Beer column: Twins Sails’ milkshake IPAs bring all the beer drinkers to the yard

In my opinion, nothing beats a milkshake IPA.

While I realize that IPAs are not for everyone, I truly believe that many who try to stay away from hoppy beers should give milkshake IPAs a chance (unless they’re lactose intolerant).

A perfect example is my wife, who is certainly not a fan of standard IPAs but now gets almost as excited as I do when we spot a new milkshake IPA in the fridge at our local liquor store.

The reason I’m telling you all of this is because this week’s beer column features a pair of milkshake IPAs from Twin Sails Brewing in Port Moody.

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But before I get into the Two Straws Milkshake IPA and the Volcano King Double Milkshake IPA, which were both released in the last month, let me address what a milkshake IPA is in general.

It's a type of hazy IPA that's truly defined by its use of lactose (unfermentable milk sugar) in the brewing process, which gives the beer a smooth feel like you might expect to get in a milk stout.

Since lactose doesn’t ferment and turn into alcohol like other sugars, it stays intact to give the beer a sweet flavour as well.

Milkshake IPAs then feature adjuncts like tropical fruits, vanilla, chocolate or peanut butter.

As a result of all this, a milkshake IPA doesn’t have the overwhelming hoppy taste that IPA drinkers know and love, or that IPA haters despise, but rather a sensation of a sweet dessert.

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Alright, with that explanation out of the way, let’s get back to the true stars of this week’s beer column from Port Moody’s booming brewery district.

Two Straws is a Creamsicle Milkshake IPA that features tangerines and Cara Cara oranges paired with Citra and Amarillo hops, as well as vanilla and lactose to add body and balance the sweetness.

“Combined with everyone’s favourite summer treat - Creamsicle - this IPA has a luscious body provided by the lactose addition, and just enough hop character to remind you that you’re drinking an IPA,” the brewery says about the beer.

Two Straws comes in at 6.4% ABV (alcohol by volume), but you can always try the 8.3% ABV Volcano King if you want to amp things up with Twin Sails’ Pineapple Coconut Double IPA.

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This bad boy is made with 400 lbs of pineapple purée and 50 lbs of toasted coconut, and is “generously hopped” with Citra, Amarillo and Sabro Cryo hops.

“The Citra and Amarillo amp up the tropical profile and the Sabro kicks the coconut into high gear,” explains the brewery. “There’s a reason we call it the King!”

As a big fan myself, I urge you to try a milkshake IPA in the near future and either of these creations would be a great place to start.

If you’re not a huge fan of IPAs but are willing to try a milkshake IPA, maybe stick with Two Straws, but veterans of the IPA game may want to jump right into Volcano King.

You won’t find either of these beers at BC Liquor Stores, but they should be at a lot of private stores that focus on craft beer.

Josh Duncan is the NowMedia news director and a craft beer lover. Reach him at [email protected]. His beer column appears every Saturday afternoon in this space.