Trafalgar Hop Nouveau 2009
Pours a hazy amber orange color with lots of visible sediment particles. The head is nothing more than a spotty ring, leaving barely any lace on the glass. The aroma is a mix of pleasant, perfumey hops and light, mildly abrasive bitterness. The taste is hop forward with plenty of fruity character, grapefruit, apricot and melon notes come to the fore. Hop bitterness is moderate and almost salty in a way. Malt is restrained and on the syrupy sweet side. Some green apple is also noticeable. the moufeel is quite full bodied for a Pale Ale and lightly carbonated. The floral, fruity somewhat bitter finish lasts quite a long time. This is my favorite beer from my least favorite Ontario brewery. It has more balance and hop presence then I was expecting, and is definitely on the hoppy end of the Pala Ale scale IMO. The hop profile could be fuller and more complex though, perhaps its a drawback of Ontario grown hops? Also I think they need a more neutral tasting yeast for this style. All in all, a decent West Coast style Pale Ale, worth a try.