Reviews of beers from Hopworks Urban Brewery! HUB sent me samples of Pig War Hazy IPA and Beestly Organic Honey Porter, a hoppy seasonal and a new year-round beer, respectively. Both of these are good, well-brewed beers and worth the time to seek out. Let’s get down to it.

Pig War Hazy IPA

Pig War returned in its new incarnation as a hazy IPA for HUB’s April seasonal. Originally it was a strong “NW style ale” before being retooled as Pig War San Juan IPA, brewed with hops from the San Juan Islands. It returned after that as Pig War White IPA, with wheat from the San Juans, and finally sees 2021 as a hazy. The beer is named for a conflict between the British and the U.S. in the San Juan Islands, the Pig War:

The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between the United States and the United Kingdom over the British–U.S. border in the San Juan Islands, between Vancouver Island (present-day Canada) and the State of Washington. The Pig War, so called because it was triggered by the shooting of a pig, is also called the Pig Episode, the Pig and Potato War, the San Juan Boundary Dispute and the Northwestern Boundary Dispute. Despite being referred to as a war, there were no casualties on either side, other than the pig.

This Hazy IPA version still has plenty of provenance from the White IPA incarnation, brewed with wheat and unmalted wheat, and I definitely got the impression while drinking it that it resembled a white IPA or hoppy wheat ale than a standard hazy. Hops are Chinook, Citra, and Mosaic. The beer is 6% ABV with 60 IBUs, and Hopworks’ description reads:

A Hopworks’ fan favorite, Pig War returns with its rich, biscuity malt character and signature haze. Northwest hops add layers of fruity, floral flavor and crisp bitterness. A truly refreshing twist on a tried and true favorite.

Appearance: Apricot colored and opaquely hazy. Fluffy, lacy white head.

Smell: Fruity with stone fruit and light POG juice, with a savory note of carrot greens and a big wheat presence that’s somehow “fluffy” (creamy? raw?) and grassy.

Taste: Apricot and peach, but soft and mellow without any tartness, a savory greens flavor like sweet pea shoots or other microgreens. Lightly bitter and a fair amount of wheat here in the flavor too, which adds a pancake-like doughy/breadiness to the taste. Grassy hops that the mellow fruitiness balances well.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and pillowy, fluffy, with an almost creamy texture.

Overall: Quite good, much more of a hoppy wheat (weizen) than most hazy IPAs I’ve had.

Beestly Organic Honey Porter

I’ll get right to it: Beestly is frankly one of the best new beers I’ve had this year. It might be the addition of honey from GloryBee in Eugene, but all around it’s just a really well-constructed beer. HUB says:

An organic, robust American Porter that exudes clover and honey aromas with delicate notes of caramel and a light, roasty finish. Save the bee!

And about the honey:

The porter is brewed with organic honey from GloryBee in Eugene, Ore., and displays its Save The Bee program label, promoting funding for scientific research to enhance colony health and increase awareness of the role honey bees play in a healthy food supply.

It’s 6% ABV with 24 IBUs, and brewed with a grain bill consisting of organic 2-row, organic C60, organic Vienna, organic melanoidin, organic chocolate, and organic Carafa malts. Straightforward hop bill of Cascade and Fuggle, both organic as well.

Appearance: Deep brown with amber-garnet ruddy edges; a rich tan head that’s fluffy with great lace, and it doesn’t quit—lasts throughout.

Smell: Rich with light roast and a hint of chocolate, and even a bit of cola. Delicate sweet syrup/honey notes with some floral esters and light nuttiness. Restrained but mouth-watering.

Taste: Wow—this is chocolatey and sweet without cloying, rich with honey-roasted coffee yet it’s perfectly balanced with easy, roasty malts, mildly earthy hops, and a deep dark line of “char” running through the back, almost smoky. Incredibly drinkable with a more-ish quality that keeps you sipping.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, creamy, smooth, roasty, and rich finish.

Overall: It’s a perfect porter, period. (Okay it’s hard to say “perfect” anything but I couldn’t resist the alliteration. But this is a great example of the style.)