Surround Sound (Azacca, Amarillo & Comet)
Collective Arts Brewing

 

 

A-Hazy golden yellow with a ring of white head around the glass
S-Fragrant ripe melon and sweet mandarine, with a hint of lychee.
M-Medium to full mouthfeel with an alcoholic sting that isn’t too pronounced, but present. Medium carbonation with a bite
T-Sweet notes of honey and caramel, with elements of grapefruit as well
O-Solid beer that is well balanced. Still has a big impact at 8.2%

 

From a 16 oz can dated 06/23/20. Sampled on Aug 13, 2020.

The pour is a hazy, pulpy amber-yellow with a fading white head.

I should be getting more fruit on the nose than I am getting, but while it is there, the forward notes are herbal and resin.

Medium body.

Sweet then hopped up taste. More fruit here. A penetrating bitterness at the end. Maybe I should have tried it 6 weeks ago

 

 

473 ml can served cold into a tulip. LCBO purchase for $4.95 CDN. Canning date of June 18, 2020. A nice way to start a vacation.

Appearance - Hazy yellow/ honey brown in color. A finger plus of loose but frothy white head. Moderate staying power. Just hazy enough that you can't see the bubbles.

Smell - Not a big aroma. Some lychee / papaya combo maybe peach and then the more usual suspects of grapefruit and orange. There's an element of sweaty gym socks beneath the surface.

Taste - Quite sweet, lychee, papaya and peach show up, some grapefruit and earthiness in the background. Just enough bitterness otherwise the sweet would overwhelm. Booziness to close.

Mouthfeel - Fairly heavy bodied, carbonation is moderate, Feels like a boozy beer. Finish is reasonably dry. Enjoyable enough to drink but not one I would want more one of in a sitting.

Overall - Pretty good DIPA, heavy handed and sticky, booze is not terribly well hidden, but certainly enjoyable enough. Quite sweet across the board, maybe too much so, but I will certainly enjoy this brew. Worth a shot if you've been a fan of the Surround Sound series.

 

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Apr 23 2020 and served barely chilled.

Pours cloudy golden-yellow, producing nearly a finger of foamy, soapy white head; it recedes within a couple of minutes, leaving behind a thin collar of froth and a tight band of sticky lace. Looks almost exactly like its predecessors, but the aroma changes things right up - this variant smells intensely citrusy, with mandarin orange, orange juice and pink grapefruit definitely coming to mind right off the bat. I'm also getting notes of peach, as well as pineapple and some grassy hops; it's very enticing, but maybe I'm thirstier than usual tonight.

Delicious stuff - quite juicy, and not particularly bitter. There are notes of mandarin orange, pineapple, mango and grapefruit at the front end, with notes of citrus zest and pith developing soon after. It concludes with a spicy, grassy brief hop finale - it provides a good contrast from the juicier flavours, which return with a sort of syrupy melon/mango sweetness that lingers into the aftertaste. Nearing full-bodied, with moderate carbonation levels that prickle the palate gently throughout the sip, providing some bite to an otherwise pillowy soft, slightly slick mouthfeel. Far more drinkable than it has any right to be at 8.2%.

Final Grade: 4.3, an outstanding A grade. As far as top notch, widely available Ontario D/IPAs are concerned, Collective Arts must be the most reliable source, and arguably the most prolific - and I only add 'arguably' because Flying Monkeys likely comes close in terms of sheer quantity. I mean, there's been at least six in this Surround Sound series alone - and they've all been good to excellent so far - but SS Azacca is definitely one of my favourites to date. Hopheads seeking out something new should get this one ASAP, or failing that, hope that a second run hits retail shelves in early summer.