An established cornerstone of brewing in Washington state, Snoqualmie Brewery rarely steps outside of the confines of its respected and loved line-up of beers.

Which is why we really perked up when we heard about this sun-kissed limited summer release.

Sunny Si IPA is a summertime dream: a Citra-twist on Snoqualmie’s tried and true Wildcat IPA. Citra hops are known for their strong tropical and citrus flavors. A surge in recent popularity means Citra is highly sought after, but extremely difficult to come by. So when head brewer Rande Reed had the chance to snap some up, he pounced.

Using the exceptionally rated Wildcat IPA base, tangerine laced Citra is layered in for flavor and aroma. This seemingly small change transformed the recipe, folding papaya and lychee over a Northwest IPA base of bitter.

Wildcat is a balance of boldly-bitter Columbus hops, butting heads against a formidable malt profile. Sunny Si’s Citra-kiss is enhanced by the subtle lemon qualities of Columbus. Bitter up front, Sunny Si finishes with the expected rind and mango notes which makes Citra so prized.

Reed brings 30 years of brewing industry experience to this release and Snoqulamie prides itself on consistency of quality. It comes as no surprise therefore, that in Sunny Si IPA, a treasured hop is deployed with a sunshine brilliance.