Bout time-Abita to release Wrought Iron IPA

[Beer-lord]

I like Abita but they cater to the masses. Ok, that's where the money is and they make it. But, I've been telling anyone who listens that they should get a good IPA going. So, in keeping with 'keeping it local' with their names and nomenclature, they will do a Wrought Iron IPA.
Wrought Iron is big in our area but mostly from the past. There are companies that started in the 1800's still in business that do fence, doors, etc. in wrought iron so I guess they are stretching a bit but if the beer is good, who cares.

Abita Brewing Wrought Iron IPA
Abita Brewing plans to release its Wrought Iron IPA this fall. (Abita Brewing)


Abita Brewing is not known for following the hop-bomb trend in craft beer, but that could change this fall when the Abita Springs-based brewery releases its newest flagship, Wrought Iron IPA, an India pale ale.

The beer, likely to debut in late November, will be decidedly hop-forward, both in aroma and perceived bitterness, said David Blossman, president of Abita Brewing.

The higher-intensity hop presence, as well as the unique flavor profiles of the three hops used, make Wrought Iron IPA stand out from the brewery's other IPAs, which include the flagship Jockamo IPA and the seasonal Spring IPA and Grapefruit Harvest IPA. The Spring IPA is hop-forward in aroma but lower in bitterness and in alcohol by volume (ABV) than the new Wrought Iron IPA, Blossman said.

"There was room in our portfolio for a more hop-forward IPA," he said. "The hop aroma and flavor are going to be considerably higher."

Blossman is secretive about the specific hops used in Wrought Iron IPA, but said the beer incorporates three varieties, including two hops so new that he's fairly sure locals have not yet tasted them. One of the hops was just named within the past year, he said.

"We're still testing them," Blossman said. "We're very excited about it."
Wrought Iron IPA, with an ABV of 6.9 percent, also will differ from the other flagship IPA in color, with a pale color due to the pale malts used as opposed to the redder Jockamo IPA.

Abita's new brew house, an addition that went into use about three months ago, plays a significant role in creating the hoppy new beer.

Abita Brewing designed the new facility, attached to the brewery's site built in the early 2000s, in a way that creates more flexibility in brewing, allowing for more experimentation and, notably, more layering of hops throughout the brewing process, Blossman said.

When asked if the new IPA signals a new direction for Abita Brewing, Blossman responded that the brewery has long gravitated toward experimentation, citing the Harvest Series as an example.

"We love trying new things," he said. "It's just an extension of that."

Wrought Iron IPA features a bold black label that nearly growls with ferocity, along with a namesake that symbolizes local culture and, specifically, the iron will of New Orleans.

"It really embodies the spirit of New Orleans, our strength and our resilience," Blossman said.