Reviews are done by Jim Matt, our Chief Science Officer, who is also a veteran FoBAB judge, GABF judge, and BJCP Master judge.

Slow Jam (6.5% | 68 IBU) is our third collaboration with the dudes and dudettes over at Shake It Records in Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood. This brew is dank, with a steady bass line of citrus chords and piney notes.

Malts: 2-row, wheat

Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo

Slow Jam is our third collaboration IPA with Shake It Records. Talk about the collaboration process and what makes this iteration unique. 

We are always wanting to “shake it up,” a bit with Shake It Records. This year’s version uses three hops that are relatively common in our strategic hop reserve, but that we haven’t used together in the past.

Talk about the interplay between those three hops.

Cascade is a very straightforward citrusy/orange hop, and we were able to obtain some very high quality ones during hop selection. Centennial usually comes forward with lime, lime zest and lemony character, and Amarillo has a very grapefruit-forward character.

What are the notable characteristics of this beer?

Very bright, fruity with a lot of citrus complexity.

What gets you excited about this beer?

For an IPA, it is on the lower end of the spectrum as far as alcohol goes and is dangerously drinkable.

Appearance: Yellow with light haze. Moderate white head with medium carbonation.

Aroma: Medium orange, lime, zest and light lemon character. Low piney/resiny notes. Low malt aroma.

Taste: Medium-high upfront bitterness that fades to orange, tangerine and grapefruit. Very dry finish, low fruity esters.

Mouthfeel: Medium light body, low alcohol warmth. Lightly creamy.

Overall: A drinkable, fruity, enjoyable IPA that is great for consuming while listening to your favorite records!

What foods would pair well with Slow Jam? 

Roasted chicken or seared sea bass with mango chutney.

Ideal glassware for Slow Jam?

Regular shaker pint glass works great!