Monday Night Brewing Head Brewer Ryan Cooley Talks Cardigans of the Galaxy

We spoke with Monday Night Brewing Head Brewer Ryan Cooley about Cardigans of the Galaxy.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
I’m not one to brag, but this one was mine.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
Cardigans has such a big hop nose, but it also plays well into the fact that it is so easy to drink. It's also a tribute to the old school IPAs - it's super clear and finishes really dry and clean. That makes the hops come through even more.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
I let our marketing department take that job. The movie, of course, was a big hit when we were throwing around names. And it has Galaxy hops in it.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
I wish I could say yes, but I’d rather have a raft and maybe a volleyball to talk too.

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer?
I was brewing one of our other popular beers and something crazy happened.  It seemed to really over attenuate and come out nothing like the beer I was originally trying to do. I started thinking about the characteristics of this beer and what kind of hops would play well into it. Finally decided on the combination that worked well and people really liked it. This beer was received so well, I was asked to make more of it – the hardest part was having to brew another batch and make it turn out the same!

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
I would say lightly grilled meats, like a roasted pork loin. Also pairs well with salmon on other fishes.

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