429
Redline Brewhouse

 

One of the haziest, turbid beers I've seen yet from Canada! Sent by my buddy wicked fresh. Huge pine and hop resin notes, fresh squeezed grapefruit, ome orange and silky malts and a crazy creamy mouthfeel. Awesome!

If you ask me, 'unfiltered' almost always equals 'delicious' - it rarely equals 'pretty'. 429 is certainly no exception. Pale straw yet somehow opaque, it looks as though the can was thoroughly shaken before opening; the complexion is so turbid as to appear milky. Whatever - more flavour for me!

The nose offers up all the goods: mango puree, orange rind, peach nectar, trees budding in the spring and grass clippings drying out in the sun. The citrus and tropical fruit is unmistakable upfront but it's the subtle floral and earthy elements in the backdrop that make it so interesting.

The latter (at least in part) stem from dry-hop use of two new Australian varietals: Ella and Topaz. Not that the timeless combination of Cascade, Chinook and Columbus needs any assistance when it comes to floral or fruity qualities, but this does benefit from a fresh cast of grassy, lychee and rose flavours.

There's a definite 'herbal green' thread that runs alongside all the orange-y citrus. Imagine as though it were laced with matcha tea and you're in the right direction. The malt provides plenty of body to support both the resins (approx 63 IBU) and alcohol (6.2%) but barely factors into the taste...

429 is clearly the result of turning a hophead loose in the brewhouse, which explains why I was begging for a refill the minute I cracked this can. So those aiming to make "sessionable" IPAs take note: focus less on alcohol percentage and more on choice, flavourful hop varietals and preserving the flavour (not filtering). That - as illustrated here - is how you make an IPA worth drinking all day!