Q: Aren’t all IPAs cold?
A: Well, you could serve them hot, but we wouldn’t recommend it as such.
Q: Very funny, wiseass. What makes a Cold IPA a Cold IPA?
A: Cold IPA is not just the preferred serving temperature for a hop-forward craft beer. It also describes a relatively new approach to IPA brewing, combining the crispness of a traditional lager with the hoppiness of an IPA.
Q: That sounds delicious, yet I am still confused?
Q: You know how hazy IPAs tend to be soft, thick, and cloudy?
A: I do.
A: Cold IPAs are none of those things. The malt bill is structured like an adjunct lager, with the addition of flaked corn lending a cleaner, crisper finish.
Instead of a lager’s traditional hop profile, we then lean on more IPA-oriented varieties like Citra, Sabro, and Centennial and drive home the hop flavor with just the right amount of bitterness. The result is super clean, crisp, and clear. If you’re burned out on murk but still love hops, it’s an ideal change of pace.
Q: OK, I’m in. Can I try one?
A: Yes. Lacuna Cold IPA, Surly’s newest seasonal beer, is available to all Surly markets now through July. You can find it in six-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.
Q: What’s a Lacuna?
A: A blank space, gap, or void.
Q: Oh, and this beer bridges the gap between a lager and an IPA?
A: You’re a quick learner.
The particulars:
- Style: Cold IPA
- Hops: Warrior, Sabro, Citra, Talus, Centennial
- Malt: Pilsner, Acidulated, Carafoam, Flaked Corn
- Yeast: German Lager
- Pour: Golden
- Bitterness: High
- ABV: 7.2%
