14 Wyoming Breweries Collaborate in “Wy-P-A” for American Craft Beer Week

The state’s breweries will tap kegs of Wy-P-A Monday in honor of American Craft Brew Week.

Several weeks ago, brewers from around the state gathered in Pinedale at the Wind River Brewing Company. Each brought hops and malt to concoct a recipe to serve as a state beer.

“We wanted to create a beer greater than any individual identity,” said Tim Harland with Snake River Brewing Company in Jackson. “(We wanted to) make a beer bigger than all of us.”

The state brewing effort offered a chance for the beer makers around the state to gather in a social setting, Harland said. Often they see each other at competitions, but don’t have a chance to get everyone together for something social, or have a chance to collaborate.

The group decided to create an IPA, or India Pale Ale, which is a popular type of beer, and each would bring something to add to the recipe.

The group helped concoct the recipe by video conference and then gathered in Pinedale to “politely argue” over it, said Ted Briggs, brewmaster with the Lander Brewing Company.

With each brewer contributing hops and malt the beer, it “is going to be a really hoppy IPA,” Briggs said. It also will be about 6.5 percent alcohol.

“We didn’t want to get too crazy,” he said.

Each brewer received several kegs of the beer to be tapped and sold starting Monday. Wy-P-A also will be available at the beer festivals throughout Wyoming this summer.  More details here.