Foothills Brewing - Happyum

Several years ago, Foothills released their Hoppyum IPA, followed later by Hazyum and this month’s selection, Happyum. This imperial/double hazy IPA pours a rich golden color with lots of haze and a large cap of off-white foam that persists well given the elevated ABV. Expect a very juicy and fruity profile on the nose as the quartet of expressive hop varieties lends just a ton of different facets. Look for bold citruses evoking tangerine, orange, and grapefruit, joined by tropical notes of mango and pineapple. Secondary notes of stone fruits and melon appear too, along with some pine resin and floral tones. On the palate, this hit us boldly fruity and resinous upfront with citrus juice and zest leading the charge, with additional fruity notes popping through as well, culminating in a finish that lingers with some spice and dank resin. Happyum delivers in a big way with a robust malt backbone and mouthfeel too, with lots of body and creaminess to support the extroverted hop personality. Despite being an imperial IPA, it’s still also a hazy IPA – a style known for prioritizing fruit flavor over pure palate abuse – so the bitterness here remains quite approachable at just 35 IBU. Hugely flavorful, this brew is happy in a glass all by itself, but pairing options are appropriate with bold enough foods. We’d look to fruity and fatty dishes like Chinese sweet & sour chicken or barbecued pork, spiral ham with a honey glaze, or even duck a l’orange. Cheers!

Foothills Brewing opened for business in 2005 with a brewpub/restaurant location on Fourth Street in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. At first, co-owner Jamie Bartholomaus was pretty much alone in the brewhouse, crafting Foothills’ beers from homebrew recipes he had developed while attending the University of Georgia in Athens.

Bartholomaus’s experience as a homebrewer had initially led to him working for Athens, GA’s now defunct Blind Man Ales. After relocating to North Carolina, he did a stint with the respected Olde Hickory Brewery before jumping into business for himself with Foothills. Since then, growth has been quite dramatic. After maxing out their brewpub system, Foothills acquired a new, larger, 48,000 sq. ft. facility a few miles to the southwest, which they put into production at the end of 2011, a year which saw a 46% increase in production compared to the year prior. Also in 2011, Foothills acquired the brewing division of Carolina Beer & Beverage, including their Carolina Blonde and Cottonwood Ales brands and all their brewing equipment – giving Foothills the ability to package beer for retail sales instead of relying solely on draft accounts. For more info on the brewery and tasting room, their brewpub restaurant, or their myriad year-round, seasonal, and limited-release beers (including their legendary Sexual Chocolate imperial stout, released annually for Valentine’s Day in very limited amounts) visit www.foothillsbrewing.com.