Big Train
Left Field Brewery

 

 

November 21 2019

 

355 mL can from the LCBO; dated Sept 16 2019 and served slightly chilled.

Pours hazy and turbid, with nearly a finger of foamy white head initially situated atop. It falls apart over the next several minutes, pasting an even coat of lovely lacing against the glass as it recedes; in the end, a frothy collar and filmy cap also stick around. Looks good, although the quantity of flaky sediment is a mild turn-off. I'm getting tangerine, mango and pineapple on the nose, with hints of bubblegum, grapefruit and stone fruit mixed in there - a decidedly fruity aroma, all things said, which suits me just fine.

Pretty tasty, and delivers as advertised - there's basically no discernible bitterness to this beer whatsoever - instead, it's the juicy hop flavours that dominate from start to finish. A grainy, bready malt backbone supports flavours of grapefruit, orange, pineapple and mango, with that status quo remaining enforced through to the back end of the sip; hints of citrus pulp, pith and leafy green hops in the aftertaste. Medium in body, with moderate carbonation that prickles the palate with some enthusiasm; feels juicy and fulfilling. The lack of bitterness makes this more sessionable than most IPAs, though at 6.1% I'm stretching that term to its limits.

Final Grade: 4.04, an A-. Left Field's Big Train Zero IBU IPA was nice to try, and I'd totally encourage other BAs to do so if they're able. That being said, I think I prefer >0 IBU IPAs. I mean, don't get me wrong - I liked this beer, its juiciness is appealing, and as a '0 IBU IPA' I suppose it's executed well enough. But without the bitterness, I can't shake the feeling that I'm drinking sparkling juice. And besides, if I'm already paying $3.75 per short can, I'd rather have their Greenwood IPA.

355ml can served cold into a tulip. LCBO purchase for $3.75 CDN. Steep price but Left Field is really solid and a zero IBU IPA had me intrigued. Canned August 26, 2019. Named after legendary pitcher Walter "Big Train" Johnson - who was also the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts in his career. In some of his seasons he posted nearly 40 complete games a year, the MLB in 2019 for example only had 45 across all pitchers and all teams. Times certainly have changed.

Appearance - Pours a pale and hazy straw colored brew with lots of bubbles and topped with a finger of somewhat short-lived head. Not much lacing and trace amounts of sediment into the glass.

Smell - Big fruity and juicy nose, pineapple and mango are most apparent with some thinly veiled mandarin orange and nectarine in there too.

Taste - Big flavorful and juicy pineapple mango and orange initially, the the flavors fade quickly leaving behind a fruit salad residue. that plateau stays for a few moments before the flavor dissipates even more. An interesting phenomenon that I haven't really experienced or paid attention to before. Maybe it's more noticeable here.

Mouthfeel - Medium-light bodied, good fizzy carbonation, fairly dry finish. It lacks some of the body of most other IPA's but this is still good and works with the light fruity and juicy flavors.

Overall - A very pleasant surprise, would gladly pick this up again if it weren't for the fairly steep cost. The price for a 473ml can isn't bad, but this is priced like a $5 tallboy which is a bit rich for my blood. Still absolutely recommended and worth a try.

Bitter in all the wrong ways, overwhelmed by oats, this one is a pretty big miss from Left Field. Pours nice enough with a nose that only hints at the nasty surprise inside. This tastes like green tea with medication.
No way should you try this.

Pours hazed blond with a compact, frothy head. The aroma is redolent of pineapple, mango, citrus, white grape, apricot and other hop notes. Hops hit first in the first sip with the aforementioned fruit salad packing a wallop. Modest bready malts provide some balance. Bitterness is not noticeable, yet the beer is still dry, very interesting. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with luscious carbonation. Lots of fruity, dank hops in the finish along with something approaching traditional hop bitterness, but more in line with something in the wall of hop aromas.

A very unique and interesting IPA. Complex and clearly missing something, but in a good way. Maybe people who don't like IPAs because of the bitterness would be turned onto this.