No bear wrestling today, just beer wrestling.
In the great white north and that means a drop in for a bite and a brew at one of the fine local establishment. I had heard it firsthand that there were a few tantalizing taps eager for action at Cecils, so a brunch (beer and lunch) was in order.
The story of Cecil Shamus Fitzgerald is a colorful as the beers his namesake brewhouse brews. Bear wrestling*, bare knuckle brawling and beer brewing seemed to be his joie de vivre. He also was a world traveller and in his extensive travels he did sample some exotic brews which influenced his brewing style no doubt. We aren’t sure if he was ever to India, but his IPA recipe, much like his legend, lives on and is the subject of today’s brew review.
My serious server, (perhaps a Cecil descendant, he looks the part) pulls the tap on some lunch time suds. The result, a copper-coloured pour, an awesome amber impersonation if ever there was one. Tan topper from being under that Indian sun no doubt. It has an interesting, atypical aroma, there is fruit with a touch of the acetic, almost vinegary, reminiscent of a sour on the nose. The first taste is a nice fruit body, it’s sweet, with full scale bitters that belie an IBU of 32. It has a sweet bitters combo aftertaste.
As we make progress the bitters move to center stage and beg for the spotlight which the fruit reluctantly gives up and is now playing a supporting role. To me this seems like a combination of an old school IPA with some butt kickin’ bitters and some fruity West Coast influences. We start to mellow together, maybe not in synch, or any other boy band for that matter, but there is an evolution in the works. As this brew becomes more balanced it smooths out as well. Mild fruit with full scale bitters, it goes very nicely with the daily special.**
It may not be the typical IPA one would expect but it was an interesting departure from the everyday.
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