Sorry, it’s been a while. Turns out Toronto Beer Week can really take up the free time! The good news is, TBW is going to be even better this year (hard to imagine, I know). But while I’m trying to reclaim my computer from so yet-to-be-determined problem, I decided it was high time I get back on the bloggy review wagon. I had this bottle tempting me in my beer fridge for a while. The last of a six that I was trying hard to keep for review. Some of you will remember the spectacular Garrison Imperial Pale from last year. Hop Yard Pale is it’s kid-brother. A bit less aggressive than the Imperial, it is still a heavy-hitter. I have actually probably bought eight or so sixes of this. And this is my last bottle (though I believe it’s still available at a bunch of LCBOs). This alone should be review enough: I would rather drink it than write about it. But a man with a blog must endure much hardship, so here we go.
[readmore]From a 341ml bottle with no freshness date, Hop Yard Pale pours a light copper orange, with a nice dense head, about 1″ from a moderate pour. Aroma is lovely and fragrant with hops, floral and a little sharp. Some quiet notes of grain speak of balance, with the focus on the hops. Taste has just the quickest glimmer of sweetness, before the hops become the main event. For just a moment you get a sweet biscuity hit, though that quality is there throughout. The hops have a lot more bitterness than the aroma suggested. There is some hardy tea-like dry bitterness along with a leafy floral hop. The sweet malts keep everything nicely in check, and show up again towards the finish, though the finish itself is nice clean dry hop. The beer is lovely on the tongue, smooth, nit quite creamy. Low carbonation gives Hop Yard a nearly cask-like quality, especially as it warms up. If I lived in Halifax, I would find a bar that served it in casks, and I might never leave.
Cheers Garrison! Can’t wait to get the Imperial Pale back too!
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