India Pale Ale
I procured a bomber of this at the Brewery Creek store in central Vancouver - it was all I could do to convince my host that it was worth driving there from downtown, after a whole inch and a half of snow... This beer pours a slightly cloudy medium golden hue, with a few fingers of white creamy, foamy head, that leaves lacing all around the glass as it melts away. The smell is major grapefruit hops, and a mellow malt sweetness, with a tinge of baker's yeast. The taste is a massive bitter citrus blast to the poor tastebuds cowering in the corners (?) of my mouth. The caramel malt body that I can only assume is there by way of the perceived weight in the mouthfeel, is thus seemingly masked almost entirely. The citrus hops make themselves known at every stage in the evolution of the taste, drying out the finish like fine British humour, and leaving a lingering aftertaste of astringent goodness, like American. The carbonation - right, the carbonation - well, it's pretty innocuous, fairly mild, and doesn't intensify the effect of the bitterness, thankfully! This is obviously a one-sided affair, but the decent weight in the body of the beer makes this a satisfying drink, presuming one likes an assault and battery in terms of hop service. My Dad took one sip and made a face I haven't seen since I first cranked that Megadeth tape back in junior high...