Ordinary Boat
Refined Fool Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the brewery; no canning date and served barely chilled.

Pours a slightly foggy pale golden colour, boasting two fingers of fluffy, foamy white head that lasts for a little over five minutes. A messy swath of lace is flung onto the glass in the process, which leaves behind a wide, soapy collar and patchy cap of suds - looks great so far. Mostly citrus on the nose: grapefruit, orange, maybe some lemon zest, with hints of piney, floral hops, grainy malts and honeydew melon.

A solid, straightforward IPA in the old-school style. Grapefruit and orange flavours stand out, with notes of passion fruit, apricot and a touch of lime. These fruity flavours are joined by piney, floral, slightly spicy hop notes at the finish; mildly fruity, resiny aftertaste that doesn't linger. Medium in body, with average carbonation that brushes gently across the palate, making for a smooth mouthfeel. Easy to drink, and at 6.2% I could feasibly enjoy a few of these in a row.

Final Grade: 3.84, a B+. Ordinary Boat doesn't exactly tread new ground - not that I was really expecting anything especially novel from an IPA with Simcoe, Citra and Cascade hops. The first two are some of the most popular hop strains in use today, while Cascade is practically synonymous with classic West Coast IPAs. That being said, this is a competently-brewed IPA with excellent drinkability, and I enjoyed my glass from start to finish. No, it's not a worldbeater, but it's good for what it is, and worth a try if you're sick of hazy pale ales and looking for something a little more 'traditional'.