WHITEHORSE, YK – Winterlong Brewing has announced the release of a new beer in collaboration with local wilderness photographer Peter Mather.
Ice Bear Session IPA (3.8% abv) is inspired by Mather’s new photo and film project Kings of the North: The Search for the Last of the Ice Bears, and has the following background and description:
Ice Bears are essentially Grizzly Bears here in the Yukon that delay hibernation so that they can feed on the late-fall salmon runs of Coho, Chum and Sockeye. While they fish in sub zero temperatures, in freezing cold rivers, they get covered in ice, hence the moniker, ice bear.
As soon as we heard Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) had been experimenting with FROZEN fresh hops, we thought it was a match made in heaven! FROZEN BEARS MEET FROZEN HOPS! To really see what these hops can do, we used them in a very low alcohol beer style to let the frozen fresh hops shine. We dry hopped the beer with 100% YCH 301 Trial Cryo Hop Pellets – the Trial Blend of Citra®, Mosaic® & Simcoe®.
Making a low ABV beer is tricky, as you want to avoid it tasting thin and watery. So we really tried to pull out all the stops to make this a light ABV, aromatic ale that has some body to it. We are super happy with the result! It has a juicy, medium body with a light maltiness (think cracker and white bread) and delicate fresh hop character. The aromas and flavours are subtle and blend beautifully together with notes of lemon, orange, pineapple and honeydew melon. Bitterness is on the subtle side too.
Ice Bear is available now at the Winterlong taproom and retail store, and will also be served at the upcoming premiere screenings of Kings of the North in Whitehorse and Haines Junction.
Source & Photo: Winterlong Brewing