Drie Hop Brett Pale Ale
Block Three Brewing Co.

500 mL bottle picked up at the brewery a few weeks ago; no best before date - the space on the bottle that normally lists this information just says '2' in the middle, which might mean "February", but that's a total guess. Served well-chilled.

Pours a dull golden-yellow colour, muddied up with sediment, but capped off with one finger of fluffy, sparkling-white froth. Retention is pretty good; it seeps away slowly over a period of around five minutes, eventually leaving behind a foamy cap and collar, in addition to plenty of beautiful lacing. Looks great, and the aroma is fresh and zesty, too - lots of pithy lemon citrus, with notes of tart, Bretty funk. Some grassy, floral hop aromas also come through, along with touches of spicy yeast, ripe apple and maybe even some banana.

Tasty, with a balanced flavour profile. Grainy, bready malt sweetness and some caramelized sugar provide a mostly neutral background, while flavours of citrus pith, apricot, and a few pineapple/mango vibes offer up some added depth. The bitterness becomes elevated toward the finish - rather pithy and floral, with a hint of piney astringency, and some mildly tart Brett yeast notes also contributing. Touches of orange fruit and some floral bitterness linger into the dry aftertaste, which begs you to take another sip in order to drench your palate. Light-bodied, with restrained carbonation levels that result in a soft, smooth mouthfeel. This is an extremely refreshing, highly quaffable pale ale.

Final Grade: 4.09, an excellent A-. Flavourful, well-balanced, and pretty interesting, to boot - Drie Hop BPA is a definite winner in my books. This one comes together extremely well, as the combination of funky Brett and fruity, tropical hop flavours just happen to mesh in a very effective manner. A perfect warm-weather session ale - after their King Street Saison, I'd say that this would be the next-best candidate for an LCBO appearance, as it's a well-made, unique and approachable little brew that is certain to raise a few eyebrows.