Stevens Point Introduces New Summer Seasonal Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale

14 Apr 2016 --- If life is a beach, new Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale from Stevens Point Brewery is the right beer for relaxing on the sand.

Point Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale is an American-style pale ale available from April through August wherever Point’s handcrafted beers are sold. Packing a burst of grapefruit tartness for smooth, tropical refreshment, Siesta Key is brewed with Vic Secret hops, a new variety from Down Under, and fresh grapefruit juice from Florida. The new brew is packaged in six-packs and 12-packs of Point’s new-style 12-ounce bottles, on draft, and in can packages perfect for the beach, boat or pool: 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and four-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Pale ales continue to be one of the fastest-growing craft-beer segments, according to Julie Birrenkott, Point Brewery Marketing Manager, who noted that Siesta Key’s modest alcohol content of 4.2% ABV make it a satisfying session beer for summer socializing.

“It only makes sense to offer what craft-beer fans are looking for, and with summer coming, we are excited to introduce a refreshingly different and highly sessionable pale ale like Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale,” she said. “It’s the right beer at the right time.”

Siesta Key Citrus Pale Ale is Stevens Point Brewery’s first seasonal pale ale and the first Point beer to use Vic Secret hops, an aroma and flavoring variety developed in Australia’s Victoria state specifically for brewing pale ales. Growing in popularity among craft beers for the past several years, Vic Secret hops remain in limited supply in the United States, according to Point Brewmaster Gabe Hopkins.

“Vic Secret hops impart a very perfumy aroma to the ale along with nice fruity citrus flavor components,” Hopkins said. “They are the perfect hops to pair with fresh Florida grapefruit juice to brew our new pale ale.” To optimize Siesta Key’s fresh hoppy aroma, Point’s brewers dry hop the ale twice during the brewing process with generous amounts of Vic Secret hops, once on the fourth day of fermentation and again during cold storage before packaging.