Shmaltz Brewing Company - Hop Manna IPA

Brewed with several different hop varietals, Hop Manna pours a clean, pure golden color with a sizable head that drops to a lasting collar. On the nose, sweet hops are apparent in the air as soon as you begin pouring. There’s a good balance to the hop aroma with a wonderful floral and citric (think orange and grapefruit) interplay, accompanied by a note of cantaloupe and a spicy, sticky, resinous character. On the palate, expect big time hop flavors and bitterness from start to finish. The malts provide a good backbone with some residual sweetness and a lightly toasty caramel note, but let’s be clear: the hops are the star of this show, contributing big orangey citric and tropical notes and a little spiciness. At 71 IBU, the hop oils unsurprisingly cling to the palate, leaving a lingering bitterness that clears away any remaining sweetness and beckons hop-heads to take another sip. Try this brew with spicy Southeast Asian or Indian fare. L’Chaim!

Not many brewing companies have the chutzpah to market their beers with the irreverent humor that the Shmaltz Brewing Company has with their He’Brew brand. Though it’s clear they approach their marketing with tongue firmly planted in cheek, make no mistake, that’s where the joke ends; the beers themselves are the real deal, well-crafted by creative brewers whose passion is apparent with each sip.

The idea for He’Brew beers began one night in 1987, when founder Jeremy Cowan and friends were drinking and brainstorming wild ideas for Jewish-themed products. It was then that the idea was born for a Kosher, high holy days celebratory brew to be called “He’Brew,” and boasting the slogan “Don’t Pass Out, Passover!” In 1996, the dream became a reality; Cowan brewed up his first commercial batch of He’Brew Genesis Ale for that year’s Hanukah celebration. After selling all one hundred cases of Genesis Ale out of the trunk of his grandmother’s Volvo, he decided the next year to quit his day job and focus his energy into building the innovative brewing company that stands before us today. After having partnered for many years with Olde Saratoga Brewing Co. to produce the He’Brew line, Shmaltz took the plunge and opened their very own brewery in 2013. To learn more about Shmaltz and their He’Brew brand of beers, visit www.shmaltzbrewing.com.