Mystery Beer Two
Lake of Bays Brewing Company

473 mL can from the LCBO; one of two new mystery beers in their Toasty Toes mixed six pack. Dated Oct 13 2020 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy, translucent golden-orange colour, producing a finger of frothy, soapy white head that wilts within two or three minutes' time. In the process, an even coat of lacing is applied to the perimeter of the glass; the other leftovers include a thin collar and some wisps floating upon the surface. On the nose I'm getting mandarin orange, grapefruit, passion fruit, apple and pear, with hints of wheaty malt and spiciness. Still not sure what this is, but at this point I'm leaning towards session IPA.

After one sip, allow me to modify my guess - I'm still thinking session IPA, but either a Belgian or possibly a brut. Wheaty pale malts and crackers provide the backdrop, with flavours of lemon, mango, grapefruit, apricot and papaya layered atop. A little spicy as well, with an herbal, lightly resiny bitterness and a peppery bite right at the finish alongside some orchard fruit; this then fades into a relatively dry aftertaste. Light in body, with aggressive carbonation that prickles the tongue relentlessly, remaining lively well into the course of the glass, and helping to scrub the palate with each sip. Good drinkability - quite refreshing and not at all a chore to toss back.

Final Grade: 3.84, a B+. Mystery Beer Two is above average by this brewery's standards, with an attractive, fruity hop aroma and a varied flavour profile that finishes crisp and dry. Unfortunately, this is one of those rare cases where I can't really grade the beer to style, because I'm not 100% sure what it is exactly (though I'll go out on a limb here and say it's probably not a pilsner). I liked it a fair bit, but I wouldn't say I loved it - now it's time to try MB1 and decide which one to vote for.