Cryo Pop™ hops seems to be the hottest (or… coolest) new product to come out of Yakima Chief Hops, essentially an extension of the company’s Cryo Hops wherein specially-analyzed blends of these hops provide a maximum fruit aroma impact. Here in Bend, Bevel Craft Brewing used them in its single hop IPA series and currently has Hop Tour Series: Cryo Pop™ on tap.

And Offshoot Beer Company, a subsidiary (or “offshoot” if you will) of The Bruery, just released a new hazy IPA using the blend—Pathways Hazy IPA. Offshoot sent me a sample of the beers to accompany the press release, which is below:

Come join Offshoot Beer Co. on the path less taken with their newest seasonal: Pathways Experimental Hazy IPA. Bursting with tropical, citrus, and stone fruit aromas, this trailblazing Hazy IPA is hitting shelves across the country now.

The path to innovation is best travelled with friends — Offshoot partnered with friends at Yakima Chief Hops in Washington to use their experimental Cryo Pop™ hops. Working closely with their R&D team, Offshoot developed this 7% ABV Hazy IPA bursting with aromas of peach skin, creamy citrus, ripe pineapple, and fresh coconut that pours a perfectly hazy orange. The flavors follow suit with a hops-and-yeast based tropical medley of piña colada, orange peel, tangerine, grapefruit, and just a hint of freshly-cut grass.

What exactly are Cryo Pop™ hops? In 2017, Yakima Chief Hops launched their innovative line of Cryo Hops™ — a hop-processing technology that separates whole hop cones into two components —the bracht (the leafy outer portion of the hop) from the concentrated lupulin (the interior resins and oils). The concentrated lupulin pellets provide maximum aroma impact, hence the POP in Cryo Pop™, which in the case of this blend gives citrus, tropical notes, and sweet aromatics.

Stefan Weber, Production Manager for The Bruery and Offshoot Beer Co., says “Pathways was brewed with wheat and rolled oats for a soft, creamy mouthfeel. The Cryo method removes a lot of the vegetal characteristics from the hops, leaving us with a fruit-forward beer that packs a citrus punch. We had a lot of fun getting to play around with this unique blend; we brewed about 4 beers with these hops on our pilot system before dialing in the perfect recipe for Pathways”. Pathways is the perfect beer for sharing with friends, Weber notes “I have a camping trip planned for this weekend and the first thing I’m packing is a couple of 4-packs of this for my cooler”.

Pathways will be available in 16oz 4-packs across Offshoot’s distribution footprint this Fall as a seasonal release. For more information about where you can find these SoCal hoppy beers near you, head to https://www.thebruery.com/pages/offshoot-find.

About The Bruery and Offshoot Beer Co.

The Bruery is an adventurous craft brewery located in Orange County, CA. With over a decade of experience, The Bruery team is known for innovative, taste-forward beers that push the boundaries of what beer can be. The Bruery also runs several beer clubs, including The Preservation Society®, The Reserve Society®, and The Hoarders Society®.

Offshoot Beer Co. is exactly that, an offshoot of The Bruery that focuses on hop-forward beers for fans craving fresh, fun styles that make it easy to Relax, with a fun California coastal flair. Their latest addition joins four other beers in national distribution, including Relax (It’s Just a Hazy IPA), Retreat (This is a Double Hazy IPA), Unwind (You’ve Earned This Hoppy Pils), and Escape (It’s Your Everyday West Coast IPA).

This will be the first beer I’ll have tried with this new hop blend (as far as I know), so I am definitely curious. Report soon.