Fernie Brewing Company Denali Single Hop IPA American IPA at 6.7% ABV | 60 IBU (C$8.49 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, best before 1-Nov-2018, acquired 21-Jun-2018, reviewed 24-Jun-2018)
Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, caramel, citrus, pine, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, sticky lingering building bitter slightly astringent finish. (4/5)
Dunno that I’ve ever actually had Denali hops before, so it’s nice to be able to start off with a single-hop to really explore the character. I can’t say I’m overly thrilled with it, if I’m honest. I think it’s the pineapple. I’m not one of these guys who hates pineapple – hell, I’ll eat it on a pizza – but when it’s the first impression, then sweetness becomes an issue. Here, I don’t think the sweetness on the tongue is actually excessive, but the combination of pineapple and caramel malt on the nose sets up that expectation, and it’s hard to dislodge. It’s also not acidic enough to cut through the oily bitter finish, which in turn doesn’t actually displace the sticky sweetness, so you end up with both being present in the finish. Yes, I know it sounds like I’m slamming it, but I’m not: overall it’s pretty decent, but it’s not about to change my mind about my favourite hops. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
