Robin Shepard
Most coffee beers are based on full-bodied porters and stouts. The Great Dane breaks new ground with its Konga Buzz IPA, a brew that capitalizes on just the right coffee beans with just the right hops.
What is it? Konga Buzz IPA from the Great Dane Pub and Brewery-Hilldale.
Style: The base beer here is an India Pale Ale (IPA), a style that 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. Porters and stouts are more commonly associated with coffee beers; IPAs, less so. The beer style to which the coffee is added makes a big difference in flavor.
Coffee beers vary in the type of coffee added, the amount and how and when it is added, which also create different flavor qualities. Some brewers will add beans or grounds to the boil; others might add it into later stages of fermentation using large steeping bags; and some may even blend brewed coffee in just before serving. The Great Dane uses cold-pressed coffee that’s added into fermenting beer.
Background: The Great Dane’s brewers sat down with Madison-based micro-roaster Kin-Kin Coffee several weeks ago to try several varieties of beans in hopes of finding just the right coffee for an IPA. “We did tastings — cuppings — of five different coffees and we all ended up focusing on the same one called Konga, made with Ethiopian beans,” says Nate Zukas, who worked with fellow brewer James Kramer to devise the recipe for Konga Buzz IPA.
What separates this beer from a host of other coffee brews is how it matches the bright and crisp acidity of the Ethiopian coffee beans with hops that seem to accent similar fruity and citrus qualities. To achieve that, Zukas and Kramer selected Summer hops as the primary hop, a relatively new variety from Australia known for hints of orange, tangerine, melon and stone fruit. “We went looking for complementary flavor profiles and fruity notes like we found in the coffee,” says Zukas. To further bring out the tropical character the beer is dry-hopped with a combination of Summer, Mandarina and Mosaic, all of which lend citrus flavors and aromas to the coffee.
Because the beer features cold-pressed coffee that is added into the fermenter, drinkers may actually find the beer has a buzz from more than just its 8% ABV. Zukas estimates that for every pint (16 ounces), there’s about the same amount of caffeine found in a single cup of coffee.
Konga Buzz IPA sells for $5.50/pint, $9/crowler and $14/growler (refill). It’s available only at the Great Dane Hilldale location. Robinia Courtyard, 829 E. Washington Ave., will host a beer release and Disco Brunch Party featuring Konga Buzz IPA on July 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: The aroma of coffee and a hint of tropical floral hoppiness.
Appearance: Clear, copper body. A medium thick, soft, and light tan colored head.
Texture: Medium-bodied, round with softness.
Taste: An initial wave of cold-coffee flavor, followed by a light crisp grapefruit and melon (tropical hoppiness) that blends well with the coffee’s citrusy acidity. There’s a subtle bready sweetness found far in the background, likely from the Maris Otter malt that makes up most of the base grains. This too, is a nice match for the toasted and roastedness found in coffee.
Finish/Aftertaste: There is a lingering tropical citrus hoppiness that slowly transitions back to the smooth cold coffee flavor of toffee and roasted chocolate. As the beer warms, the finish becomes softer and smoother, and more of the coffee comes out.
Glassware: The Great Dane will serve it in an imperial pint glass. However, when enjoying it at home, I like it best in a glass with an inward taper to the lip, like a Willi Becher, that focuses the blended aroma of coffee and hops.
Pairs well with: Take the first few sips of this beer alone to taste how well the coffee and the hops work together in this IPA. Pair with a mild ricotta to appreciate its lemony notes and touch of acidity. With an entrée, go with light summer sandwich fare.
The Verdict: All too often coffee beers seem as if they have two conflicting personalities — as if the beer is being chased by a shot of espresso. Coffee beers bring to mind dark, malty, roasted, full-bodied porters and stouts, so I was pretty skeptical when I heard this was a hoppy IPA-based brew. However, I ended up liking this beer a lot. What I discovered was how well the bright citrus acidity of the Konga coffee paired with just the right selection of hops. This is a brew with strong coffee aroma in the beginning and finish. In the middle, the coffee’s citrus-acidity blends well with similar tropical notes found in the Summer, Mosaic and Mandarina hops. This is a different notion for a beer, and it succeeds.
