Just an update to my previous post about Porter Beer Syrup. A Widmer Brewing rep dropped off a couple of 6 packs of Upheaval IPA as a tip in the tasting room and we needed the fridge space. So, I took three bottles home and attempted to use the beer syrup process.
The initial result is a lot darker that I would have thought. Upheaval is a pretty dark IPA already but this was almost as dark as the porter before I added the sugar. Flavor has more bitterness than the porter but this is to be expected from the more hoppy IPA. With an IBU of 85 /100 I’m expecting this to be more than a bit bitter even after adding sugar.
After it cooled down I was able to tap a bit and try it with a number of samples. Overall on its own there is a lot of bitter flavor behind the hoppy nature of the IPA.
I took some of the syrup and made a pretty basic old fashioned. I took the opportunity to try out my rejigger and my silipint at the same time. The rejigger is a three chamber cap that simplifies the cocktail process somewhat. In this case I used bourbon in the main chamber, IPA syrup in the second largest and lemon juice in the smallest.
The resulting old fashioned was a little on the strong side given the 2oz of bourbon and I think in retrospect I would have used slightly more syrup and less lemon. Overall the hops from the IPA added some very good flavors to the bourbon. I can see why hopped whiskey is becoming a thing.
Much like the porter cocktails I made the beer syrup adds a lot of complexity that would be tricky to obtain through spices or other flavors. I’m now tempted to try with brandywine, cider or a good pilsner.
Shaker and Spreadsheet 