Beer of the Week: Adora Sunrise

Since becoming Americanized, the India pale ale (IPA) has been reimagined many times over. In some cases, new varieties stand the test of time and public opinion to become full-fledged subcategories, like New England-style (AKA: “hazy”, “juicy”, “murky”) IPAs. Then there are the flash-in-the-pan trends that are the buzz of beerophiles one minute, the stuff of jovial derogatory reference the next. I’m looking at you “brut IPA”. Around a decade ago, the “fruited IPA” came on strong, and saw brewers adding citrus, stone and tropical fruits, berries and more to their hoppy ales. Like most beer trends incorporating non-beery flavors and ingredients which consumers are both familiar with and largely enjoy, it was a smashing success. Enough that they were key to the growth of certain large craft breweries such as San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing, which did so well with a grapefruit-infused version of its flagship Sculpin IPA that it went on to fruit numerous other core beers in its portfolio. Brewer Daren Rudy was part of the Miramar-based company at the time, and has since moved on to employ lessons learned from that era in a special-edition beer from his two-year-old Kearny Mesa operation, Ataraxia Aleworks. Dubbed Adora Sunrise, it’s a West Coast IPA brewed with strawberry and orange. Those fruits show up prominently in the bouquet and the beer itself, with hop bitterness keeping it balanced and quaffable. As American brewers have refined their processes for extracting fruity aromas and flavors from New World hops such as Citra, Mosaic, Strata and the yet-to-be-named HBC 586, fruiting has become less prominent; a practice now mostly employed with kettle-sour ales. But for fans of the fruited IPA, Adora Sunrise will scratch your stylistic itch and then some.

Adora Sunrise is a West Coast IPA brewed with orange and strawberry purées. The New Zealand hop varietal, Southern Cross, gives subtle hints of citrus and tropical flavors, which are complemented by the addition of the fruit. The orange and strawberry flavors are subtle and impart a refreshing smoothness that balances out the bitterness of the traditional West Coast IPA style. The 7.7% ABV (alcohol-by-volume) may surprise you, as it remains a refreshing beer perfect for the San Diego summer weather. Supplies of this beer are limited, so be sure to try it while you can!”

Daren Rudy , Co-owner & Head Brewer, Ataraxia Aleworks