As I was strolling through Costco a few weeks ago, I ended up in the beer section. Somehow this seems to occur every time I make a Costco run. Guilty pleasure I guess. My eyes are trained to look for new and interesting beers that I’ve never had before, and this time was no exception. They immediately latched onto a green-labeled bottle, bearing the title “Cascaderade.”
“Is it like a hoppy Gatorade?” my brain churned. “Or maybe a play-on-words between Cascade hops and lemonade?” At any rate, the 22-ounce bottle made its way to the checkout line. Cool label, local beer (Sudwerk Brewing, Davis), and it’s an India Pale LAGER?! Ok, you’ve won me over.
On the label, an 1800s-style map of the Pacific Northwest is shown with a dotted trail leading from the Yakima Valley (home to fields of delicious Cascade hop vines) to the Sudwerk Brewing Co. in Davis, California.
When the dry-hopped IPL is poured, the familiar notes of citrus and bready resin fill the air. It has a piney, hoppy taste and has a nice golden auburn color. It has an ABV of 6.6% and 50 IBUs, making it a distinctly hoppy and bitter lager, but much less so than your traditional India Pale Ale. It’s a full-bodied beer, no doubt, but much less intense.
I think it would be safe to say that if I saw a Cascaderade stand selling drinks on the corner, I would be a loyal customer, especially on a hot summer day.