When looking for innovative ways to push flavor and aroma boundaries, one of Lone Tree’s latest releases, Centennial Hat Trick IPA, looks to exemplify this avenue. A West Coast IPA, Lone Tree looked to the interplay of three distinct hop products —T-90 pellets, Cryo Hops, and Hyperboost hop oil extract, all from YCH — which offers a blueprint for anyone looking to refine their own creations.
Lone Tree Lead Brewer, Dale Hollars shared with Brewer the importance of experimentation and innovation in hop usage. With Centennial Hat Trick IPA, Lone Tree Brewing wanted to add a nuanced flavor profile by strategically blending these three hop products, each contributing unique characteristics to the final beer.
T-90 hop pellets are a cornerstone of brewing, Hollars said, and the addition of new hop products doesn’t change that.
“T-90 is great throughout every stage,” Hollars said. “You get reliable bitterness and aroma. It pairs well with newer hop products like Cryo and oil extracts, but it’s essential for that classic West Coast IPA resinous bite.”
Traditional pellets retain a balanced representation of a hop’s alpha acids and essential oils, making them versatile across the brewing process. For Centennial Hat Trick IPA, Hollars said they used T-90 pellets in early boil additions and throughout the dry-hopping stages, capitalizing on a consistent flavor contribution.
He said the Centennial hop’s piney and floral notes take center stage in this IPA, with pellets providing a robust backbone that balances modern brewing innovations.
Cryo hops offer a concentrated punch of aroma and flavor. By reducing the vegetative matter present in traditional pellets, Cryo can yield a cleaner and more intense hop character, enhancing aroma without excessive bitterness or material waste.
“I love Cryo for their pungent flavor and aroma,” Hollars said. “They reduce hop material while delivering more impactful results.
“However, they work best in tandem with T-90 pellets rather than as a standalone product.”
Cryo is integrated during the whirlpool and dry-hopping stages of Centennial Hat Trick, which imparts those vibrant, resinous qualities that resonate with modern IPA drinkers. This hybrid approach — blending Cryo and T-90 — shows that any brewery can optimize yield and flavor while minimizing hop waste.
The real innovation for Centennial Hat Trick lies in Lone Tree’s use of the brand-new HyperBoost hop oil extract. Developed by YCH and officially released this summer, HyperBoost allows brewers to deliver concentrated hop oils during the late stages of brewing, reducing vegetative material and increasing yield.
HyperBoost is recommended for dry-hopping, Hollars said, and Lone Tree’s use of 44 pounds of T-90 hops for dry-hopping was replaced with just 200 grams of HyperBoost. That showcases the extract’s efficiency. The result is a beer that boasts intensified hop oil content with reduced waste.
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“This extract works great in the fermenter,” Hollars said. “It smooths out the harsh bitterness and enhances that resinous mouthfeel without sacrificing head retention or aroma.”
HyperBoost’s adaptability has prompted Lone Tree to incorporate it into its brewing repertoire for future releases. Hollars added that while traditional hop oils often suffer from poor water solubility, HyperBoost excels in delivering consistent, soluble results, paving the way for brewers seeking more sustainable and flavorful methods.
As Hollars points out, the beer’s slightly elevated mash temperature ensures a balance between sweetness and drinkability as well.
“We kept it modern by using a lighter color and leaning into a sweeter backbone without going overly bitter,” he said, adding that eliminating Crystal malts has been favored over the years.
Incorporating products like Cryo Hops and Hyperboost hop oil extract not only enhances flavor but also increases yield by reducing hop material. This efficiency can translate into more beer to sell and lower production costs.
“The owners love it, we love it, not having to clean out all that extra stuff,” Hollar said. “It’s a win-win really. It boosts that resinous mouthfeel, instead of that harsh bitterness, and just kind of smooth things out.”
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