A new Chicago-based beer company claims to have created a “different style of IPA.”
Hopothesis Beer Company launched its first beer – India Pale Ale – yesterday, joining a laundry list of craft brewers looking for an attention grab on the so-called “IPA Day.”
The beer checks in at 7.1 percent ABV, but head brewer Ike Orcutt said in press materials that the IPA is “more of a session beer.”
Historically, session beer (at least in Britain, where lower-alcohol beers are popular) clock in at 4 percent and lower. The Brewers Association puts the number in a range between 4 and 5.1 percent while the U.S. Center for Disease Control defines a standard drink as 5 percent.
The launch of a yet another beer, described to be “session,” shows the continued ambiguity of a term rapidly becoming a buzz word amongst craft brewers.
Release from Hopotheses Beer Company is below:
CHICAGO – Hopothesis Beer Company launched its first craft beer, Hopothesis India Pale Ale (IPA). In development for four years, Hopothesis IPA was carefully formulated to deliver a balanced and highly flavorful taste profile.
“You’ll find that Hopothesis IPA will not assault the palate with hops. Instead, the hops spike early, then plateau. You can definitely have more than one.”
Hopothesis IPA is crafted using Vienna and caramel malted barley combined with Cascade and Centennial hops. The dark golden beer is 7.1 alcohol by volume (ABV) and measures in the mid-range at 55 on the International Bitterness Units scale (IBU). The recipe has been fine-tuned over the years to create a unique balance of malts and hops. The result is a crisp taste with strong malty notes within the limits of respectable ABV and IBU measurements.
“We wanted to create a different style of IPA. One that’s more of a session beer,” said Ike Orcutt, head brewer. “You’ll find that Hopothesis IPA will not assault the palate with hops. Instead, the hops spike early, then plateau. You can definitely have more than one.”
Ike Orcutt is an accomplished and award winning home brewer. In 2011, he and a group of beer-loving entrepreneurs formed Hopothesis Beer Company to bring his most popular recipes to the craft beer market. The foundation of the Hopothesis brand can be traced back to the founders, who all have backgrounds in the applied arts and life science. The essence of the brand can be described as geeky-fun, alluding to the light-hearted approach to the science of making beer.
“We’re embracing the geek genre,” said Orcutt. “Beer aficionados don’t just drink beer. They truly appreciate the craft and its technical nuances. Our goal is to give them something to geek out about, with a healthy dose of fun.”
The official launch of the Hopothesis IPA beer will be held on August 2, 6:00 p.m. at the Beer Bistro, 1061 West Madison St., Chicago, IL.
Hopothesis Beer Company has a strong pipeline of foundational recipes and is also working on specialty releases. The company’s next beer, Drafty WindowÔäó will be released in late 2012.
About Hopothesis Beer Company
Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Hopothesis Beer Company is focused on making great craft beer that delivers a flavorful, approachable, balanced drinking experience. Be enlightened with the art and science at www.hopothesis.com.