The craft beer explosion throughout the country has led to flavor experimentation beyond many beer enthusiasts’ wildest dreams. Now, there’s one more flavor way out there beyond the norm: pizza-flavored beer.
Tombstone frozen pizza, an Ohio-based brand of Nestle, has collaborated with Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing to brew I(Pizza)A. It will be a limited-release IPA that uses the brewery’s popular Voodoo Ranger IPA to create, New Belgium says, “a 7% ABV slice of heaven.”
Pizza-flavored beer, thanks to New Belgium Brewing and Tombstone pizza, is one of the most recent flavor challenges for craft beer enthusiasts.
“The flavor of I(Pizza)A was inspired by the bold and zesty taste of a classic pepperoni Tombstone Pizza, a perfect match for Voodoo Ranger’s innovative, flavorful IPAs,” says Neil Morrissey, Nestlé’s marketing brand manager.
When the brewing of I(Pizza)A was announced on Instagram, many Voodoo Ranger fans were supportive and eager to buy the new concoction. Some others, though, were revolted by a pizza beer, including one who said the new ale is “not touching my lips.” And there was a middle-of-the-road Instagram viewer who said, “That sounds awful, I want to try it!”
Voodoo Ranger has “a history of collaborating with like-minded companies on limited-release beers that are created for a niche audience,” says Michelle Robertson, the beer’s senior brand manager. “Due to their very limited supply, LTOs (limited time offers) make up a fraction of Voodoo Ranger’s brand. However, they provide an opportunity for their brewing and sensory teams to experiment with new flavors, create unexpected combinations and offer unconventional alternatives to fearless craft drinkers.”
A limited amount of I(Pizza)A will be available for online purchase, beginning on April 7. Two 4-packs of 16-ounce cans will cost $49.99 (includes shipping cost) by consumers in the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia. At New Belgium’s taprooms in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Asheville, North Carolina, a 4-pack will cost $14.99.
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