Undistributed beer of the week: El Dorado

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...

Alpine Beer Company: Singled Out - El Dorado

Style: American IPA

ABV: 6%

Pair with: figs or goat cheese

The nose on this beer is big and full of tropical aromas. The taste is light and hoppy, maintaining a nice balance akin to a lager in its drinkability, rather than a strong, hop-forward brew. The taste is all cantaloupe and melon, thanks to the El Dorado hops. This brew also boasts a barely-there, simple malt bill that compliments the hops perfectly.

THE STORY:

This beer comes to us from Shawn McIlhenney, head brewer at Alpine Beer Co. The tasty brew is part of a series called “Singled Out,” which focuses on one single hop variety in a beer to showcase the unique flavor that each distinct type can bring out in a beer.

The hops variety used in this brew is El Dorado, which lends itself to a particularly melon-y, tropical fruit taste with a smooth, oily texture. It originated in Washington state and is now widely used throughout breweries across the country.

The aroma of this beer matches the taste, exhibiting notes of mango and melon with a hoppy nose. It’s ideal for summer as it is light, a bit fruity and incredibly refreshing.

Some of the other variations of the single hop series include: Idaho 7, Cirtra, Azacca, Mosaic and Galaxy. It’s a great way to get to know your hop flavors without having to pick apart a beer. A single hop brew is also a nice way to experience the flavors that can be derived without the use of any additional fruits or flavorings. The El Dorado is our favorite of Alpine’s single hop series thus far.

This beer is currently available to try on tap.

Alpine Beer Company, 2363 Alpine Blvd., Alpine. alpinebeerco.com

Source: DiscoverSD