Springdale Graphic Designer Anna Keaney recounts the inspiration behind The Party Ain’t Over, the fifth beer to debut in our 2020 Hazy IPA series.
The year is 2019.
By some miracle of divine intervention and clever excuses to get out of work, you and your closest friends managed to agree on a date, a time, and a bar. Last call has long passed, you’ve got three missed calls from mom, and there’s no need to call an Uber because it’s a nice night to walk. You’re breathless from laughing at a joke no one even remembers anymore, all the while secretly hoping your paycheck clears before rent’s due. The night air cools the sweat from your skin after hours of dancing and the golden arches of McDonald’s beckon you ever onward. Everyone should have gone home hours ago, but “we’re still breathing / and the party ain’t over.”
It’s those memories, tinged with neon lights and the electric feeling of invincibility, that inspired the design of The Party Ain’t Over, the fifth entry in our fresh and ephemeral Hazy IPA series. To the Springdale faithful, you might find the recipe familiar, like a visit from a Good (*cough* ‘n You?! *cough*) friend. We missed it so much, we invited the citrusy blend of Galaxy and Citra hops back for another round.
This beer draws inspiration from the lyrics of Philadelphia’s own The Menzingers. Their track “Midwestern States” is featured on our Springdale 2020 Playlist; a collection of some of our favorite songs that have inspired our entire Hazy IPA line-up. The song tells the story of sleepless nights, long drives, couch surfing, and some regrettable stick-and-pokes, but it also tells a story of tenacity and what happens when we cross the line between “What Was Planned For Us” and “What We Really Wanted to Do.”
I hope you’ll pick this beer up and recognize a few neon lights you may have passed on a long drive across state lines, or in the window of your favorite bar, or beaming brightly through your best friend’s living room while you try to fall asleep on the couch. I hope it reminds you of the nights you really didn’t want to end. I hope it reminds you that those nights will come again.
The Party Ain’t Over, it just looks a little different right now.
