Release the Hounds

Release the Hounds, a black IPA from Kanata, Ontario, comes in a very eye-catching 473mL can. A tasty looking sheep is superimposed over the eyes of a menacing and stylized wolf. The stuff is churned out by Big Rig Brewery and contains a respectable, but not high octane, 6.2% alcohol.

Release is a stout-black brew topped with a fluffy nimbus of tan head.  It sports an aroma that partners roasted malts with dry, woodsy hops. Each sip partners roasty notes and a soupçon of licorice with a robust and faintly spicy bitterness to create a gloomy (in the most positive sense) ale that I found decidedly satisfying. It didn't leave me mesmerized, but thoroughly enjoyed my pint and lamented the lack of a second. It paired beautifully with a cheap cigar and Lucero's formidable Live from Atlanta album at the end of a long workweek.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.