When two great breweries come together, you can be fairly certain the creation will be wonderful. It’s even cooler when they explore new techniques and give us an opportunity to enjoy the results of their work. Drekker Brewing and Fair State Co-op created Toon Dip, a double dry-hopped dip-hopped double IPA. Here’s why it’s so cool.
Toon Dip
Dip hopping is a Japanese technique, first pioneered by Grand Kirin. It involves adding hops after the wort has cooled, before fermentation starts. Using this method, hop enzymes don’t contribute to the main fermentation and myrcene levels remain very low in the finished brew (which many find favorable). 2M3MB, an onion flavor derived from iso-alpha acid, is also suppressed, thanks to lower H2S content in the beer. Drekker Brewing and Fair State Co-op did this with Toon Dip, to very drinkable results.
Pouring a beautiful golden color with a frothy white head, the haze factor in this brew is clear the second it enters the glass.
The aroma is big and fruity, with candied fruit, ripe melon, a touch of mango, and other tropical notes. It’s wonderful, and may even distract you from taking a sip.
Big juicy fruit flavors up front, with notes of tropical fruit. Mango and over-ripe pineapple. The body is super smooth, thanks to oats and spelt in the malt bill. The Mosaic, Citra, and El Dorado really shine, imparting tons of fruity flavor, without even a hint of bitterness. It’s easy drinking, betraying the 8% ABV it holds.
Dipped & Delicious
Collaboration beers are an awesome opportunity for brewers to share knowledge and explore the new within the brewing art. Fair State Co-op made a dip-hopped before once before, in a collaboration with Three Floyds Brewing. It seems they may have passed this hopping style on to the folks at Drekker.
Seek out cans of this tasty collaboration. Drekker Brewing and Fair State Co-op Toon Dip is a delectable. Oh my God, it’s DIP!