• Chris & Sylvia Hollands
• On March 19, 2015
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8% ABV

The evolution of a hophead: You drink pils and lagers until your beer geek friend offers up a Uinta Cutthroat or Squatters Full Suspension (not hoppy by today’s standards). You take the first sip and ….. BOOM! Flashback to Keystone’s Bitter Beer Face campaign from the 90’s. Then you avoid the crazy ‘bitter beers’ for years, maybe even a decade, only to try one when there are no tame options.

Chris: “My gateway to hop heaven was the relentless ‘oohhs’ and ‘aahhs’ of Instagram beer geeks over a mostly pedestrian looking green labeled beer with a red dot. I told my brother, “Get me this Pliny thing by Father’s Day…” – Thanks for coming through bro! One blind taste test with Pliny vs. Sucks and I was on a warpath through 1,000s of Untapped check-ins later. Always searching for the next hoppiest beer, doing anything possible to find that bitter I once knew, that hop that drove me away. I needed it; often fantasizing about what pure hop juice would taste like (horrible I have heard).”

Sylvia: “Turning my nose up to this craftbeer phase Chris was having, I would still request the other stuff – eh hem, Miller Lite. Coming to the crossroads of a whirlwind introduction to craft beer with unbeknownst wisdom, I was faced with ‘no other options.’ Chris started bringing home liquor store beer – in our county, word on the street was that means it’s ‘better beer.’ Starting with the tame pale ale, to the adventure of an IPA and then to a wild hops carnage piled into a DIPA, I was stricken. I was ready to visit the experience of a hophead full on. I knew, life wasn’t going to be the same. It felt – enlightening.”

Red Rock Brewery’s Elephino is one of the early local DIPA’s we tried and is as hoppy as it gets. It pours beautiful, glistening gold in color with a bright white head standing it’s ground throughout the enjoyment of the entire pint. Punishing with multiple hop variations, it is perfect for anyone chasing the pop a great IPA brings. Reviving the tongue with an extreme hop-front and playing the balancing act well with a sweet malt quench at the end, it is a good one to grow on. Can we say, “Pile hops in our mouths please!?” When we need a beer that punches you in the face just like the first time, we turn to Elephino.

Recently celebrating their 25th Anniversary, Red Rock has three successful restaurants in Salt Lake City & Park City, Utah and just opened a Beer Store where you can pick up the freshest Elephino in the world. Head Brew Master, Kevin Templin, in all his laid back cool, is a master of research and development and has collaborated with big name breweries and distillers such as New Belgium and High West. His innovative ideas for new brews as well as his love for traditional, old-world styles helps provide something for everyone. Try award winner, Paardebloem and stand out seasonals like Reve and Secale. We trust Red Rock Brewery will continue to show the Beehive State still has game.