Society of Beer Drinking Ladies Brew 0004 - Hazy NEIPA With Clementine
Henderson Brewing Company

473 mL can from the LCBO; canned on Sept 1 2020 and served barely chilled.

Pours hazy as advertised, with a golden yellow-hued body atop which is seated nearly an inch of puffy, foamy, sparkling white head. It dissipates at a casual pace, caking the glass with gobs sticky lace in the process; the final remains include a lumpy cap and generously foamy collar - now that's a nice looking glass of beer! Lots of orange on the nose, as the clementine peels provide a zesty, citrus-heavy bent to the aroma, but I'm also getting hints of passion fruit, coconut, mango and apricot, as well as a touch of wheaty, crackery pale malts and lemon. So far, so good.

It's a solid NEIPA - it tastes of orange, grapefruit, passion fruit and mango, muddled together with apricot and coconut. It starts off juicy, but the bitterness ramps up somewhat towards the tail end of the sip - more pithy and somewhat pine resiny, lingering into the aftertaste alongside more citrus and fading tropical fruitiness, as well as a suggestion of mint. Medium-full in body, with relatively low carbonation that gently agitates the surface of the tongue, contributing to its largely smooth, soft mouthfeel. Average drinkability for the style - one can is easy enough to gulp back, but two full servings would be more than enough for me. I can't find a definitive listing of the hops used for this one, but I'd bet a kidney that Sabro was one of them.

Final Grade: 4.07, a worthy A-. #4 Hazy NEIPA w/Clementine was a pleasure to drink, though at the end of the day the clementine peel was really only a prominent factor on the nose. Beyond that, this was an above average hazy IPA that performed about as well as most of its middle-upper tier Ontario-brewed competition - i.e. I like it, but I don't quite love it, as I don't think it quite matches up to the gold standards set by breweries such as Collective Arts or Great Lakes. Hopheads and hazebros/hazeladies across the province can consider this highly recommended.

 

 

A-Hazy orange with a bright white head that holds its shape well. Very good lacing
S-Slightly boozy aroma, with tropical fruits and ripe mango coming through with a citrus kick.
M-Not overly juicy, and a little on the dry side, which is nice. Medium to full body with low end carbonation.
T-Subtle citrus sweetness with a nice kick of clementine that develops nicely into a grapefruit pith bitterness.
O-A really well crafted beer. The clementine contributes nicely to the overall flavour and does not tire too much. Definitely more in the bitter range of NEIPAs on the market, but that has become my preference over time, as the sweet overkill of the market needs a recalibration in my opinion.