This D.C.-made IPA is like "micro-dosing alcohol"
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Photo: Ryan Kutscher and Craig Carey
Two local dads are trying to shake up the craft beer market with a low-alcohol IPA made here in D.C.
Why it matters: Dad Strength Brewing's beers are meant to taste like full-strength IPAs, but they only clock in at a 2.9% ABV — much lower than typical IPAs, which often are in the 6-7% range.
- This comes as more people are drinking less or more moderately.
State of play: Co-founders Ryan Kutscher of D.C. and Craig Carey of Clifton came up with the idea for Dad Strength two years ago when they both realized they couldn't throw 'em back like they used to — especially now that they had to get up and take care of kids.
- Kutscher puts it simply: "Being old is a b---h."
They both love the taste of a craft IPA, so they didn't want to stick to Bud Light or NA beers. And they found that even session IPAs, which are typically under 5% ABV, could bring on a headache in the morning.
- But they couldn't find any traditional IPAs on the market under the 3% mark, says Kutscher. (Carey, meanwhile, was trying to work around this by mixing his IPAs with non-alcoholic beers.)
When they initially set out to make Dad Strength, Kutscher says multiple brewers told them it would be impossible to make a good IPA with such little alcohol. But they ultimately figured it out and partnered with D.C.'s Atlas Brew Works to launch their first product last summer.
- "It's definitely a lot of deep brewing voodoo," says Kutscher, adding that the process has to do with managing the residual sugars left over from the brewing process.
They now sell a West Coast IPA and a juicy IPA in D.C., Maryland's Montgomery County and Virginia. (A hazy IPA is forthcoming, as is the group's first non-IPA brew, says Kutscher.)
- They've got more flavor than a NA beer, but not as strong or caloric as a traditional IPA, says Kutscher. One can of Dad Strength is typically 94 calories.
Mimi's thought bubble: I discovered Dad Strength during one of their tasting events at the Old Town Whole Foods, and I was an immediate fan.
- I love an IPA, but once I hit 30, I found that I'd have two and wake up the next day feeling like I'd lost my wallet at a Señor Frog's.
- But sometimes I want a lil more oomph than my regular weeknight NA beer — and this is my new go-to.
What they're saying: Drinking Dad Strength is akin to "micro-dosing alcohol," says Kutscher. "We offer an interesting way for people to cut back that isn't cold turkey."
The bottom line: And, sure, "dad" might be in the name, but the duo hopes all kinds of sippers partake in their beer.
- "It's not just for dads," says Kutscher. "It's for anyone that really wants to explore moderation."