8 Wired Brewing Company Rendition Belgian Strong Pale Ale at 7.5% ABV (C$13.94 at Oak & Vine, 500 ml, bottle date 4-Jun-2016, acquired 1-Apr-2017, reviewed 6-Apr-2017)
Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head settling to a persistent thick cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, caramel malt, stone fruit, hint of tobacco and coffee. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)
Pleasant, but not the kind of stonking good ale I’ve come to expect from 8 Wired. (I’ve had ten others by them, of which six were 8/10 or better.) A little too muted on the nose, and a bit malty for my preference. The Brettanomyces is present, but extremely sedate, manifesting only as a hint of tobacco and coffee towards the back. Dial up the hops and the Brett, and dial back the malt, and you might have something here. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
