Summit Brewing Company announces the release of Harvest Fresh IPA, a fresh hopped ale with assertive pine, resin and grapefruit notes and a strong caramel malt backbone. The 17th beer in the limited release Unchained Series will be available on draught and in 6-pack bottles the week of October 27.


Harvest Fresh IPA is the first Unchained beer from brewer Tom Mondor. Tom started at Summit as a brewery tour guide and after schooling with the American Brewers Guild, was taken on as an apprentice brewer in 2012. In 2013 he became a full time brewer at Summit. His goal for his Unchained beer is to make an approachable and balanced beer that both malt and hop lovers can appreciate.


The brewery received freshly harvested and then pelletized Chinook, Cascade and Centennial Hops from Roy Farms in Moxee, WA. Summit also used whole cone green hops for the first time in the brewery’s history. These Chinook Hops, which came from the Michigan Hop Alliance, went straight into the lauter tun and were mixed in with the malt and wort. The goal of this mash hopping is a more subtle and rounded bitterness in the final product.


“The hops used in Harvest Fresh IPA provide the inspiration for the name. I wanted to use hops straight from the field to take full advantage of the flavor and aroma that fresh hops provide,” said Brewer Tom Mondor. 


The grain bill for Harvest Fresh IPA includes a new pale malt variety called Full Pint which was malted at Briess in Chilton, WI. This 2 row malt provides the foundation for the Munich, CaraMunich and Light Caramel specialty malts. Together, they create a complex malt flavor and aroma – hints of fresh bread, biscuit, and caramel with a dry finish

Join Summit and Brewer Tom for events around the Twin Cities to kick off Harvest Fresh IPA’s release:


October 27 at 4pm: Tiffany Sports Lounge (featuring $4 Summit pints all October long)
October 28 at 5pm: Brasa Mpls and St. Paul: 3 Course Beer/Food Pairings including Summit Harvest Fresh IPA, Pilsener and Great Northern Porter. Summit brewers at both locations!

October 30 from 5-7pm: Meet brewer Tom for a pint at Lyon’s Pub

November 1 and 4: Cheer on the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center with a fresh hopped beer! Check out this handy map to find all the spots to grab a Summit.
November 7 from 1-3pm: Flying in or out that day? Join brewer Tom for a sample at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport (G Concourse)

November 26 at noon (Thanksgiving Eve): Stout’s Pub – Passing of the Torch: Unchained 16 Herkulean Woods on cask and Unchained 17 Harvest Fresh IPA on tap

Harvest Fresh IPA Information:
Malts: Full Pint 2 Row, Munich, Caramel Munich, Best Caramel Malt Light

Fresh Hops: Centennial, Cascade, Chinook
Wet Hops: Chinook

ABV: 7%

IBUs: 70

Color: Golden Amber

Yeast: American Ale Yeast 

Pairing Suggestions: Cured and smoked meat, sharp cheddar, stilton and bleu cheeses, anything spicy, and pizza

Available on draught and in 6-pack bottles
Digital images of the Unchained Series are available upon request. For more information about the Unchained Series and kick-off events, please visit http://www.summitbrewing.com.
About the Unchained Series

The Unchained Series, which saw its first batch in 2009, allows each of Summit’s individual brewers to showcase their creativity by allowing them to break free from the norm and create their own beer. “We’re fortunate to have nine phenomenal brewers at Summit,” said Mark Stutrud, founder and president of Summit Brewing Company. “The Unchained Series is a way for our brewers to showcase their artistry. There are no budgetary restraints, no outside influences from a sales team, and the brewers are free to collect ingredients from anywhere in the world. As long as it’s legal, they have complete autonomy.”
Summit Brewing Company
Founded in St. Paul, Minn. in 1986, Summit Brewing Company has stayed close to its roots, serving the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Summit’s beers are currently available in 18 states including Minnesota, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Arkansas and Wisconsin. Summit now produces 14 varieties of premium craft beer, including seven year-round, five seasonal beers, and the limited release Unchained Series and Union Series. Since its inception, the brewery has been a consistent pioneer in the craft beer movement.