Ellicottville Brewing Company - Ellicottville IPA

This expressive IPA presents a pretty golden orange color in the glass, capped by plenty of fluffy beige foam. On the nose, look for huge fruity hop aromas to jump out immediately, reminiscent of candied orange peel and tropical pineapple and mango character. The trio of American hops deliver a big punch of spicy, drying bitterness on the palate, backed up by plenty of citric notes tending toward grapefruit. We picked up a good deal of tropical fruit here, as well, along with touches of herbal spice and pine. The malts add light caramel and a little toasty bread, and have enough heft to support the huge hop profile and bitterness while allowing the hops to be the stars of the show. For food pairings, it's best to go with dishes that are bold enough to stand up to the beer. A searing Indian biryani or Thai pineapple fried rice will complement nicely; or, for a bit of contrast, BBQ ribs in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce could be a fun pairing, too. Cheers!

Ellicottville Brewing Company was started by Allen and Walter Yahn and Peter Kreinheder out of a desire to open a family business. The inspiration struck while on a ski trip to Vail, CO, where craft brewing got an early foothold. There was the realization that Ellicottville, sometimes referred to as the “Aspen of the East,” would be the perfect location for a craft brewery and grill. Their instincts were proven right, and over 20 years later EBC is a thriving craft brewery with a devoted following in Ellicottville and throughout western New York.

The original brewpub location in Ellicottville was expanded in 2013 and now boasts a German-style beer garden along with a restaurant and brewhouse. Additionally, EBC has three other locations in western New York state: EBC West in Fredonia, near Lake Erie; their Bemus Point location, which opened in 2016 along the shores of Chautauqua Lake; and a brand new location in Little Valley which is due to open to the public this year. This latter location will offer an outdoor concert venue, a beer garden for the summertime, and winter activities perfect for snowmobilers riding the Pat McGee Trail. Just as cool, in our opinion, will be their all-ages Craft Brewing Science Center, with exhibits delving into the four main components of beer – malts, hops, water, and yeast – along with brewing equipment and more.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, check them out at ellicottvillebrewing.com.