Last Cast
Fernie Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a tremendous beer, and the fishing theme speaks to me. I understand the notion of the "last cast", for there is always hope associated with that cast. Opening a beer is not unlike that cast - you are never sure what to expect, yet you hope for the best. This brew is like catching a fish on the last cast - a real treat. It is hazy, golden, and delicious. There is a lovely combination of citrus and pine hops, with a bready malt backbone. The fluffy head lingers and emanates a subtle aroma. FBC continues to impress me with their seasonal and limited run beers. It is fitting that I first tried this on my last fishing trip of the season. As the snow melts and th days get longer, I'm looking forward to the first cast and another Fernie journey.

 

Fernie Brewing 'Last Cast Summer IPA' @ 6.7% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $5.80

A-pour is a pale yellow from the bottle to clear pale yellow/gold in the glass with a big frothy white head leaving a spotty lace along the pint

S-pine & citrus

T-not so smooth IPA , bit harsh

MF-tons of carbonation , medium body

Ov-bit dissapointing IPA , lack's something , one & done

prost LampertLand

 

650ml bottle, Earthy nose not unpleasant pours a amber yellow. Missing the hops form me more of a malt hit. So many B.C.IPA's that are far better. Had to try one.

 

650ml bottle. An appropriately themed offering to pop open of late, as summer seems to be in its last gasps for 2014, and the shadows are indeed casting longer. No indication as to what makes this a 'summer' IPA, though.

This beer pours a hazy, yet bright medium golden yellow hue, with two pudgy fingers of puffy, bubbly, and loosely foamy dirty white head, which leaves some stellar Swiss cheese lace all around the glass as it slowly, lazily recedes.

It smells of musty, slightly dank forest floor pine needles and leafy detritus, grainy pale malt, a ghostly whisper of caramel sweetness, hollow citrus rind notes, and further floral, earthy hops. The taste is bitter orange and grapefruit peel, grainy, crackery pale malt, a still stunned and underwhelming caramelized essence, a slightly rocky minerality, and mildly perfumed floral hops.

The carbonation is nice and fizzy in its swirling frothiness, the body clocking in at an adequate middleweight, and generally smooth - no frills, but no snags, either. It finishes a touch off-dry, the malt no longer really worth mentioning, as the hops muscle their way to center stage.

First contact sort of misinformed me on this one - that dankness that I'm starting to readily tire of blew off in a pleasingly short time frame. What's left is an enjoyably old-school IPA - bitter, citrusy, piney, floral, passably malty, and a wee bit boozy - the gang's all here, folks, ready to reel out that last cast on the waters this summer, or whatever the hell the name of this offering means.

 

 

Bomber poured into a heavy old beer mug. A bright yellow, just grading into orange territory, with an initially massive white frothy head that quickly tones itself down into a nice looking inch-tall band. I am admittedly becoming a little weary of "session IPAs" this summer after seemingly every single western Canadian craft brewery churned out an example, with me for some reason deciding to sample any and all crossing my path. As I limp towards the finish line, hoping my liver doesn't fall off after this last week, I clear my mind and hope for the best. These Fernie big bottles usually deliver the goods. First off, what the hell does the name reference? One last injury mountain climbing? And apparently the same name was used for a black IPA previously? OK. Ebony and ivory I suppose. In any event, the aroma is the expected light sweet grains and citrus-forward hops, although interestingly enough the former carry the nose. Not so on the palate, where one is greeted with a nice floral and citrus bouquet ... Quite a lot of lemon actually, along with some fresh orange and grapefruit, newly mowed grass, surprisingly assertive pine resin, pepper, a big dry floral perfume, and just enough corn flake-like malts to prevent this from being too bitter, although I will say that this degree of hopping blurs substyle boundaries with gusto. Has a nice spicy resinous bite. Thin bodied and highly carbonated as expected, with a very dry finish suitable for hot patios and their ilk, with some red berry, green banana, and pineapple smoothie putting in an appearance late. Alright, maybe this journey wasn't so bad after all. Fruity and light but with some extra hop bite ... Things do get green and vegetal near the end. Perhaps the flavors aren't as nuanced as in some of the other examples of this substyle I've had this summer, but its a nice unified effort nonetheless.

650ml bomber poured into tulip 13/8/14

A hazy pale yellow, just a few bubbles feeding a short lived finger of foam that leaves a couple partial rings

S lemon, pineapple, orange, and grapefruit, faint sweet grains, a little pine and floral notes with just a hint of booze

T herbal and lots of rind, still lots of fruit but a little toned down compared to the nose

M light bodied for the style, more bubbles then I could see in the glass as it almost foams up, a little gritty, lemon rind on the finish

O respectable beer from Fernie, a lighter IPA that's easy to drink

No reason not to give this one a go, 7$ a bomber is a fair price too, Fernie's gained back a little respect from me with their big bottle series