Milkshark - Pineapple
Bellwoods Brewery

Out of retirement. Canned January 12, 2023. Purchased from the brewery and served cold into a snifter,

Appearance - Super turbid and hazy yellowy gold brew with orange highlights. Looks like juice. A finger of sparkling white head sits on top and fizzles out in a couple of minutes,

Smell - Lots of pineapple with subtle hint of vanilla. Not a whole lot else, but good intensity of aromas.

Taste - Lots of pineapple, fairly sweet with just a bit of bitterness at the end. That creamy milk like aroma comes through in the flavor, tastes like a milkshake.

Mouthfeel - Full bodied with light spritzy carbonation. Silky smooth and creamy. Sort of juicy finish. Pretty crushable.

Overall - One of the best Milkshake IPA's out there. The pineapple with slight vanilla suggestions work perfectly and the execution is excellent.

Can: Poured a cloudy yellow color ale with a large whote foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of pineapple and vanilla are dominant and enjoyable. Taste is dominated by strong pineapple notes with some lactose and vanilla notes clearly dominant. Body is full with a smooth texture and good carbonation. Enjoyable but the vanilla does become overwhelming at some point.

Pours a murky, dirty yellow with a good amount of foamy white head that ends up leaving behind a nice amount of lacing. Aroma bursts from the glass with clear citrus & pineapple notes combining in a very inviting way.

Taste is interesting. While it largely follows the nose, the lactose is very evident. The end result is a juicy, creamy, smooth beer with an interesting pineapple & grapefruit flavor profile with a semi-sweet finish. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, as I'm not usually a fan of lactose as an additive. This beer is tasty, and I have to imagine it's exactly what the brewer was going for, but for my personal preferences, a tad less lactose would have been to its benefit. That said, I've also noticed how quickly it's going down as I type this, which is usually a good sign.

 

 

Impressive to look at. Big firm head, lots of lace, hazy yellow brew. Nose is fruity and hoppy. Very soft on the palate because of the lactose in the mix. Dominated by pineapple in the a happy marriage with hops. Generally sweet in character, with a hoppy edge, a hint of sourness, some metal.

Qverall, quite enjoyable, but might be a bit of an acquired taste for some because of the lactose.

 

Body is opaque, the colour of freshly squeezed pineapple juice, capped by a thick, white head that has a couple minutes retention.
Ripe, sweet pineapple dominates the aroma, balanced by bitter, exotic fruit and resinous hops.
Flavour stays true - plenty of pineapple, bright and pure, juicy, and not too sweet. Could also be fooled into thinking this is an brewed with oranges if I hadn't known better. Body is medium with light carbonation, and it verges on watery as a result. Bitter pine hops are there as a mild balance, and there isn't a lot of length or complexity.

Definitely a refresher for a hot summer day, and very accessible even to non beer drinkers. Would pair great with tacos or bbq chicken/pork. I would say a touch more carbonation and hops would take it to the next level.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to some random Canadian guys we met at DLD for the trade!

Talk about truth in advertising. Looks like unfiltered pineapple juice. Smells like unfiltered pineapple juice (with some fresh hops in the background I can't identify through the thick, wafting pineapple smell). Tastes like unfiltered pineapple juice. Feels like unfiltered pineapple juice.

I gave this a 4.5 because it is a really fantastic execution of what they were going for, even if I am not the biggest fan of flavored IPAs. But if you want a juicy pineapple IPA on a hot summer day you'd be hard pressed to find a better beer. It was a bit too much for me, at least in a bomber size, so grab a friend and share this one.

 

 

 

Usually, a dessert beer means a big stout or perhaps a heavy Abbey ale. Not anymore! American IPA is the closest category to put this in, only because "milk IPA" doesn't appear to exist. Brewed with lactose, vanilla and pineapple pulp, this is a real treat. Quite opaque and orange, the aroma is full of juicy pineapple, as well as other bright tropical and citrus fruits. The flavour is quite unusual, as it is sweet but full of hop flavour, not to mention the pineapple. The vanilla coats it all nicely. Body has a creamy feel, with moderate carbonation. I never would have described it as a milkshake without being urged to do so by the label, but it is a fitting description. Really tasty. Only for certain times, but unique and yummy.

This is juice. Ultra hazy with a creamy apricot orange body. The head is bright white and fluffy.

The nose is densely packed with pineapple puree, mango juice, and passion fruit. Ultra fresh perfumy greens seep out as well. A soft, sugar-laden sweetness from the lactose and vanilla give it a creamy banana tone.

I cannot believe this is not juice. It's remarkably bright, fresh, and bouncy. Pineapple and orange are everywhere from the beginning to the end. So much so, it's tough to pick up on anything else. Fresh, leafy green hops leave a clean level of bitterness behind.

It's all in the feel and Bellwoods absolutely nailed it. Tangy, bright, and clean tropical citrus notes balance out its low CO2 level. Even its acidity seems to mirror actual orange juice. It finishes dry with a pulpy bitterness.

I've had very few beers in my life that have redefined what beer can be to me. This is one of them. If you put this into a glass with a straw in it, put it in front of me and told me it was juice, I wouldn't think twice that it was. I love the inspiration from Tired Hands and Omnipollo on this. Bellwoods forever keeps it fresh.