Erie Brewing Company - Misery Bay India Pale Ale

It may be an unusual sort of name, but like all of Erie's beers, Misery Bay IPA's moniker has an historical angle. It was named in remembrance of the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. So now that we've explained what's going on with that, let's dive in. On the pour, expect a lightly hazy golden orange color topped with some just-off-white foam that leaves a bit of lacing as it recedes. Lush floral, citric fruit aromas burst forth, reminiscent of orange zest, along with some tropical and stone fruit notes and a bit of a leafy, herbal edge. Yes, sir, this is an American-style IPA through-and-through, boasting a vibrant team of Citra, Idaho 7, and Cashmere hops. These hops deliver on the palate too, offering a delicious, vividly citric/floral flavor profile. Though hop bitterness is very firm at 75 IBUs, the richness of the pale and caramel malt core provides surprising balance. This is a beer that should work with a variety of spicy Asian fare, like Szechuan, Thai, or Vietnamese, where the hops can complement the food's brightness. Cheers!

Erie Brewing Company got its start as Hoppers Brewpub inside Erie, PA's historic Union Station, an art deco-styled railroad station build in 1927. The brewpub, which was founded in 1993, produced a miniscule amount of beer in its first year—just over 1000 barrels—but that grew over the course of the next few years, more than doubling by 1996. In 1999, the company made the leap from brewpub to full-blooded microbrewery, and the enterprise left Union Station for a new production facility where production ramped up to 6000 barrels per year.

Through the first decade of this century, there were some ups and downs in terms of ownership and management changes, but despite this the company still managed to grow its production and distribution. Their hard work paid off in 2009 with a gold medal win for Erie's flagship Railbender Ale at the Great American Beer Festival. 2010 saw a number of upgrades and additions to the brewing equipment, and then in 2012 the company welcomed a new management and ownership team led by Rob Lowther which was, and is, dedicated to improving operations and expanding distribution relationships and opportunities. In June of 2017, Erie opened a brand new brewing facility at 6008 Knowledge Parkway, which also features John's Wildwood Pizzeria for a combined "Pub & Pie" restaurant where visitors can enjoy award-winning pizza and brews. To learn more, visit them at www.eriebrewingco.com or call 814-459-7741.