Backpocket Brewing Company - Raygun IPA

Presenting a radiant orange-gold color with a fluffy head of off-white foam, Raygun IPA offers up an invitingly fruity aroma right from the pour. Look for a nicely citric character offering notes of orange and grapefruit zest, along with hints of orange blossoms, some herbal impressions, and touches of pine resin. In the flavor department, the malts offer a very tasty, lightly caramelized note along with some bready touches, and there’s a really satisfying smooth roundness to this IPA as it coats the palate. Those bold American hops come through with lots of bright citrus juice and zest, while the perceived hop bitterness is medium-firm, balanced well by that round caramelized malt note. Quenching, delicious, and nicely balanced for the style, Raygun IPA is quite satisfying a la carte, but will also match up nicely with a wide variety of foods. It should cut through fats well and complement breaded elements, plus it’ll work with fruity and spicy notes. A burger with pungent cheese and a bold aioli, spicy barbecue sauce, or freshly ground mustard sounds good to us, as does roasted fowl, glazed ham, or brisket tacos with pickled onion or chipotle slaw. Cheers!

While studying for a PhD in microbiology, Jake Simmons never imagined he'd be running a brewery in a few years. But, after deciding he wasn't in love with his studies, he left the PhD program and proceeded on a path that ultimately led him to the good place he finds himself in today: at the helm of Iowa's growing Backpocket Brewing Company. After working in the biotech industry for a while, which paid well but didn't inspire any passion, Jake (who had homebrewed for several years) started to consider a career in the brewing business. The chance to create something tangible, shareable, and enjoyable was just too compelling to pass up.

After a few stints at various brewing companies, Jake wound up at Old Man River Restaurant & Brewery in McGregor, IA. Their first beer flowed in 2008 from a small 7-barrel brewhouse. By 2010, they had expanded their operations enough to begin offering kegs and bottles to local draft and retail accounts. Ultimately, though, a big expansion was necessary to really hit the retail space hard, so Jake led the operations on a move to a brand-new facility in Coralville's Iowa River Landing development project in 2012. The brewery was rebranded as Backpocket, with Jake Simmons serving as founder and brewmaster. Featuring a 30-barrel brewing system, a taproom, and a kitchen, the new location is the perfect hub for local craft beer lovers.

In addition to their Coralville location, Backpocket has a Taproom in Dubuque featuring rotating taps, good food, and an array of old-school arcade games. Another even larger location is due to open soon in Johnston called Pin and Pixel, which will also feature a retro arcade as well as several duckpin bowling lanes. For more info about the brewery, visit them at backpocketbrewing.com.