Grand River Plowman’s Anniversary Ale

Formerly brewed at Grand River Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Cambridge, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Pours average, and an average aroma. Yet a tasty beer. I agree, the Plowman wth more hops and malts. Tad above average mouthfeel. I could drink this all night. Closer to the British style IPA. Citrus hoppy,orange and tangerine, and very drinkable, and refreshing.Thanks for picking some up, Derek.

2010-08-21. Crisp dark amber body with a modest creamy beige head. 3+ Flavour is pleasant, mild malt up front is nice, quickly gains a hop forward profile that is fairly bitter. Nuanced subtle citrus and fruit, sharp green herbaceous notes and a very slight astringency in the finish. Malt sticks around but primarily in the background where it hints at caramel and toasty English malt notes. Mild alcohol undercurrents. 7+ Fruity hoppy aroma, light touches of greenery, mild sweet malt. Smooth average to medium bodied palate is lightly carbonated. 3+ Alcohol shows up slightly more as it warms. Pretty nice. On tap at Volo, Toronto

Draught pint at C’Est what July 27 2010. Clear copper-amber pour with an average creamy beige head. Smells "Belgian" - sweet and roasty, a hint of cocoa and some light herbal/grainy bitterness (6+). The taste - wow, that came as a shock - initially a bit toffee-ish, then building back-of-palate dry, aggressive nutshell bitterness takes over completely - no alcohol, no sweet malt, no grain - just a long-lasting back of tongue almost acidic bitterness. Average to light body, very mild carbonation, a bit slick and gritty - ultimately all I take away from this one is that super unusual dry bitterness (which stuck to my palate for quite a while).

Draught at C’est What. Pours a clear(ish) orange-amber with an average size diminishing white head. Mild aroma of fruit, sweet malt and light floral hops. Flavour of caramel malt, quite sweet, with light hops and tropical fruit. Solid bitter finish. Average bodied. Pretty good.

[3351-20100821] Tap. Mild lemon sweet grass hints in the aroma. Clear, golden amber body with a medium-lasting foamy off-white head and some lacing. Maple wood malt follow up flavour has an interesting bitter lemon hops and a sour fragrant floral potpourri. Medium body. Pretty good.
(@ Volo, Toronto, ON)

On tap at Ces’t What? Appearance: ruby red, tiny White head. Aroma: Fruity, blackcurrant, mildly spiced. Flavour: tangy spice, marzipan, blackcurrant, brown sugar, long bitter finish. Quite lovely.

MAny draught samples at CHancey SMith’s, in London, ON- Pours deep almost turbid amber. Has a nice frothy cap that leaves a solid lace. Nose of tropical fruit, like mango, pineapple, and stone fruit as well. Has some bready notes with floral hops and a metallic note. The flavour profile is much more hoppier than the nose would lead you to believe. Lots of tropical fruit again, with mango and pineapple, then comes the stone fruit like peach and apricot. Herbal hops meet a whole wheat bready contingent. Medium full body, very bitter finish.....likely the bitterest beer I’ve had in some time. Like the Executioner’s Ale they once made but not quite there.

UPDATED: JUN 22, 2010 sample pour at the brewery. amber with a frothy tan head. huge pungent hop aroma. huge hop flavour and bitterness with typical grand river maltiness underneath. as hoppy as the first few batches of plowmans but amped up to 6.5%. really good stuff/////////////////////////fuckin hell, had this on cask at the GR 3rd anniversay and it was stunning. dont pass up a chance to drink it if you see it.

500 ml bottle from brewery. Pours a rich amber with good-sized off-white head and decent retention. Big piney, citrus hoppy aroma with caramel malt. Full of flavour but nicely balanced between hops and malts with the hard Grand River water apparent - notes of pine, citrus, caramel and fruitiness. Lasting bitter, moderately dry finish with some alcohol warmth. A lovely beer in all respects.

Had this on tap and bottled, the keg version is better. Pours a shimmering orange-amber ale in the glass with a decent tan colored sticky cap. Big lacing qualities. Modest carbonation. Aroma was very pleasant:but subtle; Floral-citrus-fruity aroma over substantial bready sweet malts, some peach and passion fruit. Rich malt spine, hoppy bitter character. Big chew on amber malts in front, no cloying, decent balance with citrus-resinous hopping, some succulent fruit tones, thick malty middle leads to a long rich finish with some intense bittering and a metallic after sting from long boil hops. A really decent huge west coast ESB reminiscent of the Executioner’s ale but better body and more bitterness. Really tasty and satisfying but a tad bitter for an IPA...I think we have a new genre here..."west coast radical ESB"