The Shaka Goes Year-Round

It wasn’t long ago that you referred to a pale ale as a pale ale, and an IPA as an IPA. In recent years, that level of simplicity has taken a backseat to the demands of new craft beer enthusiasts who generally eschew traditional tastes for bigger and bolder flavors.

In the last decade, we’ve witnessed the rise of the line-forming juicy New England IPA, followed closely by a wave of trends like fruit-filled sour ales and decadent pastry stouts – all styles of beers that we enjoy and in many cases brew proudly (Sluice Juice, our perfectly balanced New England IPA, is our number one beer). 

But as more and more breweries pushed the envelope on flavors, we started to notice a demand from beer lovers to offer more of the beers that kicked off their journey into craft beer – specifically the west coast style that had formed the entry point for so many of them. 

Innovation is an integral part of the craft beer industry. If you aren’t willing to try new things, you will eventually be left behind. But at the core of all brewing is the ability to balance tradition against trends. We think with the Shaka, our West Coast style Pale Ale, that we have struck that balance. 

Originally offered in November 2022, reception to the Shaka (a nod to the official name of the ‘surfs up’ hand signal) was so overwhelmingly positive that we decided to level it up to a year-round flagship beer almost immediately after the first batch was sold. 

The decision was made in part because of the reception to the beer, but also because we saw a hole in the coolers where a West Coast would fit perfectly. While several breweries had reintroduced the classic West Coast style to their customers in a one-off capacity, there was a death of a year-round version of the style on the shelves. We decided to go all in and solve that problem for current – and new – Bent Water customers and craft beer enthusiasts by committing to the beer’s year-round availability.

Shaka has big flavors of pink grapefruit, orange, and pine, along with a touch of malty caramel to balance the beer’s drinking experience. At 5.3% ABV, it makes for a refreshing but complex beer that’s light enough to enjoy after a day spent doing some of our favorite activities – skiing, running, surfing, mountain biking, and just being outdoors. 

Find Shaka near you!