Cascade Ridge IPA sits at exactly 68 IBU

Cascade Ridge IPA landed yesterday and I spent an unreasonable amount of time this morning verifying the bitterness units. The label says 68 IBU. I emailed the brewer. They wrote back: "Yep, 68."

This is a number that requires explanation.

The malt backbone

Most IPAs in this range lean on a simple two-row base with maybe some Vienna for color. Cascade Ridge uses a 15% Munich addition, which is high enough to notice in the glass—darker gold, almost amber in certain light—but not so high that it tips into malt-forward territory. The bitterness stays front and center.

That Munich malt creates just enough residual sweetness to let the brewer push the IBU count without crossing into astringent. It's deliberate. You get grapefruit pith, some pine resin, a dry finish that doesn't punish you.

Hop schedule

Cascade (obviously) and Centennial in the whirlpool. Late additions. No bittering charge at 60 minutes, which explains why 68 IBU doesn't taste like 68 IBU. The alpha acids come in gentler. The aroma is louder than the bite.

I poured a glass in the back cooler at 10 a.m. to confirm. Resinous, clean, no diacetyl, no oxidation. The carbonation is exactly where it should be for the style.

Current stock status

We have two cases left as of this afternoon. Cans are 16 oz, which is the correct size for an IPA at this bitterness level. I will not be taking questions about that.

If you want to reserve a four-pack, you know where to find us. Or don't—I'm not your supervisor. But the numbers on this one are correct, and that matters more than I can reasonably explain in a shop blog post.