IPA Fest at West Sixth is back on August 9th at all locations, and this year, we’re bringing the heat with the most collaborative beers and guest taps we’ve ever featured.
In anticipation of all the IPA Fest fun, we chatted with Tyler Farquhar, our brewer & facilities manager at West Sixth NuLu, who brewed two standout collabs for the fest: one with Gravely Brewing Co., and another with Holy Grale. He gave us the lowdown on how these beers came to life, what makes them special, and why you should absolutely be tasting them at our 5th Annual IPA Fest on August 9th.
🍻 Be My Neighbor
Nick (Left) and Tyler (Right) on brew day for the Gravely/West Sixth Collaboration.
Collab with: Gravely Brewing Co.
ABV: ~7.8%
Style: Thiolized IPA
westsixth.com/ipafest
How did this collab come to be?
Gravely has been a longtime favorite of mine since they opened. As I was planning brews for IPA fest, they made the announcement that they’d be moving their taproom to NuLu. I’ve wanted to collaborate with Nick and Will for a while, so naturally, this was a perfect opportunity to put our heads together for something special!
What was the experience like working alongside another brewer? Any fun moments from the brew day?
Collaboration and community have always been huge priorities for me as a brewer, so any chance to work with someone else is exciting. Nick was one of the first friends I made in the Louisville scene and has been extremely supportive and encouraging. He and Will helped me build the recipe for this beer and provided valuable feedback on ingredient choices, processes, and everything else that goes into getting a beer on tap.
Brew days aren’t always exciting; there’s lots of down time in between steps. Collabs help liven things up with conversations and camaraderie - swapping stories about getting sprayed with hops, discussing the newest yeast strains on the market, or enjoying a couple beers and the incredible aromas you’re cooking up. Plus, having extra hands for clearing out spent grain and moving hoses around is always appreciated!
Tell us about the beer.
Since we brewed this at West Sixth NuLu on our 3bbl system, we had the flexibility to try something new (to us) and bold. Thiolized beers - typically IPA, though Gravely has made a lager - rely on a mix of special yeast, select hops, and even grape skins to extract powerful flavor and aroma, usually tropical fruit/berry. Vic Secret, Hallertau Blanc, Idaho Gem, and some Citry Cryo help build a profile to support those thiols: think white grape, orange juice, fruity pebbles, and just a hint of dank/floral character to round it out.
Any inspiration behind the name?
“Be My Neighbor” is a Mr. Rogers-style toast to Gravely’s new NuLu Taproom (coming this fall!!), and to the delicious, experimental, out-of-the-box beers that are created when a couple of awesome KY brewers come together.
How does this compare to other West Sixth IPAs?
For folks who attended Big Beers, this one will appear similar to “Mega Lazerwave” with its fluffy mouthfeel, juicy flavor, and big fruity punch on the nose. However, the berry aroma comes through much stronger and the supporting hop aromas add even more complexity. Really, though, this is something truly unique.
If this beer was a person at IPA Fest...
[They are] bringing the energy with upbeat music, positive vibes, and probably a brightly-colored outfit!
And what do you hope people say after that first sip?
Holy $H!7, this is crazy!
Dog breed comparison?
A loud, goofy pittie mix (see image)
🍻Sacred Seeker IPA – Holy Grale Collab
“ I’m honored for the opportunity to brew with, and learn from the folks at Louisville’s “Church of Beer.””
Collab with: Holy Grale
ABV: ~7%
Style: West Coast-inspired IPA
Your gentle reminder: westsixth.com/ipafest
What was the most exciting part for you, collaborating with Holy Grale?
This place is a Louisville institution with a top-notch selection of beers from all over the world. Every offering is selected with intention and served with reverence. I’m honored for the opportunity to brew with, and learn from the folks at Louisville’s “Church of Beer.”
What was the brewing experience with Holy Grale like?
