More than a beer release, this is a lesson in hop history.
Today, brewers have about 250 different hop varieties from which to choose. Some are more common than others. Not too long ago, virtually all commercially grown hops were one variety: Cluster. It is the oldest “American” variety. Anything older, like native/wild hops, predates the application of the word America to the continent. Remarkably, Cluster hops are still around, though not in such profound abundance. Double Mountain Brewery’s ClusterF#ck IPA is an homage to this venerable vine.
What the F#ck is Cluster?
When Europeans arrived in North America, it didn’t take long for them to start making beer and cultivating hops. History suggests that settlers were growing hops by 1629 just nine years after the Pilgrims landed. They brought hop plants with them from Europe and those varieties quickly crossbred with native varieties. The result was Cluster. By 1650, there was a primitive hop industry in the new-to-white-people world.
Fast-forward 250 years and you find Cluster accounting for virtually all of the U.S. hop crop at the turn of the 20th Century (96 percent). After Prohibition was repealed and the American beer industry returned to life, Cluster accounted for 90 percent of the crop. As recently as the 1970s virtually all beer in the USA was brewed with Cluster. The development of other hop varieties in the 70s and 80s was driven by advances in agronomics (higher per-acre yield, greater disease resistance, etc.) and not a desire for more flavor, but I digress. Virtually all of the world’s aforementioned 250-ish hop varieties are less than 50 years old. Many of them are less than 25 years old.
Some beers, but not many, still make use of Cluster hops. Jeff Alworth penned a great story about the history of Cluster hops on Beervana. That remarkable bit of beer history is what’s behind ClusterF#ck IPA from Double Mountain Brewery. Below, I share information about the beer straight from the brewery.
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ClusterF#ck IPA is Back and Better than Ever!
Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery is diving into the beer vaults once again to bring back one of their most beloved and iconic beers: ClusterF#ck IPA.
First brewed up in 2012, ClusterF#ck IPA was the first beer in Double’s ‘Single Hop’ series. There have been numerous iterations of this brew since its formulation, and now as part of Double’s annual ‘From the Vault’ series, it is making its triumphant return to the 2025 seasonal lineup. The seasonal slot of ‘From the Vault’ series features fan-favorites from years past, giving beer lovers a chance to revisit legendary brews that helped shape the brewery’s story. The beer that fills the yearly slot stays true to its origin story, but is revisited with some modern hopping techniques and products.
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From the Vault ClusterF#ck IPA is a wild ride of hops, attitude, and nostalgia. Back in the day, Cluster hops were everywhere. These days, they’re a bit harder to track down, but they’re still out there. These clusters are joined by some of their closest hop pals; Citra, Cascade, and Centennial, all packed together for bold flavor and unfiltered fun. Bright citrus and sticky herbal aromas jump out of the glass, with a lively bitterness that brings it all together in a beautifully chaotic harmony. This beer is big, expressive, and unapologetically hoppy.
To celebrate its return, Double Mountain has also reprinted the iconic original ClusterF#ck glow-in-the-dark tees, the same design that was printed and sold back in 2015. Available now in stores and online, this is your chance to grab a piece of Double Mountain history!
To learn about other recent beer releases, visit our New Beer Releases page.
