Red Collar Brewing Co. Red Collar IPA India Pale Ale (IPA) at 6.25% ABV (C$6.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 28-May-2016, reviewed 30-May-2016)
Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel malt, tropical fruit, citrus, earth and grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)
Definitely an English-style IPA, but decently well done. Funny, it’s my second E/IPA with ANZ hops in two days – is this a thing, now? Because, really, it’s not that impressive a thing, so let’s go back to hop-forward pales, please and thank you, mmmmkay? You can keep the ANZ hops, those I like – just maybe be a little more generous with them? Keep the English ale yeast if you’re absolutely bound and determined to make it an E/IPA, but you could throw some Nelson Sauvin into the mix, maybe dry hop with ‘em. Does “English” really have to be synonymous with “boring”? (Silly question – of course it does.) (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
