Dick’s Brewing Company - India Pale Ale

This “northwest” style of IPA pours a hazy medium amber color topped by a well-formed head of light beige foam that drops some lace as it recedes. On the nose, we picked herbal and earthy tones with a touch of pine, along with citrus notes leaning toward orange, all atop a caramelized malty undertone. In the flavor, look for plenty of bold citrus zest to come through upfront, deftly merging into a resinous herbal and lightly spicy character. The malt backbone provides a robust balancing core structure with enough caramel and light toast to support the exuberant hop contribution, all while offering a smooth creaminess on the palate. Hop bitterness comes through very firm, overcoming the sweeter malty notes to make for a nicely dry brew that finishes with a lingering note of zesty and pithy citrus. For food pairings, classic well-spiced choices like Thai or Vietnamese cuisine are a good choice. Beer and citrus braised pork belly sounds good to us too, as does a snack of aged cheddar, blue, and spicy cheeses like Rustico Red Pepper or Pecorino Pepato. Cheers!

The story of Dick's Brewing Company goes back to the founding of Northwest Sausage & Deli by Dick Young in 1983. Having spent his adult life in the meat business, working at Chehalis' Midway Meats in high school and founding Dick's Meats in Rochester after graduation, Dick had made the decision to specialize in producing and smoking sausages and other meats. Not long after opening, he started selling sandwiches at the facility, turning it into a destination for those looking for high-quality grub and leading him to his next venture: brewing.

Unable to remain still for long, Dick began homebrewing in a major way in 1984, eventually building a 3-barrel brewing system in the back of the deli. By 1992, the popularity of his homebrew (he was exceeding the legal homebrewing production limits) led him to the decision to open his own dedicated brewing company, which opened its doors as Dick's Brewing Company in 1994. A brewhouse was built next to the deli and production was located there until 2008. In that year, Dick opened a new, larger brewhouse, followed by a Tasting Room on premises in 2009.

Sadly, Dick passed away at his cabin that same year, but the family business is still going strong under the leadership of his daughter, Julie Pendleton. The brewery produces nine year-round brews plus six seasonals and a variety of limited-production beers. Dick's original 3-barrel brewing system is still used for pilot batches to this day. For more info on the brewery or NW Sausage & Deli, visit them at dicksbeer.com.