Brothers Craft Brewing - Hoptimization

This IPA pours a bright golden hue with a robust cap of persistent off-white foam that laces our glasses well. In the aroma, look for citrus to dominate with notes of grapefruit rind and light orange and lemon overtones. Some pleasant floral character comes through, as well, offering hints of jasmine and citrus blossoms, backed up by some herbal spice. The zesty citrus character comes forth on the palate right away, along with some resinous herbal impressions, and some softer floral notes which add extra dimensions to the sharper citrus tones. A boldly hoppy beer needs a sturdy malt backbone, and we get one here; look for a nice dose of caramel and light toast, and enough heft to support the bold hop flavors and firm 71 IBUs of hop bitterness which easily balance a touch of residual malt sweetness and dry this brew out in the lingering finish. For pairing options, the brewery recommends spicy food, grilled red meats, and fried chicken. Spicy tacos, Szechuan orange beef, Thai lemongrass chicken, or even a spicy ceviche sound good to us. Cheers!

Situated in the Shenandoah Valley, Brothers Craft Brewing began business in December of 2012, the realization of a dream of three brothers: Adam, Jason, and Tyler Shifflett. Originally named Three Brothers Brewing, the brewery rebranded in April of 2015 to avoid potential conflicts with other marks, and to better represent the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie among the entire staff of the company - why limit the brotherhood to three, after all? The roots of the business go back to when Adam, the eldest brother, started homebrewing while still in the Navy, where he had worked as a nuclear powered submarine engineer. After leaving the Navy and developing his skill as a brewer, he and his brothers joined up and started a production brewery to serve the Harrisonburg area and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley, which the brothers had always called home.

Now, in 2020, the brothers are still as focused as ever on producing the highest quality and freshest beer for their local community. But, their community focus doesn't end with the beer; the brewery supports numerous charitable initiatives including a gift drive each December for Mercy House, the Souper Bowl Food Drive in February, the United Way's Stuff the Bus campaign each summer, and, one Friday per month, Cask for a Cause, which features a beer brewed specifically to support a local nonprofit. Currently the brewery produces four year-round beers, five seasonals, and a growing list of literally dozens of limited and one-off brews including barrel-aged, wild, sour, and experimental beers. For more info on the brewery, their Taproom, or their Horizon Society club featuring limited production brews in 750-ml bottles, visit www.brotherscraftbrewing.com.