An artistic (& drunken) experiment.
Without further ado, we present to you the ExperiMENTAL Series. A while back, we installed a pilot system at the Alpine Megachurch to give our brewers a chance to have fun writing recipes with no regard for how to scale them up. Melvin Brewing had always been innovative, but the restraints of a rapidly growing production system had us feeling somewhat stagnant in an ever-changing craft beer landscape. It was time to go back to the future. We revved up the flux capacitor and started getting weird. As we continue to cull some diamonds from the rough, we’re going to bring them to you in tall can form. Different flavors, techniques and styles will be featured, but you can always expect cutting-edge beers with the Melvin quality you know and love. The tall can is also a perfect vessel for visual art, so we turned to our friend and local Denver artist RumTum to grace our labels with his magical work. Take in the imagery. Feel the can in your hand. Listen to the gas as it cracks open. Smell the tantalizing aromas. Savor the bold flavors as they ebb and flow over your taste buds. Get ExperiMENTAL.
Art by @RUMtum_art rumtumcreations.com
John Hastings creates artwork under the moniker “RumTum” in visual art and music. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, John Hastings spent most of his time on the shores of Lake Erie enjoying natural elements and relating to them through drawing. During this time, he developed a close relationship with the balance of human, animal and plant life in this habitat–this spawned a broader love and connection for aquatic nature, marine life, and the vast landscapes they create. The natural geometric patterns in tropical plants and deep sea atmospheres found their way into his work — and the birth of new creatures and whimsical scenes transport you to a playful oasis.
2021 ExperiMENTAL Beers
Yuzulander
Berliner Weisse with Yuzu ABV: 4.0%
The Melvin crew went Yuzu on the Berliner Weisse style, creating a bright and flavorful concoction sure to turn some heads. Yuzu fruit is known for its magnificent fragrance and flavors akin to grapefruit crossed with mandarin orange. We added the perfect amount of this Asian delicacy to a tart wheat base, and the delightful combination makes one “really really really ridiculously good-looking” beer that will cheer you up more than an Orange Mocha Frappuccino. When you’re having your next craft brew walk-off, be sure to include some Yuzulander, the Blue Steel of Berliners.
Warrying Empires
Hoppy Wheat with Buddha’s Hand ABV: 6.0%
The Warrying Empires was a period of ancient China some 2300 years ago; the era when kites were first created. Some legends say kites were made strong enough to lift fully-grown people into the sky. We set out to make a beer to uplift your soul, and created this luminous wheat ale dry-hopped with Lotus and finished with a touch of Buddha’s hand fruit. The soft wheat body lets the hops and fruit shine with bright citrus and tropical creamsicle flavors, taking your palate on a delightful journey.
Bohemian Rebirth
Kellerbier ABV: 6.0%
Little known fact: Kellerbier is the OG hazy. Described by its original German brewers as “Naturtrüb” or “naturally cloudy,” this unfiltered, unpasteurized, lightly-hopped lager has been made for centuries, and we thought it was time to celebrate it with our own 21st century Melvin interpretation. We never filter or pasteurize our beer, so that part was simple. We kept the base malts traditional, going with a mix of Pilsner and Vienna, but wanted to bring more lively, new school hop flavors to the mix, so we turned the dry-hopping up a notch with Strata and Amarillo. The resulting brew is a clean and crisp 6% lager with loads of juicy tropical fruit and berry flavors, balanced by a touch of piney bitterness, and just the right amount of haze.
Velvet Rut
Imperial Smoked Porter ABV: 8.5%
Winter in the mountains can be brutal, and sometimes you just need to find a cozy place to hunker down with a robust dark ale to warm your insides. Our Alpine crew knows this feeling well, and it was the inspiration behind our newest experiMENTAL Series release. This bold smoked imperial porter is pitch black in color with a beautiful tan head. The aroma kicks things off with notes of campfire, coffee and chocolate, and then your palate is rewarded with more of the same rich, roasty flavors along with a touch of dried stone fruit. Put on your preferred lounging gear, crack a cold can, and get into your own velvet rut.
