Double Mountain Brewery Releases Iowa Bar Fight in 6-Packs

Returning to help kick off the new year from Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery is the launch of Iowa Bar Fight IPA in 6-pack, 12 ounce refillable bottles. Brewed in collaboration with nearby Solera Brewery, this IPA has been a favorite of hop enthusiasts. 

The founders of both breweries have roots in the Midwest. According to the brewery’s press release, things once familiar change. Old dirt roads get paved, and houses get built in cornfields. Sometimes you eat the bar, other times the bar eats you. Iowa Bar Fight is an ode to those memories and the balance between grit and transformation.

In brewing Iowa Bar Fight, the hop bill features one of Double Mountain’s favorite hop combinations, Citra and Mosaic, with a touch of resinous cannabis character from Strata hops in the hop back. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with a hop back, this is the vessel used to infuse hops late in the brew process. This 165-gallon metal drum is filled with hops, then the wort is filtered into it after it has been boiled, before it’s cooled to fermentation temperature and sent to the fermenter. It’s the ultimate late addition. 

The result is a dazzling blend of bright citrus, grapefruit, lush tropical notes, and a perfectly balanced bitterness that leans West Coast Style IPA, minus the 2003-era aggressiveness and crystal malts. Iowa Bar Fight arrives at 6.2% ABV and 45 IBUs. 

“There’s bitterness, sure,” says Matt Swihart, founder of Double Mountain, “but it’s the kind that lets you know you’re drinking a beer with character. Hey, I don’t wanna fight about it. Let’s just have a pint or three and talk it out, eh?”

Iowa Bar Fight’s bold, punchy name comes to life through striking packaging inspired by legendary graphic designer Saul Bass (1920–1996). Known for revolutionizing film title sequences and posters for classics like West Side Story and North by Northwest, Bass’s minimalistic style adds a touch of nostalgia and energy to the beer’s presentation. Playful text and graphic layout choices evoke mild aggravation, which perfectly aligns with the spirit of the beer.

Joining the release of Iowa Bar Fight this month is Double Mountain’s first seasonal beer release of 2025, Bocktopus, a Bock style beer. 

Bock style beers have a wonderfully rich history, and several sub categories that derive from the base. First produced in the 14th century in Germany, other Bock styles such as Maibock, Dopplebock, Eisenbock, and Wiezenbock made their appearance around the Munich area. All Bock varieties are usually associated with some sort of celebration. be it Christmas, Spring, Lent, or harvest, there’s a Bock for you!

Bock beers are a malt forward beer, and Bocktopus is no exception. For the beer’s malt profile, the brew team at Double Mountain opted for an English ESB malt as the base, then sprinkled in German specialties for the fine tuning. The hops play second fiddle here, playing the supporting role. The hop bill consisted of Anchovy for the bittering and the noble Savinjski Golding for balance. 

The result is a lush malt forward lager, with all the breads and crusts, pear and orange marmalade, and some wonderful toffee, treacle, and caramel. It definitely has more weight than other lagers, but still drinks fairly light. Careful though, it sits at 7.1%, so having a session with this might lead to an adventure you didn’t plan on. But that’s not always a bad thing.