Shacklands Farmhouse India Pale Ale

Shacklands Brewing Co. which is apparently operated out of the Junction Brewery in Toronto, Ontario, is the birth parent of Shacklands Farmhouse India Pale Ale. I enjoyed a smallish goblet on tap at barVolo, a revered Toronto brew house. It contains a burly 6.5% alcohol and, according to the Shacklands website, it clocks in at 60 IBUs. This Belgian-style IPA/Saison was an attractively murky orange-brown. It arrived with almost no head--just an off-white ring.

The Farmhouse India Pale Ale had a lively bitter aroma with some yeast and a glimmer of something fruity hailing from a warm climate--perhaps satsuma. Nowhere near as dry or effervescent as a typical saison/farmhouse, but not as robust and hop heavy as a conventional Belgian IPA. Also, less yeast-driven then the majority of the strong Belgian-style beers on the market. There was a bitter, modestly dry mouthfeel, with some hop heft at the close.

This beer has some boozy warmth, some crisp saison qualities, and a dry IPA finish.  However, the real star is the tropical sweets and tarts that live in the body of this brew. A nice beer with some style. I'd have liked a bit more Belgian yeast character and a bit more hop blast, but what I got was an innovative and finely made beer.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.