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Crack A Window

Sawdust City Brewing Company
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🌍 Canada · West Coast Pale Ale · One of 3 West Coast Pale Ales in hopIQ

A recurring collaboration with Indie Alehouse, built to try out experimental hop varieties and products from Hopsteiner. The malt base of 2-row with a little Caramunich stays deliberately thin, leaving a light bready sweetness and a touch of caramel underneath. The Centennial-derived Salvo hops put lemon peel, floral notes and a resinous edge on top, and the finish is dry with a clean moderate bitterness.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter40 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Balanced backbone, with every axis close to the middle.

Nothing dominates, and that is the craft — each element gets room to be tasted.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another West Coast Pale Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
hoppy
resinous
floral
Malt character
bready
caramel
Fermentation & yeast
clean
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Crack A Window

Appearance

Pale golden-yellow with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that leaves delicate lacing on the glass. The beer presents as luminous and inviting, with lively carbonation visible as a steady stream of small bubbles rising through the body.

pale goldenbrilliant clarityfine head retention

Aroma

The nose opens with bright citrus—lemon peel and grapefruit zest—layered over subtle floral and herbal notes from the Salvo hops. Beneath the hop character lies a light, clean malt foundation with hints of bread crust and a whisper of caramel sweetness, creating a balanced and inviting aromatic profile.

citrus peelfloral, herbalresinous hop character

Taste

Entry is crisp and light, with the bready Malz character providing a delicate foundation. The mid-palate develops a pronounced resinous bitterness and continued citrus brightness, while the caramel notes remain subdued, allowing the hop-driven flavors to dominate without overwhelming the palate.

dry, resinouscitrus forwardmoderate bitterness

Finish

The finish is clean and dry, with a lingering moderate bitterness that fades gracefully. A refreshing quality persists through the aftertaste, leaving the palate crisp rather than parched.

dry, cleanrefreshing
80
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
81
Appearance
85
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Crack A Window

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Crack A Window

About West Coast Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a West Coast Pale Ale?

Pale Ales balance malt sweetness with moderate hop character at 4.5–6% ABV and IBU 20–40. Approachable with floral, citrus or earthy notes over a biscuit malt base.

Finding a similar West Coast Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, resinous, hoppy character as Crack A Window will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other West Coast Pale Ales in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

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