4th Meridian Brewing Co. Sparky IPA – American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$4.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Jan-2021, reviewed 31-Jan-2021)
Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, citrus, vanilla, earth, butter, faint pine. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration lingering building bitter finish. (3/5)
Brewer notes claim this is hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial. Mind you, they also claim that it’s an American IPA. As far as I can tell, few or none of those statements are true – or, at least, none are apparent. The aroma is dominated by caramel, with muddled notes of citrus, diacetyl, and earthy pine. If one were feeling generous, one could say it’s more English-style than American, but bottom line, it’s a bit of a mess. (12/20)
6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
