My latest article for The Bulletin came out last week, and because it was the one before Christmas I wrote about Mele Kalikimaka Double IPA from Sunriver Brewing, because it’s a really solid DIPA and I really like the name—and I’m a sucker for Christmas-themed beers this time of year, of course!

Not all Christmas beers are spiced, however, or even dark and malty, and Sunriver Brewing Company’s Mele Kalikimaka Double IPA is a great example. Sunriver brews it with hops known for intensely fruity and juicy characteristics for a Hawaiian-inspired tropical IPA experience.

“We wanted to make a non-traditional Christmas beer and thought a tropical-themed double IPA was a good fit,” said Brett Thomas, director of brewery operations, via email. “We wanted something distinctly different than our other winter brew, Shred Head.”

Thomas notes that he was a child of the 1980s and found inspiration for the beer from a 1989 John Hughes-penned film. “Inspiration can come from odd places,” Thomas said. “For this beer, it came from a scene in the movie ‘Christmas Vacation.’ Clark Griswold is fantasizing about his future pool while Bing Crosby’s ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ is playing in the background — 80’s Americana at its finest. The concept just sort of emerged from that.”

Read the full article for my review; it’s a good beer and a proper double IPA experience. Pick some up in time for Christmas to complement your holiday beer list!