In 2023, a moustachioed home brewer named Leon Stanley won Helios’ Hopetition with his 90-minute continuously hopped IPA. A year later, he joined Helios head brewer Jake Harrison to knock up a big batch.
To Be Continued is part hat-tip to Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA,* part modern West Coast IPA, all flavour. The continuous hopping method really brings out all parts of the hop, and here we see classic (neo-classic?) varieties Mosaic, Simcoe and Strata loaded in and giving all they have to give. There’s citrus and florals and some juicy berries, but there’s also strong dankness and enough malt to carry it all. And somehow, with all this going on, the 8 percent ABV slips by unnoticed.
The only disappointment with this beer is that Leon had lost the bandito moustache by the time it came to brewing.
Mick Wüst
* Fun fact: Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head pioneered the continuous hopping method after he watched a TV chef add pepper to a soup in small increments while it simmered.
Published November 28, 2024 2024-11-28 00:00:00
