From the Rock to Granville, an East to West coast 7300-kilometer island hop. I’m talking about ultra fun Newfoundland to ultra-hip Granville Island in Vancouver. Shops, markets, theatres and improvs, and even a fancy pants high end restaurant (The Keg). And of course, the subject of this review, the Granville Island Brewery. Opened in 1984, according to GI they are Canada’s first licensed micro-brewery. I struggled with their Lions Winter Ale so this was an opportunity for redemption.
Brockton does have a point there.
Being on the West Coast I thought a West Coast IPA would be a good bet. The server said it was one of their most popular orders. So a Brockton* it was. My editor reminds me, every chance he gets, to read the fine print. He also says “I hate to say it, but I told you so” but he really loves to say it. Some foreshadowing here.
Sitting down to a view of the vats and the taps, no waterfront whale watching or harbour patrol from this brew pub. A clear flat golden pour, with a nicely proportioned head and no bubbles. A pro pour for sure. Tropical juicy nose, not overbearing, just bearing. The first taste is fruit and fizz with a malt and floral backbone, the 65 IBU seemingly absent. A floral foundation, build me up buttercup.*** A floral aftertaste too, not your typical west coaster. I’m not a big floral fan and decided to read the menu descriptor. ”…rounded by subtle malt character that delivers a floral citrusy taste.” A foral faux pas and no one to blame but myself. Read the fine print, another lesson unlearned. Time to be no shrinking violet and suck it up buttercup and smell the roses. ***
Floral is fading as the fruit takes over, not as hoppy as I expected but there are some backend bitters. It morphs into a balanced, complex, and interesting IPA. Like I said, I’m not a floral fan, a couple of petals is ok, a bouquet, not so good. With dinner it evolved into a lager IPA cross, malt and hops, flowers fading, malt and hops combined in the body rather than start to finish. Not as fruity as some, not as hoppy as some, but a solid safe IPA.
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