Wild Leap Brew Co. Chief Brewing Officer Chris Elliott Talks SouthDown Double IPA

We spoke with Wild Leap Brew Co. Chief Brewing Officer Chris Elliott about SouthDown Double IPA.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
This was actually a recipe that began as a collaboration with our brewers and another brewery a few years ago. We tweaked the recipe and added even more fruit and more hops, and released it as SouthDown. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I love how well the fruit works with the hops in this beer. The hop blend has notes of lime, orange and citrus as well as coconut. We used toasted coconut, key lime and orange puree. These flavors go incredibly well together, especially if you love Pina Colada. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
We named this beer SouthDown to celebrate the opening of our second location in South Downtown Atlanta. The neighborhood is new and doesn’t really have a name yet, so we thought “SouthDown” has a nice ring to it. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Everything we love about an IPA and Pina Colada combined!

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
We are coconut lovers at Wild Leap, and we have been looking for an excuse to make a Pina Colada beer so we could also add a ridiculous amount of coconut, pineapple and some citrus. The beer came out pretty perfect by our standards. 

What's a good food pairing for this beer?
This beer actually pairs great with many sweet and sour Asian and tropical dishes, just like a Pina Colada. 

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