Lord Of The Hops
Parallel 49 Brewing Company

I had a bad bottle. A weird bready, malty nose and taste. Not at all what it should be. No hops at all in the nose or taste. Parallel 49 is one of my favourite breweries but this bottle was terrible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour is a heavily hazed amber with a cream head and lots of bubbles. Nose is extremely hoppy, a hint sweet, resinous and sticky hops, caramel malts, notes of grapefruit. Taste is a touch empty but less resinous and sweet. A little cleaner, some balanced grain notes, moderately assertive hops, citrus and grapefruit through the finish. Body is light with a strong carbonation and prickly feel.

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance: An iridescent apricot and caramel color. A slightly off-white head that is crunchy and voluminous with sticky lacing.

Nose: Sweet plums and kiwi on top with subtle raisin and green pine.

Taste: Crispy dry crackers and a crisp mouthfeel and a watery finish. Slightly syrupy at the finish.

 

 

 

Enjoyed a bottle from a Parallel 49 mixed pack, probably the most hops forward beer in said pack (but see below). A pleasing honey amber color, fairly cloudy and with an assertive aroma of sweet caramel malt, multiple citrus fruits (orange, tangerine, lime, lemon), some dank weed, and fermenting pineapple. Palate is similar, with ample citrus and tropical fruit hop flavors, mango/papaya, and a LOT of pineapple, some earthy/woody notes, a sour green flavor like unripe bananas, and a decent but not overpowering bitter hop finish. Malt flavors trend toward the lighter side of crystal (sweet honey) and the body is silky smooth and not cloying. Only a little pine. Nice malt-hops balance. I'd say the hops are flavorful and interesting but not as potent as some other west coast IPAs. Red Racer is more citrusy, floral and bitter, whereas this brew is smoother and more weighted towards the sweet tropical fruit/pineapple flavors.

 

On draft at Alibi Room, Vancouver.

Pale amber with steady white film that sheets.
Oily tangerine nose with some slight dank.
Sweet caramel up front then big orange, lemondrop and slight pineapple hops.
Lemon-herb cough drop end and steady clean bitter linger.
Smooth, round, medium, soft.

Silky body, maybe the smoothest local beer I've had. Balanced and integrated. This could be the #2 BC IPA behind Red Racer.