Le Castor is probably one of the first organic breweries in Quebec. They love wild yeasts & barrels, they make outstanding hoppy beers, mean Saisons & a lot of other fantastic brews. It was quite surprising that they released a Brut IPA before ever having made a NEIPA. When it finally it the shelves, we’ve learned that it’s because they were working on it for the past year or so. It was never up to their expectations, so they were delaying the release, what every brewery should do, in my opinion. I’m getting a bit tired of those hazy IPA these days but since I’m a big fan of Le Castor, it only made sense to try it.
New England India Pale Ale
Brewed by Microbrasserie Le Castor
Type: New England India Pale Ale
Region: Rigaud, Quebec, Canada
ABV: 6.3%
Hops: El Dorado, Mosaic, Citra (All Organic)
Cereals: Malted Barley, Malted Wheat
IBU: N/A
Appearance: 8/10
This NEIPA comes in a can with a simplistic label giving a little information about the ingredients used, but that’s all. As you might now know if you’ve read a couple of my beer posts, I vouch for the can as it blocks 100% of the UV rays, it’s really practical & it’s more ecological. The liquid is completely opaque & a nice pale gold verging on a bright yellow. The moderate head is white & long-lasting, making a very appealing visual.
Nose: 14/15
The aromas are reminiscent of a tropical salad with sharp citrus undertones. There are ripe pineapples, passion fruits & mangoes. Orchard fruits are also present, mainly juicy pears & apples, but some fresh peaches & apricots too. Through those exotic odours, I discover coniferous fragrances lending a slightly herbaceous tone similar to cedar & piney aromas. The bouquet play on the broad spectrum of what New World hops have to offer.
Mouth: 12/15
I was very surprised to get a fair amount of sweetness on the palate. I normally like an off-dry beer, especially in some IPAs where it often rectifies the bitterness. However, in this case, the sugar was too prominent, disrupting the harmony. Other than that, the body was medium with an incredibly silky texture supported by a low effervescence. The flavours remain on the citrus & the tropical fruits, although they appeared more candied or slightly overripe. There is a sharper piney note which brings along a pleasant bite of pepper. The complexity perceived on the nose is still present, although the sweetness was a little too cloying for a NEIPA, in my opinion. Like I said earlier, some is okay, but this was just a bit too much.
Finish: 8/10
The finish is pretty long & brings back sharper notes of fruits, leaving the sweetness to the side & dosing it with a more powerful bitterness. I get a really faint acidity, which is kind of pleasant.
Overall: 84/100
Incredibly aromatics with a gracious texture, it’s a really nice take on NEIPA beers. Like I mentioned the sugar levels where a too high to make a truly good example of the style, although I must admit it’s still way over most of what I’ve had in the past. I hope they correct it in their next few batches.
3-word Description:
Tropical, Silky & Sweet.
The Reference
More information @microlecastor.ca
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