After sampling a double IPA yesterday, one might ask if this is the daily double. It just so happens that although I had a good experience with a pumpkin based brew previously despite my hatred of that round orange useless distasteful fruit, I didn’t want to push my luck by trying another to suit the Halloween theme. The artwork on this brew (all hail the Queen of Hops) seemed like a good fit for a Halloween sampling, and it just so happened to be a Double IPA. Bonus.
As an aside I see this Nickel Brook brew also has Vic Secret hops from Aussie land, they seem to be a popular new hop variety for Canadian craft brewers. At 8.5% ABV all I needed was one. If I had two I may be seeing double and that would be double trouble.
A golden and hazy pour, not at all scary. A ghost white head, no metal to speak of although I didn’t run it through the detector at the airport, so I can’t be sure. An aroma of tropical fruit and mild hops, with a whiff of boozy. First swig reveals a middling fruit flavour with a smooth boozy finish to start. A bit of a bitter boozy bite on the backside to boot. The boozy does balance with the tropical fruit body and is followed by a slight boozy afterburner too. You could tell it is high ABV, the boozy was staging a breakout but the fruit was keeping it at bay. Balanced by a good fruit flavour, no doubt about it, it is a strong double.
This is a good solid high ABV double IPA. Doubly dangerous, definitely not a daily double, but enjoyable. In this game the Queen of Hops seems well played.
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