Waller St. Black IIPA

Next up from Ottawa’s Waller St. Brewing was their Black IIPA. This brute clocked in at 8.5% and a thunderous 90 IBUs. Sold in 500mL bottles, the beer inside proved dark brown with a velvety blanket of tan head.

The beer has an assertive pine nose, with rich, toasty malts. The flavour of this beer is the real star. It blends a twist of licorice bitterness with pine boughs, dark molasses, and well-toasted malt to create a dense and engaging profile.

Though this beer found its way into my glass (actually a cottage mason jar) on a hot July afternoon, I suspect it’d really be best suited for a chilly campfire evening or an autumn afternoon. Still, it left me contemplative, satisfied, and a little tipsy.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.