Hop Butcher Twilight to Starlight 4Pk

Hop Butcher Twilight to Starlight 4Pk is a tea-infused Double India Pale Ale at 8.0% ABV, sold as a 4-pack of cans from Chicago's Hop Butcher For The World. This limited collaboration commemorates the 30th anniversary of The Smashing Pumpkins' landmark album Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness, earning a 4.1 out of 5 rating on Untappd across hundreds of reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.0%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Double IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher For The World, based at 4257 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, has built a reputation for rotating hazy IPAs and DIPAs that sell out quickly. Twilight to Starlight is hopped with Motueka, Ella, and Simcoe — a combination that leans heavily into tropical and citrus territory. What truly distinguishes this beer is an infusion of Tropical Fruit Medley tea sourced from Madame ZuZu's Emporium, Billy Corgan's own tea shop. That tea blend includes Spanish cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, hibiscus, Seville orange, and blood orange, all aged together before being incorporated into the brew. The result is a DIPA that bridges craft beer and music culture in a way few collaborations manage.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright tangerine and ripe mango greet the nose first, followed by resinous pine from the Simcoe hops. A soft floral-hibiscus undercurrent emerges as it warms, likely drawn from the tea infusion.

Taste: The entry is juicy and fruit-forward — sweet orange, cantaloupe, and passionfruit dominate the first sip. Mid-palate, a pillowy oat backbone adds body and softness, while citrus zest and grapefruit bitterness develop gradually. The Ella and Motueka hops push tropical notes of melon and pineapple through the peak, balanced by a subtle earthy-herbal complexity from the tea blend.

Finish: Clean and moderately bitter with lingering citrus pith and a whisper of hibiscus tartness. The finish is drier than the lush mid-palate suggests, keeping the 8% ABV remarkably drinkable.

How to Drink Twilight to Starlight

Serve this DIPA cold, ideally between 40–45°F, in a tulip glass or standard pint to let the aromatic complexity open up. Given the tea infusion and layered fruit character, drinking it straight from the can sells it short. While DIPAs are generally best enjoyed on their own, Twilight to Starlight's melon-and-citrus intensity could work in a Hop Shandy with fresh lemonade for a summer sipper, a Beermosa paired with mango-orange juice for a brunch twist, or a Michelada riff where the tropical fruit and hibiscus play well against lime and hot sauce.

Best For

• Smashing Pumpkins fans looking for authentic band-collaboration memorabilia they can actually drink
• Hazy DIPA enthusiasts seeking a limited-edition release with a genuinely unique production twist
• Gifting a craft beer collector who values rare Chicago brewery collaborations
• Sharing with friends at a listening party or album anniversary gathering

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Twilight to Starlight taste like? Twilight to Starlight delivers juicy citrus and tropical fruit — tangerine, mango, cantaloupe, and passionfruit — layered over a soft oat malt backbone with a gently bitter, clean hop finish. The tea infusion adds subtle hibiscus and melon nuances that separate it from a standard DIPA.

How does Twilight to Starlight compare to other Hop Butcher DIPAs? Most Hop Butcher DIPAs rely solely on hop combinations for their fruit character, while Twilight to Starlight introduces a Tropical Fruit Medley tea infusion that adds cantaloupe, hibiscus, and citrus peel dimensions not found in the brewery's hop-only releases. The collaboration concept and tea integration make it a distinct outlier in their rotating lineup.

Is Twilight to Starlight good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the 8% ABV is well-hidden beneath the juicy, full-bodied mouthfeel, making it an approachable sipper despite its Double IPA strength. Pouring it into a glass rather than drinking from the can reveals the full aromatic range of the tea infusion.

Where is Twilight to Starlight made? Twilight to Starlight is brewed by Hop Butcher For The World at their facility on North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The Tropical Fruit Medley tea used in the infusion comes from Madame ZuZu's Emporium, also located in the Chicago area.

What foods pair well with Twilight to Starlight? Thai green curry matches the tropical fruit intensity while the bitterness cuts through coconut milk richness. Fish tacos with mango salsa echo the beer's citrus-melon profile. Grilled shrimp skewers with a citrus glaze complement the tangerine and orange notes. A charcuterie board with aged cheddar contrasts the soft, juicy body. Passion fruit cheesecake mirrors the beer's tropical sweetness for a dessert pairing.

What sizes does Twilight to Starlight come in? Twilight to Starlight is available as a 4-pack of cans, consistent with Hop Butcher's standard release format for their rotating DIPA series.

Is Twilight to Starlight worth the price? Twilight to Starlight positions as a premium limited-release DIPA, carrying the added value of a genuine collaboration with The Smashing Pumpkins and a tea-infusion production method not commonly found in the style. For collectors and fans of either brand, the combination of quality brewing and cultural significance justifies its place at the upper end of the craft DIPA tier.

Why Twilight to Starlight?

The infusion of Madame ZuZu's Tropical Fruit Medley tea — featuring aged Spanish cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, hibiscus, Seville orange, and blood orange — is not a gimmick layered onto a generic base beer. It is integrated into a carefully hopped DIPA built on Motueka, Ella, and Simcoe, three varieties chosen to harmonize with, rather than compete against, the tea's fruit and floral character. The 30th-anniversary Smashing Pumpkins tie-in gives it cultural weight that extends beyond the beer itself. With a 4.1 Untappd rating and a 4.08 on BeerAdvocate, drinkers have confirmed that the concept translates into the glass — making this one of the more memorable collaboration releases to come out of Chicago's craft scene.