When Life Gives You Lemons...

A few months back we did an experimental batch of a big hoppy dry IPA we called DFH Ale. We've sold it in and around our immediate home turf and we've all loved that beer (and so did many of you judging from the emails). Drier than 90 Minute IPA and with explosive hop aromas. We've also recently been playing around with whole dried orange slices in our Namaste. Usually wheat whites are brewed with just the peel but these chunks of dried actual fruit flesh really turns us on. So, we found out the company we get the oranges from also does supernatural chunks of lemons. We like the way the lemon flesh compliments the citrus notes of centennial hops and we have a very special music-related project for which we think the lemons, centennial hops and the DFH Ale dna will create the perfect crossroad of awesomeness - so we're putting all three together. Today we do the test batch here at the Rehoboth brewpub and in May we hope to launch big bottles in full distribution.

Here are Bryan & I prepping the dried lemons (don't worry, none of these actual lemons made it into the beer)...

Meanwhile... Also here at the Rehoboth Brewpub/Distillery today - dueling manways! Within moments of each other both Bryan and Distiller Alison are playing with their manways. In the brewhouse the wort is now running in to the kettle.

Up in the distillery, Alison adds Cascade hops along with sacks of fresh cucumbers, juniper berries, and other botanicals to distill a run of Dogfish Jin. This manway, or 'womynway' as Alison likes to call it, was recently installed on our pot still and works magically. (See more on the recent Frankenstill upgrades on my bride's blog)

Til next time - cheers.

Wait - it's already next time!!!End of brew day update:

Just has a sneak taste of this years Aprihop straight from the bright tank and it is tasting swell!! Should be packaged in a couple weeks then heading out for distribution in late Feb to hit shelves early March. It works perfectly with chef Dennis' crab claws and cocoa-cocktail sauce concoction. Plus we nailed our target gravity for the super hoppy lemonrific beer we just brewed. A great end to a great day.