What a strange brew – in two senses. Is it from Beau's in Eastern Ontario or is it from the respected Gigantic Brewing Co. of Portland, Ore.? That's the first question. Beau's makes it in Ontario, but the recipe was hatched by Gigantic's formidable craft-brewing minds, a sort of collaboration beer, part of Beau's B-Side brewing label, designed to give Ontarians a rare taste of what those hop-obsessed West Coast brewers know how to do best.
Then there's the style to consider. It's an India pale ale at its core, so you know it's going to be as bitter as a jilted lover, especially in Gigantic's West Coast hands. But there's a twist. It's made with Trappist-ale yeast commonly used in Belgium, imbuing the robust beer with an earthy, spicy kick.
Hazy golden, it's massively hoppy, with pronounced pine and bitter-grapefruit characters that instantly take up residence in your nose like a sinus-clearing spritz of Otrivin. Orange and nectarine characters come through, too, along with a whisper of baking spices. Dry and aromatic, it would be lovely with fatty meats or tangy cheeses.