High West Wednesdays: Hopped Up Recipe

Our favorite IPA alternative, inspired by mountain biking

Jump to the recipe.

Picture it. Summer’s in full swing, so you spend your post-work sunlight lapping the trail that’s closest to the office. Luckily, you’ve got a crew of coworkers that loves mountain bike happy hours as much as you do. As the hazy dust clears on your final lap, you share a drink and cheers to another perfectly spent golden hour. You could settle for a can of IPA. Or you could shake it up with this light, bubbly blend: the Hopped Up from High West.

The star of this riff on a Tom Collins is High West’s Double Rye, a whiskey that balances bold rye spice and bright, refreshing botanicals. You may know this High West blend as a great daily sipper—and it is a perfect pour all on its own—but it plays nice with others, too.

Fresh lemon juice packs a refreshing punch, while the yuzu gives this sipper a little pop of something special. You can find yuzu juice at specialty grocers and even online, but you can also experiment with what you have available. This recipe is a template, so you can always tailor it to your own adventure. And while you can make this drink with regular cane sugar simple syrup, the team at High West uses Demerara sugar for the extra depth of flavor. Finally, the hop water of your choice gives this bubbly bev its signature hoppy nose. We chose Hop Lark’s Citra-hopped sparkling water to compliment the smooth tartness of yuzu and lemon.

Whether you pre-measure and pour all the ingredients into your favorite insulated tumbler at the trailhead or enjoy from home as you reminisce about the day’s adventures, this drink bursts with hoppy, citrusy aromas and delivers a grounded tart sweetness that compliments summer like a little afternoon downpour to settle the dust.

Ingredients

For the simple syrup (makes 6–12 drinks):
¼ cup Demerara sugar or sugar in the raw
¼ cup hot water

For the Hopped Up (makes one):
1.5 oz High West Double Rye
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz yuzu juice
0.75 oz simple syrup
1 can hop water

Instructions

Prepare the simple syrup.

1. Combine equal parts Demerara sugar and hot water.
2. Stir until sugar has fully dissolved.
3. Pour into a small bottle or jar and cool before using. Lasts for about three weeks when stored in the fridge.

Make the Hopped Up.

1. Combine the whiskey, citrus juices, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice and shake.
3. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
4. Top with hop water.

This drink looks like shimmering golden-hour sunlight filtering through trail dust at the end of the ride, and it tastes like a sunrise that predicts another stellar adventure on the horizon. We hope you love the Hopped Up as much as we do. Remember to drink responsibly, especially near your favorite recreation locales. Cheers!

Words by Alli Wright, who joined the Backcountry Herd in 2022. A climber, trail runner, and backcountry skier, she can be found in a hammock with a book or planning a crafternoon when she’s not chasing vert. 

Recipe designed by Holly Booth, High West’s Lead Bartender. While she’s primarily a whiskey drinker, she loves their Mountain Gin, too.

Published November 3, 2025.

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