From the Beer Writer: Brewers are going every which way with the India pale ale these days. It’s fun to see such a formerly staid style reinvented in so many different ways, but in tasting hazies, fruiteds, millkshakes, juice-bombs and the like, the potential for disappointment is rather high. When the envelope is pushed, it leaves the letter-flap open for failure to wedge its way in. This hard truth makes out-there IPA victories all the sweeter. That statement is figurative and literal in the case of this week’s featured beer, Hop Puddin’. A collaborative effort between Thunderhawk Alements and Amplified Ale Works, this IPA brilliantly meshes an array of ingredients one wouldn’t expect to work well together, in an effort to produce a beer resembling, of all things, pudding. The inspiration for this odd confectionery quaff is a new album of the same name by, The Routine, a band with familial ties to the Thunderhawk team. It sounds odd, and it is, but these collaborators did such a nice job with the beer, it tastes almost natural. A heaping dose of vanilla finds synergy with experimental hops before giving way to round, warming toasted coconut and a light, verdant bitterness, all of which drapes slowly across one’s taste buds thanks to a smooth texture made possible by the addition of oats. It’s not an everyday beer in terms of style or the regularity with which one would drink it, but it is an impressive oddity that’s well worth trying. The beer debuts at Amplified’s Pacific Beach brewpub and Thunderhawk’s tasting room today. It will also be the co-focal point at an official beer-and-album release party at Thunderhawk Alements on Saturday, June 2.
From the Brewers: “Hop Puddin’ was a rare chance for us to work with Amplified Ale Works and my lil’ brother Bryan Barbarin’s band, The Routine. We admire Amplified for their great execution of West-Coast and Northeast-style IPAs, and funky ales, as well as their incorporation of music into their identity, so the partnership seemed natural for everyone. This three-way collaborative effort was based around The Routine’s third album, ‘Puddin’.’ We decided to brew a hazy double IPA with toasted coconut and Madagascar vanilla to create a complex IPA enriched with vanilla that was complemented with a soft mouthfeel. We dry-hopped the beer with Hopsteiner Exp. 06300 hops that add orange, coconut and vanilla tones. Our goal was to brew with the spirit of funkiness and non-conventional thinking that is expressed in much of The Routine’s music in a fun, summer-influenced beer. We had a massively fun brew day with the Amplifed team and The Routine, who came through to help us brew and let us listen to the album before its release.”—Jonathan Barbarin, President & Co-founder, Thunderhawk Alements
“We sat down with Thunderhawk Alements and challenged ourselves to brew a pudding-inspired beer to release alongside The Routine’s new album ‘Puddin’.’ Pudding and beer aren’t often used in the same sentence, let alone in the same recipe, but thankfully we were able to build a recipe that finds flavors that are delicious in both. We started with a malt bill that features over 25% oats to give it a soft, full-bodied base, then sourced experimental hops, which have a crazy flavor profile not like any other hops I’ve tried, bringing notes of orange, chocolate, vanilla and coconut. The beer was already impressive at that point, but then we packed in nine-pounds-per-barrel of toasted coconut and a full pound of vanilla beans. This beer comes together really well, bringing out notes of chocolate and vanilla to compliment the toasted coconut that becomes more prominent as it warms up, which is not something I’d typically advise with a hoppy beer. The best part is that you still taste ‘beer’ when enjoying all the other flavors in this Hop Puddin.’”—Jeff Campbell, Head Brewer, Amplified Ale Works
From the Band: “Over the last year, through countless hours, sleepless nights and a lot of growing pains, we birthed ‘Puddin’,’ our first full-length album. With its nine bold tracks we promise to fill your ears with funk, soul and rock ‘n’ roll. We recorded at our studio, ‘The Shrine,’ with a hodgepodge of equipment that lends to the album’s unique flavors. The songs are a dynamic mix of smooth vocals, masterful guitar, funky bass and hard-hitting drums. We are very excited to be releasing our album, and honored to have a collaboration beer with Amplified Ale Works and Thunderhawk Alements. This album is best enjoyed from start to finish with a cool case of Hop Puddin’ Hazy IPA. With the range of funky beats, bitter emotions and smooth grooves, you couldn’t go wrong with this pairing. Enjoy the ‘Puddin’.'”—The Routine