At Soul & Spirits Brewery, a destination in Memphis for fans of India Pale Ales, one hoppy brew is requested more than any other.
That beer — Wang Dang Doodle, a small-batch imperial oat cream IPA — returned to Soul & Spirits’ taproom this week for a third time.
Wang Dang Doodle, 9.01% ABV, gets its hazy appearance and silky mouthfeel from a large amount of oats, along with some added lactose.
Master brew Ryan Allen told Memphis Beer Blog that Wang Dang Doodle’s malt bill includes 45% oats, in a combination of malted and flaked oats. Just “a touch” of lactose adds some sweetness and body, though the beer still finishes pretty dry.
“It definitely lays a really nice backbone for hops to stand on,” Allen said.
Cashmere, Citra and Strata hops, plus some Amarillo, infuse this double IPA with tropical aromas and flavors, including mango, tangerine, dried apricot, and pineapple, plus notes of lime and coconut.
In pursuit of the ‘perfect beer’
Amid a large menu of beers that cover the spectrum of beer styles, Soul & Spirits’ IPAs have been the brewery’s top sellers.
Allen said he hasn’t really considered himself an IPA brewer until recently.
But he’s enjoyed tinkering with recipes and the fine details of the brewing process, from building water profiles for West Coast and East Coast IPAs, to adjusting dry hop timing, to experimenting with new hop products.
The same beers may come back year after year, but to a beer drinker with a sophisticated palate, there are slight differences and enhancements.
“I try to keep the base of a beer similar from year to year, but I’m going to play with it, especially with the added knowledge of what I’ve gained from brewing on a daily and weekly basis,” Allen said.
“I want our IPAs to contend with the best IPA breweries around, but I want our lagers to do the same, and I want out stouts to do the same,” he added. “So there’s just this constant pursuit of, ‘what is the perfect beer?'”
Meanwhile, Wang Dang Doodle is available on draft and in four-packs of 16-oz. cans to go in Soul & Spirits’ taproom, 845 N. Main.
The beer may also get some limited distribution.
“It leaves the taproom very fast, so I did make a slightly bigger batch this time to try and tide it over for a little bit longer,” Allen said.
“But we’ve had a lot of requests from people to get some of our small-batch stuff out and about in town, so we may be sending it around to a few places, as well.”
Wang Dang Doodle’s name was inspired by the classic Koko Taylor song.