Ale Asylum - High Coup

Pouring a golden copper color with a big cap of fluffy foam that lasts and lasts, High Coup issued forth bold hoppy aromas as soon as we popped the cap. We picked up notes of tropical fruits, fresh-cut melon, touches of pine, and hints of citrus. On the palate, this brew comes across extremely resinous, a sensation amplified by the huge 85 IBU of hop bitterness. Look for a mix of sharp citrus zest, herbal pine-like and even cannabinoid notes, and juicy tropical fruits atop a strong pale malt backbone. Medium-bodied, this IPA delivers juicy and bitter hops from the start to the finish, which lingers long with an herbal impression. For food pairings, we've got to go with something bold enough to be able to stand up to the huge IBUs. Dishes invoking horseradish, wasabi, or mustard are possibilities, as are well-spiced Indian dishes. We particularly like Mexican dishes with heat and fat, such as spicy carnitas enchiladas covered in cheese, as the beer can stand up to the heat while cutting through fat like a champ. Cheers!

Madison, Wisconsin's Ale Asylum got its start back in 2006 when partners Dean Coffey, Otto Dilba, and Otto's wife, Hathaway, began brewing in a small industrial park location. Dean and Otto met while working together at the now closed Angelic brewpub in downtown Madison. Dean dreamt of being able to brew on a larger scale than what the brewpub could offer, and to bottle his beer and sell it at retail. Dean was ready to build a business and use his marketing skills to grow it. When Angelic decided to quit brewing to focus solely on being a bar, the time was right—Ale Asylum was founded, using Angelic's cast-off brewing system.

Fast forward to 2012. Ale Asylum had grown too big for their small 8,000 sq. ft. facility, so they built a brand new 45,000 sq. ft. brewery on a 4.5-acre plot of land that provides them plenty of room to expand in the future. Their old 13-barrel brewing system was replaced by a 33-barrel system, and a much larger bottling line was purchased from Atlanta's SweetWater Brewing Company that enables them to produce up to 277 bottles per minute, as opposed to the old line's 70. In addition, visitors to the brewery can enjoy a variety of brews and pub-style food in Ale Asylum's large Tasting Room and outdoor patio. In December of 2014, Ale Asylum, in partnership with restaurateur Tim Thompson, opened the Ale Asylum Riverhouse in downtown Milwaukee, so now "inmates" (as the Ale Asylum team likes to call their fans) in Wisconsin's largest city and beer haven have an Asylum all their own. The brewery currently produces seven core beers plus around two dozen rotating seasonals and limited-run beers. For more info, call 608-663-3926 or visit aleasylum.com.