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Dear Mama IPA-A Witch Hunt Collaboration w/ BlackStack Brewing

Witch Hunt Minneapolis is a phenomenal group of females on a mission to celebrate and promote underrepresented individuals in craft brewing. Recently, they teamed up with BlackStack Brewing in Saint Paul to create a fantastic IPA called Dear Mama.

The release party took place on Wednesday, May 8th and I was happy to try the beer and meet some of the dynamic people behind the beer and movement.

First and foremost, I have to say that there are many reasons why I love craft beer. However, one glaring negative about the industry is that there are not enough females brewing beer or owning breweries. Historically, this is completely backwards and needs to change. To me, Witch Hunt Minneapolis seems to be about bringing passion for beer and empowerment of women together. This is something that I love and having several friends in the group, I know that it is a fun time.

The Path To The Beer

The journey to the beer release at BlackStack started about a month and a half ago. The Witch Hunt group first began working with Murphy Johnson and Bob DuVernois at BlackStack on sensory analysis to evaluate which grains would be the best for the beer. One noteworthy fact about the beer is that the beer has spelt in the grain bill to give it a nice and soft body.

On Saturday, 4/20, a contingent of Witch Hunters got together to brew the beer at BlackStack. That day, my social media feeds were filled with awesome pics of sisterhood, laughter, and passion for brewing as the ladies brewed this beer.

Do You Even Sabro, Bro?

The Sabro hop (formerly HBC 438) is setting the craft beer world ablaze the same way sliced bread titillated the sandwich industry. Sabro hops were developed by the Hops Breeding Company in Yakima Valley. The Sabro hop provides an intoxicating blend of tangerine, coconut, tropical fruits, stone fruits, mint, and cedar to a beer. Sabro hops also have a decent punch of alpha acid (12-16%) making them extremely versatile.

Sabro hops are featured prominently in this beer along with African Queen and Comet hops. The Comet hops were grown right here in MN at Mighty Axe Hops.

What About The Beer?

The beer is a 6.8% ABV IPA that is deceptively light in body given the hefty ABV. A few of these could get you dancing on the ceiling real quick. I love the aroma that is basically like a breakfast buffet at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort; all the tropical fruits you could want! The body is not heavy, while still delivering the flavors abed a soft mouthfeel thanks to the grains. I suspect the spelt has something to do with this. What I love most about Dear Mama is that it finishes with a distinct hop bite. You almost get a peppery dryness on the back of your tongue.

Where Can You Get It?

Dear Mama released in the taproom last Wednesday. It shipped to liquor stores the next day. Keep your eyes out for it or stop into the BlackStack taproom to enjoy a pint or two.

I know that there is also a Mother’s Day event at BlackStack that celebrates to of the greatest things in the world: beer and moms. So, get down there on Mother’s Day from 11am-3pm to have fun and support the Witch Hunt group!

This beer turned out wonderfully and I know that they used some quality and top-notch ingredients. However, the bigger reason why Dear Mama was such a success is due to the overwhelming amount of talent that played a role in bringing this beer to fruition. Thanks to Witch Hunt Minneapolis, we can say that behind this great beer were some even greater women. Prost!

Dan Beaubien has been involved with Beerploma since 2014 although his passion for craft beer dates back to 2006 when he started traveling for beer.  He mostly covers craft beer events, festivals, brewery openings/releases, and beer reviews. Dan has a soft spot in his heart for authentic British Style ales, IPAs, and all things barrel-aged.  If you have any questions or comments about this article feel free to email Dan at dan.beaubien@beerploma.com .

Sources:

www.bsgcraftbrewing.com

www.washingtonbeerblog.com/introducing-sabro-a-new-highly-anticipated-hop-variety/