A New Beer Was Made Specifically To Pair With The Best Fast Food Restaurant
In the year 2022, food and beverage flavor combinations have been nothing less than surprising. The next addition to this ever-growing list is White Castle, a fast-food chain gearing up to release a burger-inspired IPA. The Philadelphia-based brewery Evil Genius is partnering with the 100-year-old restaurant chain to deliver the perfect beer to pair with eating their hamburgers.
According to FoodandWine.com, the It Hits Different IPA, created by Evil Genius and White Castle, is specifically designed to wash down the burger chain’s distinctive sliders. Trevor Hayward, the co-founder of Evil Genius, stated that the main idea that the brewery was focused on when crafting these IPAs was nostalgia. When people eat White Castle, there’s often a reminiscent element that brings them back, which Hayward wanted to provide in the beer collaboration.
Hayward said that they wanted the It Hits Different beer to be as “memorable as it is tasty,” hoping to contend with the iconic flavor of White Castle’s sliders. The Evil Genius brewery is no stranger to crafting specially tailored beers for food brands. The brewery has already collaborated with Auntie Anne’s and the convenience and coffee shop Sheetz to produce unique, intentionally crafted beverages.
The It Hits Different beer will surely capture the essential IPA elements for fans of flavorful, tangy beers. The White Castle IPA has a 6.5% ABV with a tangerine flavor that gives the beer a fruity, sharp body. The brewery uses two types of hops to make the beverage; one is of the Sabro hop variety, which is common in IPA production, while the other is a Centennial hop, which is an overt acknowledgment of White Castle’s 100 years of service.
Unlike many fast-food chains and brands that are formulating unique items for their dedicated consumers, White Castle was approached first with the concept of making a burger-inspired beverage. Evil Genius’s owners pitched the idea to White Castle of making beers that paired well with their sliders, which the restaurant chain immediately showed interest in. Since the Philadelphia brewery has an extensive repertoire of working with well-established companies, the burger chain decided to give the collaboration a chance.
There was an It Hits Different IPA launch party on September 30th at the brewery’s Fishtown location. The first 200 guests that arrived between five and eight pm were given a complimentary IPA can to take home with them. Other guests could submit their names in an Evil Genius raffle, with many prizes, including branded apparel and merchandise.
This week, the White Castle-inspired beers will be available at certain stores nationwide. States where you can find the It Hits Different IPA are Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. The tangerine IPA six-packs will go for $11.99 each, and some restaurants and bars nationwide will also have the beverage in stock.
Though some fast-food brands are taking their partnerships literally by infusing their food flavors into beverages, Evil Genius and White Castle’s collaboration are taking a different, more tasteful approach. After all, a tangy IPA sounds way more delicious than a beer that tastes like sliders, no matter how iconic White Castle’s mini burgers are.
