Little Thistle Double Elbow Alpine Pils 4pk Can

This beer started a long time ago, as one of those "name first, beer second" collaborations with brewer friends. Unexpectedly, that beer ended up being one of the most poignant and satisfying beer projects of my career to date. It became an annual ritual that involved outdoor time, friends I don't see often any more, and potent reminders of why this industry keeps a hold on me despite the absolute wringer it's become over the last six or seven (or eight?) years. It won a GABF medal, even.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the rebirth of Stranger in the Alps (look it up if you have no clue what I'm rambling about) - Double Elbow Alpine Pils. I stripped it down a bit this year - no additional anything beyond spruce tips - leaned into the "pine sol" element with the addition of some really choice Chinook from Oregon, and dropped the fermentation temps down to truly alpine zone levels.

The brief with this beer has always been to encapsulate what a lungful of mountain air feels like in a glass. I'm not sure that's even possible, but I feel like at the very least I can say that this is the sort of beer some weird Alpine dude wearing all leather and a funny felt hat might deem worthy of lugging up a ridiculously steep mountainside to drink in the sunshine, up there closer to space where the air smells pristine and the beer tastes even crispier.

Details

Alpine Pils - 4.7% ABV, 35 IBU

Malt: Troubadour Pevec (CO)
Hops: Lorien, Chinook (OR)
Yeast: 3470
Other: Spruce Tips