California based Drake’s Brewing has been brewing beer for almost 30 years and while the brewery can be counted on for churning out barrel after barrel of traditional favorites, Drake’s is also good for crafting innovation and even improving upon known recipes. Such is the case this week as Drake’s Brewing releases Aroma Coma 2XIPA, a hoppier version of its Aroma Coma IPA.
Aroma Coma 2XIPA takes the original Aroma Coma IPA and modifies its recipe by adding more Citra hops, rye malt, and caramel flavor. The resulting beer contains 8 percent alcohol by volume, which is a full 1.7 percentage points higher than the original Aroma Coma. The result is a beer that is citrus- enhanced, dank, and yet still highly drinkable. Drake’s Brewmaster John Gillooly says the decision to expand upon the already popular Aroma Coma was not only a creative decision, but also one influenced by economics.
“We always looked forward to the release of this beer as it was the one place we used Citra, a really impacted hop that we only had enough of to brew this beer as a seasonal,” says Gillooly. “We finally cornered enough Citra not only to make it year-round, but also to make Coma that much bigger— more malt, more hops. Now it’s 8% of citric dank.”
Aroma Coma has been around since 2009 and was originally released as a specialty beer. The new 2XIPA version is a year- round brew and can be distinguished by the “2X” on the bottle’s label. The beer will be sold in six packs and on draft at Drake’s barrel House in San Leandro, California. Hopheads should also be on the lookout for Drake’s Aroma Therapy 3XIPA. This triple IPA changes each year and this year’s version is one not to miss. Brewed with a wide assortment of international and domestic hops, this zinger of an IPA weighs in at 11 percent alcohol by volume and utilizes malt, rye, orange blossom, and other ingredients on its way to a literal hop explosion.
Drake’s Brewing has been around since 1989 and its new Aroma Coma is an unforgettable beer that will have hop fanatics singing its praises and yearning for more. For more information on this and other Drake’s Brewing beers, visit online at www.drinkdrakes.com
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