The reason they call it 90 Minute IPA is because of the unique brewing process that involves continuously adding hops over a period of 90 minutes. This process was developed by Sam Calagione, the founder of Dogfish Head Brewery.
To understand why they call it 90 Minute IPA, we need to delve into the brewing process and the importance of hops in creating a flavorful and aromatic beer. Hops are flowers that are added to beer during the brewing process to provide bitterness, flavor, and aroma. They also act as a natural preservative.
Traditionally, hops are added to the boiling wort (a mixture of malted grains and water) and boiled for a specific amount of time, usually around 60 minutes. This allows the hops to release their essential oils and flavors into the beer. However, Sam Calagione wanted to experiment with a different approach.
Sam believed that by continuously adding hops throughout the entire brewing process, he could create a more intense hop flavor and aroma. He theorized that the longer the hops were in contact with the beer, the more pronounced their impact would be. And so, the continuous hopping process was born.
The first beer to undergo this process was the 90 Minute IPA. Instead of adding all the hops at once during the boiling process, Sam decided to add them gradually over a period of 90 minutes. This allowed for a slow and steady infusion of hop goodness into the beer.
The result was a beer with a bold and complex hop profile. The continuous hopping process extracted a wide range of flavors and aromas from the hops, creating a beer that was rich, aromatic, and full-bodied. The 90 Minute IPA quickly gained popularity among craft beer enthusiasts and became one of Dogfish Head Brewery’s flagship beers.
The name “90 Minute IPA” reflects the length of time it takes to complete the hop addition process during brewing. It distinguishes this beer from other IPAs that may have a shorter hop addition period. The 90-minute timeframe signifies the meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into creating this unique beer.
The 90 Minute IPA is named as such because of the 90-minute continuous hopping process that is used during its brewing. This process allows for a more intense and complex hop flavor and aroma, resulting in a truly exceptional beer.