#99 Double IPA

On an oddly warm Saturday afternoon in October with nothing to do after my semi-weekly squash game, I decided to ride the 501 streetcar into Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood to stop in at the Duggan's Brewery and check out their bottle shop.

Truthfully, I found the shop to be a bit of a disappointment. In terms of cans and sixers, all they had to offer was stuff that is available in Ontario's liquor stores. Other than a small selection of pretty cool merch, the only thing that made this brewery store worth visiting was the small selection of 64oz and 32oz growlers filled with some of Duggan's less widely available ales and lagers. There were a few I hadn't tried, so I picked myself up a 64oz jug of #99 Double IPA. Including the $5 deposit, it ran me about $26--not exactly economical.

#99 is the brawny older sibling to Duggan's excellent #9 IPA, which I have previously written about and think highly of. The Double 9 also has a lot to offer, though with a little less refinement than its little bro. It's a murky auburn ale that pours with a fog of creamy head--a dapper little pour for sure.

Instead of the heavy bill of piney hops I was expecting, there is a malt-driven aroma that gives off only a hint of bitterness. The beer is flavourful, with a heavy does of buttery, roasted malts rounding out an otherwise bitter profile. Hops are much more apparent in the flavour than the scent, with resinous and evergreen elements lending their properties to make this a nicely balanced Double IPA.

At 7.5% alcohol, it's a bit low octane for a double, but still strong enough to taste hearty and get the juices flowing. My growler tasted nice and fresh, which is always a delight. The balance between powerful malts and vigourous hops played well with me. To be "betterer" it coulda beer "bitterer", but there's not much to whine about. Now I have a handsome Duggan's growler, which I'm sure will see some future duty, and about a litre and a half of nice beer to make my Thanksgiving weekend all the more pleasant.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.