Before Crosstown Brewing Co. ever poured its first pint, co-founder Clark Ortkiese was experimenting with recipes in his Evergreen neighborhood backyard.
One of those early homebrews — a red IPA with caramel malt richness and bright hop character — has helped inspire the brewery’s new winter seasonal, Evergreen Red IPA.
“I vividly remember brewing this beer, sitting in his backyard when he lived on Garland,” co-founder Will Goodwin told Memphis Beer Blog.
“When I pulled a sample out of the brite tank the other day, and it was freshly carbonated, it’s like I zapped back in time to drinking it out of a picnic tap.”
The beer was mentioned in Crosstown’s business plan as one of two beers planned for launch, nearly making Crosstown’s original lineup.
Recreating it in 2025 and scaling it up for a wide release is a fitting tribute — both to those early days in the Evergreen neighborhood and to Ortkiese, who passed away in July after a battle with cancer.
About Evergreen Red IPA
Deep red in color with a balance of caramel malt richness and assertive hop flavor, Evergreen Red IPA layers Amarillo and Centennial hops for a citrus-forward aroma, subtle pine notes and a resiny finish.
Goodwin thinks Evergreen Red IPA “turned out fantastic,” and he’s reminded of Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Fresh Hop IPA, as well as Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, which uses all Centennial in the hop bill.
He still has a printed BeerSmith recipe sheet from 2015, labeled “Crosstown Red IPA Generation 2” and marked with Ortkiese’s handwriting — a tangible reminder of those early days brewing together.
Goodwin recalled how those backyard homebrewing sessions overlapped with Ortkiese first hearing about the Crosstown Concourse concept and beginning to imagine a brewery there.
Ortkiese and Goodwin started construction of their brewery in 2017, opening their doors to the public the following year.
‘A rainbow over Crosstown’
The label for Evergreen Red IPA holds special meaning — thanks to a design detail that turned out to be pure coincidence.
In addition to featuring Ortkiese’s smiling face, the can art shows the Crosstown Concourse building in a winter scene with a colorful background that resembles a rainbow.
“(Ortkiese’s wife) Katie has been noticing rainbows all over town and thinks about Clark when she sees rainbows,” Goodwin explained. “The day of the funeral, when we all walked out of the church and turned around and looked up at the steeple, there was a giant rainbow.”
Goodwin said that artist Tom Martin, who created the can label, included that design element without even knowing the story.
“When you look at the can design, it’s very rainbow-esque, like a rainbow over Crosstown,” Goodwin said. “And that was completely happenstance.”
Where to find Evergreen Red IPA
Crosstown celebrates the release of Evergreen Red IPA today, Saturday, Nov. 22, with an all-day launch party at the taproom, 1264 Concourse Ave. There will be live music from Gritty City Bang Bang from 6–9 p.m.
The beer will be sold in the taproom on draft and in six-packs of 12-oz. cans when Crosstown opens today.
Starting next week, Evergreen Red IPA will also be available at bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and grocery stores across the Memphis area.