Saldanha

West Coast Sorghum IPA
8.5% ABV | 70 IBUs
10% of Proceeds were donated by Five Shores to the Detroit Branch of the NAACP

African Queen (South Africa), MI Chinook, Southern Star (South Africa), Simcoe
Inspired by ingredients native to, and grown in Africa. Rich lemon, pine, tart tropical fruit. Soft start, hop fruitiness with sturdy and lingering, west coast-style bitterness.

The story of Saldanha by Kuma Ofori-Mensa:

This was my first time collaborating on a beer as myself rather than as a representative of someone else's brand, so I wanted it to reflect who I am and where I come from. Since my parents were born and raised in Ghana and I was born and raised here in the States, this was a perfect opportunity to blend the major cultural influences of my life into something unique.

Sadly, I’ve rarely come across or learned much about African beer. Almost all the styles commonly seen in American breweries are of European or American origin, and the only beers I’ve ever tasted from Africa are lagers--a European invention. So I started looking into the history of beer brewing across the African continent and what I found was that there are several regional variations of beer brewed with sorghum. In Ghana, it’s called pito and my parents describe it as a common person’s drink--a casual refreshment for everyday people. Since Ghana is in West Africa and the IPA is the reigning champion of the American craft beer market, a base of a West Coast style IPA seemed appropriate. Plus, I hadn’t worked with the South African grown hop varieties that recently became commercially available so yet another perfect opportunity.

I built the recipe to feature sorghum extract, African Queen hops, and Southern Star hops on a foundation of mostly Pilsner malt with Simcoe hops and Chinook hops. Oliver Roberts and Ellie Maddelein at Five Shores gave it life. Damon Powers of Red Tap and 8 Degrees Plato gave it the name “Saldanha” (a bay and a town on the west coast of South Africa). Justin Bell at Five Shores gave it a look with the inspiration and input of my family. Barb Baker gave it a reason to exist.