Robin Shepard
When a new brewery opens, it’s interesting to see what the brewer chooses to debut in an initial lineup. When Working Draft Beer Company opened Monday it did so with a range of styles from ales to lagers. Among the early standouts is a New England IPA called Pulp Culture.
What is it? Pulp Culture from Working Draft Beer Company
Style: The India Pale Ale (IPA) is all about hops. It’s medium-bodied, often clear, golden- to copper-colored, and 5.5 to 7.5 percent ABV. The New England take on the style is cloudy, and the hops are all about tropical juicy flavors.
Background: The New England IPA craze was viewed by many Midwestern brewers as a novelty, at least initially. That sentiment seems to be changing and Northeast IPAs and pale ales are becoming more commonplace throughout Madison’s beer scene. Working Draft Beer Company considered it essential to offer one. It’s a good indication that Working Draft intends to be at the forefront of craft beer. The style is “going to be around for a while,” says brewmaster Clint Lohman. “It’s a style that focuses on the aroma and flavor of hops over the bitterness. My favorites taste like a glass of fruit juice.”
Pulp Culture is loaded with lots of juicy hoppiness from 3.5 pounds of hops per barrel, a combination of Mosaic, Denali, Eldorado and Australian Enigma. Mosaic is probably the easiest to pick out in the aroma and flavor, with notes of grapefruit and orange. The Denali and Eldorado both have hints of melon and passion fruit, while the Enigma offers very subtle grape sweetness similar to white wine. The beer gets its haziness from naked oats that also impart a soft nuttiness that discerning palates may find far in the background.
Lohman was working on the recipe for this beer even before Working Draft’s main brewhouse was up and running. He made several one-barrel trial batches before ramping it up to the seven-barrel system in time for the brewery’s opening.
Pulp Culture finishes at 6.9 percent ABV. It sells for $5.50/pint in the brewery’s taproom.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Lots of bright citrus notes from the Mosaic hops.
- Appearance: Hazy, yellow golden with a thick, soft white head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied with round softness from the oats.
- Taste: The citrus jumps out. Lots of tropic hoppiness with solid juicy grapefruit and orange flavor. There’s subtle sweetness in the background that lingers into the aftertaste.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Juicy orange and grapefruit. A very light, faint nuttiness from the oats.
Glassware: The Willi Becher is great for showing off Pulp Culture’s bright yellow golden color and focusing the tropical hoppiness under the nose.
Pairs well with: medium sharp cheddars. Also, great with spicy meats and barbeque.
The Verdict: Clint Lohman sends message with this beer: this brewery is going to be about quality. It’s a great take on a hazy New England IPA and sets a high mark as the brewery opens this week. Pulp Culture’s aroma is bursting with tropical orange and grapefruit. It’s fresh and juicy with enough oats to soften the mouthfeel and body. The hops, while fruity and subtly sweet, don’t linger; the beer’s profile remains bright and crisp from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to what’s to come from Working Draft.
