Lost City
Collective Arts Brewing

At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, from my favourite LCBO at The Roundhouse Centre in nearby Windsor. My third beer from the Hamilton brewery.

 

355ml can served cold into a chalice. Purchase from the brewery. Canned April 9, 2024.

Appearance - A hazy yellowy gold brew with a small half finger of foamy white head. Moderate head retention. No lacing to speak of.

Smell - Citrus burst with some pineapple and grapefruit. Floral elements behind that.

Taste - Some candied pineapple with grapefruit pith and a sprinkle of lemon. Starts semi-sweet then big and bitter afterwards. Malt base in behind isn't the strongest but holds up.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with a lighter than expected texture, good crisp carbonation and easy drinking qualities. Semi-dry finish.

Overall - Pretty solid IPA from Collective Arts, would love to sample a fresher option as that might help in making the citrus flavors and in particular pineapple really pop.

Pours pale straw with a clingy, chunky head. The aroma is of pineapple, guava, tropical fruit hops. A giant wall of pineapple and lemon ring in the first sip with a plethora of citrusy, bitter hops abounding. Restrained pale malts in the very back provide some balance. The mouthfeel is full bodied with high carbonation. Resiny, high bitterness in the everlasting finish.

A fantastic, aggressively hopped and highly bitter IPA. Must try for hopheads.

355 mL can from the LCBO, included in a Collective Arts mixed six pack. Dated Feb 16 2024 and served slightly chilled. This is officially the 100th Collective Arts beer I've reviewed.

Pours a hazy pale golden colour, sprouting one finger of tight, foamy white head that gradually seeps off. A little over five minutes later, a lovely curtain of even lace has been draped across the perimeter of the glass, with a creamy collar and filmy cap remaining on the surface. Fruity, hop-laden aromas of white grapefruit, pineapple, berries and passion fruit, with suggestions of lemon peel and piney, grassy hops.

The flavour profile is similar - fruity and hop-forward, offering up some pineapple, grapefruit and apricot, followed up with lemon pith, herbal hops and some light pineyness on the tail end. Pithy aftertaste that fades to dry. Medium in body, with gentle carbonation that softly agitates the surface of the tongue; smooth, soft mouthfeel with excellent drinkability.

Final Grade: 4.01, an A-. While I wouldn't call Lost City above average for a Collective Arts pale ale, it's still better than average for an Ontario IPA. The Vic Secret hops strut their stuff effectively, and I enjoyed my glass from start to finish - however, it still comes off as somehow... understated? For lack of a more accurate term. I dunno, I just felt like this brew needs something more to push it over the line from "pretty good" to "you've gotta try this".