Peak Organic Brewing Company - Autumn IPA

This seasonal release from Peak presents a well-hazed light golden orange topped by a sizeable head of pale foam. The brewers aimed to combine the lower ABV of a session IPA with the characteristically fruity New England hazy style of IPA, and that’s certainly what we get in the aroma. Look for a multifacted hop profile evoking tropical notes akin to mango and a little pineapple, along with peach-like stone fruit character, touches of melon, and a nice dose of citrus that steers toward tangerine. Those aroma notes continue to grab our attention on the palate, too, supported nicely by a lightly bready malt backbone and moderately firm hop bitterness. Hazy IPAs are known for their smooth and substantial mouthfeel, and once again we get that here – and it’s a welcome feature considering so many session IPAs can come across thin and underwhelming. Not so with Autumn IPA, which delivers plenty of juicy flavor amidst a satisfying medium body. For pairing options, the brewery recommends seafood dishes like calamari, salmon, and sushi, along with somewhat spicier fare like chorizo and Thai. Cheers!

Given its small population, Maine is home to a surprising number of craft breweries, such as Allagash, Geary’s, and Shipyard, just to name a few. The state just knows good beer, and we’re very enthused to bring you another great producer, Peak Organic Brewing Company, which, as the name suggests, is one of a handful of breweries devoted to producing USDA Certified Organic beer. The brewery was founded by Baltimore native Jon Cadoux, whose homebrewing experience stretches back to his college years in the late ‘90s. It was during that time that he discovered the merits of both organic food and beer, and how much better they tasted to both himself and his homebrewing brother Mike and their friends. After graduating from Harvard with an MBA, and surrounded by supportive friends and family, Jon took the leap and founded Peak Organic Brewing Company in 2005.

Peak’s focus is not simply on organic beer (produced with organically grown grain and hops), they’re dedicated to sustainability and purchasing their malts, hops, and other ingredients from local farmers and producers who share their philosophy. They’ve collaborated on beers with Taza, a producer of hand-crafted bean-to-bar chocolate, as well as Coffee By Design, a local artisanal coffee roaster. In fact, their Espresso Amber Ale became the first Fair Trade Certified beer in the US. To highlight local production and to showcase the effects of regional terroir on a finished beer, Peak released their very unique “Local Series” beers, a set of four brews with identical recipes but featuring malts and hops produced in just one particular state, either Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, or New York. The brewery produces a wide array of different beers, with an emphasis on IPAs, Double IPAs, Hazy IPAs, dry-hopped Pilsners, Pale Ales, and other hoppy brews. To learn more about Peak, visit their website at www.peakbrewing.com.