Roadhouse Brewing and Mother Earth Brewing Collaborate On Surreal Kush IPA
The Kush Series from Roadhouse Brewing Co. continues on with its latest collaboration and this one brings in Mother Earth Brewing Company into the mix. The two brewers have partnered on the new Surreal Kush, a new ‘profoundly heady’ IPA that sits at 6.3% ABV.
Surreal Kush marks the fifth release in Roadhouse’s coveted Kush Series that celebrates the exploration of unique and experimental hops alongside like-minded, award-winning breweries from across the country.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Mother Earth Brewing on Surreal Kush,” says Gavin Fine, co-founder of Roadhouse Brewing Co. “They share our passion for innovation and experimentation, and have grown a reputation for their impressive variety of hop-centric beers. It’s always a delight for us to dig into regional beer culture having charted our own course here in Jackson, and Mother Earth’s presence in both the San Diego and Boise areas is doing exactly that.”
Surreal Kush is described by Roadhouse Brewmaster Max Shafer as a New Zealand Hops Fruit Basket. The beer features a blend of four New Zealand hops bursting with fruity flavors and aromas. Nelson and Riwaka hops bring traditional gooseberry, tropical fruit, and “a touch of je ne sais quoi” to this Kush iteration. A note of Riwaka Cryo hops further enhances the beer’s fruity character.
Roadhouse and Mother Earth Brewing Company introduce Wakatu, a new hop variety for both breweries, to the mix. This German-origin hop provides a smooth bitterness that complements the other hops while offering its own unique tropical notes. The final hop is NZH-104, an experimental hop grown by NZ Hops LTD. A favorite of Shafer’s, this final hop brings intense passionfruit and guava aromas and a mineral character reminiscent of Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blancs. It also expresses the “South Island terroir” that Shafer loves about New Zealand-grown hops.
The result is a floral and fruity IPA with intense aromas of gooseberry, passion fruit, papaya and ripe mandarin orange. Pilsner malt from Montana Craft Malt provides the perfect canvas for these hops to shine while offering a firm foundation for the complex flavors.
“We’re so excited to release Surreal Kush as it showcases some truly incredible New Zealand hops,” says Shafer. “We used four varieties, both new and old, in this sensational IPA. Each hop brings its own unique character to the beer, and the final product is a beautiful exploration of New Zealand hop varieties.”
Surreal Kush will be available on draft and in 16oz cans throughout Roadhouse and Mother Earth’s distribution territories. To locate Surreal Kush, visit the Roadhouse Beer Finder.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.