Retronym I.P.A.

A retronym is defined as “a term coined in modification of an original term that was used alone (as acoustic guitar instead of guitar) to distinguish it from a term referring to a later development (as electric guitar). Other examples of retronyms are snail mail and analog watch.” It’s also the name of an IPA from the team at Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery. Note: I write an “IPA” and not an “English IPA”—In the copy on the 473mL cans, GLB adamantly opposes that name (at least as far as this beer is concerned) and so I’ll try to avoid it too.

Retronym I.P.A. is a 6% beer brewed with oats. It’s a cloudy copper ale that pours with a generous off-white foam. The beer offers mild aromatics, with lots of malt, some caramel, and a suggestion of floral hops. The flavour is malt-forward, with a streak of brown sugar sweetness. The back end is floral and bitter, with some pleasant metallic elements.

While my favourite IPAs tend to be the West Coast hop gobblers, I have a soft spot in my heart (my liver?) for this style—a “classic” IPA—and GLB’s take is really quite nicely executed. I had eight of these delivered and I’m thrilled I did, because one has yet to prove enough.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.