The Brewing Projekt Gunpowder 4Pk

The Brewing Projekt Gunpowder 4Pk is a 6.8% ABV American IPA brewed with Gunpowder Green Tea, citrus zest, and generous dry hop additions. Scoring 90 on BeerAdvocate, this tea-infused IPA from Eau Claire, Wisconsin stands apart from conventional hop-forward ales by layering delicate green tea character beneath bright citrus and pine.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.8%  |  Origin: Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA  |  Style: Tea-Infused American IPA  |  Brewery: The Brewing Projekt

Production & Heritage

The Brewing Projekt operates out of 1807 N Oxford Ave in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where the brewery has built a reputation for inventive, boundary-pushing ales. Gunpowder is brewed with Gunpowder Green Tea and orange peel added during the boil, followed by generous dry hopping with Citra and Centennial hops. The result is an IPA that bridges the herbaceous, slightly tannic world of green tea with the tropical punch and resinous bite of American hop varieties — a combination that few breweries have attempted with this level of balance.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Citrus and tropical fruit lead the nose, followed by herbal green tea notes and light pine resin. A dry, clean quality keeps the aromatics from feeling heavy.

Taste: The entry is bright and juicy, with yellow grapefruit and tropical fruit arriving first. Mid-palate, mild hop bitterness develops alongside a faint sweetness, and the delicate green tea flavors begin to unfold from beneath the citrus. The balance between hop intensity and tea subtlety keeps each sip interesting without overwhelming the palate.

Finish: Mellow bitterness lingers on a dry, clean finish with trailing notes of green tea and grapefruit pith. The dryness encourages another sip rather than coating the tongue.

How to Drink Gunpowder IPA

Gunpowder drinks best poured into a tulip glass or standard pint at around 45°F, letting the tea aromatics open up as it warms slightly. Its citrus-forward hop profile and dry finish also make it a strong candidate for beer cocktails:

• Hop Shandy: Mix with fresh lemonade to amplify the grapefruit notes while softening the bitterness.
• IPA Michelada: The green tea and citrus character add complexity to a traditional Michelada built with lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire.
• Beermosa: Combine with fresh-squeezed orange juice at brunch — the orange peel in Gunpowder's recipe makes this pairing especially cohesive.

Best For

• IPA drinkers looking to explore tea-infused craft beer
• Summer cookouts where a dry, citrus-driven beer keeps pace with the heat
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who values unusual ingredient combinations
• Pairing with bold, flavorful foods where a standard lager would get lost

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Gunpowder IPA taste like? Gunpowder delivers bright grapefruit and tropical fruit flavors up front, with delicate Gunpowder Green Tea notes emerging beneath the hop character. The finish is dry and mildly bitter, making it well-balanced and easy to drink at 6.8% ABV.

How does Gunpowder compare to a standard American IPA? Where a typical American IPA relies solely on hops for bitterness and aroma, Gunpowder adds a layer of herbaceous green tea complexity and citrus zest from the boil that gives it a drier, more nuanced profile. The Citra and Centennial dry hop additions still deliver familiar tropical and pine notes, but the tea component sets it in its own lane.

Is Gunpowder IPA good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the balance between citrus hops and green tea makes it engaging enough to drink on its own without food. Its 6.8% ABV is moderate enough for a full session without fatigue.

Where is Gunpowder IPA made? Gunpowder is brewed by The Brewing Projekt at their facility on North Oxford Avenue in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Eau Claire sits in western Wisconsin and has become a growing hub for craft brewing in the Upper Midwest.

What foods pair well with Gunpowder IPA? Grilled shrimp or fish tacos complement the citrus hop character without competing for attention. Thai green curry mirrors the tea notes while the bitterness cuts through coconut milk richness. Sharp aged cheddar creates a satisfying contrast with the dry finish. Citrus-dressed salads with arugula echo the grapefruit and herbal qualities in the beer.

What sizes does Gunpowder come in? Gunpowder is available in a 4-pack format, which is the standard offering from The Brewing Projekt for this expression.

Is Gunpowder IPA worth the price? Gunpowder positions as a craft IPA with a specialty ingredient twist, sitting comfortably in the premium craft 4-pack tier. With a 90-point BeerAdvocate score and over 12,000 ratings on Untappd averaging 3.9 out of 5, the consensus among the craft beer community supports strong value for what it delivers.

Why Gunpowder?

The defining move here is the addition of Gunpowder Green Tea during the boil — a choice that gives this IPA a dry, herbaceous backbone most hop-forward beers lack entirely. That tea character doesn't compete with the Citra and Centennial dry hopping; instead, it threads through beneath the tropical fruit and pine, revealing itself gradually as you drink. A 90-point BeerAdvocate rating reflects a beer that has found genuine balance between novelty and drinkability. For anyone who has cycled through dozens of West Coast and hazy IPAs looking for something that actually tastes different, Gunpowder delivers a legitimate point of distinction.