Last fall, Lane and Sherry Smith announced their intentions to build a small brewery in Lake Mills. Their Sunshine Brewing launched in late January, and the first two beers on store shelves were Turn it Up, a Belgian-style IPA, and Tripel 8, a Belgian tripel. “I like to look at traditional beers and see how I can add a Belgian twist to them,” says Lane. With the IPA, Lane wanted to create something “fruity, flavorful, even a beer interesting to wine drinkers,” he says.
What is it? Turn it Up Imperial IPA from Sunshine Brewing Company of Lake Mills.
Style: The imperial or double IPA intensifies the typical IPA. They are golden to amber colored and while they emphasize hoppy aroma and flavor, they also have a rich maltiness and alcohol warmth of 7.5 to 10.5 percent ABV. Turn it Up is a Belgian take on the style, made with Belgian yeast which adds a range of floral, spicy and earthy qualities.
Background: Sunshine’s initial foray into the Madison market has been with the contract brewing help of House of Brews. The Smiths hope their own small brewery and taproom will open at 121 South Main St. in Lake Mills by mid- to late-summer. Their plan is for a two-barrel brewhouse with a small taproom and patio offering views of Mill Pond and Rock Lake.
Turn it Up is an Imperial IPA made with Mosaic, Simcoe and locally grown Nugget hops. “This beer evolved out of my homebrewing. It started as a saison and over the years it got to be hoppier and hoppier until it became an big IPA,” says Smith. That selection of hops offers a mixture of citrus and pine, however, the tropical notes of the Mosaic are what stand out.
Smith adds local honey, roughly 60 pounds from Werning Apiaries of southern Wisconsin, to a 10-barrel batch of beer. Brewers add honey to increase the beer’s strength without adding body or mouthfeel.
The name, Turn it Up, is a reference to Smith’s love of biking and the CamRock Trail (between Cambridge and Rockdale) where the upward incline requires riders to “turn up the volume” if they are going to make the hill. Smith coaches the CamRock Climbers mountain biking team that includes students from Lake Mills and Cambridge middle and high schools and other interested students from around the county.
Turn it Up finishes at 8.8 percent ABV and 70 IBUs. It’s sold in 22-ounce bombers for around $9/each.
Both Turn it Up and Tripel 8 will be on tap March 24 at Growlers to Go Go and Smith will be on hand from 4-6 p.m. to serve and answer questions. Later this spring Smith will add a saison and a Belgian witbier to Sunshine’s portfolio.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light and fruity. A hint of orange and grapefruit from the Mosaic hops.
- Appearance: Hazy golden color with a soft white head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied, with round softness.
- Taste: The hops are forward, especially notes of orange and tangerine from the Mosaic. There’s also noticeable background of musty fruitiness from the Belgian yeast.
- Finish/Aftertaste: The hoppiness ends somewhat fruity and dry, with a hint of honey sweetness.
Glassware: The Willi Becher will gently push the hop aroma under the nose.
Pairs well with: Stilton cheeses. For an unexpected treat, try a white Stilton with added fruits — or a variation studded with mango and ginger — which will accentuate the tropical character of the Mosaic hops.
The Verdict: Turn it Up is worthy of some attention from craft beer enthusiasts. The tropical citrus hoppiness complements the Belgian yeast and subtle sweetness from the honey. There’s room for a little more hops in this beer, yet, overall its juicy and yeasty qualities strike a balance with its Belgian personality. This is a nice introduction to Sunshine in the local southern Wisconsin craft beer scene.
