Fat Tug IPA
Driftwood Brewery

Fat Tug IPAFat Tug IPA
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From:
Driftwood Brewery
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #66
ABV:
7%
Score:
94
Ranked #1,996
Avg:
4.25 | pDev: 8.71%
Reviews:
192
Ratings:
740
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 02, 2023
Added:
Oct 26, 2010
Wants:
  158
Gots:
  204
Fat Tug is a northwest style India Pale Ale that is characterized by an intense hop profile of grapefruit & melon and restrained malt notes. At 7 % alc/vol and 80+ IBUs this beer delivers layers of aroma and flavor that is sure to satisfy anyone with a thirst for all things hoppy!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by polloenfuego:
Photo of polloenfuego
Reviewed by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)

4.33/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured a slightly hazy amber/gold with a finger and a half of head. The nose is hops dominant and there are some malts and fruitiness to the nose as well. Taste is where this one really caught me off guard. This was really a surprise, grapefruit, passionfruit, a slight bittersweet citrus and a hops explosion that is not overpowering. This beer went down smooth and easy for a beer that is so "big" and I could see myself drinking too much of this if I had regular access.
Aug 30, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.44 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by Sambio19

Nov 19, 2023
Photo of TheHammer
Reviewed by TheHammer from Canada (ON)

2.96/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
I'm not a big IPA fan, but every so often we got to get out of our comfort zone, and this is one of the top Canadian beers of the style, so lets have at 'er.

Appearance: Poured with two fingers of head that produces some lace and stuck around for a while. The body is a dirty blonde color with a slight bit of cloud and good carbonation. More lace and more cloud would probably have netted the perfect here.

Smell: Well spruce like hops dominate the nose, which is expected for an IPA. I think I'm catching a few floral notes as well, but surprising a good dose of doughy malt in coming through, giving me hope this might not be so bad.

Taste: I mean it starts out fine, as the pine like hops and the malt play off each other giving it a kind of pesto pasta without the olive oil thing going on as there's even a slight spice touch to it, but then as expected the hops take over. They aren't as bitter, as some I've had and there is a done well vibe to it...but...

Mouthfeel: ...boy do those hops want to linger, as the this missing "oil" appears here. It's a weird almost slippery cling on the tongue that I just don't car for. The transitioning is too short a journey for me and while the carbonation does try to lighten things up a bit, it can't do much in the face of this much hops.

Drinkability: I mean...at least it's not particularly dry, but that's not saying much. The hops aren't so forceful here that it's causing issues and the body is decent medium, but I'm not finishing this. Sorry guys, this isn't one of those rare IPAs that does it for me.

Final Thoughts: IPA just doesn't do it for me, but with that said are a bit more approachable to me than others. Sadly though this isn't one of them. I can tell it's done well and if you like that bitter cling, you might like this for a change of pace. I find most IPA's cling at the back of the tongue, but this one is a bit more even keel and not as fierce. That said, while I don't review a lot of this style, I do feel it is a disservice to not review them at all. Variety is the spice of life, and one day my palate may change, but today is not that day. That said, don't let my opinion dissuade you from having one, for who by all accounts, is a great brewer.
Oct 20, 2023
Photo of Gageodyssey
Reviewed by Gageodyssey from Canada (AB)

3.96/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Smell > Dough and green apple, very nice and enticing.
Taste > like ash and citrus fruit, Smooth but bitter.
The taste lingers as a very bitter sensation maybe slightly more so than most IPA's.

This beer is good, It would hold strong against many IPA's although not quite an S tier because there is a bit of an "alcohol" flavor but I would definitely put it into the A tier.
Aug 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by shelby415 from Oregon

Aug 12, 2023
Photo of ZippyThePinhead
Reviewed by ZippyThePinhead from California

4.08/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had this in tallboy cans in Vancouver, sourced at BC Liquors and a privately-owned store. Hope to try on draft but this review is based on the cans.

This is a tasty IPA to my unsophisticated palate. Very easy to drink, not overly malty (to me, dry is good), but the finish is too long. A bitter hoppy aftertaste lingers on the tongue long after swallowing. I can live with it but prefer the quick clean finish of RRBC IPAs. Less hops in the boil, more dry hopping, and this could be the Blind Pig of the great white north.
Jul 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.3 by AmeriCanadian from Tennessee

Jul 19, 2023
Photo of NeilSilber1
Reviewed by NeilSilber1 from California

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours golden clear with finely laced floating white foamy cap on draught in pint glass I. Vancouver at Tap & Barrel Bridges in Vancouver on Granville Island. Pine and floral on the nose, bursting hop forward bitterness on the tongue. This Canadian IPA has an intense hop profile of grapefruit & melon and restrained malt notes, 7% alc/vol and 80+ IBUs. Cheers to a really great IPA.
Jul 13, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by DerwinWentworth from Utah

Jul 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.19 by hockeypuck from Maine

Jun 18, 2023
Photo of wildvanisle
Rated by wildvanisle from Canada (BC)

3.85/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The most hyped Canadian IPA west of Winnipeg. A nuclear hop bomb dropped by the Enola Bitter.

Overrated.
Jan 28, 2023
Photo of charleskimmle
Reviewed by charleskimmle from Canada (BC)

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
well balanced ipa. something about the malt seems good. the aftertaste is more tropical fruity than other ipas. bitterness is just right, that bitterness doesn't seem to build in the back of mouth as much as it does with other brews. my highest rated brew so far. PS: The box says it's unfiltered, but it poured crystal clear darkish golden colour? I even swirled the can, but there were no visual particles. I wonder how it's so clear, and what a hazy version would be like?
Nov 02, 2022
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.77/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2022-09-11
16oz can served in a big snifter. Can is dated "Best Before March 7 2023." My in-laws brought it back from a trip to Victoria, BC.

Pours clear brassy golden with a medium amount of head. Smell is moderate honeysuckle sweetness, lemon rind, a little bit of old hay, which might be anxiety about this beer's actual age.

Taste is lemon rind, a little floral sweetness, some pine/grapefruit bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium, fairly soft. Overall, this is pretty nice. My fears about age were unfounded.
Sep 11, 2022
 
Rated: 4.65 by DW87 from Canada (BC)

Jun 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.21 by All4ales

Jun 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by shigg85 from Japan

Jun 02, 2021
Photo of LeBron_James
Reviewed by LeBron_James from Canada (ON)

4.41/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours an apple juice colour with nice full head and leaves a ton of lacing. Totally clear no haze at all.
Smells of hops mostly with some nice bready malt character in the background and lots of spruce/earthy character.
Tastes of a very good west coast IPA. Tons of hops up front with a nice malt to balance out the bitterness a little. Lots of pine/earthy tones. Very nice taste super enjoyable beer.
The mouthfeel on this is very nice. Medium body with medium carbonation and drinks very well. Great beer.

Overall I think this is the best west coast IPA in Canada but maybe I'm crazy or have a weird palette. Anyway Driftwood is clearly very good at making IPAs and I'd recommend this one to those who haven't tried it yet.
Mar 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by FadetoBock from Canada (AB)

Mar 05, 2021
 
Rated: 3.99 by Zilla from Hong Kong

Jan 02, 2021
Fat Tug IPA from Driftwood Brewery
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 740 ratings