Hopsters
Bench Brewing Company

I was pleasantly surprised to find the beer store in Fort Francis had about ten regional IPAs cold. Bought a mixed case and this was one of the best. The Muskie did not cooperate, so next year I think it will just be a brewery tour!

 

473 ml can purchased at the Brewery. $4 per can.
Pours into pint glass mostly clear, faint bit of haze but very minimal. A west coast IPA for sure.
Minimal hop smell. Tastes like a Lagunitas or Sierra Nevada, but with less carbonation.
A very good local craft west coaster.

473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. LCBO purchase for around $3.65 CDN. Canned April 13, 2022.

Appearance - Semi hazy rich golden brew capped with two plus fingers of fluffy white head. Pretty good staying power and a nice ring of lacing sticks to the rim of the glass.

Smell - Big hop aromas and lots of citrus with pineapple and cantaloupe and a smattering of orange in the background. Grapefruit plays in there too.

Taste - Some grapefruit initially then a juicy pineapple and cantaloupe burst. A little more sweet on the intake than expected. Grainy background. Slightly peppery finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium full bodied, a little more heavy and sticky than others in this ABV range. An astringent lemon and pepper combo closes things out.

Overall - A solid IPA with good citrus, but a little heftier and leach peachy than the awesome Short Hills IPA. Hope this is seasonal as opposed to a full time replacement. Nonetheless a quality brew from a quality brewer.

 

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Mar 16 2022 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a clear golden-yellow colour, sporting nearly two fingers of puffy, foamy, sparkling white head that melts away within several minutes' time. It leaves behind a gorgeously messy coat of doily-patterned lacing, in addition to a frothy collar and lumpy quarter-inch cap - looks fantastic in the glass. Mango, grapefruit and orange on the nose, with lesser hints of pineapple, papaya and floral, slightly piney hops.

A solid IPA with good balance and a nice array of fruity hop flavours; there's grapefruit and orange, alongside hints of apricot, mango and pineapple. Considerably more bitter on the back end, with pine resin and earthy, spicy, floral hops taking over the profile; suggestions of tea leaves and pithy citrus linger into the aftertaste. Medium in body, with mild carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel; goes down the hatch easily enough, though at nearly 7% it's probably not something I'd drink en masse.

Final Grade: 3.95, a B+. Hopsters is a tasty IPA that earns a hearty thumbs up - I enjoyed one can last night, and had a similar experience while writing this review. It's not a hazy juicebomb, and I'd be lying if I said the hop flavours were totally unique and unforgettable - but not every brew needs to blow your mind in order to be worthwhile. This was a little on the flat side, and thus somewhat lacking in crispness or 'bite', but that has little impact on its drinkability. I'd totally buy this again, though I'm not sure if I'd take it over their Short Hills IPA, which is excellent by the way.

Pours clear gold with a shortlived ivory head. Grapefruit, orange and light pale malts in the nose. Grapefruit hops with some pine, and floral, perfume hop notes in the taste. Doughy, sweet malts in abundance in the back. The mouthfeel is light bodied with medium carbonation. moderate bitterness and some light citrus in the finish.

A nice IPA that's more balanced than the standard fair these days. The homegrown Cascade hops taste great!

June 30 2023

I bought a can at the beerstore in Ontario 473ml at 6.8%.
Poured into glass with a 1 finger head leaving a lace as you drink it.
Lots of tropical fruit flavors with a medium bitterness level.
Crafted with homegrown cascade hops overall an ok IPA beer .
Cheers