Neiburg: Coconut IPAs? Why not? The new summer craze

Jeff Neiburg
The Daily Times
Coconut has found its way into summer-themed beers.

Let’s get this out of the way first before I ramble on: I’m very anti-coconut. I just don’t really like the flavor and never have. Part of me thinks my mom always orders coconut shrimp because she knows I’ll leave her plate alone.

But I’m a big proponent of innovation, especially when it comes to food and drink. So coconut summer India pale ales? I’ll at least try it.

Yes, coconut and beer is a now a summertime marriage going on in the beer industry after before being typically reserved for wintertime celebrations in dark stouts and porters.

It was only a matter of time, really.

Craft breweries around the globe have been creatively blending tropical flavors and aromas to create very drinkable IPAs and sours for a while now. And since it’s hard to go to any tropical or tiki-themed bar and not see coconut all over the menu, it only makes sense that coconut makes its way into those warm-weather brews.

Despite my history with coconut, I’m happy to see this trend if only to celebrate a different option to Malibu coconut rum daiquiris and other tired tricks in the coconut-themed section of the drink menu.

And even better, unlike a lot of coconut-flavored beverage items, the real ingredients are being used and shining through. Brewers are finding that using the flavor and aroma of real coconut is the way to go instead of using extract.

Coconut beers have popped up, according to a recent article in Draft Mag, all over the country in places like Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Columbus and Denver.

One of the first well-known and widely-available coconut IPAs, the article states, was the 2013 R&R IPA from Stone Brewing in Escondido, California. The brewery collaborated with home brewers Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan. Masterson is now the brewmaster at Resident Brewing in San Diego. His Vacation coconut IPA is available year-round.

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While coconut summer beers may be new to most, Delmarva residents may remember a local brewery releasing a coconut beer not long ago.

Dogfish Head Brewery was founded on the principle of being off-centered. So it's no surprise the brewery had a 2011 limited summer release called Coco Loco, a blondish ale brewed with coconut water, lemon zest and toasted coconut.

And it should be no shock that as the coconut craze picks up steam around the beer world in the form of IPAs, Dogfish is inserting itself with another coconut beer.

Launching July 7, Dogfish Head brewery will bring together toasted coconut, experimental hops and dehydrated coconut water to form the Lupu-Luau coconut IPA.

Dogfish Head's coconut IPA.

The brewery is rolling out the new brew with a two-location luau launch party at its Milton brewery and tasting room as well as Dogfish Brewing and Eats pub on Rehoboth Avenue.

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In Milton, the coconut IPA will be on Randall from 4:30-7 p.m. and the food truck will be offering a pulled pork Hawaiian special along with a Hawaiian fruit salad.

Down on Rehoboth Avenue, the party goes a little longer (4:30-11:30 p.m.). Lupu-Luau will be tapped and served with Hawaiian-themed pizzas and desserts. 

As far as first tastes go for me? That’s probably a good place to start. So, fellow coconut haters, if you see me there at the pub next Friday, let’s clink glasses and branch out.