Meet Magic IPA: the beer can that’s as fun to stare at as it is to drink. And what better time to release a beer with some extra “magic” in it?
By now people most craft beer fans are familiar with the dynamic flavors given off by using Kveik yeast. (If you are not, read our blog about it here.) We have been playing with Kveik strains in several of our hazy beers this year and getting amazing results. In fact, we have a collab with Stoup Brewing releasing next week that uses our favorite blend yet! (More on that next week). Now let's talk about this week's potion:
Unique Technique
We pitched the Kveik yeast at a very low rate (fancy way to say we only used a small amount). A low pitch rate can really help bring out and showcase the flavor of the yeast. The downside is that a low rate can lead to inconsistent batches. However, since we are only brewing this one time, we don’t have to worry about that.
Did you know yeast actually produces its own heat when fermenting? Most of the time during fermentation we take measures to keep the beer cooled to the temperature we want (68* to 72* for most ales) but with this strain we let it “free rise” (get warmer on it’s own) all the way up to 90*, which is normally considered so warm it would produce some not-so-tasty off-flavors. However, Kveik actually produces amazing flavors at higher temps! It allowed us to dry hop at a warm 88* which helped extract maximum amounts of oil from the hops (Azacca, Huell Melon, Sabro and Ekuanot). We also dry hopped as early as possible to reduce plant-like, vegetal, or grassy flavors. Finally, we moved it out of the fermenter to maximize a clean, fresh finish. The result is… magical.
The Other Part of the Magic
Remember those “Magic Eye” books and posters that were so popular in the 90's? If you were too young, or old, or living in a cave, or home-schooled, here is a recap:
Magic Eye books had no words or story. Instead, each page contained a visual illusion called an “autostereogram,” which is a 3D imagine that pops out of a 2D image when viewed correctly. To see the illusion, you must look “through” the design, rather than focus on it. The easiest way to do that is to start by placing the image close to your face (touching your nose), and slowly move it away from you, making sure to let your eyes gaze through the image. You stop when the image is 8 to 12 inches from your face and BOOM! A hidden 3D image will pop right out at you! A truly magical experience!
So We Put It On A Label!
Autostereograms have been around for a long time. The first theories about the images date back to a British scientist in 1838! In fact, we find the history of them so interesting that you should read the Wikipedia page yourself while sipping on a can of Magic IPA.
Even though they have been around forever, making one ourselves took quite a bit of work! Our goal was to make one that could work while the label was still on the can, but alas, they don’t work unless the image is flat. We had to pick an object that wasn’t too detailed, and also beer related.
See It For Yourself! Just Follow These Steps:
- Buy a four pack from our pub (we now deliver) or support your local bottle shop by buying one there!
- Peel the label off and lay it flat on something you don’t mind it sticking to.
- Ask someone around you to film you doing step four.
- Hold the label close to your nose and slowly move it away from your face while gazing through the image.
- Post your video on your favorite social media and tag us!
- Drink this delicious hazy IPA and repeat as often as necessary.