Winter Sunshine DIPA

Owing to a substantial backlog, I didn’t get around to writing up Northern Maverick Brewing Co.’s Winter Sunshine DIPA until a partially overcast day in mid-May. Fortuitously, the seasonal faux pas didn’t dampen my excitement to try the 500mL bottle of 8% alcohol ale one bit.

Winter Sunshine is a hazy, brownish gold colour, crowned with fluffy off-white suds. The Torontonian strong ale has jumbo pink grapefruit aromatics. Its flavour works from sweet to bitter, with considerable booze ballast and lots of citrus components.

Perhaps undistinguished in a field clogged with grapefruit focused double IPAs, Winter Sunshine still managed to leave me satisfied. It is strongish, but not brazen, with a well-balanced and drinkable result. I enjoyed my glass and I’d gladly have accepted a second, so I’d call Winter Sunshine a pretty good beer. The grapefruit flavour was prominent, but not as well defined as the aroma suggested it might be. For a DIPA, this one managed not to be too sweet, which is a positive in my book.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.