Hop Hunter IPA
Sierra Nevada | 6.2% ABV | 60 IBU
As a child Ken Grossman was enamored with the process of homebrewing. He learned about it from a friend's father during his youth, later brewing his own as a young adult, though his tries were elementary at best. Years later the southern Californian would take a trip down the North California coast, stopping in a small town called Chico. In that small town he would open his first home brewing store, the first step Grossman would take toward starting the successful craft brewery now known as Sierra Nevada.
Of course, this was all back in the '70s. In those days hops weren't as readily available as they are now. So Grossman would travel from his Californian digs to Washington state to meet with hops farmers. Thus began the relationship that would make Sierra Nevada known for their hop-forward beers.
In keeping with their tradition of brewing hop-forward beers, Sierra Nevada recently released a beer that all IPA lovers should consider a must-try. Hop Hunter IPA owes its hoppiness to the brewery's new method of steam distilling wet hops before they're even brought in from the field in which they're grown. This method allows for seriously complex flavors, which is ultimately why this brew is so damn good.
The new technique turns natural flavors up a notch, making them more unique, intense, and aromatic. The process uses pure hop oil and combines it with the use of traditional whole-cone hops — making this IPA experience nothing short of mind-blowing.
