Breckenridge 471 IPA Barrel Series Kicks Off With Hüll Melon Hops
(Littleton, CO) – Breckenridge Brewery has released the first in its new 471 IPA Barrel Series. The series features the brewery’s celebrated 471 Double IPA which is aged in whiskey barrels then dry hopped using a new hop variety every quarter. Brewery Director Todd Usry explains, “We pamper this beer. One might call it high-maintenance, but we’re extremely proud of the outcome.” The final dry hop treatment puts flavor and aroma back in the beer that barrels may otherwise overcome. Brandon Osha, the brewery’s cellar master, elaborates, “We move the beer as usual from tank to filtration to barrel, but then we take it back into tanks for dry hop treatment and follow that up with a final filtration.” He goes on to add, “Yeah, it’s kind of laborious, but it’s worth it.”
The first release of 471 IPA Barrel Series features Hüll Melon hops in the dry hop stage. “The aroma of Hüll Melon is really unique – a nice shift from the more common floral and citrus hop attributes,” shares Usry. Traces of honey dew melon and apricot accompany the rich whiskey and slightly smoky scents that the barrels lend. Classic oaky flavors from the barrels are present beginning to end, joined by a bit of vanilla and nutmeg. The base 471 Double IPA is known for its big malty mouthfeel, and this variation of the beer is no exception.
A complex, strong beer of this nature is suitable for sharing, so the 22-oz. bottle format is fitting. 471 IPA Barrel Series is also available in draft.
Next quarter Breckenridge Brewery’s 471 IPA Barrel Series will feature Simcoe hops.
About Breckenridge Brewery
Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. In the past twenty-five years Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer and restaurant companies in the nation. It now handcrafts more than 64,000 barrels of fresh beer annually and owns and operates five brewpubs and ale houses in the state of Colorado. For more information visit www.breckbrew.com.
