Alpine Beer Company Duet, a 7% ABV West Coast IPA
| Appearance | Bright orangish yellow with fluffy white head. |
| Aroma | Hop dominated aroma with floral, citrus, and pine notes. |
| Taste | Bright, bitter hop punch balanced by toasted malt. |
| Mouthfeel | Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. |
| Overall | Truly balanced. Hops and malts singing in harmony. |
Alpine Beer Company was founded in 1999 by Pat and Val McIlhenney as a small brewery with humble aspirations. In the beginning, Alpine contracted with AleSmith Brewing Company for their award winning McIlhenny’s Irish Red. Both Mandarin Nectar and Pure Hoppiness were released soon after.
In the fall of 2002, Alpine opened their family owned brewery in their hometown of Alpine in the eastern part of San Diego County. By late 2008, the brewery began expanding, adding four double sized fermenters, a cold box, and a bottling machine.
Alpine’s 36 seat pub opened in 2010 at the opposite end of the same building. In June 2015, the pub moved to the Alpine Creek Shopping Center offering 180 seats with a dog friendly patio, two bars (one inside and one outside), and a barbeque themed menu.
In 2014, Alpine Beer Company and Green Flash Brewing Company announced a partnership. The official agreement was signed in November 2014, and the two breweries called the relationship “mutually beneficial.”
Each brewery continues to operate independently with two distinct brands. Pat McIlhenney continues to work as Alpine’s President and Brewmaster, and Alpine beers are brewed at both the Alpine and Green Flash brewery locations.
Green Flash began brewing Alpine beers in November 2013 after a “handshake agreement,” allowing Alpine to expanded availability of their beers. Alpine’s brewery is capable of producing only 1,500 barrels annually, and most of that beer is served at Alpine’s pub. With the partnership, Alpine was able to double their production to 3,000 barrels in 2014.
Alpine is known for their take on deliciously hoppy beers. Duet is a West Coast IPA. It is Alpine’s original single IPA made with Simcoe and Amarillo hops “in harmony.”
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