Hop, hop, hops

“The word ‘rouleur’ is a French word, translating to ‘roller,’” explains Rawley Macias, head brewer and founder of Rouleur Brewing Company. “However, in cycling, a rouleur is a rider who is multifaceted and is able to excel at most types of riding (climbing, sprinting, endurance, etc.). We are a beer brand with a cycling problem.” Well, maybe not a problem, exactly. But the Carlsbad brewery has lived up to the versatility implied by its name. The latest: their recently opened tasting room in North Park features a food menu which was originally developed as a collaboration with O’Brien’s co-owner Tyson Blake but continues to expand with new flavors such as empanadas and a lamb sausage sandwich courtesy of chef Carla Kraft. Meanwhile, on tap at both Rouleur locations, you can find everything from a New Zealand Pilsner and a Berliner Weiss to a Double IPA and an Imperial Stout.

Standouts on tap include Bonkeur Mosaic Pale Ale, which took home a gold medal in the International Pale Ale or New Zealand Pale Ale category at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival. Featuring Simcoe and Mosaic hops, Bonkeur is a dank, well-balanced Pale Ale offering stone fruit and citrus notes. It’s on tap all year with another award-winner, Domestique Blonde Ale, which won bronze in the Belgian-Style Pale Ale or Belgian-Style Blonde Ale category at the 2018 World Beer Cup.

However, the brew that most exemplifies the brewery’s multifaceted nature could be its most recent effort. Rouleuer’s latest addition to its list of year-round beers is Bunny Hop — a West Coast IPA which promises to use different hops in each batch to produce a unique twist on the recipe. Macias furthers, “The beauty of this beer is that the hops will rotate and ideally won’t repeat. Batch 2 is scheduled to feature African Queen.” But all is not change; one constant in all iterations of Bunny Hop will be the use of Pilsner malts, which will provide the beer with a light body and crisp finish, along with a subtle malty flavor and a bready, even biscuity character.

Batch 1 of Bunny Hop, released on December 23, features Sultana hops, which provide bright citrusy and pineapple notes with a touch of pine. Rouleur plans to have only one batch of Bunny Hop on tap at a time, so Batch 2 will release shortly after Batch 1 is tapped. Once it does, fans can expect the pineapple and citrus present in Batch 1 to be replaced by a dankness accompanied by berry and lemongrass, courtesy of the African Queen hops. Plans are in the works to can future batches of the new ale as well.

Beer fans who have their own “cycling problem” and want to do some rolling of their own before tasting the beer named after their mode of transport can join Rouleur’s group bike rides, which are held at each location. Macias concludes, “We have always hosted rides out of our Carlsbad location, and recently started them here in North Park. They are open to all rider types/skill levels. Show up, ride, then enjoy a pint and some food afterwards!”