Littleton, CO – Breckenridge Brewery and Starr Hill Brewery are running it back with their second collaborative beer project. Whiteout, an imperial white IPA brewed with lemongrass from Virginia, debuts at Denver’s Collaboration Fest on Saturday, March 19th. Brewmasters Todd Usry of Breckenridge and Robbie O’Cain of Starr Hill developed the recipe and brewed it together last month at the Breckenridge production brewery in Littleton.
“It was pretty special brewing with Robbie for Collab Fest last year,” shares Usry. “He’s a solid brewer and a great guy, and he really connected with our team. Last year’s Snow Your Oats [chocolate oatmeal stout] was so well-received we made a pact to partner again at Collab Fest 2016.”
Last year O’Cain flew out with locally sourced Virginia oats for Snow Your Oats, so in the spirit of using Virginia ingredients again, he brought fresh lemongrass with him this year. Whiteout also features Citra and Amarillo hops that impart pleasantly aggressive IPA bitterness with aromas of tropical fruit and pine. Flavors of honey, clove and banana from Belgian yeast pair nicely with the lemongrass, which lends a soft flavor overlay reminiscent of tea.
So one might ask if there are more Starr Hill/ Breckenridge Brewery collaborations in the future. The alliance between Usry and O’Cain is quite natural with Usry’s roots in Virginia. “Besides,” Usry adds, “it isn’t hard at all to convince Robbie to come out to Colorado.”
Collaboration Fest kicks off Colorado Craft Beer Week, and Whiteout will be on tap at key accounts in the Denver area, including Breckenridge Brewery’s own Farm House restaurant in Littleton.
About Breckenridge Brewery:
Breckenridge Brewery opened its doors over twenty-six years ago in the ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado. What started as a small brewpub has grown into a one of the largest breweries in the U.S. The original brewpub still serves fresh craft beer and delicious pub fare at altitude. The production brewery outside of Denver sends its beer to thirty-five states and offers tours, dining, and a comfortable Colorado beer garden experience. With a focus on balanced, approachable and interesting beer, the brewery’s portfolio contains classics like Vanilla Porter, Avalanche Amber Ale, Agave Wheat, 471 Double IPA, and Breck IPA, along with a variety of specialty beers that include seasonals, barrel-aged beers, the Brewery Lane Series, and a newly announced nitrogen-charged canned series.
About Starr Hill Brewery:
Starr Hill Brewery is a privately owned, regional craft brewery founded in 1999 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Among the most award-winning craft breweries on the East Coast, Starr Hill has won 21 Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup and Great British Beer Festival medals. Starr Hill beer is distributed throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions.