Undistributed beer of the week: Weekend Pirate #4 (Donald)

There can only be one undistributed beer of the week. The competition is fierce in San Diego’s beer community, but someone has to take the title. This week’s best undistributed beer is ...

FALL BREWING COMPANY: WEEKEND PIRATE #4 (DONALD)

Style: American IPA

ABV: 6.7 percent

Pair with: Taco salad

This brew with a citrusy, piney aroma has you at first “sniff,” and even more so after first sip. Weekend Pirate #4 (Donald) comes to us from Ray Astamendi, president and brewmaster over at Fall Brewing Company in North Park. The beer is the fourth variation in a Fall Brewing series called “Weekend Pirate.” We love this pick because it is full-bodied while still being light, crisp and smooth. It offers a dry finish and is an impeccable choice for drinking in warm San Diego weather.

The brewing process of this beer is similar to others, Astamendi said. Most of the beers within the series include two-row barley, Vienna malt and a little wheat malt, which allows the brewers to focus further on developing the hop character of each brew, he said.

“This time, we used a couple hops that we had never put together, Eureka and Polaris. Along with Citra and Amarillo hops, they provide a well-rounded citrus aroma, with a more intense, piney flavor,” Astamendi said. “It was a blend that works well, but we’ll keep toying with it regardless.”

The toying seems to be working in Fall Brewing’s flavor, with each beer getting better as they go, in my opinion. This tasty, balanced brew is a standout star in their current lineup - I’d even go so far as to call it my favorite of the series. Beyond the hops mentioned above, there’s also some noticeable Mosaic and Simcoe added to the hop profile that contribute to the enjoyable aroma and give the beer a slightly earthy flavor, as well.

If you’re like me, you’ve already wondered what’s up with the “Weekend Pirate” name and what inspired the reference to Donald Trump with this beer, in particular. Why is the series, which has been received quite well by beer lovers, called Weekend Pirate? Well, because pirates are still cool, according to Ray. He also explains that there was no other option for the name of this beer.

“We were looking for our next big hit, and we noticed that the pirate theme hadn’t been completely destroyed yet, or at least not to our satisfaction,” he said. “So, instead of the Weekend Warrior, we decided that the Weekend Pirate was more appropriate. I mean, who has time to be a pirate all week?

“Each version of the Weekend Pirate is given a different name,” he added. “Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn’t. Fortunate for us, this version was ready around election time. The only possible name for this beer was Donald. Why? The aroma was so ‘huuuuuuge’ that we were certain our fans would enjoy this beer ‘bigly.’ ”

Although drinking a beer named Donald may seem hard to swallow for some, we assure you that this brew is incredibly flavorful and deliciously hoppy, while remaining pleasantly drinkable.

This beer is currently available to try on tap at Fall Brewing Company. Get it while it’s cold!

4542 30th St., North Park. fallbrewing.com