Samuel Adams Releases Rebel IPA: Now Available Nationwide – Brew Details
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MyBeer Buzz
From Samuel Adams:
After countless test batches in Samuel Adams‘ Boston-based nanobrewery, the brewers are ready to share Samuel Adams Rebel IPA with drinkers across the country. Rebel IPA is a West Coast style IPA brewed to maximize the aromatics and flavors of five of the brewers’ favorite American hops from the Pacific Northwest.
Rebel IPA packs big citrus and grapefruit aromas along with piney and resinous notes that come from these West Coast hops, each of which imparts unique characteristics to the brew:
- Cascade: Citrus and grapefruit flavor with subtle floral balance
- Simcoe®: Grapefruit peel and pine notes
- Centennial: Citrus flavor with clean resinous notes
- Chinook: American pine character with slight spice notes
- Amarillo®: Orange, grapefruit and notes of tangerine and some sweetness
Rebel IPA was among the first beers to be developed in the Samuel Adams nanobrewery, or "nano," a small batch, 10-gallon brewery system that operates within the walls of the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery. In the nano, the brewers constantly challenge themselves to brew experimental, small batch beers using diverse recipes and ingredients as well as new brewing techniques. For Rebel IPA, the brewers dug deep into the brewery’s rebellious roots passed down from namesake patriot Samuel Adams, and Founder Jim Koch (a rebel in the craft beer movement), to create an IPA that isn’t based solely on bitterness level like many other West Coast style IPAs. Instead, Rebel IPA pays homage to the aromatics and flavors of these West Coast hop varieties, providing a punch of hop aroma and flavor without too much bitterness.
Brewers’ tasting notes:
- Rebel IPA is a medium-bodied IPA with a bright copper color and an ABV of 6.5 percent.
- The West Coast hops used in this brew lend citrus and grapefruit aromas along with piney and resinous notes that come through in both the flavor and aroma. The yeast imparts a slight fruity flavor.
- At 45 IBUs, Rebel IPA is not overwhelmingly bitter. Rather, the brewers went for full hop character with a focus on big hop aroma and flavor, maximizing what each hop brings to the table, resulting in a beer that is full of hop flavor but also refreshing.
What Seth Adams, Brewer at the Samuel Adams nanobrewery, has to say about the beer: "We built the Samuel Adams nanobrewery to experiment with different brewing techniques and ingredients in small batches. The nano acts as a test kitchen within our Boston Brewery, and it was here that Rebel IPA was born. The West Coast hops we use in this brew are some of my personal favorites and I’m extremely proud to see this brew grow from these experimental roots to being available nationwide."
How to get your hands on the brew:
- As of January, Samuel Adams Rebel IPA is available on draft nationwide.
- Beginning in February, it will be available in bottles, in six-packs for a suggested retail price of $7.99-$9.99, and in 12-packs for a suggested retail price of $14.99-$17.99 (prices vary by market).
Learn more:
- Brewer Tasting Video: http://youtu.be/-IfTeIixaGo
- For additional information and to locate a retailer visit www.samueladams.com.
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After countless test batches in our nanobrewery, we are ready to share Samuel Adams Rebel IPA with drinkers across the country!
What’s a nanobrewery? Think of it as our test kitchen, like where Jim Koch first brewed Boston Lager 30 years ago. Our nano, as we like to call it, is a small brewery system here in Boston where we can experiment and brew with any ingredients or techniques we think sound cool. To put it in drinkers’ terms, each batch yields around 10 gallons, or 4 cases of beer, so we’re talking small batches here.
For Rebel IPA, our goal was to capture everything we love about West Coast style IPAs in a beer that isn’t going to knock you out with bitterness. It was really brewed for maximum hop aroma and flavor. After tasting more combinations of Pacific Northwest hops than you can imagine, we ended up with 5 of our favorites in the winning recipe. Each adds something unique to the brew:
Cascade: Citrus and grapefruit flavor with subtle floral balance
Simcoe®: Grapefruit peel and pine notes
Centennial: Citrus flavor with clean resinous notes
Chinook: American pine character with slight spice notes
Amarillo®: Orange, grapefruit and notes of tangerine and some sweetness
At 45 IBUs, Rebel IPA won’t scrape your tongue with bitterness. But at 6.5% ABV and with big citrus, grapefruit, and pine notes, there’s no mistaking this is a West Coast style IPA.
Rebel IPA is available on draft nationwide and will be available in bottles (6 and 12 packs) starting this week. Check out our Find a Sam page to find Rebel IPA near you.
We want to know what you think about this brew. Give us your feedback on our Facebook page or send a Tweet using the hashtag #RebelIPA!
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