Sabotage India Session Ale
Vancouver Island Brewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver Is. Brewing 'Sabotage ISA' @ 5.0% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $5.50
A-pour is a light pale gold from the bottle to a clear gold in the glass with a small off-white head leaving a spotty lace along the pint
S-fresh hop cones
T-ok tasting session ale , bitter lemon/citrus on the swallow
MF-ok carbonation , medium body , a dryness lingers on the palate
Ov-ok beer , tad disappointing for a session ale
prost LampertLand

packaged on April 10, 2014
A: golden honey, translucent
S: nice fresh hops but not long lasting
T: simple, pleasant, nice balance, good long medium bitter finish. Fresh, very likable. If this came in a 6pack of 330ml bottles or cans it could be my house IPA/PA.
M: medium bodied
O: I haven't sought out Vancouver Island Brewing beers much lately because they were quite forgettable but this one makes me think differently. RANT ALERT: For me, 5% is at the very high end of a session beer ... as a matter of fact, I think that the only reason 5% has become a "session" beer is because Northwest brewers in particular are in a "bigger is better" mentality. And the general public is eating it up. Count me as one beer drinker who prefers balance above bigness. 'Nuff said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sampled in the Vancouver Island tasting room. They were great hosts, incidentally. This is indeed a nice flavor hop showcase (as promised), a light orange amber brew with a moderate amount of whitish head and a decidedly citric, tangy, green aroma dominated by orange and grapefruit rind, mellow pine, and light caramel malts. The malt backbone here is robust enough to provide some substance and heft but certainly takes a backseat to the smoothly bitter, mentholated, and citric hops, which come across like a combination of orange fruit chews, grapefruit juice, spruce needles, and rosewater, with hints of grassy green peppercorn and black tea. Reminds me of Red Racer ISA, in a good way. Minimally sweet with carbonation somewhere between moderate and high, and a crisp, clean finish that is only faintly tannic and sour. Well-crafted brew that could be a big hit for these guys locally, despite a glut of hoppy brews out there on the island and nearby mainland.

 

 

 

On the money for the style with more hops than is usual for Vancouver Island Brewery( more than Double Decker IPA). A light fresh colour and good nose. I also liked the drinkability of this beer as the malt is to the background ( as opposed to an ApA) but the hops are the star. It is a lighter beer that is will work well in session drinking.