Tag Archives: medium bitterness

In the Bleak Midwinter: Black IPA – Dandy Brewing Company

by Mike

From the Dandy Brewing Company in Calgary Alberta comes their “In the Bleak Midwinter: Black IPA”.  The beer pours a deep brown with a light brown head.  The aroma consist of roasted malts, smoke, mild fruit and herbal hops.  The flavour is of caramel, roasted malts, citrus, tropical, earth, burnt coffee and medium bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.5%.  The Dandy Brewing Company makes really tasty beer and this black IPA is no different.  It is both IPA and a bit stout and 100% tasty.

Commercial Description:  A fruity Black IPA. With only a kiss of roast, this black IPA is fresh and juicy but dark as the coldest days of winter. Citra and Mosaic are late hop additions to avoid the biterness and focus on aroma.

Hawaiian Ivory Milkshake IPA – 2 Crows Brewing (Kilter Brewing)

by Mike

From 2 Crows Brewing out of Halifax, Nova Scotia in collaboration with Kilter Brewing in Winnipeg Manitoba comes their “Hawaiian Ivory Milkshake IPA”.  The beer pours a murky orange colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of tropical fruit, juicy hops, coconut, resin and lactose.  The flavour is of pineapple, mango, citrus, banana, citrus rind, resin, lactose, yeast and medium bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.3% with an IBU of 49.  Not as juice forward as many Milkshake IPA’s with a more pronounced bitterness but regardless it is a tasty juice bomb.

Commercial Description:  Milkshake IPA with coconut, mango, pineapple, banana, & lime.

Cherry IPA – Strathcona Beer Company

by Mike

From Strathcona Beer Company in Vancouver comes their “Cherry IPA” a Cascadian Dark Ale.  The beer pours a deep black with a brown head.  The aroma consists of mild roasted malts, cherry and floral hops.  The flavour is of roasted malts, ash, earth, cherries, sweetness and medium bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 7.3%.  I was surprised this was a Black IPA as it didn’t say it on the can but I enjoyed this one for sure.

Canoe Chase IPA – Smugglers’ Trail Caskworks Ltd

by Mike

From the new Smugglers’ Trail Caskworks Ltd brewed out of Factory Brewing in Vancouver comes their “Canoe Chase IPA”. The beer pours a copper orange with a light tan head. The aroma consists of big floral notes, citrusy, tropical with some caramel notes. The flavour is of some resin and citrus rind, with citrus, tropical fruit, maybe a hint of melon with some caramel and a medium hops bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.8% with an IBU of 53.  I can get behind this first release form Smugglers’ Trail for sure.  Lots of flavour to be found all around.

Commercial Description:  Inspired by the true story of audacious 19th Century bandits who outran local authorities by racing upstream on the Fraser River.  Bright. Juicy. Smooth. Refreshing.  Try some before we smuggle it past you.

Fresh Hop Sartori Sour IPA – Field House Brewing

by Mike

From Field House Brewing in Abbotsford comes their “Fresh Hop Sartori Sour IPA”.  This weird and wonderful brew pours a weird brownish copper colour with a tan head.  The aroma consists of floral and herbal hops with some sweetness and a definite sour note.  The flavour is of sourness, toffee, sweetness with grassy, herbal hops with earth and a medium bitterness in the finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 6% with an IBU of 30.  This beer is more sour ale than IPA for sure but it is a fun brew and I am glad that I got the chance to try it this year.  I hope you do too!

Commercial Description:  Our hands harvested these columbia hop cones straight from the Sartori Hop Ranch in the beautiful Columbia Valley. These fresh hops met our sour red IPA, infusing this once-a-year brew with fresh green earthy flavours. Herbal notes meet fruity melon and tangy citrus, all nestled in a tart IPA.