Excellent! A literary allusion to a classic of American prose for this month of the beer blog's poetry contest. Or to an '80s and early '90s Canuck rock indie band. Yet it's also a (skate) punk tune. I picked up this one when I was on the road coming back from Toronto last week but I have to confess I know little about this 8% brew, #4 in Church-Key's Heavy-Weight Series other than the brewer's note that it's his take on a double IPA.
The beer pours a deep reddish-orange amber verging on chestnut with a rocky head the colour of a pale cheese or heavy cream. Not a lot on the nose but in the mouth a lush very moreish soft water brew. Dark baked raisin and apple in the sweet malt with plenty of pine bittering hops in a fine rich balance that hides the strength of this brew very well until the tailing telling warmth in the finish. Sweet pastry effect to the yeast. Ergo, pie beer. I like.
Only five BAers have had this and only on draught at Volo but they rate it well. One RBer out of 16 has had a bottle. They all seem to approve though I have a hard time knowing how much since I lost my slide rule.
Comments
Paul of Kingston - March 4, 2008 2:13 pm
So what camp does it sit in? British or American? No mention of floral or citrus lead me to think it must be the former but please do tell.
Alan - March 4, 2008 3:46 pm
No mention of what is absent, true. I failed to record the total absence of its non-existent sour notes, too. ;-)
If anything, it is sort of a better, higher-test Wells Bombardier. Quite nice but to be fair to geographers of beer, I am not aware of an 8% beer with this much bittering hop that also lacks aroma hopping. I like this one but may not map it. Interesting, there is a small regional style of whisky called the Campbelltown. I think this is indicative of the Campbellford Double IPA style.