Strange Animal
MERIT Brewing Co
- From:
- MERIT Brewing Co
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Hazy IPA
- ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- +4 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.84 | pDev: 5.73%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Tuesday at 04:32 AM
- Added:
- Mar 28, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
w/ Sasquatch and Mosaic hops
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.88/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Nov 25 2025, listed at 7.1% and served barely chilled.
Pours a hazy, translucent golden-yellow colour, fitted with an inch of thick, creamy white head that settles off within the next three or four minutes. A half-inch ring of meandering lace adheres to the glass, with a frothy cap and collar living on; looks good to me. Citrusy aromas of lemon, orange peel and grapefruit, as well as hints of papaya and floral, grassy hops.
A flavourful strong IPA with very low bitterness and a citrusy, tropical profile. I'm getting tangerine, grapefruit and yellow guava, with hints of lemon curd, white bread and steel cut oats. Peach and papaya on the back end, with grassy, woodsy, floral hops and grapefruit rounding out the finish; mildly warming aftertaste of tropical fruits & citrus that lingers on the tastebuds for a few seconds after each sip. On the fuller side of medium-bodied with weak carbonation and a smooth, pillowy-soft mouthfeel that suits the style very well. Easy enough to toss back, but too strong to be a serious pound 'em all night option.
Final Grade: 3.88, a B+. Merit's Strange Animal is a fine hazy IPA, and I can't find all that much to complain about - its blend of citrus & tropical hop flavours should come off as approachable for a majority of beer geeks. The Sasquatch hops impart a grassy, slightly woodsy note that adds some much-needed contrast to the aforementioned fruity flavours. Good, but not necessarily great - this sample is getting a little old, especially for this style, so I'll make an effort to look for a fresh sample and update this review if needed.
Tuesday at 04:32 AMPours a hazy, translucent golden-yellow colour, fitted with an inch of thick, creamy white head that settles off within the next three or four minutes. A half-inch ring of meandering lace adheres to the glass, with a frothy cap and collar living on; looks good to me. Citrusy aromas of lemon, orange peel and grapefruit, as well as hints of papaya and floral, grassy hops.
A flavourful strong IPA with very low bitterness and a citrusy, tropical profile. I'm getting tangerine, grapefruit and yellow guava, with hints of lemon curd, white bread and steel cut oats. Peach and papaya on the back end, with grassy, woodsy, floral hops and grapefruit rounding out the finish; mildly warming aftertaste of tropical fruits & citrus that lingers on the tastebuds for a few seconds after each sip. On the fuller side of medium-bodied with weak carbonation and a smooth, pillowy-soft mouthfeel that suits the style very well. Easy enough to toss back, but too strong to be a serious pound 'em all night option.
Final Grade: 3.88, a B+. Merit's Strange Animal is a fine hazy IPA, and I can't find all that much to complain about - its blend of citrus & tropical hop flavours should come off as approachable for a majority of beer geeks. The Sasquatch hops impart a grassy, slightly woodsy note that adds some much-needed contrast to the aforementioned fruity flavours. Good, but not necessarily great - this sample is getting a little old, especially for this style, so I'll make an effort to look for a fresh sample and update this review if needed.
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)
3.77/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a thick orange with a firm head. The nose is of citrus but a tad maltier than I like. The body is of stone fruit and papaya, but the malt is once again a bit too much for me. It doesn't ruin things though.
A nice one timer.
Mar 28, 2026A nice one timer.
Reviewed by talisen-crw from Canada (ON)
4.25/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From the Huron Church Rd. LCBO in nearby Windsor. No date stamp or lot number. My 10th beer from the Hamilton, Ontario brewery, and 5th for 2025. Exquisitely loved by Sundae the cat...
Dec 04, 2025
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Oct 18 2025
Oct 18, 2025
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.87/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.87/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
On tap at MERIT Brewing and with Sasquatch and Mosaic hops.
Appearance - Hazy yellowy, gold beer with orange hues. A finger plus of frothy white head. Good staying power and a beautiful ring of lacing left behind.
Smell - Light citrus aroma with some dark berries. Fairly muted.
Taste - Some citrus with a touch of passionfruit as well as pine berries and cantaloupe. A touch boozy too.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light carbonation and a fairly juicy if a touch boozy finish.
Overall - A pretty tasty IPA that would be enhanced even more with a more robust nose. Nonetheless a very worthy offering.
Mar 28, 2024Appearance - Hazy yellowy, gold beer with orange hues. A finger plus of frothy white head. Good staying power and a beautiful ring of lacing left behind.
Smell - Light citrus aroma with some dark berries. Fairly muted.
Taste - Some citrus with a touch of passionfruit as well as pine berries and cantaloupe. A touch boozy too.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light carbonation and a fairly juicy if a touch boozy finish.
Overall - A pretty tasty IPA that would be enhanced even more with a more robust nose. Nonetheless a very worthy offering.
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