Double Clutch
Redline Brewhouse

 

 

 

 

This has held up really well, dated 31/03/17!

Lots of piny resin, a bit dank, but the can has resisted the oxidation. Definitely some apricot shining through. Assertive bitterness, but good balance with the sweetness and subtle alcohol.

Pours an opaque straw yellow, quite hazy and containing a few hop/yeast bits. Had a very short lived fluffy white head, fantastic lacing throughout.

Tons of citrus on the nose and pineapple highlights. Very light on the palate but bursting with flavour, lots of fruit with a nice acidity and a touch of pine bitterness. Feel was a bit of letdown, a touch on the thin side.

 

on tap at tallboys craft beer house in toronto, may 20 2017. 200% opaque bright yellow/orange. loads of orange, tangerine, and pineapple with an appropriate slightly dank bitterness. phenomenal

Cloudy golden with a sticky white head. Pretty light aroma, but a nice flavour- sticky citrus fruits, pineapple, mango and a good dose of pine resin. Moderate bitterness. There is a decent bready malt body, but not overly strong as DIPAs can sometimes be. Full bodied, but quite drinkable. Finish has a bitter bite. Good stuff.

Can received in trade with Kevin. This is an excellent beer, one of the best NE style in Ontario so far. Need this to make it's way into the lcbo. Id drink it exclusively.

Can from brewery about 2 weeks old. Pale gold and very hazy with moderate and fairly quickly dissipating head. Mango and citrus on the nose. Flavour more resinous with peach and broad tropical fruit notes. A little thin for style. Alcohol well integrated. Nice stuff from a good brewer.

 

 

 

Double Clutch makes it clear that this brewer doesn't value clarity. At all. Eh, what does that really matter anyway? This healthful looking, pulpy, peach coloured nectar is still very striking and maintains sharp splinters of vibrant golden highlighting. Its head is both stocky and sturdy; I know it's just foam but it looks hard to move.

I wasn't told I needed a passport! This is a trip to the tropics: pineapple juice, dragonfruit, and even a hint of lychee are the most recognizable to my North American palate but I'm guessing someone from south of the equator could list at least half a dozen other fruits in this bouquet. It's distinctively, fantastically tropical!

And yet there's also a lot of familiar orchard fruits in there too: flavours of peach, nectarine, yellow plum and apricot are probably even more prevalent than the extra pulpy grapefruit and orange juice notes. Frankly it drinks like a smoothie - the hops even lending a subtle baby kale/ leafy green-like bitterness on the back end. Have it after a workout!

In all seriousness, all this ridiculously ripe fruitiness has a candied or bubblegum-like taste at times. It's just that explicit and palpable. And although 83 IBU isn't exactly going overboard for a Double IPA in the first place, bitterness is especially inconspicuous in this one. It's hard to tell if there was any early addition hops at all; the citrusy acidity is just that smooth.

Double IPAs typically aren't for everyone, but I don't know of a more agreeable profile generally - and example specifically - than the tropical fruit smoothie that is Double Clutch. Who wouldn't like this?! This showcases extensive, ample hoppiness but has absolutely zero of the harsher, obnoxious qualities that often accompany such a thing. Wonderful stuff!