Wild Rose Brewery Switch Hitter IPL India Pale Lager at 6% ABV (C$5.95 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)
Pours clear straw with a fat finger of white head, good retention and excellent lacing. (4/5) Nose is citrus, pine, tropical fruit and light caramel malt. (8/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Light to medium body, moderate carbonation, dry and crisp with a lingering bitter finish. (4/5)
Wow – that’s actually pretty nice. (And yes, I know I’m normally a bit negatively biased towards lagers.) A surprising amount of bright hops makes this something that I can legitimately enjoy on its own merits, rather than making the obligatory “for the style” caveats. I usually say, “Sure, you can overcome the inherent boring character of lagers, but why bother?” – but this doesn’t feel like it’s compensating for anything. Probably the best thing Wild Rose makes, and actually much better than their IPA. Well done, Wild Rose! (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
