Ten-Wheeler IPA
Siding 14 Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

This is another winner from Alberta's "Ale Trail". This is a light, understated IPA that is not afraid to throw it weight around in the alcohol department. I enjoyed a growler of this directly from the brewery, but it was the long weekend, and well, my tasting notes may not be complete? I plan to revisit this beer (and the review) when we return from holidays!

355ml can - first contact with the latest new Alberta craft brewery to release their product as such. Ponoka? Trains? Hmmmm, time for some old-school Ozzy, eh?

This beer pours a slightly hazy, medium golden copper colour, with three fingers of puffy, rocky, and chunky eggshell white head, which leaves a bit of splotchy and sudsy lace around the glass as it slowly seeps away.

It smells of moderately dank pine resin, gritty and grainy pale malt, muddled domestic citrus rind, and further leafy, weedy, and musky floral green hop bitters. The taste is bready and crackery pale malt, dried lemon and orange peel, a wee hard water flintiness, and more acrid leafy, piney, and testy floral verdant hoppiness.

The carbonation is adequate in its palate-buoying frothiness, the body a decent middleweight, and generally smooth, as the bitter notes seem to know to keep their arms and hands inside the windows at all times here. It finishes trending dry, with the hops winning the ongoing tug of war.

Overall, this is indeed a nicely-rendered IPA, good and bitter, as oft-noted, and yet somehow balanced - I always want to go back for more. Which I shall, come next backyard BBQ or what have you, six-pack requirement. And yes, this pairs well with 'Crazy Train' - I tried it.