In early 2022, we launched Hopnosis as our next-generation West Coast-style IPA. Now the time has come to embrace an even more accurate stylistic moniker for Hopnosis: Cold IPA.
While IPAs are typically fermented with ale yeasts, cold IPAs like Hopnosis are fermented with lager yeasts. Remember that IPA stands for India Pale Ale, so fermenting an IPA with lager yeasts signifies a break with tradition.
“When you use a lager yeast to ferment an IPA, you get a cleaner and less ester-driven aroma profile,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “The colder fermentation also creates a lighter backbone that helps accentuate the bright, tropical hops we’re using. So while Hopnosis offers a lot of things you love in a straight-ahead West Coast IPA, the lager yeast is what pushes it toward the Cold IPA style.” (Learn more about the differences between lagers and ales in our blog, What’s The Difference Between Lagers And Ales?).
As a result, Hopnosis rings all the bells of a Cold IPA: crisp and crushable, with a clean hop profile.
Cold IPA + New Age Hops
Hopnosis also features Mosaic Cryo Hops® to amplify the beer’s pure hop character with minimal bitterness.
Cryo Hops® are made by collecting concentrated lupulin from whole-leaf hops, which contains the pure resins for bitterness and aromatic oils. “Mosaic Cryo Hops® provide intense hop aroma and flavor with incredible integration, enabling us to make a hop-forward beer that is super smooth and delicious,” Matt said.
This may explain why Hopnosis has already racked up numerous rave reviews and accolades, including a gold award at the prestigious European Beer Star and a silver at the Brussels Beer Challenge. Most recently, Hopnosis ranked as #18 in Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 50 beers in 2022.
Other hops featured in Hopnosis include Idaho 7 from Idaho and Nelson from New Zealand. The resulting beer is loaded with hop-derived flavors of mango, passionfruit, white grape, and lychee.
So this is Hopnosis – a Cold IPA, made with West Coast style, showcasing an array of new age hops. Welcome to the new way to IPA.
Use our Beer Finder to discover where Hopnosis is available near you.