By David Diehl of FLX Words
It is so fascinating to see what trends in Finger Lakes craft beer styles emerge and even more so, which ones stick. The milkshake IPA is by no means a new style, but it certainly has proven to have legs.
Based in Burdett, Grist Iron Brewing Company is putting a spotlight on their taproom beer series. This week they will feature a Key Lime Milkshake IPA. The beer will only be available on-site and can be enjoyed both by the glass or in tasting flights. This style of beer is given its creamy mouthfeel and unique tart flavor profile by the very specific brewing process.
“The next step for our head brewer, Joey Johndrew, was to achieve this nice lime, tart characteristic. He went about it in two ways: he added key lime puree as the beer was aging and developing. That is to hold the sharp flavors of the fruit,” said Kate Fuller, Grist Iron’s Director of Marketing and Guest Relations. “He also dry-hopped it so that the flavor would not fade off. The beer then obtained a lot more citrus, aroma, and a tropical fruit/apple/pear flavor from the use of the lemon drop hop.”
Fuller added that these final steps in making the beer provide its unique, flavorful finish. “That is really why this nice, tart, smooth ale really come through at the end,” she said.
Grist Iron is also now stocking their catalog at nine different Wegmans and is currently working with Bevv.com to set up a shipping option that would allow customers to order straight from the site to your home.
It was always a goal for David Diehl to return to the Finger Lakes and make an imprint on the beer culture of the region. A Hobart & William Smith Colleges graduate, Diehl spent over a decade in Brooklyn and is excited to be back and taking on Finger Lakes craft beer reviews and commentaries for EdibleFingerLakes.com. He has also been published in Inked Magazine, YRB Magazine, Nerve.com, and The Finger Lakes Times. You can follow his work at FLXWORDS.com.