2020 ExperiMENTAL Beers
Twilight Trance
Dry-Hopped Imperial Red ABV: 8.0%
Red IPAs are dead you say? You obviously haven’t tried the latest iteration from Melvin. The brew team took a thick imperial red recipe and went heavy-handed on dry-hopping with loads of Galaxy, Enigma and Vic Secret. These unique Southern Hemisphere hops provide an array of flavors and aromas, from peach, melon and red vine candy, to pungent dank and cedar, all balancing out the rich malty body with a relatively dry finish. This unexpectedly smooth harmony of bold malt and hop additions is sure to leave you in a trance.
Islands in the Dream
Pale Ale with Apricot ABV: 6.0%
“Islands in the dream, that is what we are…” The soothing sounds of ‘80s pop and the feels of autumn daydreams inspired our latest experiMENTAL brew recipe. We weren’t about to make another pumpkin beer though, rest assured. Instead we focused on the ripe stone fruit flavors of apricot accentuated by an addition of hemp seeds, blended into a bright and drinkable pale ale. The result is pure Melvin magic, a beer for all seasons yet uniquely influenced by the fall harvest.
Sampan
Asian-Style Imperial Pilsner ABV: 8.0%
This round of RUMTUM label art had us dreaming of the brightly colored sampan boats floating in the Pacific harbors of the Far East, and our palates yearning for a rice lager. So we started with an Asian-style Pilsner recipe made with jasmine rice, then added our Melvin brew Kung-Fu, amping it up to 8% ABV and fermenting it with sake yeast. The result is a crisp and bright beer with a fluffy mouthfeel and pleasant minerality that leaves it dangerously drinkable. You’ll be anxious to pull up anchor and sail these seas.
Frothy Embrace
Nordic IPA ABV: 6.0%
For our latest brew excursion we experimented with an ancient Nordic yeast called Kveik, known for its freakish fermenting capabilities. We let a fresh pitch of Kveik go to town on some oats and 2‑row malt, and then dry-hopped it with Trident and Sabro to embrace you senses with bright flavors of passionfruit, tangerine and coconut. Feel the Froth.
Mind Bloom
IPA ABV: 7.0%
It’s time to open up your senses and experience the Mind Bloom. Mosaic and Motueka hops create bold flavors of ripe melon, mango and mojito in this modern IPA. Fruity and floral things that make you go “Mmmm…”
2019 ExperiMENTAL Beers
DREAM DOMICILE
DDH Hazy DIPA ABV: 8.4%
Part one of this series is here to give you beautiful dreams of lush forests and tropical fruits. Malt, wheat and oats provide a soft pillow while the 8.4% ABV blankets you with warmth. Double dry hopped with Azacca. Take in the imagery. Feel the cold can in your hand. Listen to the gas as it cracks open. Smell the tantalizing aromas. Savor the bold flavors as they ebb and flow over your taste buds.
Stratanaut
Hazy IPA ABV: 6.0%
For this journey into lupulin, we blasted off through the Strata sphere, loading our hazy vessel with flavors of star fruit, stone fruit and fresh dank provided by this innovative hop hybrid. Fasten your helmet and prepare for an interplanetary voyage! Take in the imagery. Feel the cold can in your hand. Listen to the gas as it cracks open. Smell the tantalizing aromas. Savor the bold flavors as they ebb and flow over your taste buds.
Tropical Lampin’
Hazy IPA ABV: 7.0%
Through the tropical haze, you might find us in the spot cold lampin’. We loaded up this juice bomb with absurd amounts of Galaxy hops, refreshing your palate with a melange of passion fruit, papaya and pineapple. Take in the imagery. Feel the cold can in your hand. Listen to the gas as it cracks open. Smell the tantalizing aromas. Savor the bold flavors as they ebb and flow over your taste buds.
The Life Hopquatic
Hazy IPA ABV: 7.0%
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go on an overnight drunk, and in ten days I’m going to set out to find the shark that ate my friend and destroy it.” — Steve Zissou Take in the imagery. Feel the cold can in your hand. Listen to the gas as it cracks open. Smell the tantalizing aromas. Savor the bold flavors as they ebb and flow over your taste buds.