Once I put together the list of my latest reviews I found they had something in common: these styles are all gaining popularity quickly. Beau's Opa's Gose is an awkward German beer style that uses salt water and coriander and has popped up in Canada from a few brewers lately (GLB/Amsterdam, Les Trois Mousquetaires and Beau's themselves). Both the Chouffe Houblon and GLB Audrey Hopburn are highly hopped spinoffs of the Belgian Tripel style, Chouffe arguably being the original creator of these 'Belgian IPAs'. While somewhat more commercial, Mad & Noisy (from the makers of Creemore Springs) Nuts & Bolts is also in an up-and-coming IPA variant: the India Pale Lager. Lastly, but certainly not least, Bellwoods Session Ale, the Wizard Wolf (a growingly popular style that features bold flavor and low alcohol, designed to be drank several in succession without causing too much bodily harm).
Beau's Opa's Gose
650 mL bottle. Pours a densely hazed peach color with a moderate white cap. Aromas of orange, coriander, grass, unmalted wheat, banana and a touch of candy floss. Light to medium body with full carbonation. Compares more to a saison or a wit than to the Great Lakes/Amsterdam Gose (the only other one I’ve had). Salt is unnoticeable. Good quencher, but not overly interesting or particularly to style. Added some of the extra salt and it becomes oddly creamy and muted.
Great Lakes Brewing Audrey Hopburn
650 mL bottle. Pours light amber with a mild head and nice lacing. Aroma is a pleasant mix of noble hop aroma and yeast spice: citrus zest, clove, tangerine, anise and a touch of bread. Medium to full bodied with full carbonation. Balanced sweetness with a bitter hop finish. Nice beer.
Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel
330 mL bottle. Pours golden straw with a fuzzy white head and no lacing. Aroma is hugely hoppy; fresh cut grass, citrus, herb, a hint of honey like malt and belgian candi sugar character. Smooth beyond belief with no alcohol bite (be warned), high carbonation and medium body. Concentrated hop aroma with little to no bitterness, very clean on the palate. Dangerously drinkable and wickedly balanced.
Mad & Noisy Hops & Bolts IPL
473 mL can. Pours a woody orange color with a nice white cap and lingering lacing. Aromas of light caramel, citrus, tropical fruit, munich malt and a slight breadiness. Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation. Smooth on the palate, finishes crisp and bitter with a fruity hop note. Surprising quality.
Bellwoods Wizard Wolf Session Ale
500 mL bottle. Pours a hazy light amber with a tight white head that lasts well. Great citrusy hop aroma with a touch of tropical fruit and a light herbal note. Hints of caramel and bready malt. Super easy drinking, moderate body, moderate carbonation and great balance. A touch of sweetness and a nice bitter finish.
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