Another day, another Kilter review! I harassed Kilter in 2019 to distribute to my city but due to supply/demand, it was not feasible - so I will always showcase their beer because I want to make sure their beer sells well in my town, which it definitely does - today's sampling came in just over a week ago and it's nearly sold out in my area. Today's sampling is a collaboration between Saint-Boniface, MB's Kilter Brewing and Langley, BC's Camp Beer Co on a West Coast DIPA.
From the can: VHS West Coast DIPA - Dank/Resiny/Piney/Bitter. Aggressively hopped with Chinook, Citra, Deepcut Cascade, and CGX Cryo Vista from Crosby Hops. 8.5% ABV.
I think this may be one of the only West Coast-style (D)IPAs I've ever had, with Throwback being the other one - one that I somehow never reviewed but sampled it multiple times.. and even picked it up at the Onanole Home Hardware three years ago! I'm a West Coast kind of IPA guy, so I'm intrigued to sample this (though I've had this five times in the past week by this review).
Appearance: This is an incredibly beautiful IPA, it's incredibly clear, it has a vivid shine to it, deep golden, slightly honey like hue to it, incredibly clear. There's a good amount of carbonation in the body and the head has two fingers thickness of snow white head that diminishes a tad over time to leave behind a lacing on the glass. In person, this looks like what someone would say would be the most photogenic beer you could have... but with my photography skills, you miss out on that!
Aroma: It's got a mild West Coast bitterness to it with it having a bit of pine presence, a slight scent of fresh cut alfalfa, a bit of grapefruit, lemon, and a slight caramel sweetness at the end that's ever so subtle.
Taste: This is definitely no "Fat Tug" kind of West Coast IPA, this is a lot more subdued but it has a mild piney presence to it, a hint of grapefruit, lemon, a bit of leafiness to it, light caramel sweetness for the malt, also a slight dankness that I know well in Kilter beers. There's a very apparent pine/leafy bitterness for the aftertaste, but it's actually ridiculously smooth.. as an IPA drinker.
Overall Thoughts: The first thing I have to say.. the vibes of the beer label reminded me too much of Dauphin's Obsolete Brewing's Be Kind, Rewind series of Hazy IPAs.. though this is a West Coast IPA. It bothered me for a full 30 seconds until I drank it knowing it's a Kilter beer that isn't an overly Hazy/Juicy IPA for the first time in a while. I really liked this one but I wish it was a bit heavier on the bitterness.. but I'm that one IPA drinker that is made fun of for wanting only the "most bitter IPAs" imaginable. Shockingly smooth for 8.5% ABV.. and the clarity and shine of the beer is incredible.
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