Firestone Walker releases ‘Hopnosis’ IPA
West Coast IPA brewed with ‘Mosaic Cryo Hops’
– This week, Firestone Walker Brewery introduced Hopnosis IPA – the culmination of the brewery’s “15-year quest to master the West Coast IPA style.” Brewed with Mosaic Cryo Hops, Hopnosis is a “seamless, aromatic and explosively tropical IPA,” according to the brewery.
“Hopnosis represents everything we’ve learned about hopping techniques over the years, all rolled into one beer,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “This is our ultimate new-school expression of the West Coast IPA.”
Hopnosis is now rolling out to all Firestone Walker markets in 6-pack and 12-pack (12-ounce) cans; 19.2-ounce cans; and on draft.
The Firestone Walker brewing team has developed an arsenal of new-age hops for IPA—all of which are featured in Hopnosis. These include hops from New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on Mosaic Cryo Hops as well as Idaho 7 and Nelson. Cryo Hops are made by collecting the concentrated lupulin from whole-leaf hops, which contains the pure resins for bitterness and aromatic oils.
“Mosaic Cryo Hops are the centerpiece of Hopnosis,” Brynildson said. “They provide intense hop aroma and flavor with incredible integration, enabling us to make a hop-forward beer that is low in bitterness, super smooth, and delicious.”
Hopnosis is double dry-hopped, with nearly five pounds of hops used for every barrel brewed. The resulting beer is loaded with hop-derived flavors of mango, passionfruit, white grape, and lychee. The ABV of Hopnosis is 6.7 percent, providing a balance of flavor and texture.
The origins of Hopnosis date back to Firestone Walker’s original West Coast IPA—Union Jack, which was introduced in 2007. Hopnosis also reflects concepts learned while developing the Luponic Distortion revolving IPA series and the Mind Haze family of IPAs. Finally, it draws inspiration from numerous brewing collaborations here and abroad.
These experiences have yielded a variety of hop integration techniques that Brynildson and his team brought to bear in creating Hopnosis.
“This is where the West Coast style is headed,” Brynildson said. “Aromatic hops and new hopping techniques are driving the future. On top of that, Cryo Hops are opening up fresh possibilities. Now you can get all of the ‘oomph’ of hop saturation that you want from a West Coast IPA, but with less of that classic bitterness, more of these new-age hop flavors, and a whole new level of balance and drinkability.”
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