Magnificence

Magnificence is a mighty hazy double dry-hopped double IPA from the gang at Toronto’s Rorschach Brewing Co. The beer comes in 355mL cans and checks in at 8%. It’s an almost milky orange hazer with a thick white head.

The beer is hopped using Nelson Sauvin and this gives it a fragrant juiciness with pineapple and grape notes. The flavour has quite a few white wine elements, and the texture is mellowed by the use of wheat and oats. Bitterness, in a floral/citrus configuration, only really enters the scene in the back end.

Magnificence is a tasty number. The booze is present, but not overwhelming, and the flavour is quite enticing. The white wine touches make for quite a refreshing beer.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Absolute Truth

Absolute Truth from Rorschach Brewing Co. is a burlier relative of their Truth Serum IPA. The chonky cousin is an 8% double-dry hopped double IPA. The Torontonian ale comes in 355mL cans, from which it emerges a hazy orange colour with a thick blanket of off-white head. A little bit of sediment in the bottom of the glass, but nothing all that distracting.

Absolute Truth has mild citrus aromatics, as well as a puff of tropical sweetness. Compared to its scent, Absolute Truth’s flavour is considerably more robust, but has a similar profile, with elements of sweet OJ, tropical fruit, and a touch of vanilla.

I thought Absolute Truth was a pretty tasty little offering, though I’d have liked a bit more bitter oomph. The beer is brewed with wheat and oats, which contribute to a lovely smooth texture, and helps to effectively conceal the alcohol content.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Surround Sound

At a rowdy 8.2% alcohol, Surround Sound is a “Double Dry Hopped DIPA”—that’s a lot of “doubles”—from Collective Arts Brewing in Hamilton, Ontario. The 473mL cans come with brilliant art—a skeletal flower rabbit: beautiful! The beer is sunny and pale under a sudsy white cap.

Surround Sound is brewed using Simcoe and Amarillo hops. It has an earthy, dank hops scent with a bit of perfume—relatively mild olfactory stats from a >8% ale, but pleasant. The flavour has more of a citrus lean than the nose, with some juicy clementine orange elements, nestled alongside perfume and floral notes. The beer is bitter and, for a strong guy, it isn’t over-sweet, which is worth a lot to me.

Collective Arts is one of Ontario’s premier producers of IPAs, double IPAs, and their ilk. I thought that Surround Sound was worthy of the pedigree and a delightful offering. Simply by minimizing the sweetness, the strong ale was out to a good start, but the flavour was pretty nuanced, too. I really like New England IPAs, but I have a bit of NEIPA fatigue. When I bought this stuff, I expected more of the same, but I was pleased to get something a bit different. Hey Collective Arts! Make this stuff a regular offering. I’ll buy it!

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.