Beer of the Week: 4th Anniversary Double IPA

From the Beer Writer: Few San Diego breweries get as much attention or as many kudos for their clean, to-style lagers as Vista-based Eppig Brewing. Yet, while the bottom-fermented, Germanic offerings of their Natural Bridge series are top-notch, this operation has a lot more to offer in the way of sour, malty and hoppy ales. They have spent the past four years crafting different IPAs, some of which have debuted during significant moments in the company’s history, such as the opening of its waterfront tasting room in Point Loma back in 2018. Next weekend, the Eppig crew will celebrate four successful years in the beer industry with events from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 21 at its Vista headquarters, and 12 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 22 in Point Loma. Those festivities will include a beer they brewed for the occasion. In doing so, they went back to the lupulin well, constructing a bold, high-alcohol ale aptly named 4th Anniversary Double IPA. Available on-draft and in cans at its Vista and Point Loma tasting rooms, this imperial number bursts with hoppy fruit flavors and aromas while remaining medium-bodied and refreshing. It’s a noteworthy accomplishment the four-year-olds can add to a list that includes being the first operation to graduate from the Brewery Igniter program, winning multiple Great American Beer Festival medals, and earning the respect of San Diego brewers and beer fans alike.

From the Brewer: “At the kickoff event for San Diego Beer Week in 2016, Eppig Brewing made its public debut. Four years later, we are celebrating our anniversary with a brand-new beer. When contemplating what we should brew, we decided on a new double IPA that pays its respects to some of the beers that have made us what we are today. First, in honor of our award-winning Special Lager, we used rice in the grain bill to lighten the body and improve drinkability. Second, a shout-out to 10:45 To Denver IPA and one of our favorite hops: Mosaic! The dry-hop is a Mosaic-driven symphony with a little Simcoe sprinkled in at the end, which brings us to the third influence. The Wolf! Our all-Simcoe double IPA, known for its super-clean fermentation despite its high ABV (alcohol-by-volume). When we combined all these attributes, the end result is our 4th Anniversary Double IPA! The aroma is huge, filled with sticky, dank notes, bright citrus, ripe stone fruit and pineapple. The flavor is amazingly balanced for a double IPA and finishes clean, with no detectable ‘heat’ from the sneaky 8.5% ABV. Cheers to four great years!”—Nathan Stephens, Co-founder & Principal Brewer, Eppig Brewing