Roughtail Brewing Company - City IPA

City IPA is one of Roughtail’s newest additions. It presents a rich golden orange color in the glass, slightly hazed, topped with a cap of off-white foam. Look for huge citrus notes to jump out right away, led by notes of sweet orange and tangerine, backed by secondary tones evoking tropical and stone fruits. This bold, citrus-dominated story continues on the palate where waves of juicy orange and grapefruit peel with a hint of lime take center stage. We found the malts offered a supportive core without being heavy, and this brew is easily kept nice and dry by both the sturdy ABV and the firm hop bitterness, which lingers on the finish with a gripping touch of citrus zest. For pairing options, we’d look to spicy and fruity dishes found in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, as well as spicy Baja-style Mexican dishes with fruity salsas. Sweet glazed ham can also work surprisingly well, as can a slice of lemon cake for a dessert option. Cheers!

Roughtail Brewing Company’s story begins when homebrewers Blaine Stansel and Tony Tielli met in a homebrewing club. Dissatisfied with the craft beer options in the area, which were limited and, in their words, “safe”, the duo decided to launch their own brewery. Originally they were eyeing Dallas due to the huge size of its untapped beer market, but ultimately they decided to build their brewery in their home of Oklahoma City. Founded in 2012, Roughtail officially hit the market in 2013, offering a well-hopped red ale, an 80 IBU IPA, and a boldly malty and hoppy American strong ale, all produced at their small location in downtown OKC. They named their “rough around the edges” brewery after the Roughtail Gecko, a tough little critter they felt exemplified their attitude.

Soon after launch, Roughtail moved into a larger facility in Midwest City, just a few miles east of downtown OKC. Stansel, Tielli, and their team made the most of their modest 10-barrel brewing system and 5,000 sq.ft. of space, but by 2017 they were brewing at maximum capacity and the need for a larger brewhouse was apparent. Construction of a brand new facility on the northern edge of OKC began soon after, and the brewery moved into this space in 2020. Designed to offer the company enough space for the present and the far future, the new building features a 30-barrel brewing system with over 12,000 sq.ft. of production space and 8,000 sq.ft. for their Taphouse and offices.

Roughtail currently produces six core year-round beers as well as four seasonals and an ongoing variety of limited releases, including barrel-aged ales. For more info on the brewery, their Taproom, and upcoming events, check them out at roughtailbeer.com.