pFriem + OnTap 8th Anniversary West Coast IPA

By the 1790’s the British were established in India and needed beer, which was considered a staple in every household. India, however, presented serious problems for brewers. Hot temperatures, poor water and short supplies of basic ingredients made it impossible to brew beer. Attempts to ship beer out of Britain to Calcutta failed. 

George Hodgson of London produced a pale ale of greater strength and bitterness than those he sold in London. The hops helped protect the beer from spoilage, as did the increased alcohol content. Hodgson’s India Ale arrived in Calcutta in fine shape-clear, strong, and bitter, with a big, resinous hop aroma. The word spread of India Pale Ale and people throughout England and the United States were clamoring for this wonderful new beer. The rage lasted through 1970’s, but lost steam in the 1980’s and became just another name for low alcohol bitters. 

As craft beer has emerged and grown, so has IPA! IPA has helped grow Craft Beer to what it is currently today. There are now many shapes and forms of IPA, but they all share a bright, aromatic hop aroma of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine. Hop flavor coats the tongue and these beers finish with an assertive, but balanced bitterness.     

The story of this West Coast-Style IPA is one of mutual respect, shared standards, and a celebration of one of Central Oregon’s premier craft beer destinations. When OnTap approached their 8th Anniversary, the team at pFriem Family Brewers saw an opportunity to honor a partnership that has become a cornerstone of our presence in the Bend network. As one of our most dedicated on-premise accounts in the state, OnTap has long been a champion of pFriem’s precision-led brewing. When it came time to craft a commemorative beer for this milestone, the directive was clear: create a West Coast IPA that reflects OnTap’s palate while pushing the boundaries of the style.

OnTap’s love for the West Coast style is well-documented, but for their 8th year, they sought a specific profile—a beer that balances old-school "dankness" with modern citrus brightness while still keeping the crisp profile of the style. The hop bill utilized a blend of classic and new-school hop varieties and products including Simcoe, Nectaron and Krush to achieve the desired effect. The result is a beer built on a minimalist malt backbone to ensure a dry, clean finish, allowing the dualities of dank resin and bright citrus to take center stage.