There’s a fog covering Thunder Bay like an uncreative two-tone quilt of grey and the sleeping giant has hit the snooze button and isn’t getting up today. But if Arthur thinks his port is foggy, he should check out The Grand Banks. Almost as foggy as the morning after the COMDB AGM, but for the rest of the year The Grand Banks of Newfoundland is the foggiest place in the world! * But we all know that the conversation has gone to hell in a handbasket when you start talking weather. Beer is a much more interesting topic, it’s time that this fog was lifted.
And now some opening remarks. When I opened this Sleeping Giant brew it was out of the gate before the pour. A minor mess, nothing that required filing an insurance claim. Bounty proved to be the quicker picker upper.
A darker iced tea kind of pour, with a substantial froth to top things off. A flat ale aroma no fruit, hops or other sometimes present pale ale attributes. First taste is malt with lager sweet and a smooth finish. None of the Earl Grey infusion advertised apparent. Interesting, and definitely refreshing. Nice mouthfeel, easy drinking and big swigable. About halfway through I just caught a slight bit of tea flavour, sneaky and subtle, and that introduced some mild bitters to the mix. Later in the quaff there was a minor floral flourish too. Balanced and subtle, and very tasty.
Earl Grey is my wife’s favourite Earl, I’m more an Earl of Sandwich guy.** Now JT is known to steep a pot of tea every now and then, where as Fonger is more apt to roll his. As for me, tea isn’t my cup of tea. All that being said, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this teatime pale, but it was a very pleasant surprise.
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