5 O'Clock Shadow
Willibald Farm Brewery

473 mL can, day 17 of the 2022 Toronto Brewing beer advent calendar. Dated Nov 8 2022 and served barely chilled.

Pours turbid and cloudy, its pale apricot yellow-toned body topped with nearly two fingers of frothy, soapy white head. It dissipates within five minutes or so, reduced to a tight collar and filmy cap, with half an inch of sticky lace clinging to the glass. Modest aroma of muddled citrus/grapefruit, tropical fruits and berries, as well as some woodsy, earthy tree bark notes.

It's a good IPA, but it's notably lacking the 'juicy' quality that I think hopheads want from this style. I'm tasting grapefruit, passion fruit and melon, with lesser hints of apricot and berry; the malt presence is grainy and minimal. Notes of floral, woodsy hops and piney bitterness develop near the finish, persisting briefly into a citrusy, pithy aftertaste that trends dry. Mildly acidic, with little sign of alcohol. Medium-full in body, with lively carbonation that adds a prickly spritz to this brew's otherwise smooth, fluffy texture; decent drinkability for its strength, but one per night is plenty.

Final Grade: 3.8, a B+. Five O'Clock Shadows certainly looks the part of an NEIPA, but it's rather bitter, giving off the impression of a 'hybrid' IPA. The juiciness deficiency doesn't do it any favours, either. I still enjoyed my glass, and wouldn't discourage others from giving it a try, but it's not really what I'm looking for from this type of pale ale. A promising effort nonetheless: glad I had the chance to try something from Willibald, and wouldn't hesitate to try more of their stuff in the future.