It always rains when Team Hop Culture heads deep into Brooklyn. So of course the skies opened up as we walked from the subway station to Five Boroughs Brewing.

But we were safe and cozy at Five Boroughs, and even had Rodger, the office mutt. If you haven’t been to Five Boroughs, you should definitely join us on December 8th for The Juicy Brews Winter Invitational. If you have, you know that the brewery is in an up-and-coming part of Brooklyn, inside an old warehouse. The ceilings stretch thirty feet overhead, and crane tracks are still visible. In true Five Boroughs fashion, they’ve been painted bright colors.

As much as we write about brewing, we rarely get to brew, so visiting Five Boroughs was a treat. We were there to document the brew of our collaboration beer, an 8% double dry hopped IPA with lactose. First, Lowell, Grace, and I cut open the 55 pound grain sacks and poured them into the mill, and Olivia mashed in. We took a break for pizza. We mashed out, added lactose and hops to the brew kettle, and drank a few beers. Successful day.

We can’t wait to try Green Pow Pow at The Winter Invitational! See you there?