Granite Brewery-Hopping Mad

Granite Brewery is a cozy microbrewery in Toronto, Ontario. They make an array of ales that all sound great. Hopping Mad is a cask-conditioned pale ale. It checks in at a respectable 6% alcohol. I enjoyed a pint on tap at the brewery.

It arrived a mostly clear, reddish orange colour, topped with a loose, bubbly, off-white head. Truly a cask conditioned ale, there was very little carbonation. It has a bready, bitter aroma and a very thin mouthfeel. A warm, fruity flavour leads into a nice, hoppy finish--an aftertaste that is bitter and a touch nutty. The elevated alcohol content is barely detectable.

Hopping Mad was a deceptively easy-drinking brew--my pint was gone in a flash, and I suspect that six or more could be made to disappear without much effort. It's a nice ale--a bit thin on the front end, but solid and smooth.  The finish is excellent.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.