Sanguine Siblings: Love Trip

My third foray into the Blood Brothers Brewing catalogue was also a member of the IPA family, although this time a double. At 8.5% alcohol, BB's Love Trip had some hefty ballast. Sold in 500mL bottles from the brewery's Toronto bottle shop, Love Trip proved to be an orange-gold grog--hazy with a bright ivory head.

For such a strong beer, the aroma was surprisingly mild: mild, but still engaging. The scent was slightly metallic, but primarily motivated by the tang of fresh oranges. The flavour could (and I think should) be described as "dangerous", given the fact that the high alcohol content is barely apparent. If I hadn't read the tag, I'd have guessed 6.5% tops. The result is that the booze in this double IPA can catch you unaware if you're not careful. It has a slightly sweet Valencia orange note on the front end and a finish that is bitter, but also warm and a touch sugary.

Based on the three beers I've tried to date, Blood Brothers Brewery seems to really excel at producing hoppy, juicy beers. The orange notes in Love Trip fit nicely into that pattern without holding the portfolio back--this beer is different enough from Shumei and Grannyville to forestall any qualms about repetitiveness. As double India pales go, Love Trip was a better than average entry; one I'd gladly return to.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.