The Tap and Mallet is preparing to release the third in their McBane’s line of house seasonal beers in early February, and this one’s pretty exciting.

The as-yet unnamed IPA is brewed by Sly Fox of Phoenixville and Royersford, PA, makers of  damn fine beers like Pikeland Pils and Rte 113 IPA. Fundamentally, it’ll be a west coast IPA, but with a twist. The addition of sorachi hops will lend the beer a fresh, lemony quality that offsets the piny bitterness for which West Coasters are known.

Tap and Mallet owner Joe McBane described his new beer as a stab at doing something different, and taking a classic American style in a different direction. “We wanted to do something that really hasn’t been done before.”

The new IPA should be lighter in hue than many examples of the style,  and will come in around 6.5% ABV. Look for it around midmonth. Thanks Joe, for showing us that you don’t have to be a brewery to make your mark on the American craft beer scene.

-Mark