Point Brewing Launches Point S.P.A. Session Pale Ale

STEVENS POINT, Wis.  (March 10, 2016) – Ale lovers seeking the perfect session beer need look no further.

Stevens Point S.P.A. (Session Pale Ale) is an American-style pale ale brewed with Citra hops for a refreshingly smooth citrus flavor and high drinkability. Available in six-packs and 12-packs with Point’s new-style 12-ounce bottles as well as in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and on draft, Point S.P.A. is being introduced in the 22 states nationwide where Point’s handcrafted beers are sold. Starting this spring, Point S.P.A. will also be included in Point’s popular variety 12-pack.

Pale ales are one of the largest segments of the U.S. craft beer market, reports Julie Birrenkott, Point Brewery Marketing Manager. Pale ales brewed with Citra hops are growing faster than most.

“Point S.P.A. is our interpretation of a modern, well-balanced American session ale, offering craft beer fans the fruity flavor and aroma typical of pales ales as well as a modest alcohol content for high drinkability,” Ms. Birrenkott said. “Point S.P.A. pairs very well with any meat, but is refreshing and delicate enough to accompany spicy foods, too. It’s a great beer for any social occasion and we think it will be an instant favorite of Point beer fans.”

Citra hops, especially well-suited for brewing pale ales, have continued to rapidly grow in popularity among craft brewers and home brewers alike since the variety was developed in the Pacific Northwest in 2007. In fact, Stevens Point Brewery endured many months on a waiting list before it was able to secure an adequate supply to brew and launch S.P.A.

Citra is a high alpha acid aroma hop that delivers a prominent tropical citrus aroma that does not overpower its pleasing fruity hop flavor, according to Point Brewmaster Gabe Hopkins.

“Citra hops give Point S.P.A. a huge aromatic nose and an intense hop flavor that is very citrusy and lemony, but still has a smooth, clean finish,” Hopkins said. “S.P.A. is on the lighter side, with both the aroma and flavor of an India Pale Ale, but without the heavier body, higher alcohol content and pronounced bitterness of an IPA. This makes it a very sessionable beer.”

Hopkins and his brewers use a two-hour mash cycle, unusually long for pale ales, to completely break down the starches in the two-row barley malt used to brew Point S.P.A.  The beer is dry-hopped twice during the brewing process with generous amounts of Citra hops, once during fermentation and again during cold storage before packaging. The final result is a pale straw colored brew with an alcohol content of 4.2% ABV, making it an ideal session beer.

About Stevens Point Brewery:

Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers.

In addition to the new S.P.A., the brewery’s year-round lineup features flagship Point Special Lager; Point Onyx Black Ale, a robust dark ale; Point Drop Dead Blonde Ale, a 110 calorie golden ale; Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; Point Beyond the Pale IPA, a robust, hoppy India Pale Ale; and Point Smiley Blue Pils, a Czech-style pilsner.

The brewery’s seasonal beers include Point Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale for the spring;  Point Coast Radler, a mix of beer and natural citrus flavors for the summer; Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer for the fall; Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a rich, dark beer available from November through February; and Point Bock a traditional full-bodied bock available from January through March.

In addition to the year-round and seasonal craft brands, Point offers four seasonal variety 12-packs, each containing three bottles of four unique beers available only in the variety packs. The Long Nights variety pack features Malted Milk Shake Lager, Pistachio Nut Brown Ale, Gingerbread Ale and Salted Caramel Toffee Ale. The Harvest Craft Creations 12-pack features Point Cranberry Wheat Ale, Point Squash Ale, Point Pumpkin Peach Ale and Point Blood Orange Amber. The Long Days variety pack offered in the warm months features four refreshing fruit lagers: Point Lime Lager, Point Mango Lager, Point Tart Cherry Lager and Point Watermelon Mojito Lager. Four unique year-round India pale ales – Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA – are available only in the Point IPA variety 12-pack.

Whole Hog Limited Edition “big beers” include year-round Whole Hog Espresso Stout and Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale.  Seasonal offerings include Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout, Whole Hog Peach Hefeweizen, Whole Hog Barley Wine and Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale.

Point also brews four unique James Page specialty beers sold only in convenient 12-ounce cans: A Cappella Gluten-free Pale Ale, Casper White Stout, Healani Pineapple Hefeweizen, and Bastian Black Forest Cake, a dark porter just introduced at retail.

Point’s Ciderboys Cider Co. hard ciders blend unexpected fresh fruit flavors with apple cider. Ciderboys’ year-round products are First Press, a traditional hard cider; Raspberry Smash, alive with the tartness of raspberries; and Strawberry Magic, a blend of fresh strawberries and apple cider. Ciderboys also produces winter seasonal Mad Bark, made with natural cinnamon; fall seasonal Cranberry Road, a pairing of apple cider and cranberries; and seasonals Pineapple Hula, Peach County and Grand Mimosa. Pineapple Hula is made with fresh Hawaiian pineapple, Peach County combines pure peach flavor with apple cider, and Grand Mimosa is a winter cider made with succulent Florida oranges.

Gourmet soft drinks from the Stevens Point Brewery include Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream, Point Kitty Cocktail and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.