Hophead Imperial IPA has long been a classic, award-winning DIPA from Bend Brewing Company, first winning a gold medal at the 2006 GABF. Created by Tonya Cornett, it was her first GABF medal since starting at BBC in 2002. It remains a world-class beer, a solidly bitter IPA full of grapefruit and resiny goodness that comes in at 8.5% ABV and 100 IBUs.

Even so, like all beers, Hophead has evolved over the years, recipe tweaks designed to accommodate seasonal changes in malt and hops and of course just plain tinkering. BBC’s current head brewer Zach Beckwith is part of that tradition and has revamped the recipe, in preparation for Hophead’s launch into new 16-ounce cans.

Here are details from the press release:

Bend Brewing Company is excited to announce the launch of the newly revamped version of Hophead Imperial IPA in 16 oz cans. This revamped iteration of BBC’s seminal Imperial IPA modernizes the classic with a renewed focus on intense hop flavor and increased drinkability over bracing bitterness. Still loaded with copious amounts of our favorite hops including Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, Amarillo and Simcoe, Hophead embraces the idea that we can respect the past while looking to the future.

“Hophead is one of the beers that is synonymous with Bend Brewing Company. Like all beers it has shifted over the years but we felt the time was right to modernize it while still maintaining the soul of the original,” says Head Brewer Zach Beckwith.

Cans will be available starting Friday May 1st at BBC’s downtown Bend brewpub located at 1019 NW Brooks Street and will see distribution through Bigfoot Beverages and Running Man Distribution.

On Saturday May 2 join Head Brewer Zach Beckwith for the Oregon Brewers Guild’s Stay Home Drink Beer Virtual Beer Festival as he discusses the evolution of Hophead Imperial IPA through the years and gives an in depth tour of BBC’s 25 year old upstairs brewery.

Keep an eye out for this one, it’s a tasty brew.