop by Peaks and Pints Saturday afternoon and hang with Jim Dignam. He makes great beer, so no doubt CenColSim IPA will be a winner, too.
FOX ISLAND BREWING CO. CENCOLSIM IPA RELEASE, 4-6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, Peaks and Pints, 3816 N. 26th St., Tacoma, no cover
