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| Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co |
A Barrel-Aged Beer LITERALLY Unlike Any Other:
Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA
ESCONDIDO, CA (May 11, 2015)
— In recent years, barrel-aged beers have become some of the world’s
most coveted creations. Crafting them typically involves sequestering
heavy stouts or barley wines in whiskey barrels for long periods of
time. It’s a straightforward and successful method utilized by many in
the brewing industry. But sticking to “straightforward” isn’t what Stone Brewing Co.
is about…especially when it comes to Collaboration beers. Starting
today, fans can look forward to a truly unique West Coast imperial IPA
blended with a Belgian-style tripel that was aged in reposado tequila
barrels previously used to mature red wine. That limited offering, Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA,
(made possible with the help of two renowned craft breweries) will
start arriving in 22-ounce bottles and on draft to select retailers in
markets where Stone beer is sold.
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| Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co |
Craft beer enthusiasts have a quartet of noteworthy brewers to thank for
this one-of-a-kind brainchild, starting with Stone Brewmaster Mitch
Steele. When considering who to team with for the latest Stone
Collaboration, he looked to two polar-opposite points spanning the
American brewing landscape—Portland, Oregon and Asheville, North
Carolina. Like Stone’s San Diego County home, these locales are
considered hotbeds of craft beer ingenuity, thanks in part to the
respective contributions of John Harris from Ecliptic Brewing, and brothers Luke and Walt Dickinson of Wicked Weed Brewing.
The former held court as one of the Pacific Northwest’s best and
longest-tenured brewers for a quarter century before opening Ecliptic,
while the latter are the creative duo behind one of North Carolina’s
most experimental, buzzworthy brewing outfits. These brewing powerhouses
from points far removed joined forces to take this collaborative recipe
to points unknown.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a more talented and fun group of collaborators to work with,” said Steele. “John is one of my oldest friends in the industry, and I really respect the ingenuity Luke and Walt have shown through the beers coming from Wicked Weed. When we were exploring recipe ideas, it was unknown for all of us exactly how well a double IPA would play with a Belgian tripel, but we decide to give it a shot. Now, having tried the final beer, we are really impressed with its uniqueness and complexity. It turned out to be a great representation of all our philosophies.”
The beer incorporates two disparate styles—a hop-forward, distinctly American IPA and a fruity Belgian tripel, both brewed with blue agave nectar—with influence from red wine- and tequila-saturated oak. It begs the question: What does this taste like? Tropical fruit aromas and flavors come courtesy of hop bursting, which is used to extract maximum character from a mixture of Amarillo, Calypso and Jarrylo hops late in the brewing process. The hoppiness is given brilliant depth care of banana and estery qualities produced by a Belgian yeast strain during the tripel’s fermentation. Subtle tannic, berry-like flavors and additional red wine notes are present from the triple-use barrels. Amazingly, the flavors blend seamlessly without competing in the glass.
To fully experience the massive hop presence, Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA should be enjoyed fresh; however, the beer may also be stored at proper cellaring temperatures (55°F or lower). How long can it be aged? It’s hard to say. And what will it taste like? Just as the case was when it was first brewed, we don't know, so consider its aged manifestation yet another point of the beer’s intriguing unknowns.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a more talented and fun group of collaborators to work with,” said Steele. “John is one of my oldest friends in the industry, and I really respect the ingenuity Luke and Walt have shown through the beers coming from Wicked Weed. When we were exploring recipe ideas, it was unknown for all of us exactly how well a double IPA would play with a Belgian tripel, but we decide to give it a shot. Now, having tried the final beer, we are really impressed with its uniqueness and complexity. It turned out to be a great representation of all our philosophies.”
The beer incorporates two disparate styles—a hop-forward, distinctly American IPA and a fruity Belgian tripel, both brewed with blue agave nectar—with influence from red wine- and tequila-saturated oak. It begs the question: What does this taste like? Tropical fruit aromas and flavors come courtesy of hop bursting, which is used to extract maximum character from a mixture of Amarillo, Calypso and Jarrylo hops late in the brewing process. The hoppiness is given brilliant depth care of banana and estery qualities produced by a Belgian yeast strain during the tripel’s fermentation. Subtle tannic, berry-like flavors and additional red wine notes are present from the triple-use barrels. Amazingly, the flavors blend seamlessly without competing in the glass.
To fully experience the massive hop presence, Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA should be enjoyed fresh; however, the beer may also be stored at proper cellaring temperatures (55°F or lower). How long can it be aged? It’s hard to say. And what will it taste like? Just as the case was when it was first brewed, we don't know, so consider its aged manifestation yet another point of the beer’s intriguing unknowns.
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| Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co |
Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA Quick Facts:
Name: Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA
URL: Stonebrewing.com/collab/
Stats: 9.5% ABV, 72 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning May 11
Hops Bill: Magnum, Styrian Celeia; Amarillo, Calypso, Jarrylo
National Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
International Distribution (coming soon): Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Japan; Singapore; and United Kingdom
Find Beer: find.stonebrewing.com
URL: Stonebrewing.com/collab/
Stats: 9.5% ABV, 72 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning May 11
Hops Bill: Magnum, Styrian Celeia; Amarillo, Calypso, Jarrylo
National Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
International Distribution (coming soon): Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Japan; Singapore; and United Kingdom
Find Beer: find.stonebrewing.com
About Stone Brewing Co.
Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co. is the 9th largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 10 times, and has been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate
magazine twice. The multifaceted company will be the first American
craft brewer to own and operate its own brewery in Europe, and is also
building a production brewery and destination restaurant in Richmond,
Virginia. Brewing at both locations is anticipated to begin late 2015.
Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone has
earned a reputation for brewing outstanding, unique beers while
maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability, business ethics,
philanthropy and the art of brewing. For more information on Stone
Brewing Co., please visit stonebrewing.com or the company’s social media sites: Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and The Stone Blog.
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