If you’ve been to our taproom, you may have noticed on our menu that some beers have an “R&D” label associated with them. “R&D” stands for “Research & Development” and over the summer, we released Science Project #1 and recently released Science Project #2. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve our beers and this series is a way for us to figure out how certain ingredients interact with others to make the best-tasting brew.

Hop science is still a little bit like the Wild West, and all the things that happen when hops interact with other ingredients are even less understood. We don’t have the equipment and financing to perform rigorous scientific research, but we do have a pilot brewery and an abundance of curiosity.

Our Science Project IPA series is a way for us to exploit both of those resources to figure out – at least anecdotally – what works and what doesn’t. Some of the questions we’re trying to answer are very geeky, like “do hop polyphenols contribute a significant amount of desirable dry hop character?” Some are more practical, like “can we make a Hazy IPA that’s affordable enough to compete in rural areas without compromising the style’s essence?” All of it is great fun, though, and we can’t wait to see where this exploration leads us.

So what’s the difference between Science Project #1 and #2? Science Project #1 was focused on that hop polyphenol question, and Science Project #2 is mostly about taking the recipe for #1 and stepping up the hop impact – especially on the juicy side of things. We also changed the timing on when we added our kettle salts and acid to see if it maintains the nice haze we got out both #1 and our most recent hazy, Double Ds. If you loved either of those beers, you might love Science Project #2 even more.

Science Project #2 is a taproom exclusive and out now. Make sure to stop by and try this beer. After all, it’s for SCIENCE!