Robin Shepard
Ale Asylum has a solid reputation for hoppy beers. A few of its most popular have included Hopalicious (a pale ale), Ballistic (an American IPA), Satisfaction Jacksin (an IIPA) and last year’s big hit, Velveteen Habit (an IPA). Hu$h Money was created to clearly be different and to challenge common expectations of hops. It’s made with a relatively new variety called Hallertau Blanc that lends a tropical bitterness mingled with hints of grape-sweetness.
Hu$h Money will be offered for the first time on tap Thursday, March 17, in the brewery’s tasting room beginning at 6 p.m. The bomber bottle release will begin on March 21. Only 200 cases will leave the brewery, and Madison will get only about a third of them. Retailers will be limited to around two cases each.
What is it? Hu$hMoney IPA from Ale Asylum Brewing of Madison.
Style: The India Pale Ale (IPA) is a showcase for hops, showcasing a range of aromas and flavors from herbal to citrus to piney. IPAs are medium-bodied, most often golden- to copper-colored, and 5.5% to 7.5% ABV.
Background: Hu$h Money is likely going to be one of the most sought-after brews of the year. All 200 cases were pre-sold even before the beer was packaged. The brewery intends to release at least three of these limited-run beers in 22-ounce bomber bottles in 2016.
The Hallertau Blanc hops in this beer aren’t easy to get. Ale Asylum traded hops with Chicago’s Half Acre Brewing Company, which uses them to make an IPA called Blanco Niño. Ale Asylum co-owner Otto Dilba discovered that beer a couple of years ago, and has wanted to showcase the variety ever since. Everyone in the brewery was so impressed with its unique hoppiness that Hu$h Money was moved up into the production schedule.
The beer gets the name Hu$h Money from a joke between Dilba and brewmaster Dean Coffey. A few years ago, Dilba says he borrowed some money from Coffey and when he paid him back, he wrote “hush money” in the memo line of the check. At the time, he filed the phrase away as a potential name for a future beer. Hu$h Money finishes at 7.8% ABV. It sells for $6-$7 for a 22 ounce bottle.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Light tropical hoppiness with a hint of musty orange and floral green grape.
Appearance: An orange-copper color with a slight haziness. Medium bubbly head with a light tan color.
Texture: Medium bodied and bubbly.
Taste: Begins with a tropical hoppiness with suggestions of orange. There’s also a faint hint of gooseberry tartness. That transition to more soft floral and grape sweetness icreases as the beer warms.
Finish/Aftertaste: The tropical and grape continues with a light yet firm dryness. This is not a bitter beer; overall it's inviting, with its soft floral grape hoppiness.
Glassware: Best enjoyed with a glass that has an inward flare to the lip, like a goblet, to focus the fruity, grape-like aromas under the nose. Thanks to its white wine character, a pair of wine glasses might be a good way to share a 22-ounce bottle.
Pairs well with: There are subtleties to this beer. If you want to pick out the light fruity and grape notes and appreciate what happens as it warms, enjoy it as pre-meal beer or on its own so your palate isn’t clouded with other flavors.
The Verdict: Hu$h Money lives up to the hype. I really enjoyed it because it is such a different take on hops. The Hallertau Blanc has unique aroma and flavor, part tropical bitterness, part grape-like sweetness. The initial musty orange fruitiness evolves to green-grape sweetness as the beer warms. This is a beer that should appeal to both hops fans and to those who don’t like bitter brews. For hops fans, it’s about the Hallertau Blanc’s grape character as well as sensing the transition as it warms. For those who shy away from bitter brews as palate wreckers, this beer has a sophisticated hoppiness that blends tropical bitterness and soft white wine character. Think Sauvignon Blanc. It defies the idea of hoppy beers being one dimensional and/or too bitter.
