Beer of the Week! 12/07/21

Species X Hyperthermic Arms Race

Regularly $19.99 / Now on Sale for $17.96
Double New England Style IPA

Hosted by the beneficent Aslin Brewing Company in Herndon, VA, the Species X Beer Project is the product of one brewer’s big interest in things very, very small.

You’ll hear us talk a lot about brewers focusing on hops — engaging in complicated (almost arcane) manipulations to get the most out of our favorite bitter buds.

However, after Aslin brewer Beau Warren took a Brewing Microbiology class at Siebel Institute of Technology in Montreal, he became more and more fascinated with yeast, so much so that he continued to study them … then he began to experiment with them.

Thus, Species X Beer Project was born with Warren describing it as such: “a brewery that is essentially a never ending research project, attempting to discover the next great organism in craft beer by either using organisms processed in-house or via other external companies.”

The Hyperthermic Arms Race bases its concept on the Kviek strain of yeast, but then Warren and friends throw in other strains of yeast that can also perform at Kviek’s higher temperatures. The result is one of the juiciest hazy Double IPAs that you’re likely to taste. We’re talking lush mango with a tang of orange peel on the finish. It’s a creamy, fun fruit-spolsion! How refreshing to remember that microbes can produce something wonderful!

Bonus Cider of the Week (‘Cause ‘tis the season when something fun can be your reason)

Jack’s Hard Cider Fireside

Regularly $10.99 / Now on Sale for $9.96
Hard Apple Cider with ginger, cloves, and vanilla

From Gettysburg, PA, Jack’s Hard Cider gives us the Fireside, their winter seasonal. Jack’s has clearly made this cider to be their holiday, crowd-pleasing, party cider.

First of all, it tops out at 5% ABV so that you can imbibe but not overwhelm. Second, Jack’s uses “eating and dessert apples” like Jonagold, Idared, and Rome — all grown at their Biglerville, PA orchard and pressed on-site. These apples give you an accessible sweet cider with a slight tartness in the background. Finally, they spice the fireside with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla. So, if you have a party platter with, say, salamis or sharp cheeses, this cider stands up to those strong flavors. Its spices also make this a cider that you can drink cold or that you can warm up — mulled cider with spices already included!

We know that we all might not be entertaining as much this holiday season. Good thing the fireside works if you’re just drinking it indoors or outdoors, beside a fire.

Remember!

You can see our entire beer inventory on Untappd.com!