Why So Sirius?
Sextant Craft Brewery

we live in a society

 

 

Tallboy can from the LCBO; the canning date stamped on the base of the can is not legible. Served slightly chilled.

Pours a pale golden-yellow colour, clouded with sediment and tiny flecks of debris, while also swarming with streams of effervescence. An inch of fluffy, sparkling white foam is produced at the surface, displaying excellent retention as it recedes at a near-glacial pace over the next ten minutes or so. It cakes the glass with a coating of webby-patterned lacing on its way down; quite good-looking, if I do say so. I'm getting a lot of lemon zest and grapefruit on the nose - not surprising, as the can mentions that Cascade and Amarillo were the hops of choice for this pale ale. Beyond that, there are a few subtly floral, piney notes, as well as some underlying grainy, bready pale malt sweetness.

The flavour profile starts off with those very same pale malt flavours - grain husks and doughy bread provide some background sweetness, but once the hops kick into gear, my taste buds quickly lose sight of them. I am picking up a pleasant mixture of citrusy, pithy lemon and grapefruit, with floral, resiny bitterness starting to build as you approach the end of the sip. These persist into the aftertaste, along with some remnant bready malt sweetness; the aftertaste slowly dries out the palate. Light in body, with moderately assertive carbonation that diligently agitates the surface of the mouth, resulting in a prickly, crisp mouthfeel. A sessionable pale ale worth sampling.

Final Grade: 3.81, a solid B+. Sextant's Why So Sirius? definitely ain't too shabby. It's a little lighter-tasting than many examples of this style - along the lines of one of those India session ales, except with the hops dialled down somewhat. Don't get me wrong, because the flavours are enjoyable... but I'm not too sure that this beer does anything to help itself stand out, in a province that is more-or-less awash with hoppy pale ales. This quality light ale would be a perfect complement for hot weather, outdoor summer quaffing, paired with BBQ meats and perhaps a Greek salad.

Pours golden with a tall foamy head which fades moderately quickly & leaves some light lacing at the top of the glass which remains until the end. It pours almost clear but with just a very light uniform haze which gives it quite a nice look. I taste some nice citrus on the first sip but also a significant amount of malt - more than I might expect for an APA. As the drink continues, I can smell the citrus at the beginning of each sip but it's that malt than begins to dominate the taste, leaving me wanting more of those hops as I work my way through the glass. Mouthfeel is fine but just a little lighter than I'd like & while there's no bitterness on the aftertaste, the carbonation gives just a little more zing than I'd like. In the end, the citrus from the hops is excellent in terms of aroma & taste & there is no unpleasantness to the taste, but there's just not quite enough of it for me. Maybe a good beer for someone who doesn't tend to like a lot of hops (even the nice tasting ones) but wants a little more taste than a lager/pilsner etc.

 

 

473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. Purchased this new offering from the LCBO for under $3 CDN.

Appearance - rich golden color with a little haze. A massive three finger white head is poured and has substantial staying power. Loads of lacing down the sides of the glass. Spiderwebs rejoice.

Smell - citrusy with a pine and lemon focus. There's a slight cat piss astringency in the air with this one too. The citrus is just dominant enough that unsavoury aroma doesn't become too much of a hindrance. Just a hint of melon and something else sweet possibly passion fruit in behind. Robust.

Taste - initially quite citrusy with orange and melon most dominant before going full bore into a coarse grain flavor. Some trace elements of wheat in there and finishes with a slightly bitter zesty kick.

Mouthfeel - smooth and well carbonated yet lighter bodied than expected. A drying snap at the close makes for a good drinker. Perhaps a little gassy.

Overall - while not the most phenomenal pale ale I've had, Sextant's Why so Sirius? Is a fine pale ale with plenty of hops but also a light enough body to make it an easy drinker. Certainly worth a try, even if there isn't anything substantially new here.