Ritual Brewing Co’s. Art of Dankness is making its annual return to store shelves this week in 16-ounce cans instead of 22-ounce bottles.
“It’s going to be literally one of the dankest beers you can get in a can,” Owen Williams said of the double India Pale Ale.
Williams co-founded Ritual with Steve Dunkerken in 2012. Shortly after that, they introduced Art of Dankness in limited release.
According to Ritual, it is brewed with experimental hops, has 9.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and an off-the-charts rating of 101 on the International Bitterness Units (IBU) scale.
“It’s malt forward with a high hop back taste,” said Williams.
In a news release, Dunkerken described the DIPA as a “tribute to the hops on the deep and dank side of the hop spectrum.”
It is the second of four brews coming out this year in a “Dank Goodness” series. The first, Double Dab, was made with hop concentrates and came out in February. The next will come out in July, Williams and Dunkerken said.
Dank is a word used to describe rich, earthy aromas in both hops and cannabis. Ritual is playfully releasing Art of Darkness on April 20, known as “Weed Day.” Its taproom will hold a psychedelic celebration with tie-dye T-shirt station, glass blowing by SAF Glass, and a live DJ. Hours haven’t been announced yet.
Ritual is going to 16-ounce cans because that’s what customers want, Dunkerken and Owens said. Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, also in Redlands, made the move in March with its limited release Double Betty IPA.
Dunkerken expects Art of Dankness to sell out fast.
“One batch and it’s gone – one and done,” he said.
Ritual Brewing
Where: 1315 Research Dr, Redlands
Taproom hours: 1-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 1-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon-7 p.m. Sunday.
Information: ritualbrewing.com