Don't Look Down
Lake of Bays Brewing Company

 

 

 

I bought a can at the lcbo in Ontario 473ml at 8%.
poured a 2finger head into glass.
leaves a lace as you drink it.
the color of this beer looks amazing reddish color.
the taste is very smooth and sweet.
very light bitterness alcohol is almost hidden feels like 6% instead of 8%.
reminds me of beer mixed with red wine almost.
overall a very good double IPA beer with elderberry. and enjoyable to sip on.
cheers

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Feb 20 2021 and served at cellar temperature.

Pours a deep, hazy reddish-purple colour, generating nearly an inch of puffy, foamy, off white-tinged head that recedes within two or three minutes' time. A beautiful coat of sticky, webbed lacing is left in its wake, with a creamy-looking collar also remaining in place - looks good to me. Notes of cherry and strawberry come through alongside the elderberry, with hints of orange, flower blossoms and canned peaches.

It's a decent DIPA - the elderberry sweetness comes through at the forefront, remaining a background presence throughout the sip, serving as an inadequate foil for the hop bitterness that asserts itself nearer the finish. Muddled, muted notes of blueberry and citrus in between, with a hop bitterness crescendo growing towards the tail end of the sip - pithy at first, then floral, before becoming earthy, resiny and quite bitter; this bitterness persists well into the aftertaste, alongside subtler, fruity hints of elderberry. Medium in body, with relatively low carbonation that gently brushes against the tongue, resulting in a smooth, rather satisfying texture that may be this brew's strongest suit.

Final Grade: 3.79, a B+. These guys have thrown so many D/IPAs against the wall over the past couple of years that they're practically mathematically guaranteed to find a few that work. Don't Look Down is a stronger-than-usual effort with a few areas for improvement - it's almost a little too bitter, the result of a one-dimensional hop profile that doesn't really contribute enough depth of flavour to compete with the elderberry... except at the finish, where it overwhelms everything. As far as Lake of Bays' pale ales go, I'd prefer their Flight Plan or Starboard as a daily drinker, but Don't Look is still one of the more solid products they've put out as of late. It's also fairly affordable for a double, so why not give 'er a go?

473 ml can served cold into a chalice. LBCO purchase for under $4 CDN. Canning date of February 20, 2021.

Appearance - Ruby hued brew with slight haze and a finger plus of off tan head with very good staying power. Sticky lacing clings to the edges of the glass.

Smell - Fruity of elderberry and currants with a slight stonefruit addition behind that. aromatics are quite nice, but not super intense.

Taste - Starts pretty bitter with currants and elderberries and stays and earthy bitter flavor. Bitterness on top of bitterness. Not for me and slightly medicinal, but it still kind of works.

Mouthfeel - Light carbonation, not terribly sticky and booze is well hidden. Body is medium-heavy.

Overall - A strange IPA that is far from conventional, but does bring plenty of bitterness as found in other IPA's. I like the concept and everything actually works for me, but the bitterness overload mid sip makes it tougher to truly enjoy. Even still one of LOB's better efforts of recent times.