Bellwoods Brewery Wizard Wolf American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV | 44 IBU (C$5.00 at Bellwoods Brewery, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before but fresh from brewery, acquired 11-Sep-2017, reviewed 12-Sep-2017)
Appearance: opaque pale gold with a short white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, moderate patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus zest, floral, bready malt, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter and slightly spicy finish. (4/5)
I last had this more than two years ago, at which time I pronounced it inferior to other Bellwoods brews. Well, that might actually have been true – and, indeed, might still be – but it’s still one heckuva beer. I’m tempted to suggest they’ve changed the recipe, actually, going more NE-style on the structure, because this is far more opaque than the “hazy” I described it as then: it flat-out looks like orange juice now. Plus, the citrus dominates over the bready malt, rather than the other way around. No way around this – I’m gonna have to re-rate it a smidge higher. (And yes, that’s a disposable hotel cup. It’s that or not drink at all, OK? Desperate times, and all that…) (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
