The roman candle* of fireworks fame, a cascade of awe inspiring balls of fire and flame shooting into the air. Sounds like a Kiss concert**. Fireworks have been used for many years to celebrate, and also to represent sex in old movies. How about Jerry Lee Lewis*** singing about great balls of fire, a not too subtle sexual reference perhaps? Fireworks have been associated with passion, love at first site, and personality clashes, which can all be part of the same package. Now we have an IPA donning the moniker.
What is Bellwoods serving up for us? I expect I should be expecting fireworks here. An explosion of hops, flavour, pine, bitterness, fruit, and who knows what else from this high ABV pyrotechnic pint of IPA.
It pours a light hazy orange golden, lighter than in the picture, it looks thick and juicy. An aroma of citrus and hops, so far so good! The fireworks are about to begin, I’m bracing myself for impact. Surprise, a mild fruit with a bit of fizz, no hops and just a touch of the bitters. No flames, explosions or other such incendiaries. It is in fact a nice easy drinking IPA, surprisingly smooth and mild for an ABV on the edge of 7. A bit of sparkle and fizz, like one of those sparklers that you hold in your hand or let little kids play with. Not like a rock show , more like a birthday cake. Perhaps a bit of a trend I think to mellow down the traditional IPA to make it more accessible?
Do the fireworks work? Other than being misnamed and perhaps a bit misleading this was a nice easy drinking IPA.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Pyrotechnic Pint of IPA Perhaps? – Cranky Old Men Drinking Beer’. As a beer enthusiast myself, it was fascinating to learn about the history of pyrotechnics and how they have inspired the craft beer industry. The descriptions of the different IPAs and their unique flavors were mouth-watering. The author’s humorous writing style made for an entertaining and informative read. I look forward to trying some of the recommended IPAs and incorporating some pyrotechnic elements into my future beer drinking experiences.