As the weather has been turning increasingly cool and crisp, I've found myself craving a full-bodied brew. I found that and more in Bracebridge, Ontario's Mad Tom IPA. Brewed by the Muskoka Brewery, this robust IPA is sold in 330mL bottles and checks in at a healthsome 6.4% alcohol. Mad Tom pours a slightly murky amber colour topped by a moderate off-white head. When sipped, it leaves behind lots of lacy cling.
The aroma features the strong evergreen scent common to heavily-hopped ales. This scent is accented by a hint of toffee sweetness. The taste is robust and full, dominated by an extreme hops flavour. Underneath the hops lies a whimper of sweet malt and a touch of citrus sourness. The aftertaste is really bitter and seemed to follow me around my apartment long after the beer was a memory.
This brew is not for amateurs. I wouldn't recommend it to those beer fans that seldom stray from the straight and narrow path of macro-brewed lagers. However, for those who enjoy a fulsome ale from time to time, this is a good'un. It's strong and full with an overpowering flavour. However, what I like most about it is that there is more to it than just hops. There is a lot going on in the complicated flavour of the Old Tom IPA. I say buy it, as long as you don't mind a brew that won't go down without a fight.
Also, I enjoy the moustachioed, barrel-riding outlaw on the neck of the bottle:
Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
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