This Crushable XPA is My New Paramore
There's nothing quite like seeing or hearing a reference to a specific song from one of your favorite bands/artists. That is exactly what caught my eye and convinced me to give this XPA (Extra Pale Ale) the last time I was at The Roadies Brewing Co. in Vista, CA. This beer, crushcrushcrush, pays homage to Paramore and their track from the Riot! album of the same name.
I have been burnt out on IPAs and Pale Ales alike in recent years. I often wish I could carry the same enthusiasm for these styles as the rest of the industry–especially since they are so great at showcasing the versatility of hops. Yes, these prodigal sons of the humulus are hailed as heroes in craft beer culture. It is so fitting then, that I, a villain, find myself unable to embrace them unconditionally.
Enter the XPA
If the term XPA sounded like another wild variation of the seemingly endless takes on IPAs, then I wouldn't fault you. That was my first impression. The Extra Pale Ale style also isn't reccognized currently by the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) nor the Brewers Association guidelines. That being said, conforming to style guidelines isn't the way your favorite Beer Villain operates. The style has been making waves in Australia and now in the U.S. as well. XPAs tend to be very light in color (straw to gold), dry (not sweet), hop forward on the aroma, and crushable.
"Crushable" is a term in beer that generally means it would be easy to crush or drink several of them. It is syonomous with "sessionable." One has to think that this is exactly what The Roadies Brewing Co. had in mind when they brewed up this bevvie using nothing but T-90, Cryo and HyperBoost Krush® hops. Are you starting to see a pattern here?
Krush® hops are fairly new to the scene. Yakima Chief's overview for Krush® reads, "Originally bred in 2007 by the Hop Breeding Company experimental hop variety program, Krush® HBC 586 went through a thorough 17-year process as an experimental variety and was officially released as a commercial hop brand in 2024." It has been deemed a fairly versatile hop and proves to be quite a sapid selection for a single hop XPA.
While speaking with head brewer, Peter Perrecone, he describes Krush® HBC 586, "Kind of like if Mosaic and Nelson had a baby. Grapefruit rind, gooseberry, little dank, but none of that old diesel.”
Like Petals for Armor
I'm a big fan of Paramore and Hayley Williams' music. That's how they hooked me! During my scan of their draft selection I noticed a beer named, crushcrushcrush, and thought, "No way man, what a throwback!" So I convinced myself it had been a while and giving this XPA a try could be interesting. I ordered a half-pint and half-heartedly braced myself for more of the same dank-stank bitter-bomb before being belied by this beauty of a beer.
One sniff and this beer was singing me the lyrics to its namesake, "I got a lot to say to you. Yeah, I got a lot to say." By the time I got back to my table, I wasn't paying any attention to the converstaions being had. I was too distracted trying to unpack the aromatics from this XPA. Sitting at 5.5% ABV, crushcrushcrush has a bouquet that blossoms like walking through orange groves accompanied softly by an array of lime zest, stone fruit and young mango. Evocative of a vibrant watercolor painting, it was strikingly fragrant but not overbearing.
There was still a part of me bracing for a bitter-blow to sucker-punch my palate, but once again I was pleasantly met with equanimous balance of hop driven taste. It was a colorful cocktail of citrus of from those orange orchards, once again. Rather than anything too aggressive, crushcrushcrush met me where I was with just a bit of a pithy component, light malt character and accented by a delicately balanced bitterness. Overall, crushcrushcrush is delicate and nuanced. With Paramore and Hayley Williams on the mind, the botanical elements were reminiscent of her solo work, "Petals for Armor."
This Villain's Paramore
I shouldn't love this beer. You better not go out there and spread the word that The Beer Villain's very first dedicated beer post is a love letter to a style specifically akin to IPAs, Hazies and Pale Ales. I have an angsty facade to uphold! Unfortunately, this XPA enraptured me.
There is a crowler of crushcrushcrush packed away in my secret villainous beer fridge of doom. You won't know when–you won't know where, but somewhere and someday, I'll close the curtains and crack open this crushable XPA. I do love this beer; it reminds me that "Nothing compares to – a quiet evening alone." No company, no witnesses, just me and my secret crush.
Check out The Roadies Brewing Co.
Roadies is a rad craft brewery in Vista, CA. Plenty of live music every weekend, good beer, and good people.
If this read has you ready to crush an XPA, well, I have good news and bad news. The crushcrushcrush keg got kicked. On the upside, theres a wicked pale ale on in its place. Pocket Pale Ale is another great brew that backs up that Krush profile with a bit of Citra and Mosaic. If you want to see what else they have on tap, check it out here.
Thanks for reading the blog! You should check out some of my other articles as well. I write about lots of different food, beverage and sensory topics.
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