Time For A Montage
Refined Fool Brewing Co.

473 mL can from the brewery; no canning date. Served slightly chilled.

Pours a foggy golden colour, with plentiful sediment swirling around its body; it's capped with nearly two fingers of puffy, foamy white head that holds together for five minutes, give or take. A thick collar of soapy suds is left surrounding a patchy cap, with great lace deposition - no complaints so far. Restrained aromas of nectarine, melon and orange, with suggestions of passion fruit, bready malts and a syrupy, faintly boozy sweetness.

It's a serviceable DIPA that leans toward the New England style, e.g. not very bitter, with a focus on fruity hop flavours, giving off the impression of a fruit cocktail cup. Stone fruit leads the way, with notes of pineapple, melon and orange slices in syrup; hints of mango and coconut crop up later on, as does some floral, dank hop bitterness. Weakly boozy-sweet aftertaste, with tropical & stone fruit lingering for a moment or two. Nearing full-bodied, with light carbonation that lazily rolls across the tongue, contributing to this brew's smooth, soft mouthfeel; it's unassuming enough to be dangerously drinkable.

Final Grade: 4.0, scraping out an A-. With well-integrated alcohol, low bitterness and approachable stone fruit-forward flavours, Time For A Montage is a solid, very drinkable imperial IPA; possibly one of the Fools' best doubles since Bernice Flipped the Canasta Table. This one totally deserves a spot in the Fools' next IPA mixed pack, but I'd also be happy to see it available as a single, maybe as a rotating offering. Southwestern Ontario hopheads should keep their eyes peeled & fingers crossed for a sophomore batch.