Do April showers bring hop flowers? Hops are planted in the spring and flower in the summer, from June to August. Shortly after the flower appears, the hop cone develops along with shoots. They are harvested from August through October. Although whole hops have more flavor and aroma, most hops are formed into pellets through a process called palletization. The hops are dried and lupulin is preserved. Lupulin provides aroma, bitterness, and flavor. They are ground into a powder and then compressed into a spherical shape. In this form they are easier to store and maintain their freshness longer.
Why all this talk about hops? Well, because it’s interesting, and hops is what makes beer taste delicious! This being said, I think we can all agree that most IPAs taste nothing like when they were originally released. Indian Pale Ales used to be hop-forward and bitter, with notes of citrus and pine. There was a tropical fruit flavor but it didn’t dominate the hops used in brewing. Because of this, I have been on the search for a West Coast IPA. They pour clear, are hop-forward in taste with bitter notes of pine, citrus, and resin. They finish crisp and clean. It looks like Pivotal Brewing made my wish come true when they brewed a West Coast IPA with Caius Farm Brewery, located in Branford, CT. Crazily enough, I met one of the brewers, Gavin Golub, over beer talk before the brewery opened. I have not visited Caius yet.
For those two reasons, I was super excited to get my beer-loving hands on a pint of this Westie called “Bristol to Branford.” It is made with Mosaic Cryo, Mosaic DynaBoost, Mosaic Hyperboost, Comet, Nelson Sauvin, and Super Sauvin. Dynaboost and Hyperboost are super concentrated hop oil products. They are different in their use – cold addition and whirlpool addition – and provide complexity of flavor. Personally, I hope to brew with them soon. As I opened a can of this, I already knew it was going to be amazing. This WCIPA pours a light-golden clear hue, with a retentive foamy head and waterfall lacing. There are notes of grapefruit, pine, orange rind, and cannabis that make my hoppy heart smile. The front-end sip follows through with flavors from nose to palate, along with a touch of mango and mandarin orange. This beautiful Westie finished dry with a kush indica hop.
I reached out to Caius Mergy, the owner and brewer of Caius Farm Brewery, and I am thankful to be able to share his thoughts: Mergy told me that he met the owners of Pivotal Brewing, Todd Nicholson and Rebecca Ernst, over this past summer. “We really bonded over our love for craft beer. After a few visits back and forth to each other’s breweries, we decided to do a collaboration at both locations. We always wanted to do a West Coast IPA and felt this was a great opportunity to experiment with new hop products.” Mergy went on to describe this beer to me. “This beer is brewed with a new bioengineered Omega yeast. A classic strain, but aimed at producing more tropical flavor and aroma. We also used newer advanced hop products from New Zealand and the United States. This is a modern spin on the classic West Coast Style.”
I asked Mergy if we can look forward to any more collaborations with RI breweries. “We hope to! There are so many fantastic breweries in Rhode Island.” Mergy loves everything Pivotal is making. I have to agree. Maybe it’s the Riwaka and Azacca hops. Maybe it is because I helped brew this beer. Either way, Cadence just keeps getting better and better. Cadence is an IPA brewed from a recipe designed by Vigilant Brewing’s head brewer and mastermind John Otero. The Riwaka hops, formerly known as D Saaz, provide grapefruit and citrus in the flavor and aroma. The Azacca hops provide the aroma of pine and spice while also complimentary citrus aroma and flavor. These two hops work well together and create a delicious, balanced finish of peppery spice and citrus. It’s not too sweet and not too bitter. This hazy 6.5% ABV IPA speaks in a “Cadence” that is satisfying, but yearnful.
Not sure if you really want to hop in on hops? Check out Level 99 in the Providence Place Mall. Night Shift Brewing is located there, and the bartenders can help you decide. I experienced an educated and informed general manager and staff. They were genuinely friendly and interested in providing suggestions based on my taste preferences. I had the opportunity to have a little Q and A with Sarah Blair, bartender/server at Night Shift, and this is what she told me: “I love working here because of what the company stands for. Night Shift stands for ‘All Styles Welcome.’” This statement creates a culture of respect and inclusivity, and Blair pointed out that there is a gender-neutral bathroom. Blair learned about beer styles through mentors at the Everett, MA location and later educated staff at the PVD location. Blair’s love for craft beer began because of the energy it inspired in others. “I feel like I am getting paid to bartend, but also talk to fellow passionate beer enthusiasts. I am also able to help people by getting them to forget about the outside world, even if it is only for 30 minutes.”
Blair is new to Rhode Island and has not had a chance to enjoy a local craft beer or spirit. She can most certainly mix up an amazing beer cocktail. Her favorite at Night Shift is called the Velvet Hammer. This delicious bevy is made with Tanqueray Gin, pineapple rum and Rocco’s botanical liquor. Blair adds pineapple and lemon juice and tops it off with Fluffy, Nightshift’s hazy IPA. What makes a beer great? It is most definitely the recipe and ingredients, but also the process and equipment used. If there is a passion that starts with the owner, that makes it easier for the brewer to be more creative in their craft. If the service you receive is from an employee who genuinely loves their occupation you will know. They will not only be knowledgeable but also give you a positive experience. I hope you get a chance to explore the local craft beer scene and all it has to offer! Cheers to craft beer! •
