Let’s get something straight. Metallica rocks. I saw them live twice in their heyday, but missed their recent show at Busch Stadium. So, I’ll have to get my metal on a different way.
I’m calling my mosh mates and cranking it up while I await the arrival of a tropical double IPA that makes even kiwi fruit sound righteously heavy. Three international breweries Beavertown. Garage Project, and Stone will release Fruitallica to the public this week.
Like a legendary band on a world tour, Stone’s brewers traveled the globe to put together a team capable of collaborating on such an immensely delicious beer. London’s Beavertown and New Zealand’s Garage Project fit the bill with a collective resistance to complacency and thirst for edgy, big flavor.
“This beer was an amazing journey,” said Jeremy Moynier, Senior Innovation Brewing Manager. “With fruit from New Zealand, hops from New Zealand and America plus English yeast, it truly represents all of our backgrounds. And more literally, the team put on some miles to bring this beer to life. We brewed in the past with the Garage Project team in Japan as well as at our small brewery in Liberty Station. We have been to Beavertown in London and were looking for an excuse to brew with them. Hosting everyone at Stone Brewing in Escondido was an honor, to say the least.”
It’s a melee of ingredients that make for an immensely juicy beer. Kiwi and yuzu fruit alongside American and New Zealand hops plus London Ale Yeast, rounded out with a dash of Habanero give this beer a subtle, lingering heat. It pours golden and hazy, smells of freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice and tastes like a glorious, crank-it-to-‘11’ cacophony. There is a slight tartness from the Kiwi with flavors of peach, lime, citrus, and tropical fruit from the hops. All this is complemented by hints of wheat in the background and a surprisingly pleasant pepper on the finish. It’s [hop] head-banging worthy, it’s electrifyingly amped…this beer is molten-metal!
With 80 IBUs generating some massive hop flavor, Beavertown / Garage Project / Stone Fruitallica is brewed to be enjoyed fresh. Fans will find this beer, the third riff of Stone’s ongoing 2017 heavy metal collaboration series, in 22-ounce bottles and draft nationwide.
TASTING NOTES
Appearance: Golden and hazy with a long lasting white head.
Aroma: Yuzu up front, which is reminiscent of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. The aroma is bright with hints of perfume. Tropical fruit from the hops arise throughout, especially with pineapple and citrus aromatics.
Taste: A complex blend of fresh fruit. There is a slight tartness from the Kiwi with flavors of peach, lime, citrus and tropical fruit from the hops.
Palate: A very layered beer with hints of wheat in the background and a slight maltiness. The alcohol and bitterness are very nicely balanced by the intense fruit. There is a hint of pepper on the finish, begging for repeated tasting.
Overall: We have known the Garage Project guys, Pete Gillespie and Jos Ruffell, for a while and have brewed with them a few times in the past – last year in Japan at Coedo and recently with Kris Ketcham at Stone Brewing – Liberty Station, but never at our flagship brewery in Escondido. We have also known Logan Plant from Beavertown for a few years, have been to his brewery in London, and have been very impressed by the beers and his approach to brewing. We had been looking for just the right opportunity to brew with him. This recipe is a true representation of joining our three breweries with New Zealand hops, English yeast, and some American hops, plus our Stone style of brewing IPAs. This is a very unique and wonderful beer. Enjoy it while you can get it!
PAIRING NOTES
An amazingly complex beer with a myriad of fruit flavors both from fruit and hops, with hints of wheat as a backbone and a slight hint of pepper on the finish. It’s an adventurous beer that will pair well with adventurous flavors!
Starters: Grilled Shrimp, Spicy Scallop Hand Roll, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Papadum with Mango Chutney
Soups and Salads: Gazpacho, Tom Ka, Fresh Fruit Salad, Glass Noodle Salad
Main Courses: Drunken Noodles, Tamarind Rice, Katmandu Lamb, Xian Lamb Fun, BBQ Pulled Jack Fruit Sandwich, Tofu Bahn Mi, Shrimp Enchiladas with fresh lime
Desserts: Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Baklava, Apricots dipped in White Chocolate, Kiwi Tart with fresh lemon zest
