DuClaw Brewing Company - Neon Gypsy

Boasting a golden copper hue on the pour, with lots of rocky foam that retains well and sticks to the glass, this beer certainly looks inviting. The sentiment continues on the nose; brewed with seven hops, together making up a sort of who’s who of big, modern, New World varieties, Neon Gypsy is loud and proud. Look for luscious citric notes of orange, tangerine, grapefruit, and lemon, along with pine and softer tropical fruits. On the palate, the malts offer mild caramel and toast, but mostly keep to providing structure and a modicum of balance for the hops, which claim center stage, as we’d expect for an IPA. Fruity, citric, and piney, with a nice firm bite without stratospheric bitterness, we found this IPA delicious on its own, but also well worth accompanying various exotic, spicy dishes like Thai red or green curry coconut chicken, or more simple fare like fried chicken with French fries. Cheers to that!

If you're a hop head, consider creating your own IPA-only beer club here.

DuClaw Brewing Company was founded as a brewpub in 1996 by Dave Benfield, an accomplished home brewer. He got his start as a brewer in college, where having the ability to create alcoholic beverages can often pay considerable social dividends. But his interest in brewing continued beyond his college years and developed into a bit of an obsession. He took a position within his family’s business after graduating, but his passion for home brewing continued, eventually leading to his decision to start a brewpub.

When DuClaw opened its doors to the public in Bel Air, MD in 1996, the concept of a restaurant which serves its own microbrews crafted on a small in-house brewing system was, while not unique, still a very fresh and exciting business model. Within a year the local paper highlighted DuClaw as “Bel Air’s hippest establishment.” Over the succeeding years, Dave expanded his business, opening three additional locations, including one within BWI Airport. The beer, specifically, was also a success, leading DuClaw to expand from simply a brewpub operation into a full package brewery. After outgrowing their original brewing location as well as a second location, DuClaw moved into a new brewing facility in Rosedale on Baltimore’s outskirts in 2013. Featuring over 60,000 sq. ft. of space, plus a custom-made and imported high-tech German brewing system, the brewery is well-positioned to grow into the future. For more info, call them up at 443-559-9900 or visit www.duclaw.com.