As many who stop by here know, 3-Way IPA is an annual collaboration between Fort George Brewing and two rotating breweries. This year's rotating team consists of Portland's Great Notion Brewing and Seattle's Reuben's Brews, both well-known for their mastery of IPA.
There's a lot of gibberish in the press materials regarding the forging of long-lasting friendships, exchange of knowledge and so forth. Please. These brewers get together to produce a great IPA while drinking a lot of the same. Let's not make this too complicated.
I don't intend to take a deep dive into how this year's recipe was formulated. Suffice it to say that the team wanted to brew a juicy, hazy IPA. It's just another sign of the haze craze times in which we live. No one knows how long it'll last. And it doesn't matter since these beers are best enjoyed fresh.
After some discussion and, you suspect, a fair amount of drinking, the brewers decided the hops additions would include Azacca, X331 (now Strata), Mosaic and Citra. If you travel the beer bar circuit, you may have tasted one or more of the multiple Beta test batches. The ones I tasted were pretty good. Collaborators tasted, took notes, made refinements.
This beer is nothing like what it's been in past years. I'm still partial to the 2014 3-Way, a mildly hazy hop bomb produced with Boneyard and Block 15. That, of course, was before beer fans went bonkers for hazy, fruity beers. The new 3-Way chases that theme bigly with opaque golden color and bursting juicy flavor. I'm not a huge fan of the haze, but I like this beer a lot.
As has been the case for the past few years, the release of 3-Way IPA serves as a signal that summer is here...or almost here since you never know the timing of summer's arrival in the Northwest. It will be available in cans and on draft throughout most of the Northwest as of June 1st. How long it lasts will depend on demand. It is a limited seasonal, after all.
There was a release party in Astoria last week. Forget about that. Below are dates for official Seattle and Portland release parties, but I think there will be additional opportunities to hang with these folks. Check social media boards for info.
Portland 3-Way IPA Release Party
When: Friday, June 9, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St.
What: Join Fort George, Reuben’s, and Great Notion as they kick-start Portland Beer Week. Live music from Boys II Gentlemen, plus plenty of taps from the collaborators including 3-Way IPA.
How: No cover. Robot costumes are optional, but highly recommended.
Seattle 3-Way IPA Release Party
When: Saturday, June 10, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: Reuben’s Brews, 5010 14th Ave. NW
What: Reuben’s hosts the 3-Way IPA festivities. They’ll have plenty of Great Notion and Fort George on tap along with 3-Way IPA. Live music mix from DJ Draft Punk.
How: No cover with a chance of a laser light show.
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