Staff at Holy Grale receive ongoing education regarding each item on the menu, food and beer alike. They often engage in discussion about beers - ingredients, flavor profiles, pairings, preferences - and this particular beer will be no different. Owners Lori Beck and Tyler Trotter and manager Lucy Brown bring a wealth of knowledge gained through travel and the connections they’ve made. They provided a great deal of support and expertise as we built this recipe, which is one of my favorites to date.
“This one is a more restrained, delicate approach to an IPA”
What’s the beer like?
This one is a more restrained, delicate approach to an IPA. Rooted in the classic West Coast framework, we kept the base malt lighter (a nice Bohemian Pils from Weyermann) to create a brighter flavor that accentuates the hops. Bittered with Magnum, we also added a mix of Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Citra, and Galaxy throughout the boil and whirlpool, plus a single dry hop with more of the same. As it finishes, I’m getting layers of delicate floral notes, citrus and resin, a touch of pine, and a fruity punch from the Galaxy to round things out.
Any interesting ingredients or techniques?
The Bohemian Pilsner malt is the only “unexpected” ingredient, but not without reason. It adds body without excessive color and contributes a delightful cracker-y flavor that works perfectly as a background for the hops.
What made you all want to make this particular beer together? Was there a guiding idea or inspiration?
The folks at Grale have been instrumental in pushing me to learn and grow as a brewer. In fact, since making the jump to brewing professionally, it’s been a dream of mine to make a beer that they put on tap. It’s even better that they have been involved in the whole process.
Maine Beer Co., in Freeport, ME, gave us our “lightbulb moment” when planning this recipe. With iconic hoppy concoctions like Lunch and Peeper often making appearances on the Grale taplist, we decided to brew something in the same vein: pronounced bitterness, a layered and complex hop aroma, and a slightly-dry finish.
“The folks at Grale have been instrumental in pushing me to learn and grow as a brewer. In fact, since making the jump to brewing professionally, it’s been a dream of mine to make a beer that they put on tap. It’s even better that they have been involved in the whole process.”
How does this one stack up next to classic West Sixth beers?
Inspired by the classic interpretation of this iconic style, this is a beer for lovers of W6IPA or Pennyrile, though the lighter flavor and body might make it approachable for those who aren’t complete hop-heads.
Final Thoughts
“Our Head Brewer, Andy Smith, and the rest of the crew back in Lex, deserve all the shoutouts. When I saw that we were brewing an Italian Pilsner with Burl Brew, I knew that one would be at the top of my list! ”
Tyler, what beers are you most excited to try for the first time at IPA Fest?
As a former Lexingtonian I am THRILLED to see some awesome collabs and guest taps from our Lexington neighbors and our main West Sixth team. Our Head Brewer, Andy Smith, and the rest of the crew back in Lex, deserve all the shoutouts. When I saw that we were brewing an Italian Pilsner with Burl Brew, I knew that one would be at the top of my list! Plus, Ethereal is a frequent stop whenever I visit, so I can’t wait to see what we cooked up with them this year!
Final question: what’s your favorite West Sixth IPA of all time?
Probably the Dry-Hopped IPA (Anniversary beer). I already love W6IPA, and that version took it to a whole new level! Big ups to our Head Brewer, Andy [Smith], on that one.
This feels like a good spot to mention, the Dry-Hopped IPA is one of two beers coming back in cans on August 9th as part of the IPA Fest fun (Second Fiddle Simcoe is the other)!
Come taste these collabs (and a whole lot more) at IPA Fest, August 9th. All beers – including the two in this blog post will be on the taplist at ALL Locations! Tickets are $18 in advance and we’ll have a limited. number of $25 tickets at the door—grab yours now at westsixth.com/ipafest.
These are something special—don’t miss ‘em.
L to R: Krushing IPA (NuLu Brewed Triple IPA, also available at IPA Fest), Be My Neighbor Thiolized DNEIPA w/ Gravely, Sacred Seeker, IPA w/ the Holy Grale
