Days of the Beer, February 25

The beer for today is Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA.

On February 25, 1752, John Graves Simcoe was born. He was the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1796. The area covered most of modern day southern Ontaria. He found York, which was renamed Toronto. He ended slavery in 1810 in Upper Canada, 24 years before it was abolished throughout the British Empire.

He maintained peace between the US and Britain during a brief war between Britain and France in 1793, since the US was sympathetic to France after it helped during the Revolutionary War.

As to the beer:

The first in a new series of single hop IPA's from Mikkeller. Brewed with Simcoe, known for many great US micro-brews. An extremely fresh-hopped IPA.

Ingredients :
Water, malts (pilsner, cara-crystal and munich), hops (simcoe) and yeast.

Simcoe is 6.9% ABV.

The hop itself is a dual purpose hop, used for both bittering and aroma.

Simcoe® is a bittering/Aroma type cultivar bred by Yakima Chief Ranches first released in 2000. Simcoe is a unique American hybrid. Although it is primarily a bittering hop, it’s clean, pine-like aroma and a taste with a slight hint of citrus. It is less astringent than other pine-like hops and has been highly sought after to make distinctive and unique Pale Ales and American Ales. Simcoe’s flavor is believed superior due to low cohumulone levels. Alpha acids range from 12 -14%.

The high alpha acids mean that it will impart huge (technical) bitterness to the beer. Usually, an IPA will have a strong malt backbone to hold up to the high IBU level, which will give balance to the beer.

So, for John Graves Simcoe, have a Simcoe IPA.

(I'm not sure if the hops are named after him, but I don't see why it wouldn't be)