The Optimist
The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company
- From:
- The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company
- Alberta, Canada
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 7.9%
- Score:
- +8 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.48 | pDev: 10.63%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Nov 10, 2020
- Added:
- Sep 08, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
The Optimist Chardonnay Barrel Aged Double IPA
As uncertainty looms, the ability to summon courage and bravery can falter, stand tall, take a deep breath and try something extraordinary. In the face of adversity become The Optimist.
As uncertainty looms, the ability to summon courage and bravery can falter, stand tall, take a deep breath and try something extraordinary. In the face of adversity become The Optimist.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)
3.12/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.12/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The Optimist is a hazy, pale amber colored ale, almost lemon in color. Thin streams of CO2 rise through the glass supporting a pillowy, bone white head.
The Optimist is fragrant with a perfumed, floral, hop forward aroma that is difficult to separate out into individual threads. On the one hand, the nose is definitely hop forward, full of citrus, lemon rind, and an overall floral quality. Somewhere in the background I catch hints of soda cracker. Then I find aromas from barrel aging coming in, perhaps just a tiny bit on the heavy side. The barrel aging gives the nose an aroma that is earthy in its woody qualities.
Taking a sip, The Optimist is up front medium bodied with flavors of wood taking the lead. Carbonation is spritzy and restrained. As flavors move across the tongue, notes of wood dominate covering up any flavors of malt one might otherwise notice. Carbonation and flavors of wood do lead easily into a finish that is crisp and assertively bitter. Interestingly, that bitterness feels more European than American. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing given how well the barrel aging dominates the beer’s overall flavor profile.
My main issue with the beer is that it seems to fire on just the one note, the barrel aging. I think I would have enjoyed the beer more if it had more of its own character for that barrel aging to build on. Personally, I find it that much more disappointing because the beer’s aroma seemed to have something to offer. On the tongue though, it just seemed to fall apart somewhat.
Nov 10, 2020The Optimist is fragrant with a perfumed, floral, hop forward aroma that is difficult to separate out into individual threads. On the one hand, the nose is definitely hop forward, full of citrus, lemon rind, and an overall floral quality. Somewhere in the background I catch hints of soda cracker. Then I find aromas from barrel aging coming in, perhaps just a tiny bit on the heavy side. The barrel aging gives the nose an aroma that is earthy in its woody qualities.
Taking a sip, The Optimist is up front medium bodied with flavors of wood taking the lead. Carbonation is spritzy and restrained. As flavors move across the tongue, notes of wood dominate covering up any flavors of malt one might otherwise notice. Carbonation and flavors of wood do lead easily into a finish that is crisp and assertively bitter. Interestingly, that bitterness feels more European than American. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing given how well the barrel aging dominates the beer’s overall flavor profile.
My main issue with the beer is that it seems to fire on just the one note, the barrel aging. I think I would have enjoyed the beer more if it had more of its own character for that barrel aging to build on. Personally, I find it that much more disappointing because the beer’s aroma seemed to have something to offer. On the tongue though, it just seemed to fall apart somewhat.
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)
3.85/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
16 ounce can from brewery in Canmore - Chardonnay barrel aged IPA from their 2020 Cellar Series.
Slightly hazed but bright yellow/straw pour with 1 and 1/2 fingers puffy to bubbly white head leaving significant lacing.
Subtle floral hop aroma, lemon, orange, melon and through suggestion perhaps oaky white wine.
Soft on the palate with again floral character, melon, pineapple, orange - moderately dry with notes of the oak and hints of Chardonnay with a bittersweetness of the hop and fruit on the end.
Medium mouthfeel with again a softness and fruitiness that counters the dry hoppy finish - 7.9% hidden well. Very drinkable though not convinced if handed and asked the style that IPA would have been my first thought.
Sep 08, 2020Slightly hazed but bright yellow/straw pour with 1 and 1/2 fingers puffy to bubbly white head leaving significant lacing.
Subtle floral hop aroma, lemon, orange, melon and through suggestion perhaps oaky white wine.
Soft on the palate with again floral character, melon, pineapple, orange - moderately dry with notes of the oak and hints of Chardonnay with a bittersweetness of the hop and fruit on the end.
Medium mouthfeel with again a softness and fruitiness that counters the dry hoppy finish - 7.9% hidden well. Very drinkable though not convinced if handed and asked the style that IPA would have been my first thought.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!