DRINK IT DOWN: Wolf Among Weeds Double IPA by Golden Road Brewing
Big Bad Wolf
Beer: Wolf Among Weeds
Brewer: Golden Road Brewing
Style: American Imperial/Double IPA
ABV: 8.00%
Description: Wolf Among Weeds pours a beautifully clear golden hue with a bright white head that leaves a wispy lacing on the glass. The aroma is decidedly hop forward, with a strong dank quality making a strong impression as a West Coast-style IPA. Strong spicy and earthy hop notes lead the way, with grassy aromas dominating throughout and touches of citrus fruit and biscuit malts. Wolf Among Weeds is certainly a West Coast IPA and, after one sip, there is no doubt about that fact. The hops are aggressive and attack the palate first with earthy, pine, and citrus flavors cascading over the palate, followed by a subtle sweetness of biscuit malts providing balance. The medium body and moderate carbonation give way to a crisp and very dry finish.
Wolf Among Weeds is a West Coast IPA lovers dream and ticks all the right boxes. This is an incredibly refreshing DIPA despite the ABV and is a must-try for all true IPA fans.
Food pairing: Wolf Among Weeds is an aggressive beer that could easily overpower lighter dishes such as salads, but it still has a great balance to play nice with others. Spicier dishes love this hoppy beer. Try pairing with tamales, tostadas, enchiladas, empanadas, and even tacos and burritos for a truly enjoyable meal. The spice factor of the dish does not matter either, as the malt profile can handle anything, so pile the peppers high.
With the freakishly warm weather we have been having, backyard cookouts are still in full swing, and this is the perfect beer to have with any BBQ standards. Wolf Among Weeds is a wonderful match with BBQ chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, and especially spare ribs. The sweetness of the sauce will melt into the beer, and the hops and spices combine for an invigilating experience, with the pine and citrus hop flavors elevating the BBQ sauce.
All beers go great with pizza, but Wolf Among Weeds is one of the best IPAs to have with this traditional Friday night favorite. The bready crust will melt into the light crystal malts, and the hops will bite into any spices in the sauce or toppings. The bone dry finish also will cleanse the palate between bites. Wolf Among Weeds is a true workhorse beer and pairs well with any number of dishes, so feel free to experiment.
The final word: The IPA category is a very interesting one to follow in the craft beer industry. When the craft beer resurgence first began to gain momentum, the biggest competition within the marketplace was between the malt forward East Coast IPA and the decidedly hop forward West Coast IPA. Hopheads clambered to get their hands on West Coast staples such as Pliny the Elder, Sculpin, and Ruination. These beers paved the way for aggressively hopped beers and ushered in a whole new generation of beer lovers.
In today’s market, the IPA category is much more nuanced, with a wide array of takes on the style that have expanded far beyond an East Coast/West Coast rivalry. Now the hot ticket version is the New England IPA, featuring a hazy appearance and juicy quality that is far different from the IPAs we grew up on. However, there is still a demand for well-brewed IPAs in the West Coast style. The aggressive hopping and dry finish are hallmarks for this style, and Wolf Among Weeds is a textbook example. Golden Road Brewing has built a strong reputation on their IPAs, and this beer makes a bold statement for the brewery. It is a beer that any IPA lover will want to get their hands on immediately.
Rating: 
Where can I get it? This beer is just coming back to the market now, so be on the lookout, but it is currently available in 16 oz. cans at Beer Boys (176 N. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre), AV Restaurant (320 Penn Ave., Scranton), and Sabatini’s Bottleshop & Bar (1925 Wyoming Ave., Exeter).
DIY: Another great feature about this delicious DIPA is the ability to brew it yourself without a lot of trial and error while formulating a recipe. That is because the wonderful people at Northern Brewer have a fully ready kit for Wolf Among Weeds already put together. The recipe for the kit comes directly from Golden Road Brewing, so you know it is legit and dead-on to the commercially available beer. It is available in both extract and all-grain versions, so even a novice homebrewer can try it out.
If you want more after trying this beer, brew some yourself or, if you want to try a fun experiment, brew your own and try it side by side with the commercial version. Experimenting has never been so fun or delicious!
