It's #FloridaBeerFriday. Every Friday, we take a look at a beer brewed in the Sunshine State, giving analysis to the burgeoning craft beer movement of Florida.
If there were ever a beer to blur the lines between what the modern American pale ale is, and the IPA, it could very well be the El Dorado Pale Ale from Miami's Wynwood Brewing Company.
Now, don't take this as a rip towards the beer: it's more of a statement as to how closely related these two beer styles are, and the gray areas that arise when looking into very modern hop varietals. So how do these blurred lines translate to this beer?
The El Dorado Pale Ale is a limited release beer from the brewery, which, as you can guess, features the El Dorado hop as its hop-du-jour. Used throughout the boil, and in a week's worth of dry hopping, this brew showcases the power of the proprietary and recently developed hop varietal.
The hop was released in 2010 by CLS Farms in Moxee, Washingon. It is considered a dual purpose hop, coming in at between 14-16% alpha acid (a general measure of bittering power), and is supposed to bring tropical fruit flavors to the table.
Does it work as intended? The crystal clear orange colored beer comes out with a thick, off-white head. Lacing clings to glass fairly thickly. The aroma is heavy on grass clippings and watermelon rind, but with a mild sweetness. On the palate, the beer is moderate in both mouthfeel and carbonation, and has a mild biscuit grit to it; a little toasty. As it warms, the hop aroma releases itself even more, really showcasing the dry hopping. Tons of sweet fruit comes out. The drink finishes off with a mild bitterness. It's never too much of the bitterness; the mildly high alcohol content of 7.3% knocks it into submission.
As the brewery describes, this beer is "perfect for a day out on the boat fishing or playing some golf. Instead of making all big, high gravity beers during winter, we wanted to make a lighter brew with great flavor and aroma for the Miami weather."
Wynwood Brewing Company is Miami's first craft production brewery right smack in the Wynwood Art District. Opened in 2013, they are family owned and operate a 15-barrel brewhouse that produces a year-round blond ale, IPA, and porter.
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Doug Fairall is a craft beer blogger who focuses on Florida beers, and has been a homebrewer since 2010. For beer things in your Twitter feed, follow him @DougFairall and find the latest beer pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.
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