'The dough's hydration is 50-percent IPA as well, which lends to the flavor as well as provides food for the yeast.' 'This allows the yeast to slowly do its job to leaven the bread as well as develop some nice, natural flavors,' says Watson. Oh, that bread! The dough is made using a starter base and ferments for three days before the hoagie rolls are formed and baked. It's a hard decision to make, given the roster of great pizzas, but we promise you won't be disappointed.īut how, we asked him, did he come up with such a spectacular construction? He answered it simply: 'A good balance of sweet, salty and acidity, along with some crunch and daily fresh-made bread.' But you don't have to jump through hoops you only have to head to this Berkeley hot spot during lunch or dinner and order one. Such is the case with Hops & Pie's true hero, the Italian.Ĭhef/co-owner Drew Watson created this magnificent sandwich more than five years ago, and the fact that its praises have yet to be sung from the highest mountain makes us think it's listed on a secret, shake-hands-and-knock-three-times sort of menu. Every now and then a dish comes around to surprise you, but it's not often that that meal comes in sandwich form.

Manor matters hops