Orage Double IPA

 Another hazy hopster from the team at Bandit Brewing in Toronto, Orage Double IPA is an 8.2% beaut. It’s a cloudy orange brew made with the terrific trio of Citra, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops. The beer, sold in 355mL cans, pours with a fluffy white head. It does, however, also pour with a bit more sediment than I’d have liked. This doesn’t manifest in the mouthfeel, but it isn’t visually appealing. According to Bandit’s website, the name is a nod to the French term for thunderstorm, which was a little vocab nugget that I’d completely forgotten.

Orage has a an extremely inviting aroma, blending notes of orange juice, hemp, and some tropical elements. The flavour shows citrus and mango, initially, and then veers into sticky resin, while still remaining sweet. The texture is quite smooth for a beer north of 8%, and the booze is cleverly concealed.

Orage is one of my favourite offerings from Bandit—strong, but graceful; sweet, but not syrupy. I’d have liked a bit less “texture”, but otherwise a great beer.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.