Church-Key Grains of Wrath Double IPA

650ml bottle
8.0% ABV
I tried this beer on March 17, 2008 at "Smokeless Joe’s" in Toronto, Ontario. The beer is a new beer from Church Key and is only available in 650ml bottles (according to Joe). The beer poured a nice dark translucent orangy-brown whitch a thick, creamy, off-white head. The aroma was very hoppy, with some hints of malt and licorice. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied with high carbonation, and the bitterness was quite evident. The flavour was quite hoppy with definite grapefruit hints.

Name: Grains of Wrath
Date: 03/22/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: clear dark red, fine beige head,
Aroma: dry dark caramel malt aroma,
Body: creamy body,
Flavor: dry dark caramel malt flavor, touch of caramel sweetness is quickly balanced by fruity tartness,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Growler: Pours a transparent copper amber with a spotty lacing off-white head. Aroma of lightly sweet pale malts with a touch of light fruitiness. Body starts semi-sweet and earthy pale malty with a decent balance of grapefruity bittering hops before a drier toasty finish. A decent barleywine, but could use a touch more sweetness.

Pours a nice rich copper color with a white head. Aroma is caramel, grainy, and some citrus hops. Flavor is caramel, grain, toast, and a slightly citrus hop finish.

In short: A different take on the IIPA. Crisp and sweet with low profile spicy hops. Good beer but don’t expect an American style IIPA.
How: Bottle, fresh. Surprise extra from Tupalev, thanks a lot Jeff.
The look: Clear red-copper with a short lived off-white head
In long: Very sweet malts, crisp and sugary. Hops are a bit low profile considering the malt sweetness. Something unusual about the hopping. Spicy hops with a short bitter biter bite that quickly disappears. Some red apple skin. Finish has a surprising dry/tart/acidic character. An overall impression of a red spicy fruit flavoured hard candy. This is very different than the what we are used from American IIPA. But this is a Canadian IIPA eh. And Canadian IIPA eh, they are not the same as American IIPA eh.

On tap at Volo - came a clear copper shade with a good sized white head that left thick lacing. Aroma fairly non-descript: some sweet malt and a faint hoppiness, but nowhere near what I’m used to for a DIPA. Flavour makes up for the aroma somewhat - really grainy (grains of wrath, fer sher), sweet, boozy, with a good solid amount of hops. Quite well-balanced. Could use, as HogTownHarry mentioned, "an infusion of C-hop crispness". Otherwise, a quality brew, but pretty subtle compared to other DIPAs I’ve had. Different. Definite kudos for the attempt, possibly the first Ontario-brewed DIPA? Nice....

Sweet malt character blends with floral hops and some tannins in the aroma. Clear, deep copper coloured body is topped by a low tan head that recedes to a partial cover with plenty of lacing that coats the glass. Strong bitterness doesn’t overwhelm toasty, nutty malts and lingering fruity esters. Medium full body fills the mouth with soft bubbled carbonation. Sampled on tap at Caffe Volo at only 8% during Grey Cup weekend 2007.

[771-20071020] Cask @ Volo Cask Days 2007 (Toronto, ON). Grainy floral tea corn aroma with woody resin hops. Hazy, brown orange body with a small creamy off-white head. Grainy floral wood flavour has a slight tang and a hoppy bitter finish. Very smooth medium body. Nice.