Sure, you hear about seasonal releases all the time, sometimes sooner than expected, but it’s not every day that you read about a brewery adding a new year-round beer to its arsenal. New Belgium Brewing is starting off 2015 with a session beer, Slow Ride Session IPA. This IPA aims to satisfy the thirsty hop lover’s craving while coming in at a sessionable 4.5 percent ABV and 40 IBUs. Slow Ride is available in bottles and on draft across New Belgium markets and it will debut in cans this March.
Slow Ride starts with a pour of sheened gold and white, fluffy foam. A blend of eight hop varieties twist together fruity scents of lemon, peach, lime and grapefruit for a tropical aroma. Target, Cascade, Nelson Sauvin and Centennial hops are added to the boil and Mosaic, Simcoe, Amarillo and Citra are featured in the dry hop process. Pale and caramel malts balance a sweet, yet clean, start with a hoppy bitterness in the back.
“The fun part about making this beer was balancing eight different hop strains into something smooth, bold and sessionable,” said New Belgium Assistant Brewmaster, Grady Hull. “We pitch Cascade, Target, Nelson Sauvin and Centennial hops in the kettle and we dry hop with Mosaic, Simcoe, Amarillo and Citra. It’s amazingly flavorful, and it still comes in at 4.5% abv.”
To encourage people to slow it all down, starting in February, New Belgium will celebrate Slow Ride by highlighting slow motion antics of its faithful beer fans. Those who submit videos of their IPA adventures in slow motion via Twitter, Vine, Instagram and Facebook using #GoSlowMo will have a chance to win New Belgium swag and ultimate bragging rights. Don’t have slow motion camera capabilities? Don’t worry, go ahead and act it out. Fans can also win prizes signing up for New Belgium’s Grand Cru Rewards program.
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