Bear Hug IPA

Hailing from Newmarket, Ontario, comes Bear Hug IPA, a 7%, 55 IBU IPA from Market Brewing Co. The beer is brewed with a quintet of hops—Amarillo, Cascade, Columbus, El Dorado, and Nugget—as well as flaked oats and a pair of malts (Golden Promise and pale ale malt).

Bear Hug is dull gold in colour, under a vibrant off white foam. It’s a hazy brew with a surprisingly mild aromatic profile—a little bit of tropical fruit, some citrus, and some earthiness. The flavour is a bit rowdier, with more earth, floral elements, and a little bit of citrus. There is also a definite oat profile, which I don’t often encounter.

The beer is definitely bitter, but not pine/evergreen like a West Coaster, nor is it heartily juicy like a NEIPA. And it ain’t malt-forward like an English-style IPA. It has its own vibe, and that’s cool with me. I’d have liked it to have a more substantial aroma and a bit more definition in the flavour, but the strength is great and the oat vibes are neat.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.