10 Years Gone #5
Ocelot Brewing Company

Concocted with The Veil and Other Half.
The Matts - Matt Tarpey and Matt Monahan - are old pals, and it would be fair to say they’ve made a hazy double IPA or two in their time. In fact, few brewers if any have done more to innovate the style. So, of course, we made a double IPA with them. What else would we make?

We got the idea early on to hop Ten Years Gone #5 exclusively with Freestyle hops, and our Kiwi mates very graciously gave us access to the top-shelf stuff. After a late boil addition of Motueka, we blessed the whirlpool with an even mix of our hand-selected Riwaka and Mega Motueka, a version of the mojito-y varietal that’s enriched with Phantasm. During primary fermentation, we added Kohia Nelson (a blend of Nelson Sauvin, Rakau, and New Zealand passionfruit) and Super Sauvin (Nelson Sauvin combined with Phantasm -which, perhaps we should have mentioned earlier, is a powder made from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes). And, finally, we polished off this monster with an egregious dry hop of mostly Peacharine and a little more Motueka.

Ten Years Gone #5 is, to quote our head brewer Jack, uneconomical. But it sure does sing an aria of drippy tropical fruits, bright citrus, red berry, and peachy stone fruit. And it’s as soft and lush as you’d hope, loaded up with oats and wheat — combined, about 35% of the mash. Over the top… or just right? After all, one dare not be parsimonious in the company of the Matts.