Armed ‘N Citra w/Blackberry Dry Hopped Pale Ale

Another variant of Rainhard Brewing Co.’s Armed ‘N Citra is Armed ‘N Citra w/Blackberry Dry Hopped Pale Ale. The 5.2% beer from Toronto really leans into the blackberry look—it’s a purple ale with a pinkish white head. The beer comes in 473mL cans.

This blackberry beauty has a whiff of berry sweetness and just a touch of tartness to the nose. The flavour has really pleasant mora elements—tangy and juicy—but the underlying pale ale doesn’t really come through. The mouthfeel is a bit on the thin side, too, although it does finish nicely.

What this is, though, is a tasty, summery beer. Refreshing and fruity with a lovely plum colour, Armed ‘N Citra w/Blackberry is great for warm weather sipping.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Guest List

 Sold in 355mL cans, Guest List is a double dry-hopped pale ale from Toronto’s Rainhard Brewery. The 6% ale is hazy orange and pours with a thick fog of eggshell suds.

Guest List has a quirky fruit and floral aroma—it’s tropical with notes of stone fruit, but also quite perfume-y. The flavour has some depth, and blends in passionfruit, resin, and also a vague soapiness.

This beer has a bit more depth than many of the other DDH ales in Ontario, which is a plus, though the slight soap note is a bit of a distraction. Still, I’d enthusiastically buy this beer again.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.