Flying Fish Brewing Company - Outside IPA

Flying Fish’s Outside IPA pours an attractive orangey golden-copper color capped by a fluffy head of foam that laces nicely as it recedes. On the nose, we picked up plenty of grapefruit-like citrus notes along with some tropical fruit, prominent pine, and soft floral tones. The story continues in much the same way on the palate where we get lots of bright citrus zest, light pine and floral character, and a bit of herbal spice. The hop bitterness comes through firmer than the listed 27 IBUs, while the malts stay mostly out of the way of the hop profile while easily providing enough structural heft to support the hops, while offering some secondary bready notes. For pairing options, well-spiced citrus-centric dishes are a natural fit; we're thinking roasted duck with a spicy orange sauce. The bold hops can cut through fats nicely while complementing bright spices. A searing Chinese-style orange peel chicken dish sounds good to us too. Cheers!

When Gene Muller founded Flying Fish in 1995, his approach was a bit unusual. While working to build his brewery, he launched the company online – becoming a “virtual brewery” to allow microbrew fans to contribute their assistance and opinions by weighing in on upcoming beer styles, naming the beers, designing labels and merchandise, and even signing up to be volunteer taste testers and applying for employment. By late 1996 the brewery was finished and the first beer was released to a waiting fan base. A pretty clever approach if you ask us.

Muller, a graduate of America’s oldest brewing school at Chicago’s famed Siebel Institute, remains at the helm to this day, presiding over two decades of impressive growth. In 2012, having outgrown their original location in Cherry Hill, Flying Fish moved to a new facility in Somerdale. Here, they pursue sustainability as a top priority. Solar tubes provide natural light, solar panels provide power, a steam capture system reduces water and power consumption, high-efficiency boilers reduce gas usage, and all spent grain (over 2 million pounds per year) goes to a local dairy farmer for feed.

Winners of multiple Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals, among many other awards, Flying Fish currently offers seven year-round beers along with various seasonal and special offerings, including super small batch one-offs and barrel aged beers that are only available at their Tasting Room. For more info about the brewery, their Tasting Room, tours and more, contact them at 856-504-3442 or visit www.flyingfish.com.