# Firestone-Walker brewery just released the latest in its arsenal of oak-brewed pale ales, Union Jack. The most recent effort is a “double dry hopped” IPA (India Pale Ale,) a sort of English ale meets Northern California micro-brew. The result is surprisingly light and spicy a tasty original brew. The secret, according to Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, is all in the hops.
Hops are most notable for their bitter flavor, especially in IPAs, but with over a hundred commercial varieties of hops, flavor possibilities are many. Hops are the dominant flavor in many Northern California micro-brews–which are generally bitter. Each barrel of Union Jack contains four pounds of hops. That’s about four times more hops than the average full-bodied beer, according to Brynildson. In Union Jack, however, the dry hopping process–basically adding hops after most of the fermentation has occurred–negates the bitter flavor and adds significant floral and citrus undertones. At $10 a six-pack, Union Jack is set to compete with wine for a place at the table, but Brynildson said there’s a lot of love in it. Find Union Jack in the Firestone-Walker tasting room, at 1400 Ramada Drive in Paso Robles and at specialty liquor stores. For more info, call: 238-2556 or visit them online at www.firestonebeers.com.
Kylie Mendonca compiled this week’s Strokes and Plugs. Send your business news to strokes@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Mar 5-12, 2008.
