Beer Sipping: Golden Road Brewing's Wolf Among Weeds

Wolf Among Weeds is the type of west coast IPA that will sneak up on you. As the name suggests, the sleepy orange amber-colored brew doesn't do much to show itself at first sip. With a decent head at the top of your pint, you may only smell the crisp, hoppy aromas at first. But rest assured that Wolf Among Weeds is in there, lurking. And it's ready to bite.

As the flagship beer in what is slated to become a full run of individualized IPAs put out by Atwater Village's own Golden Road Brewing, Wolf Among Weeds is a hop-heavy 8% double IPA with plenty of stretch. In other words, it's the perfect beer to stake the beginnings of your custom IPA series on, which is exactly what Golden Road is doing. If all goes according to Tony Yanow and Meg Gill's plan, the local craft brewer will be unveiling two or three more in the series each year, much to the delight of Southern California hopheads. For now, Wolf Among Weeds stands alone as a pseudo-compliment to the original Point The Way IPA, Golden Road's first mass-brewed beer batch. While Point The Way has made a name for itself as an effortlessly drinkable summer session beer, anyone looking for a crisper finish or more robust flavor has almost certainly been waiting for the Wolf.

Not that this double IPA will knock you back, mind you. It's a subtle beast, with plenty of fresh pine notes up top, mixed in with the smoothness of caramel throughout. In fact, you won't find much carbonation in your glass at all, which can lead to a thicker mouthfeel and heavier taste over the course of your pint. If all that sounds like a bit much, know that there are plenty of back end hops to brighten your glass and make you smile. Wolf Among Weeds gives off just enough sharp citrus to stay noticed, and bites at the back of your tongue with all those hops.

For now, Wolf Among Weeds might be hard to find out in the wild. As the first custom IPA in Golden Road's ongoing series, it's already being canned for larger distribution, but in small enough batches that actually getting your hands on some can be tricky. That is, unless you head over to Sunset Beer Company, which seems to effortlessly remain stocked. Or, better yet, meet the beast on its own turf in Atwater Village. The Golden Road Pub is a fantastic place for an outdoor drink, a lively conversation with some late night eats, or to grab a $6 pint from straight off their taps. Until then, Wolf Among Weeds will be out there. Sitting, waiting. Ready to strike.

Golden Road Brewing
5430 West San Fernando Road, 213.373.4677