February Craft Beer Club

IPA Esclation

Dry January is well behind us now and booze is back on the menu!  This month we’ve decided to swing for the fences with a series of escalating IPA’s, starting small-ish at sub 5% ABV, and climbing up to 10%.  Intimidating? maybe.  But it is the purpose of the beer club to make trying these types of beers more approachable.  I believe there are some pleasant surprises in here for all, seasoned hop head or not.  

The beer club releases on the third Saturday every month. There is no sign up for our beer club, just drop by the store any time we’re open and pick up a pack!  The price will be between $20-$24

Micronova

Small IPA

Cabin Brewing

Cabin has made IPA’s their bread and butter, primarily with their “Saturation” lineup.  They’ve also got a tendency to work with New Zealand hop varieties.  With this entry they’ve combined those two specialities into Micronova, a (comparatively) little IPA, focusing on being light in body and high in refreshment.  Oddly enough the aromas of this beer make me think of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - aromas like passionfruit, lime, and grapefruit.  Coincidence?  Terroir?  Power of suggestion?  Whatever it may be, it’s tasty!

Close To Me

Hazy IPA

Eighty-Eight Brewing Co.

When it comes to Hazy IPA’s, the goal is fruitiness without bitterness.  Eighty-Eight has  come awful close to perfecting that with this one.  This pours a fully opaque hazy with a creamy white head.  Smelling that foam brings a rush of tropical fruit, especially mango.  Tasting it shows more of that dense tropical fruit, before a hint of grapefruit arrives on the end with just a little touch of bitterness.  That bitterness is nicely offset by an overall creamy body and finish.

8th Birthday

Double IPA

Canmore Brewing

Another year, another DIPA from Canmore Brewing.  They’re getting very good at these.  I count myself lucky for having had the opportunity to taste this right out from the tank a couple days before the official release.  The first thing that hit me was that in no way did it come across as 8% ABV, which while dangerous, is overall a good thing for balance.  Flavour wise I was hit with honeydew right away, along with some grapefruit.  On the finish there is a touch of that pine resin like aroma and a very mild bitterness.  If this style of IPA is to stick around, this is the way to do it.

Purple City

Triple IPA

S.Y.C. Brewing

Alright, the IPA final boss, the triple.  While there is really no strict definition between an IPA, Imperial, Double, and Triple, when you get to 10% you can be sure that this is a beer that isn’t messing around.  In this instance S.Y.C. has stuck to a clear cut triple dry hop recipe, balanced with a complex malt bill of barley, spelt, wheat, and oats.  All those grains give the alcohol present in this something to grip on to, preventing the feeling of the booze from feeling disjointed from the beer - make no mistake though this still hits with a wallop.  As far as the flavour goes, this has a similar presence of that piney goodness seen in the previous entry, but with a bigger, juicier tropical fruit profile.  Some may say that triples are unnecessary but I say make your own judgements!  S.Y.C. has been putting this one to market off and on since 2021, showing that those who like it, really like it.  Maybe you’ll like it too.