East coasting again, out to Dartmouth Nova Scotia this time, despite being told by Nine Locks to Frig Off. Not the East Coast welcome and hospitality I have grown accustomed to, but this brew has big flavour and big attitude so they tells us. In case this term is foreign to you, frig off * is not a statement about a lack of power to your beer fridge. “Frig off” is common slang used mostly in the Eastern parts of Canada to avoid interactions with people you don’t agree with. How’s that for a definition with more tact than attitude.
In what sounds like a darker version of Frig Off, Nine Locks had the highest rated brew at the 2nd COMDB AGM with their Get the Hell Out Stout. The brew at and in hand is an East Coast IPA, also sometimes known as New England IPA (NE IPA). Although in this case I would suspect Nine Locks would want us to refer to it as a New Scotland IPA** (NS IPA). Sounds like we are playing the name game.*** By the way, when it comes to the name game, unlike skinny dipping, you want to be the first one in. Where was I? Oh yea, beer review.
A hazy golden pour, with a slim but not thin white foam topper. A pleasant pour despite the otherwise cranky disposition of this brew. A hoppy pine fruit forward aroma definitely with attitude. A strong first swig boozy hops and tropical fruit with a bit of an afterburner slow lingering fizz. Not distasteful but it is distracting. A fairly complex NE IPA. More fruit than hops but a touch of boozy end of swig fizz that lingered for a few quaffs but started to settle down. As the booziness backed off it revealed a full fruit more than hops flavour. More mellow hops than bite or zing hops. At first I was thinking of a lower rating but by the finish line it had made up some ground. A solid East Coast NS IPA.
It’s also a nod to the Trailer Park Boys as it was brewed in the same place the show was filmed. Same with “frig off” being a popular saying throughout the show
Good catch Dylan. Bubbles would be proud.