The Boston Beer Company today announced an ingredient change in its popular hop forward offering, Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA.
The company has added Mosaic hops, from the Yakima, Wash. growing region. Boston Beer founder Jim Koch originally encountered the new varietal after a trip to the region and experimented with the hop during a collaborative effort with Dogfish Head on SAVOR Flowers.
The new recipe will be released in 2013 and be available in 6-packs and 12-packs nationwide beginning in February. The suggested retail price is $8.99 for 6-packs and $13.99 for 12-packs.
Below is a press release with more details.
BOSTON – Answering the call of hopheads everywhere, the brewers at Samuel Adams have added a new hop variety to the 2013 latitude 48 ingredient list. Mosaic hops — from the Yakima, Wash., growing region, the inspiration for the 2013 batch, impart a floral and tropical fruit character and add a fresh, unique flavor to this already-complex brew.
This previously experimental hop variety was first encountered by Jim Koch, Samuel Adams founder and brewer, after a hop selection trip a few years back. Jim learned about the new breed (then, known only as ‘#369’) grown for its amped-up floral notes. He was able to obtain 30 pounds of this unique variety, first using it to create a limited-edition beer, SAVOR Flowers, brewed in collaboration with Dogfish Head for the SAVOR festival in Washington, D.C., in June 2011.
Now, after spending the last year experimenting more with Mosaic, the brewers have transformed the Latitude 48 IPA recipe, adding a new dimension to the hop line-up with this flavorful varietal. Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA gets its name from its most important ingredients: a select blend of hops from top German, English and American growing regions, all located near the 48th latitude along the “hop belt” of the Northern Hemisphere.
Tasting Notes:
Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is brewed with a select combination of hops from the 48th latitude that creates a distinctive, yet not overpowering, hop character. The 2013 batch is inspired by the new Mosaic hop variety, which imparts a floral and tropical fruit character and adds a fresh, unique flavor to this already-complex brew. Samuel Adams Latitude 48 also includes Bavarian Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops for a citrus and spicy note, UK east Kent Goldings hops for an earthy and woody character, and US Simcoe and Zeus hops for piney, grapefruit flavors. In addition, this beer has an upfront sweetness with notes of honey and caramel from the malt, which nicely complement the complex hop character.
The 2013 release of Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA will be available in 6-packs ($8.99) and 12-packs ($13.99) nationwide beginning in February.