NORTHWOOD, Iowa — The craft brewpub in the county seat of Worth County has brewed its 1,000th batch.

And it plans to celebrate.

At 5 p.m. Friday, Worth Brewing will tap an India pale ale that its owner is calling No. 1,000 IPA.

Peter Ausenhus called it a special recipe that will employ a different variety of hops than the brewery’s Field Trip IPA. He said he brewed the batch Nov. 8 with hops from the Pacific Northwest that have a citrus and pine aroma. IPA is known for its bitterness, but to drinkers of craft beer, bitter is better.

“IPA is more of a bitter style, but it is a pleasurable bitterness, not harsh bitter. It’s clean,” Ausenhus said.

There are about 20 gallons in a batch, Ausenhus said. That means he has brewed 20,000 gallons of beer since he opened Worth Brewing back in March 2007 as part of his decision to preserve a historic bank building in downtown Northwood.

He actually brews two 10-gallon batches, but they share the same fermenter. He said he can do about two batches in a nine-hour day. Making ales takes about four to five weeks, while lagers take eight to nine weeks.

Albert Lea residents very much are invited to the tapping.

“I always say I seem to get the most traffic here from Albert Lea,” Ausenhus said.

The celebration begins one hour before Northwood holds its annual Christmas Light Parade.