Left Hand Brewing’s 400 lb Monkey is back on the shelves, and this time it’s not going anywhere. Starting now, this seasonal release by the brewery is going year round. The label artwork also got a facelift.
400 lb Monkey is an English Style IPA. Stylistically, this means this IPA is a slightly less bold in comparison to American IPA’s. This in no way equates to flavor. 400 lb Monkey is tasty IPA with noticeable grapefruit/citrus hops, but in the case of this English style IPA — the malt is a bit more pronounced.
Monkey uses a special hop called Boadicea. These hops boast a light floral/citrus tone, with some characteristics and bittering tendencies of a Noble hop. Boadicea hops draw their name from the warrior queen who resisted multiple invasions by the Romans. Why name this hop after her? Well, this strain of hop is especially resistant to aphids, an insect that destroys hop harvests. The strength to resist the onslaughts of it’s attackers makes this hop so aptly named.
Availability — 12oz/6pks, Draft, and Cask offerings. Year Round
6.7% ABV
Fun Fact: The name 400 lb monkey comes from Brewing OPs VP Joe Schiraldi. Frustrated with brewing practices said the now famous quote – “Any monkey can throw 400 lbs of hops in a kettle!” – beernews.org
