Saturday 15 July 2017

Sanguine Siblings: Grannyvine IPA

While the stats for Blood Brothers Brewing's Grannyvine IPA are very similar to those of their Shumei IPA (both clock in at 7% alcohol, come in 500mL bottles, and pour with bright white heads), the beers are actually fairly distinct. My analysis of Shumei had already been recorded, so I'll save my ink for Grannyvine.

A hazy, bright gold ale, Grannyvine has a seductive, juicy aroma; a nose rich in both bitterness and tropical fruit. The flavour also has bursts of fruit; namely mango and pineapple. Added to this are deeply bitter hops elements. With lip-pursing dryness through the finish, this beer has a lot of big positives. The one stumbling block that I found was an initially thin mouthfeel. For a beer at this strength and with this aromatic depth, I wanted a comparably punchy tone. However, it should be noted that, though the initial mouthfeel is a touch too thin, much ground is made up by the time the arid finish rolls around.

On the whole, Grannyvine is another engrossing IPA from Toronto's Blood Brothers. While it isn't as distinctive or impressive as the flagship Shumei, it's still a very nice brew--adequately strong, amply flavourful, and agreeably bitter. Will most definitely buy again.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

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