IPA
Dix BBQ & Brewery

 

I popped into this BBQ joint while visiting Vancouver on a Saturday night, with my hometown Oilers also in town to tangle with the Canucks. After getting a table near the fireplace to ward off the recent below-seasonal temperatures, a huge TV screen scrolled down right next to us, the game started, and it was finally time to order a pint of the IPA.

This swiftly arrived at the table, with, drum roll please, a full pour! Right to the top of the full British pint glass, with maybe a millimeter or two of thin puffy white head. Bravo! The beer itself was a dark, reddish amber hue. The smell was of light understated grapefruit, and caramel malt. The taste started with dry pine hops, followed by a thin sweet malt balance, and a dry finish. There was slightly above average carbonation, and no noticeable warming. This went down well, especially with the spicy BBQ.

A: Copper with an off-white head, very little retention, good lacing.

S: Tangerine & grapefruit with a hint of grains. The amount of aroma is closer to a pale ale than an IPA.

T: Tangerine, grapefruit rind, slight toffee/caramel, a little grainy pale malt, good bitterness.

M: Well-attenuated moderate body & carbonation, slight hop acidity, dry finish.

D: It's not overpowering, so it's a good drinker.

Dang, this is one tasty IPA , maybe the best on tap in BC (Central City may be the best). Darker gold colour with reasonable head this beer is hoppy on the nose and the finish but entirely drinkable with a great malt backbone. A big juicy IPA that is a must try when in Vancouver.

Enjoyed at brewpub Downtown Dix. Served a bit cold, letting her warm up. Active carbonation, a decent mouthfeel, a competent IPA, 8.2% ABV, a decent mouthfeel, drinkable. C hop in aroma and taste, citrus and piney. Balanced, but leaning to hop delivery.

Really solid offering from Dix.

Initial disappointment of being served in a refrigerated glass quickly fell away as I looked at this nearly clear copper beauty. 3/4 inch creamy head that left lace all the way down the glass. A good 1/4 inch of this head hung arounf right until the last drop.

The smell was of grapefruit and pine with some floral hop notes as wll. A little caramel malt showed itself as well. Not as strong an aroma as I would have liked.

This beer is anything but balanced. But that not a bad thing. The hops hit you right upfront and carry right through to the lingering bitter finish. Some carmel and biscuit malt shows itself in the middle but it is fleeting as the malt is beaten back by the hops.

Mouthfeel is creamy and carbonatin is right on

Drinkability is quite good I had only two because the BBQ at this place was so filing otherwise I would have had more.

Definitely the best brewpub beer we had in Vancouver. Nice half inch, creamy head. Served at just the right temperature. Big hoppy, citrus, grapefruit aroma. A hint of pine in the taste. Nice and smooth with not much carbonation. Would like to have this on cask.

Yikes. Ignore the review from 2004, obviously this beer has changed. I'm a So Cal beer afficianado, and this is the first beer I have had outside of my home region (with the exception of Dogfish Head) that hits you with massive floral hops and very little malt flavor. If you are looking for balance, don't look here. If you are looking for an out of body hop experience, quaff.

I spoke to the brewer, Tony, the night I tried this. There is no Cascade, no Amarillo, and no dry-hopping in this beer. All of which surprised me. I told him I was sure that he dry-hopped with those two varieties, and he said nope, but I got the number right - two kinds of hops. The day I left, they had a cask festival at Dix, where there was a dry-hopped version of this IPA on cask. I almost killed myself knowing I couldn't be there.

Anyway, if you are looking to get hit over the head with the hop hammer, try Dix IPA.

A serviciable India Pale Ale, but lacks the bite of a true North West India Pale Ale. Could taste some Cascade, though little hop aroma on the nose. Kept a good head.

Pleasant aftertaste and a moderate malt balance. Aimed at a middle of the road beer drinker.