Brasserie Dunham Richilieu Pinball – American Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$5.85 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 17-Mar-2021, reviewed 18-Mar-2021)
Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, resiny pine, pale malts, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly resiny finish. (4/5)
I figured there had to be a story behind can art like that, and a little research revealed a story of two Montreal brothers capitalizing on a ban on the importation of arcade machines into Canada (“to conserve a dwindling US dollar supply” – you get the feeling this story could lead down any number of rabbit holes?), and fifty years later, a pinball bar (!) named in their honour: North Star. (Though, being in Montreal, one wonders how the bar can get away with that name, rather than Étoile Polaire or Étoile Du Nord or some such.) “Richelieu” was one of the two pinball machines North Star made during their brief (three year) existence. Fair enough, why not name a beer after that? The beer itself is decent, with nicely emphatic aroma and flavour despite the light ABV. (15/20)
7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze
