Karben4 Brewing
IPAs are hot, and there certainly are a lot of them being brewed now. So many, in fact, that when a truly distinctive one emerges from the crowd, you take notice. Fantasy Factory from Karben4 is one that stands out, and is worthy of all the attention and accolades it's receiving.
When Karben4 first introduced Fantasy Factory, it was swiftly embraced by Madison's hop-loving beer enthusiasts. The debut IPA soon earned a permanent place in the fledgling brewery's lineup and became its most popular creation, helping drive its growth and plans for expansion. "Fantasy Factory helped us turn the corner," says Karben4 co-owner and brewmaster Ryan Koga.
Now after nearly two years in business, the brewery is launching a bottling line, and so it's only fitting that Fantasy Factory is Karben4's first beer to make its way onto shelves.
What is it? Fantasy Factory India Pale Ale from Karben4 Brewing of Madison, Wisconsin.
Style: The India Pale Ale (IPA) emphasizes the bitterness of hops, which provide herbal, citrus and piney character to both aroma and flavor. IPAs are medium-bodied and often golden- to copper-colored. They range from 5.5% to 7.5% ABV.
Background: "This was the IPA that I've personally been seeking," says Ryan Koga.
Fantasy Factory was born of the Karben4 brewmaster's pursuit of finding just the right IPA to match his own tastes, one with both bitterness and a firm layer of maltiness. Koga estimates he spent more than eight years tasting so many that he lost count, and never really stumbled on what he considered his ideal IPA. "So, I thought, you know what? I'm a brewer, let's just brew the IPA that I've always wanted," he recalls.
At the heart of Fantasy Factory are three types of hops: Citra, Galena and Cluster. While Citra makes over half of the hop bill, approximately three pounds of hops go into every barrel of beer overall. "I consider this a Midwest IPA, like the IPAs from Ale Asylum, Surly Brewing, Toppling Goliath and Three Floyds," says Koga, citing the burgeoning Madison brewery along with three others from Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana, respectively, each of which have built their names in large part on bitter brews.
Koga's definition of a Midwest IPA hinges on a flavor profile of fruity-bitterness and complex maltiness. "You see a lot of Midwest IPAs where you have this big citrus hoppiness, but at the same time you have those Midwest Germanic brewing roots where there's malt," he explains. Koga achieves that layer of bready-caramel sweetness amidst all those hops with Golden Promise, a malt that is a favorite thanks to the toast-like character it imparts to beer.
"I have a real sweet tooth, and Fantasy Factory reminds me of having fruit juice or citrus candy," he jokes.
Originally released in May 2013, only a few months after the brewery got up and running, Fantasy Factory was intended to be a summer seasonal. "There are so many fun things to do with IPAs, and my original idea was to have a rotating one," says Koga. "But as soon as I brought out Fantasy Factory, we had such a response to it that we couldn't take it away." Since that introduction, he hasn't tweaked the recipe much aside from changing the yeast to a strain that is better at fermenting hoppy brews.
Selecting the right name for a beer can be agonizing for brewers who want just the right words to describe their creations. Fantasy Factory's name was inspired by the work of Karben4's resident artist Tom Kowalke, whose paintings are displayed in its taproom. He composes an image to depict each Karben4 brew from his small studio in the brewery's storeroom, a space shared with surplus grains, equipment, and bottling supplies.
"Our warehouse is Tom's playland," explains Koga. "It's where he goes to get into the zone to do his art, so we started calling the warehouse the Fantasy Factory." When it came time to name Karben4's first India pale ale, that moniker proved to be memorable.
"I had brought a growler of the IPA," recalls Koga. "We were all tasting it and talking about it, and then Fantasy Factory came up and we all looked at each other. It was perfect -- the solution was incredibly simple."
The beer's label graphic for its new bottles and six-pack cartons depicts another type of fantasy, one in which a gun-wielding cat rides a rearing unicorn blowing a stream of fire, all set against a rainbow backdrop.
Fantasy Factory finishes at 6.3% ABV with an estimated 65 IBUs. It sells in the brewery's taproom for $4.75 per glass and $13 per growler refill, and six-packs run about $8-9.
While Fantasy Factory is the first Karben4 beer to be bottled, the brewery plans to release other styles soon. Its Block Party Amber Ale should be on store shelves by the end of the year, with Lady Luck Irish Red and NightCall Smoked Porter to follow in 2015.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: A firm citrus hoppiness, with hints of orange and tangerine.
- Appearance: Hazy, orange-copper; with a thick soft, tan head.
- Texture: Medium bodied, modest carbonation and bubby with a sharpness from the fruity-tropical hoppiness.
- Taste: A hint of biscuit and bready maltiness at the start, then the hops with lots of citrus bitterness grab control and never relinquish control of the palate.
- Finish/Aftertaste: The tropical bitter continues with lingering dryness.
Glassware: Karben4 serves Fantasy Factory in a snifter at its taproom. However, when enjoying it at home, try the Willi Becher with its inward flare at the lip to focus the tropical-hoppy aroma.
Pairs well with: The firm hoppiness of Fantasy Factory is a nice match for spicy foods from hearty chili to pizza. The citrus bitterness is also great with Thai food. If you're enjoying this beer at Karben4, the Summer Sausage Ruben and Pepperoni Flat Bread from its taproom menu are good choices.
Rating: Four Bottle Openers (out of four)
The Consensus: 91 (outstanding) at BeerAdvocate and 95/93 (overall/style) at RateBeer.
The Verdict: A brewery can be defined by its best-selling beer, one that's often referred to as its flagship. Karben4's flag is flying high with Fantasy Factory, which is helping the brewery build its business and identity, much like Hopalicious did for Ale Asylum. India pale ales continue be the fastest growing style in the craft beer market, and Fantasy Factory is one of the best Wisconsin IPAs I've tasted recently.
Citrus hints of tangerine, orange and pineapple are dominant, yet never over the top in Fantasy Factory. Koga does achieve a malty backbone, but let’s be straightforward about it -- this beer is about the juicy tropical bitterness that pulls you in with aroma until the flavor of hops completely take over. There's a nice lingering dryness to the finish that's clean and avoids any palate-staining bitterness. This is an IPA that is assertive without destroying the taste buds. Fantasy Factory deserves a place in the home of hopheads, and that's now possible since it's available in bottles.
