The story of Drifter’s origins dates back to the innovative “W Series,” Widmer Brothers’ yearly experimental series of the mid-2000s. When the Widmer Brothers brewing team first started brewing with Summit hops as part of the series, they created a pale dubbed Brewmasters’ Pale that won a silver medal in the American-Style Pale Ale Category of the 2006 Great American Beer Festival (GABF). At the time, popular examples of the pale ale style were brewed primarily with Cascade hops, but “Brewmasters’ Pale” showcased Summit hops, a relatively new hop varietal at the time known for delicate undertones of tangerine, mandarin orange and grapefruit.
In 2009, the beer originally known as Brewmasters’ Pale, joined the year-round lineup as Drifter Pale Ale – fast becoming a favorite and one of Widmer Brothers’ most popular beers from Oregon to Florida.
“Like Widmer Brothers, Drifter has quite the tale of experimentation and innovation,” said brewer Joe Casey, who helped develop the original version of Drifter Pale Ale. “Rob and Kurt always push the boundaries of beer, and often zigged when others zagged. That was also the case here with the use of Summit hops and Drifter,” he added.
Despite its popularity, Widmer Brothers retired the beer in 2013 to pave the way for Alchemy Pale Ale, but fans made their voices heard in the ensuing years about their love of Drifter, and now Widmer Brothers is answering that demand by bring Drifter Pale Ale back as its new summer seasonal.
“We really felt that Drifter was unlike any other pale ale when it was first released,” said founder Rob Widmer. “The beer perfectly balances Summit’s unique hop profile that beer drinkers love without the lingering bitterness,” he added.
“When we first talked about bringing this beer back, we wanted to remain true to the original’s signature hop qualities,” said Tom Bleigh, Widmer Brothers’ innovation brewmaster. “The result is a smooth, citrusy pale ale with the signature Drifter hop profile using those distinctive Summit hops – something Drifter fans will immediately recognize.”
Drifter Pale Ale Stats:
Drifter Pale Ale, a fan favorite since its first inception in 2007, started as an experimental beer that grew to become one of Widmer Brothers’ most popular beers. After a three years hiatus, Widmer Brothers brought back Drifter with the same signature Summit hops, resulting in a citrusy, easy-drinking pale ale.
MALTS: 2-row pale and caramel
HOPS: Summit, Alchemy, Nelson Sauvin, Chinook
OG: 14 P
AE: 3.2 P
ABV: 5.6%
Color: 20 SRM
IBU: 50
0 comments (click to read or post):
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment...I do moderate each comment so it may not appear immediately...and please be nice! You can also comment using Disqus (below) or even comment directly on Facebook (bottom).