A pair of new brews from The Original 40
North Park brewpub releases Big Tings West Coast double IPA and Baja Negra Mexican-style dark lager
The Original 40 Brewing has released Big Tings West Coast double IPA and Baja Negra Mexican-style dark lager at its North Park brewpub. Both limited-release beers are available on draft and in four-packs of 16-ounce cans.
Big Tings is 9% alcohol-by-volume (ABV) and was brewed with Mosaic, Citra and Centennial hops. It has aromas of orange, other tropical fruits and citrus, plus a touch of pine for balance. It pours a light orange hue.
Baja Negra is 5.2% ABV and was brewed with Mexican-lager yeast and a touch of caramel malt. It serves as a counterpart to Original 40’s lighter core beer, Baja Soul Mexican-style lager.
“Big Tings is my favorite West Coast double IPA I’ve created here,” said Head Brewer Zack Kaplan, who joined Original 40 in May 2022. “It has big hop aromas and finishes very dry, even with a high ABV. We found a great balance of flavors and I couldn’t be happier to share this one. Baja Negra is easy drinking, malt-forward, but not overly sweet. It’s the perfect winter-time San Diego lager.”
Big Tings is the seventh different IPA on the menu and the third West Coast-style IPA. It also has the highest ABV of any beer on the tap list.
“Zack did a tremendous job with his latest round of releases,” said Original 40 founder Steve Billings. “We expect big things from him, and he delivered with Big Tings. For those who prefer something on the lighter side, you’ll be happy with his Baja Negra and we invite you to compare it to our popular Baja Soul.”
The brewpub will hold New Year’s Eve festivities on December 31 and stay open until 12:30 a.m. on January 1, 2024. Live music will start at 8 p.m. and there will be a champagne toast and balloon-drop at midnight. Special beer- or wine-pairing dinner packages are also available.