Evil Twin Brewing Key Lime Pie American IPA at 7% ABV (C$6.89 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 17-Nov-2018, reviewed 30-Nov-2018)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, pine, pale malt, key lime, graham crackers. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly sticky medium bitter and tart finish. (4/5)
I was quite surprised upon opening this: the graham crumb and key lime adjuncts were relatively muted, and the aroma was hop dominant, albeit with the adjuncts present in the background. I was doubly surprised when I took the first sip, and the key lime tartness attacked my taste buds at full strength. It certainly tastes like a key lime pie, even if it doesn’t smell like one overly much. For all that, it’s not mouth-puckeringly tart, though the tartness does wash out any hop bitterness that might otherwise be apparent. The other thing the tartness accomplishes, though, is palate cleansing, preparing you for the next sip and making the beer quite more-ish overall. I’m confident in my score for the aroma, and while the flavour isn’t quite what one might expect in an IPA, it’s certainly what it says on the can, so I guess I’ve got to stick with a solid score there as well. Overall, it’s a high score for an oddball beer, but it’s an interesting one. (16/20)
8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
