New Belgium makes champagne-inspired beer

New Belgium Brewing’s newest beer release takes inspiration from a whole different type of alcohol.

The Fort Collins-based craft brewer took cues from champagne and sparkling wine to create a Brut IPA — an emerging beer style across the country.

The 6.7-percent ABV beer that is part of the brewery’s seasonal Up Next series features higher carbonation and a dry finish. The brewery even recommends adding orange juice to make a "beermosa."

New Belgium's Brut IPA is available nationally in 12-ounce bottles and on draft.

“Our Brut IPA mashes wine notes with a beer backbone that delivers the best of both traditions,” said Ross Koenigs, New Belgium’s research and development brewer, in a news release.

“We want to keep bringing new drinkers into craft beer with flavors that take inspiration from outside the category. The only limit is our imagination.”

A lot of the research and development for New Belgium’s Brut IPA was done at its San Francisco sister brewery, Magnolia Brewing, where former longtime Elysian Brewing head brewer Dick Cantwell has been experimenting with the style.

Brut IPAs offer a crisp alternative to the trendy hazy fruit-forward IPAs.

“People are looking for beverages that blur the lines and break new ground,” Koenigs said. “The IPA drinker is constantly on the lookout for fresh new flavors, and that’s really inspiring for a brewer.”