Elevated IPA

La Cumbre Brewing Co.

Albuquerque, NM

Elevated IPA is a labor of love for brewer Jeff Erway. “For over a decade, it has been my life’s work to please my wife (Laura), and I have attempted to accomplish that through her love of IPAs,” he said. The beer is brewed with seven hop varieties from the United States, South Africa and New Zealand.

ABV: 7.2

ABW: 5.7

COLOR: 9

BITTERNESS: 100

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1068

AVAILABLE: NM

Gorgeous bright golden color is topped with a handsome head of brilliant bubbles. To say that the nose is hoppy, even medicinal in a nice way, is an understatement. The hops play a sprightly game of yin and yang with the round, breadlike barley malt. In the back of the palate, the beer is sweet and satisfying. Mouthfeel is clean and rewarding, particularly with food. We couldn’t resist pairing it with vegetarian chili, chili rellenos and green enchiladas, all great choices that elevated the beer and food to greater heights.
- Charles Finkel

Pffoooph. Within a millisecond of cracking the seal, the fine-tuned aromas of American hops are deployed and at your senses. It’s immediate and seems a hallucination (a good one). It’s a hop aroma bomb. Herbal, spicy, citrus, earthy hop flavors burst upon the palate, followed by an onslaught of malt sweetness quick to succumb to a punctuating hop bitterness, pleasantly lingering. The best thing about taking the first and second sips is that there’s much more in my glass. There’s good reason to be both elated and elevated.
- Charlie Papazian

Charles Finkel
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.

Charlie Papazian
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and National Beer Examiner at examiner.com. Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.