Last year, Alley Kat in a couple of moments of fancy, released two single hop Double IPAs, Red Dragon (with Simcoe) and Blue Dragon (with Columbus). They were surprising one-offs, not a part of any planned series or seasonals (which is why I describe them as moments of fancy). The brewing folks just felt like doing it.
But all that has changed. Yesterday Alley Kat announced the release of Green Dragon, which is single-hopped with Zythos. Actually saying it is single-hopped with Zythos would be slightly inaccurate, as Zythos is not a hop variety, but a proprietary blend of a handful of American-style hops. It is designed for hoppy Northwest IPAs and other American-inspired hoppy beer.
The Green Dragon release is not the real news here, however. Associated with the new beer, Alley Kat announced that it is launching yet another new series – a Double IPA series called Dragon. Through 2012 every two months they will release a new single-hop Double IPA as a different coloured dragon. Each will have a different hop to differentiate it from the others. What’s more is that they describe this new series as a “permanent” part of their line-up, meaning we may see many of these in the months and years to come. It also raises the question of what do they do when they run out of basic colours? “Avocado Dragon” doesn’t sound so appealing.
You can be forgiven for being a bit confused regarding the various new series from prairie brewers. Let me give you a recap. Two years ago Alley Kat started what has become the Big Bottle Series – a set of one-offs of various styles. It also has four seasonal releases a year. And now the Dragon series.
Yukon has its A.D.D. series, while Paddock Wood, in collaboration with Sherbrooke Liquor, has the Beer Gods series. Lots of one-time beer for us to sample. I have to say that I quite like this trend, and hope to see more of it. New beer every few weeks, and something that is truly one of a kind. It is fun, creative and an ongoing treat for beer lovers on the prairies.I am particularly pleased that Alley Kat has embarked on a single hop series – as I have long been a big fan of that approach. It educates consumers on the particular characteristics of specific hops and offers very different beer just by changing the hop addition.
I hope to review the Green Dragon sometime soon (once I get my hands on a bottle…).
February 6, 2012 at 9:46 PM
I sampled it on tap at The Next Act recently. My opinion changed-quite favourably-as it warmed. The malty first impression(not really all that special) broadened out or expanded a bit & the initially grassy hops took on a distinctly prickly character yet still retained a bit of the grassiness. Drying slightly bready finish with a bit of bready/floury aftertaste I thought. Glad I let that last 2/3s of the glass warm up!