Quidi Vidi Brewing Company Calm Tom’s Double IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$2.83 at NLC Stavanger, 341 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Mar-2018, reviewed 12-Mar-2018)
Appearance: opaque medium gold with a short loose loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, stone & tropical fruit, pale malt, earthy dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly sticky body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)
This… might be the best thing QV has ever done. Scratch that, this is by far the best thing they’ve ever done. I had high hopes when it was announced that the legal wrangling between the two owners was finally at a close, and that they would be moving bravely forward into the twenty-first century. (Hey, better late than never, right?) The prime position in the province was theirs to lose, and I’m very much afraid they’ve lost it, but beers like this might be the recipe for a comeback. QV say this is a West Coast IPA, but the fact is, with its cloudy appearance and juicy smooth hops it’s almost a passable version of an NEIPA, and it can hold its own against nearly any other IPA in North America. (And, is it a bad thing that this isn’t the first beer I’ve had where I actually know the guy on the label?) (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
