In the Lagging Eugene Beer Scene, Alesong Put Itself on the Map with its Gin-Barrel-Aged IPA

Gin Hop Farm from Eugene's Alesong captures grapefruit and blood orange notes, along with piney juniper and like oak flavor.

Gin-barrel-aged IPA is one of those great brewing ideas that never seems to work out as well as it should. It makes a lot of sense to pair the flavors of hops with juniper and get a bottle-ready answer to the classic greyhound cocktail. Then again, most lose the fresh-hop flavors we love in IPAs.

Well, Eugene's Alesong threaded the needle. In Gin Hop Farm, a super-limited release we tasted at Roscoe's last week, Alesong has managed to capture the full force of the grapefruit and blood orange notes in Pacifica hops, along with the piney juniper and light oak flavor of freshly emptied Ransom Old Tom gin barrels. The result was a rounded blend of earthy and sweet that presented intrigue in every sip.

In the lagging Eugene beer scene, Alesong has quickly put itself on the map by winning a gold medal at this year's Great American Beer Festival with a beer called Touch of Brett. This one is even better, if you can believe it. Recommended.

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