MillerCoors never found a use for the hop, but four other breweries that also helped to finance its development did, and their support went a long way in securing a long-term future for Citra.
HBC referred to the experimental variety as HBC 394. In 2007, MillerCoors did just that, sponsoring two acres of a plant owned by the Hop Breeding Company (HBC), a partnership between two large breeding programs in Washington State. Three or four years earlier, he’d encouraged his bosses to contract a commercial-scale test plot of the variety after evaluating it during initial brewing trials. After more than 30 years of researching hops for Miller and MillerCoors, he hadn’t come across anything that special. Ting remembers it, quite a few colleagues found the taste to be too strong - some people described it as “catty.” To him though, Wild Ting IPA was something different - and different was good. A lot of people liked it.”īrewed entirely with an experimental hop variety originally known as 9148-114, this one-off IPA with a zesty citrus aroma and a tropical fruit flavor was ahead of its time. I also associated a mango and a lychee flavor. Patrick Ting, a former hop scientist at MillerCoors, and the beer’s namesake. And this beer had a playful and provocative name, too: Wild Ting. But as an India Pale Ale with 70 IBU and a dry hopping rate of four pounds per barrel, it stood out from many of Miller’s usual offerings. The company’s sprawling Milwaukee complex includes a 10-barrel pilot brewery that regularly produces exclusives for staff and visitors in the name of research and innovation. At face value, this wasn’t especially remarkable. Steve, we definitely do not have any sort of problem.In 2010, a new beer went on tap at the Fred Miller Pub, Miller Brewing’s employee bar. We’re lucky to be here – and we are definitely lucky to have the one-of-a-kind Steve Luke. In short, this beer is an affirmation for all beer lovers here in the Emerald City. It’s one step for IPAs, but one giant leap for beer lovers.
This being said, the Astronaut Chic ends with that completely satisfactory ever-so-slightly hop bitterness. It has an undeniably fruity flavor and sparkles on your taste buds with it’s slight carbonation. The combination of citra, ella, chinook and (appropriately) galaxy hops gives the beer a depth and intricacy that is not easily replicated – even by the most talented Pacific Northwest brewers. The scent has a balance and a complexity to it that completely sets the stage for the beer itself. It has a gorgeous, cloudy golden color and an aroma that has a bit of citrus here and a bit of hop there. This beer (pardon the cliché) really sends one into orbit. His journey has been a total treat for us Seattleites because Cloudburst has produced some of the most delectable IPAs to hit the Emerald City in years. Since leaving his brewing position at Elysian, Luke has totally nailed his latest venture – founding Cloudburst Brewing. He is one of Seattle’s most talented, admired, sought after – and yet most humble – brewers, crafting recipes that include, among many, the Space Dust IPA from Elysian Brewing Company. Luke has fast become a staple in Seattle’s beer scene, known for his innovation, creativity, and experimentation. One of the biggest advocates of taking advantage of our location, and embracing the IPA, is Steve Luke. Needless to say, we take advantage of Yakima’s crop, which is located a quick and easy two and a half hours drive southeast of town. Lucky for us Seattle folk, we are in close proximity to the Yakima Valley, which produces nearly 77% of the country’s hop crop. In fact, we really, really, like IPAs in Seattle.Īnd it’s no wonder.