There’s a good case for the Pacific Northwest — perhaps even B.C. alone — to claim the spruce ale as its own. It’d be pretty special if this beer style one day became an appellation and tourists came to the province to try spruce ale like wine purists flock to Burgundy.
Until then, there’s no harm in perfecting the recipes — and we’re getting damn close to perfection. Of course, I’ll always dream of those mind-blowing casks of Tofino‘s spruce tip IPAs that took the Alibi Room by storm on those Vancouver Craft Beer Weeks, but Dead Frog‘s latest limited edition release, while subtler, approaches those heights.
Big Stump pours a muddy, opaque apricot colour and is topped by a nicely dense, rich, fluffy white head that laces on the glass in intricate webs.
From the glass leaps a mouthwateringly tangy aroma rich and slightly dank with wet pine bark, toasted pine needles, caramel and lemon.
Biscuity-bready-caramel malt flavours provide a sturdy base for an initial juicy citrus blast on the tongue, before slightly oaky, creamy caramel notes arrive. Then the lovely piney tang of spruce swells and harmonizes superbly with an assured bitterness. This lifts to leave a big dryness and gently sweet piney caramel notes in the aftertaste.
Food pairing: Nachos. And, naturally, a grilled slab of juicy B.C. salmon.
Beer Cat: Interested
650ml, $5.50, at government liquor stores
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