Shock Top Wheat IPA Now Year-Round

We brought you the first peek at the label back in Nov but the official word is out today from AB. This will be the latest full-time addition to the Shock Top family.

For the press release and full details…

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — As the Shock Top family continues to grow in popularity, so does its line-up of offerings, beginning the year with Shock Top Wheat IPA, which hits store shelves Feb. 6.

The newest full-time addition to the Shock Top family, Shock Top Wheat IPA is a unique hybrid style that brings the refreshment and smoothness of a wheat beer and marries it with the crisp, hoppy bitterness of an India Pale Ale (IPA).

To create the new beer, brewmasters started with Shock Top’s signature recipe, adding citrusy Cascade and Magnum hops and dry hopping the beer for several days to give Wheat IPA the rich, hoppy aroma that is the signature of IPAs. Containing 5.8% alcohol by volume (ABV), Shock Top Wheat IPA will be sold nationwide in six- and 24-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draught.

"Wheat beers and IPAs are among the fastest growing styles of beer, and as we look to build the Shock Top family, we wanted to try our hand at developing a hybrid of these two styles and make it available to beer drinkers across the country," said Jill Vaughn, brewmaster for Shock Top. "Shock Top’s smooth, wheat malt base provides great balance of flavor to the citrusy hops – giving Wheat IPA a rich, hoppy flavor that’s very drinkable and refreshing."

Shock Top Wheat IPA will join Shock Top Belgian White and Shock Top Raspberry Wheat in the brand’s latest sampler pack, in stores March 19. The 12- and 24-pack samplers will be available year round.

The launch of Shock Top Wheat IPA marks the first this year for the brand. In 2011, Shock Top rolled out its first year-round line extension with Shock Top Raspberry Wheat, and its first seasonal with Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat. Shock Top Belgian White also introduced 12-ounce aluminum cans and 22-ounce bottles to its packaging line-up last year, to provide even more options for Shock Top fans to enjoy their favorite Belgian-style wheat ale, whatever the occasion.

Shock Top Belgian White is an award-winning Belgian-style unfiltered wheat ale, with a naturally cloudy and light golden color. Shock Top is brewed with orange, lemon and lime peels and coriander, giving it a refreshing, smooth taste and a citrusy aroma.

Visit www.shocktopbeer.com or www.facebook.com/ShockTop for more information.

For more information, contact:Lindsay Ryan, [email protected](314) 577-2579 office