We spoke with Wild Leap Brew Co. Chief Brewing Officer Chris Elliott about Side Bae Double IPA: HBC 472 Cryo Hops.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
This was a recipe that I developed after working on a few other brands with the hop HBC 472. We named the hop “super Sabro” because of the similarities with Sabro, including strong wood and coconut aromas. We love the hop so much that we now incorporate it in one of our core brands. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The flavor. There are very few hops like HBC 472. It tastes like tangerine pith, coconut and bourbon oak. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Fluffy citrus and coconutty perfection.

What's a good food pairing for this beer?
This beer is very versatile due to its balance. It pairs especially well with barbecue. The beer has a nice, slightly sweet citrus flavor that complements sweet, smoky and salty foods. 

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We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers R&D Brewer and Lead Blender Kyle Krause about Amaro Barrel-Aged Barleywine.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I inherited our recipe for the barleywine, but it’s been in constant evolution as I’ve tried to steer it in a more “British” direction over the past few years. The amaro barrel was a special treatment for our beer club members. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
As cool as the Amaro barrel is, my favorite part is the base barleywine. It’s got some decadent toffee caramel notes, like the burnt sugar on a crème brulee, with a hint of cocoa powder on the finish. I love this beer.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
We call beers what they are. This is a barleywine aged in an amaro barrel. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
No. Our lager brewers in Hood River already do a fantastic job of brewing crushable desert island beers. I make the beers you’d celebrate with after you’ve been rescued!

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Rich, bittersweet, notes of toffee, candied fruit, citrus and amaro spice.

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers R&D Brewer and Lead Blender Kyle Krause about Tequila Barrel-Aged Mole Stout.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This is one of my recipes. It’s been on my idea sheet for years, and I was really excited to see it get the green light for production. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
While the aroma is lovely, this beer shines in the flavor department. It’s got warming cinnamon and smokey chilis, rich chocolate and a nutty roast character with a grassy finish from the tequila. 

Where does this beer’s name come from?
Our “name” always captures the style, the barrel treatment and any important characteristics. It’s a stout, we aged it in tequila barrels, and it was brewed with mole spices. Boom, it’s Tequila Barrel Aged Mole Stout.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Not exactly. If this desert island already had tacos and Cerveza Victoria, then perhaps. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Dark roast with vanilla, smoke and spice, tequila finish.

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers R&D Brewer and Lead Blender Kyle Krause about Cognac Barrel-Aged Double Mash Imperial Stout.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This is one of my original recipes, but it is built off the foundation of many great stouts that came before it. We took what worked well and doubled it!

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The intensity of this beer is what makes it special. It’s inky black, viscous and heavy on the palate. You don’t sip this one nonchalantly, it demands your full and undivided attention.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
We don’t name beers so much as we describe them. The name always captures the style, the barrel treatment and any important characteristics. In this case, Double Mash refers to the no-sparge technique that requires two mashes to fill the kettle exclusively with undiluted first runnings. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
This is about as far from a desert island beer as I can possibly imagine. If you’re stranded on an island, hot and thirsty, a sip of this beer might take you out. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
A formidable stout, midnight black, heavy roast and warming brandy.

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster and Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about pFriem Oktoberfest.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This has been a team effort, but I have led the charge for it.

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The depth of malt and lagering flavor combined with great drinkability.

Where does this beer’s name come from?
Like all our beers at pFriem, we just call them what they are.

Is this your “desert island beer?”
Maybe if I was on an island in late September and early October...

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Brilliant gold, fluffy white foam, bread aromas, honey & lavender flavors.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Drinking the festbiers at Munich Oktoberfest as well as at the breweries during that season is a thing of beauty; I would recommend that all beer lovers make this pilgrimage happen if they can.

What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Roast Chicken, Schwinebraten, Wurstl, Fresh Pretzels and any other classic Oktoberfest offerings.

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster and Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about pFriem Schwarzbier.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This has been a team effort, and this beer has evolved quite a bit over the last decade. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
How the gentle dark and roasted malts meld with the silkiness of the lager beer. 

Where does this beer’s name come from?
Just like all beers at pFriem we simply call them what they are. 

Is this your “desert island beer?”
No, but I wouldn't mind getting stuck on an island with this beer for a little while. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Intriguing roast, silky body with just enough hops to balance. 

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
Schwarzbier as a style is a little bit of a ghost, as there aren't a ton of historical commercial examples to find in order to truly understand the style. It has been fun over my brewing career to try to figure out what this style of beer is and what we want it to be. We feel like we are making an enjoyable interpretation of this beer style. 

What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Cured meats, salted fish and anything sausage or potato-related.

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster and Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about pFriem West Coast IPA.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
This has been a team effort with our brewery management team. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The big hop impact while also being super bright and very drinkable. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Like all beers at pFriem we just call them what they are. 

Is this your “desert island beer?” 
If my desert island beer had to be a hop-forward beer, this would certainly be a contender. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Bright aromas of strawberry and cannabis accompanied by tropical notes.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
This is not a West Coast IPA of the early 2000s, this is a modern version that works towards the hop impact of a hazy IPA, while being bright, balanced and very drinkable. This is an evolving beer for us, and we look forward to the future of West Coast IPAs!

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster and Co-Founder Josh Pfriem about pFriem Canadian Lager.

Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
I led the charge, but there has been a lot of team effort on this beer. 

What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The ease of drinkability while being so clean, with still enough nuance to keep the beer intriguing. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Just like all the beers at pFriem, we just call them what they are. 

Is this your “desert island beer?” 
This is not my desert island beer, but I wouldn't be bummed if it was my only choice. 

Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Easy-drinking, crisp, very clean, finishes fresh, quaffable and crushable.

Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?  
I travel to British Columbia every chance I get for mountain biking trips. While there, we enjoy our fair share of fresh Kokanee. It’s so much more interesting, crisp and refreshing compared to many domestic American Lagers. Although it's a nice beer, it always leaves you longing for just a little more flavor, bitterness and gusto. This inspired us to brew our own version of a Canadian Lager. 

We spoke with Social Fox Brewing Head Brewer Jamie Parker about In Between Times - Raspberry.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This recipe was already here when the brewery brought me in to take over brewing operations. I have made some significant tweaks to it, though.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I like that it's not too tart. Some sour ales can be far too sour for me. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
We opened our doors on May 1, 2020 amidst the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first beer we brewed on our system. With the state of the world  as it was, we weren't sure if we'd be able to open the doors. As such, we were saying to ourselves: "these in between times call for a beer!"

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Tart and fruity.

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We spoke with Night Shift Brewing Head Brewer Joe Mashburn about The 87.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This was an old recipe that's gone through a lot of changes, and a lot of people have had their hand in working the recipe into its current form.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
I am a huge fan of the intensity of this beer: it's a big beer with a high ABV and high hopping rates. Everything is just excessive in the best way.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The 87; our street address is 87 Santilli Hwy. Our core IPA is Santilli, so it made sense to use another piece of our address. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
I think this beer would be a little too hardy for a survival situation. It's probably caloric enough, but I think after having one it might be hard to build a fire.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
This is a big beer full of hop flavor.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Anything big and bold; this beer will stand up to that. I would assume a really big burger would be a great pairing.