Hop Valley Brewing Co. has come out with a fun Hazy Daze “patty-o pack,” and I happily accepted an offer to try it.
The pack is named after brewer Patrick Whiting. For those who are unfamiliar with the brewery, it was founded in 2009 in Oregon and is currently owned by Molson Coors.
The beers in this pack feature Cryo Hops, which are designed to provide intense hop flavor and aroma, according to producer Yakima Chief Hops.
That description certainly applies to all of the beers:
- The Operation Vacation (6% ABV) is the epitome of an IPA, and I appreciated that the beer wasn’t too bitter. It’s got a nice fruity, citrus flavor without going overboard.
- Similarly, the Pineapple Stash House (6.7% ABV) has the right amount of pineapple aroma and flavor from a puree without making this a fruity beer. I found this medium-bodied beer quite refreshing.
- Stash Panda (6.5% ABV) uses Citra Cryo Hops and grapefruit peel to create its flavor profile. This hazy IPA was fairly mellow and had a slight resemblance to a shandy.
- Stash Bandicoot (8% ABV) is a hazy imperial IPA and probably my favorite of the bunch. It’s smooth with notes of apricot and red berries, and I found it very approachable.
The variety packs seem like a nice way to try all the beers that Hop Valley Brewing Co. makes. The other packs are Cryo Hops Stash Pack (which includes a Cryo Stash Imperial IPA) and West Coaster (which includes Alpha Centauri Northwest Imperial IPA).
In the Madison area, you can find Hop Valley Brewing Co. beers at Kwik Trip, Festival Foods and Miller & Sons, among other stores.
Tags: beer
