New and Improved: 778 IPA

Our second batch of 778 IPA is here. This time around, we tweaked the recipe just a tad. We really liked the old recipe too, but we concentrated so much on getting a well-rounded beer the last time that we may have been a bit shy on the hops. It was more similar in style to a West Coast pale ale rather than an IPA.

The malt build is exactly the same as the old 778 but this time we’ve changed up the hops to really make them pop. We hopped it with the three big C’s; Cascade, Centennial and, most importantly, Citra, which is the main change in this big, aromatic seven-percenter.

We subbed in Citra hop pellets for the leaf Cashmere we used in the last brew. We dry hopped the last brew using whole leaf hops, which don't impart their flavour or aroma as well as the pellets do in the same time frame. Whole leaf is better when used in a cask and allowed to sit for a few weeks. Perfect example: our WIPA cask that we dry-hopped with whole leaf Cashmere. After three weeks of conditioning, the hops infused an incredible mandarin flavour and aroma, which blew us away.

Due to the heavy Citra hopping, we got more of those beautiful tropical fruit and citrus notes. We also upped the bittering hop this time to give it that extra bitter bite that us IPA drinkers love.

This one is a new staff favourite and the customers are loving it too. Get in and try it quick before it all gets drank!

- Brad Bannon (Brewer)