Today’s beer painting is of HooDoo Brewing Company’s IPA! Be forewarned, this 7.2% IPA should be enjoyed responsibly. I was responsible enough to leave my car at the hotel and make the 10 minute short walk over to the brewery. When I arrived to the new Fairbanks hot-spot known as HooDoo, I was blown away with the cool outdoor ice bar that was about to melt in the above-30-degree weather, which was also a pleasant surprise! A crowd of thirsty beer lovers was already crowding the tasting room! I got situated, tasted all the on-draft offerings, and realized my favorite was the IPA, and got to work making this painting. This was my first onsite beer painting in a brewery. I have done photo-shoots at breweries before, but painting live was a first for me.
Fairbanks is so cool now that it has HooDoo right there in town. Silver Gulch Brewing Company in Fox has been a favorite of mine since I first visited it over five years ago, but making a 20 mile round trip drive just for fresh beer seems like a bit of a schlep. Nonetheless, after driving 350+ miles to Fairbanks, we checked into the hotel, and drive straight to Silver Gulch. There is totally room for another brewery, or three in the Fairbanks area — a hub of a pretty large Alaska community.
HooDoo was founded by Bobby Wilken, a local Fairbanksian, who started home brewing in college in Montana. He found his passion for craft beer, graduated with a business degree, left for Germany to study the art of brewing in München, traveled extensively in Europe honing his palette, and returned to Fairbanks to build HooDoo in 2011.
I enjoyed painting this beer as I was surrounded by its loyal consumers! I also found it to be a spot on IPA, even though it is not very session-able. Those pints felt large, too! Seemed more like 20 oz than 16, but those engineers in Fairbanks always give a little wiggle room! It is floral and delicious, more of a double than a single, which is my normal octane. I was on overdrive as I finished this piece up and having a blast!
To HooDoo, you are fine hosts in our central Alaskan hub! Bringing fine beer culture to a great Alaskan destination! Cheers!
You can purchase this painting, or a limited-edition print at my Etsy Shop.
View the complete Year of Beer Paintings gallery.
Year of Beer 03.28. IPA at HooDoo Brewing Co. Oil on panel, 8″x10″.
Real Art Is Better! 