Originally brewed as one of our ongoing Pursuit of Perfection projects, Ascension represented our quest for peak performance in the field of DDH IPA brewing.
The original Ascension was so much more than we could have anticipated. Thanks to some lucky timing which meant it was being dry-hopped as the new season’s harvest started feeding through to the brewing line, Ascension happened to be the ideal platform to showcase some of the best Citra harvested in recent memory.
Could it have been better? Possibly. We could tweak the variables for years and tinker under Ascension’s bonnet for years of rebrews, and we may still never end up with the “perfect” DDH IPA. Or on the other hand, we might. But that doesn’t feel like the best use of a beer that managed to surprise and delight us the way the original brew did.
And so, our ascent is taking a detour. Perfection can wait, we’re on the pursuit of discovery and rediscovery: using Ascension’s soft, juicy base as a showcase for hops from all over the flavour spectrum. For the Ascension Collection vol. 1, we rebrewed the original Ascension’s hazy, New England-style IPA (6.8%) and dry-hopped Four Versions with four different hops spanning a variety of flavour profiles.
A base brewed with the addition of oats and wheat is fermented with London Fog yeast, giving a soft and supple mouthfeel with a subtly sweet, fruity ester profile, paired with Citra in the whirlpool for an underlying juiciness, accented and contrasted through dry-hopping with a selection of varietals:
Experimental variety HBC 638 spans a diverse range of flavours, from sharp citrus to sweet cherry, via mango, pineapple, and even banana; rounding out into refreshing, palate-cleansing canteloupe.
Hazy - Fruity - Fresh
Style: DDH IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Size: 440ml can
Malt: Extra Pale, Wheat, Oats
Dry Hop: HBC 638
Allergens: Malted Barley, Wheat, Oats
Suitable for vegans