Watch out folks! Here’s a beer that’ll have you in the camel clutch faster than you can say “El Lupulo Libre!” Which is, actually, the name of the beer. El Lupulo Libre (which means, I think, the free hops or something like that) is a double IPA from Strongville, Ohio’s Brew Kettle Production works. It’s stronger than a Mexican wrestler, too, as you’ll see if you’re lucky enough to come across a bottle.
I didn’t come across a bottle myself, I got one in a beer trade from good old Dave Coulter, the Beer Professor. This isn’t the first Brew Kettle beer I’ve got from Dave, far from it in fact, and every beer I’ve ahd from this brewery/smokehouse has really impressed me. This isn’t even the first double IPA I’ve had from The Brew Kettle; that would be Old 21. But hey, every brewer makes 27 IPAs these days.
From the label:
Light amber-hued hop monster brewed with Mosaic and other American hop varieties. Vienna malt and flaked corn gives El Lupulo Libre’s smooth malt flavor but a lighter body for a WAY hop forward brew.
The Brew Kettle El Lupulo Libre has an alcohol content of 8.8% by volume with 88 IBUs. How do you like that?
The Brew Kettle El Lupulo Libre! pours to a burnt orange color with a medium sized head of creamy foam and a robust nose of tropical fruit. Taking a sip, the beer has medium caramel malt and slightly toasty malt at first followed by thick waves of tropical fruity passion fruit and melons from the Mosaics. The beer finishes bitter with grassy herbal hops; indeed its long and dry and bitter and makes you want more.
I was impressed by the excellent interplay between fruit and grassy hops with a bit of succulent malt thrown in for good measure. The Brew Kettle’s El Lupulo Libre will leave you in the Chickenwing crossface hold and, come to think of it, it’s vibrant hop character would go just as well with a plate of spicy chicken wings, too.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler