The Quest for the illusive Perfect IPA

A quest cannot be the stuff of legends without a few pitfalls, a wild goose chase or two and a few dead-ends along the way. A journey to anything wonderful, such as the Perfect IPA, should be epic unto itself.

But a quest is also about discovery, and when you don’t find what you’re looking for, it kind of sucks.

Still beats working though.

I’ve been on the hunt for a couple of special beers lately and while one remains illusive because it’s simply not to be found in these parts, the other is around. I’m just never in the right place at the right time to get it.

Founders Centennial IPA is a must-have beer for lovers of India Pale Ales (even making one list of 30 IPAs to Drink Before You Die http://firstwefeast.com/drink/30-great-ipas-to-drink-before-you-die/) and I made this Michigan IPA a target because product searches of the LCBO’s data base have always shown it on the shelves of selected stores in the GTA.

Almost always, however, the inventory number was one and we all know an inventory number of ‘one’ is not to be trusted.

I made the drive to a few stores anyway and placed numerous phone calls to others in the hopes of tracking a six-pack down. But Centennial IPA, like Dave, is not here, man. Or there either.

A little research of the LCBO warehouse solved the mystery, sort of. There is an order for 1,580 six-packs on hold with the brewery, awaiting delivery. ETA? Who the hell knows?

I lobbied Founders via Twitter to unleash the beers but, with the brewery preoccupied with the limited (scarce?) release of its Kentucky Breakfast Stout,  I haven’t heard back. No re-tweeting or favourite-ing either. But ever vigilant, I have vowed to stay on the case.

The other beer I’m hot to try but haven’t yet is Shoulders of Giants, the 10 per cent Imperial IPA from the Flying Monkeys Brewery in Barrie.

This is the beer that I was supposed to sample at its release party a couple of months ago but circumstances got in the way and have continued to prevent me from  drinking this enticing hop bomb ever since. I’ve seen it around – on tap at this bar or that – but I still haven’t made its acquaintance.

It is scheduled to appear on the LCBO shelves this spring, but Flying Monkeys – the people who make my beloved Smashbomb Atomic IPA – don’t have a date as to when Shoulders of Giants will go on sale. I sent a query to the LCBO as well, but I found no satisfactory answers there either.

It is available at the brewery itself, of course, but I was waiting for winter to go away before making the trek north.

The real kicker for me was last weekend when my pal Don of scored tickets to the Toronto Festival of Beer Spring Sessions at the Evergreen Brick Works. This is the man who mocked me because mutual friend Cat and I couldn’t make it for the Shoulder of Giants release party (http://tinyurl.com/m3b8934) and he’s emptying his pockets to make sure he had enough tokens to drink this stuff.

He texted me immediately. “Drinking Shoulders of Giants as we speak,” followed by “Soooo Good.”

As our other pal Steve would say: “Bastardo.”

Don also posted this (along with a pic) in a tweet to the brewery: Flying Monkeys. Had this yesterday @TOBeerFestival. Only because I needed room for others, I stopped at 4.

Love ya Don, but ... Bastardo. Jes saying.

But it wasn’t a wasted week (perhaps I should rephrase that) in my search for the Perfect IPA. I found My Bitter Wife, an annual offering from Great Lakes that showed up last weekend at Toronto-area LCBO outlets.

I had to drive from Oshawa to Don Mills to find it (#feelingleftoutindurhamregionagain) but it was worth the drive. Well worth the drive.

This aggressively hopped seven per cent IPA – produced as a tribute to Carrie Nation, a “nearly unstoppable force” behind the temperance movement and one who was known for her violent attacks, hatchet in hand, on bars and public houses all over the USA – was fantastic. I wish I had bought more than just the two bottles.

I got the usual grapefruit but also something tropical. Mango, I’m thinking, which is also how I would describe the colour. Bitter and boozy, this beer is not big on aroma but very big on taste. Not for the faint-hearted. Already on my all-time IPA list; right up there with Smashbomb and Brutal.

I was also pleasantly surprised by Beaver River I.P.Eh? from Beau’s All Natural Brewing. It’s listed as an English-style IPA so I had been hesitant to buy it before, but it’s actually a blend of English malts with American hops and it’s a marriage that works very well.

Rich copper colour with a creamy head, there’s enough hop character to keep me happy. The finish was a little bland but overall it has the makings of go-to session ale for my fridge.

La Morsure from Le Trou du Diablo, was another new IPA that made my acquaintance in the last two weeks.  Another mash of cultures, this beer is an American IPA with a strong malt character that overpowers the hops to some degree. Still quite citrusy (grapefruit, orange) and smooth as silk. An excellent beer.

Fire in the Rye from Double Trouble made my list as well in what was a busy couple of weeks for new beers. I had this once before but I remember being unimpressed, as well as Don telling me I had to give it another chance.

Maybe the first one wasn’t fresh. Or maybe I was tired. In any case, this stuff is awesome. Dark copper in colour, it was nice and hoppy like a good IPA but with a boozy finish like a good Rye Pale Ale. What was I thinking?

And just to show that I don’t live on IPAs alone, I tried 8^th Sin, a black lager from Hop City. The finish on this beer is mild – like most lagers – but the aroma of black coffee and chocolate is strong. My first black lager and the first black beer of any kind I liked. Nice.

Florida-bound Friday for a week in the sun with the J Man. A 12 year-old and his Pops kicking ass and taking names on the beach, drinking Florida IPAs (me anyway) and hitting up Disney World. What could go wrong?

Cheers!