Continental Drift Belgian Style Pale Ale

I got a 473mL can of Continental Drift Belgian Style Pale Ale in the Summer mixed 4-pack offered by Burlington, Ontario's Nickel Brook Brewing Company. According to the deets on the can, I was faced with a 5.6%, 40 IBU brew--nothing too daunting there. With a very cloudy, dull gold hue and a veritable mountain of vivid white head, Continental Drift did much to reassure me that Belgian yeasts were a prominent feature of these suds. This fact was further reinforced by the aroma, which, in addition to tropical fruit notes, has a dry, yeasty thoroughfare running north-south at a brisk clip.

CD proved to be both impressive and disappointing. Impressive because of the heaps of interesting flavours layered together: spicy, dank, bitter, fruity, and earthy to name a few. Disappointing, though, because of the thin mouthfeel. If you made a full-bodied, boozy, and brash version of this beer, I'd be awestruck. Instead, I had to settle for being quite satisfied--good, sure, but a near miss at remarkable.

People might be getting tired of me reminding them of the lousiness of Nickel Brook's Green Apple Pilsner, but I keep bringing it up because time and again they have shown me how much better they can be. With Naughty Neighbour and Headstock IPA leading the way, and more niche offerings like Bolshevik Bastard and now Continental Drift clambering for attention, Nickel Brook Brewing Company is fast becoming one of my top Ontario beer builders.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.