Dominion Delivery--Friends & Neighbours DIPA

A collab between Ottawa’s Dominion City Brewing Co. and Lost Nation Brewery out of Vermont, Friends & Neighbours DIPA is an 8% double IPA. It’s sold in 355mL cans that explain the beer is made with a trio of hops (Citra, Galaxy, and Simcoe) and Lost Nation’s house yeast.

F&N is a hazy beaut with a dull orange-gold colour and a sudsy off-white head. It has an engaging aroma profile with smooth notes of citrus and passionfruit. The mouthfeel is pleasantly smooth and, for a strong ale, extremely mellow. The flavour is understated—clementine and grapefruit, juicy and sweet—with a floral, just slightly bitter back end.

Friends & Neighbours is treacherously easy-drinking for a strong ale. Its flavour is nice and subtle, but it lacks the hoppiness and grit that I like to see in my favourite DIPAs. Still, pretty good stuff and a great option if you dig hazy, New England-style IPAs, but want a bigger, stronger alternative.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.