Friends Forever
Elora Brewing Co.

 

When I come to a review and I see thehyperduck has reviewed it, I switch from intense review mode to ‘flowery’ review mode and just go for the essence instead. They always pretty much hit the nail on the head.

With which they did — it’s a bit hazy, but it’s not juicy. It’s not quite dry either, incredibly refreshing. Hints of mint and lemon, pithy citrus, grapefruit, that sort of soapy bodied oat additions are here. Like many Ontario craft, lots of adjuncts here. Not necessarily bad, but it’s not quite the ‘water yeast barley’ of euro beers, different hops, wheat, barley, oats, etc.

I find this intensely refreshing however, I’m likely more impressed than others because I’ve had many less beers and PAs than they have. That said, this is intensely drinkable and what a great medley of flavours blended quite wonderfully. Nothing really overpowers anything else and this still keeps it’s PA style rather than feeling like an IPA or NEIPA adjacent.

 

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Feb 24 2022 and served barely chilled.

Pours a hazy, pale straw yellow colour, generating two fingers of lumpy, foamy white head that gradually dissipates over the course of five-plus minutes. It leaves behind gobs of beautiful lace in a doily-like pattern, with a thick, frothy collar and sudsy cap also remaining in place - very attractive so far. The nose is subtle and nuanced - I'm getting suggestions of lemon, grapefruit and lime, as well as hints of mango, graininess and something herbaceous, perhaps even minty.

It's good, but as with many hazy pale ales, I find the malt presence somewhat lacking - gritty grains and oat sweetness, followed by a varied hop profile. It's fruity, but not juicy, if that makes sense: there's hints of lemon, mango and grapefruit, but hints are all they are. Grassy and herbaceous at the finish - still getting that twinge of mintiness, too - followed by an aftertaste of grapefruit pith which trends off-dry. Medium-light in body, with assertive carbonation that prickles and prods the palate continuously throughout the sip; feels smooth and a little soft, in spite of the sharp carb. Quaffable, and actually rather refreshing for a hazy pale ale.

Final Grade: 3.78, a B+. As far as New England pale ales available in Ontario are concerned, Friends Forever is at least above average, and for that reason I'll keep buying it while it remains available. That being said, there are plenty of 'pretty good' NEPAs out there these days, and I'm at a loss for compelling reasons to go with this one specifically. If you've enjoyed other Elora pale ales in the past, you'll probably like this one too.

Pours quite hazy with a mammoth fluffy head. Smells simply of hops. The taste is citrus ans garden weeds. I detect hops as well as hints of banana(?) and butter(??) A bit unusual. Reminds me somewhat of an NEIPA
June 28 2022