Detour

Detour is a surprisingly hoppy session ale from Bracebridge, Ontario. It's lovingly crafted by Muskoka Brewery, the proud parent of a stable of quality brews with a hoppy bent, such as Mad Tom and Twice As Mad Tom. Sold in 355mL bottles, Detour contains an easy-drinking 4.3% alcohol and, according to the website, it has just 30 IBUs, though it tastes much more bitter than that.

It's a foddy golden ale topped with a thick layer of off-white head that fades quickly. Detour has a forceful citrus aroma that I found really delightful. It's heavy on hops. This is a dry brew with a slightly wispy mouthfeel--the thin feel is the only clue, other than the numbers on the bottle, that this stuff contains only 4.3%. For a session beer, there's a gorgeous flavour. It's amply bitter, with considerable grapefruit and passion fruit notes.

When I first glimpsed this stuff at my local liquor purveyor, I was put off by the low alcohol content. I wrongly presumed that Muskoka was working its way into light beer territory. I persevered long enough to read the back of the bottle, and the words "dry-hop brewed" and "sessionable IPA" were enough to convince me to buy a sixer. And I'm glad I did. This is an admirable session beer. It's flimsy by IPA standards, but really quite enjoyable. Since my first six pack, I've had occasion to buy several more, and I don't imagine that I'll be giving it up anytime soon.


Rating: 8.5 out of 10.