For followers of the craft beer movement, at least those in the Pacific Northwest, summer starts when a certain beer is released. That beer is the 3-Way IPA, an iconic collaboration that takes place every late spring. Perhaps coolest, the India Pale Ale is made with the help of two new breweries each year.
This year’s Fort George offering is a stellar west coast IPA made with Shred Beer Co. in California and Uprise Brewing in Washington. The ultimate west coast brewery collab, the beer comes in a cool pink can and is available throughout the Pacific Northwest, in can and draft form. Since the first 3-Way IPA drop back in 2013, no two recipes (nor collaborations) have been exactly the same.
The beer comes in at 7.1% ABV and is made with a sizable hop bill. Balanced and refreshing, it possesses a nice amount of both fruit and pine. It finishes clean and will serve as a nice option for summer barbecues and cooler-fills.
Akin to Pliny the Elder, the 3-Way IPA series is a cult classic. Beer heads wait all year for the release and it often sells out. Lately, various versions of the annual beer have been experimented with too, showing up as alternate takes on tap lists in bars across the region.
It’s a great tradition within the industry and one that unofficially kicks of the summer season in places like Portland, Seattle, and Spokane. This year’s take in yet another success, shining some light on two up-and-coming breweries as well. For those who don’t know, Fort George got its start back in 2007 and is based in beautiful Astoria, Oregon.
