Howe Sound Brewing – Devil’s Elbow India Pale Ale (NorthGeek Beer Review Series)
by Daniel Wolfe Posted in Beer, Canada, ReviewsHere were are kicking off our love of beers through some pre-Vancouver Craft Beer Week reviews. Stay tuned for more!
Name: Devil’s Elbow India Pale Ale
Style: IPA
Brewery: Howe Sound Brewing
Brewery Location: Squamish, BC
Color: Mid-dark golden brown
Apparent Flavours (according to DW & NB): Nutmeg, dry hops, bitterness, orange rind, grapefruit, grass, copper
DW Summary: This strong IPA sticks to its BC roots (or Western North American roots, really) by having a large amount of hops, and offering a very bitter beer that I find difficult to categorize as a “pale” anything. A great meal companion, this beer goes down easier with spiciness or saltiness, otherwise it is a bit of a harsh (yet very tasty) beer. The light but dense foamy head makes for a nice preview as you take your first sip!
NB Summary: Here’s a big bitter West Coast IPA from Squamish, in a big 1L “resealable” bottle. Actually, it’s made with English and North American barley and hops, so the IPA is a bit of a misnomer. It’s got a unique sweet aroma, not hoppy at all, but the taste is anything but. Good things: citrus, more than average hoppy, frothy head, local. Not as good things: a little too carbonated. I will drink this again.
DW’s NorthGeek Beer Taster Ratings:
This beer is a: Casual drinking beer / Meal companion beer / Dessert beer
Taste 16/20
Smell 8/10
Goes down easy 6/10
Head consistency 9/10
Aftertaste 13/15
Bottle/Packaging 5/5
I would recommend this beer 7/10
TOTAL: 64/80
NB’s NorthGeek Beer Taster Ratings:
This beer is a: Casual drinking beer / Meal companion beer / Dessert beer
Taste 15/20
Smell 9/10
Goes down easy 8/10
Head consistency 9/10
Aftertaste 13/15
Bottle/Packaging 2/5
I would recommend this beer 8/10
TOTAL: 64/80
NORTHGEEK TOTAL: 64/80
What are your thoughts on this beer? On bitter West Coast IPAs? Share in the comments below.
One Response to “Howe Sound Brewing – Devil’s Elbow India Pale Ale (NorthGeek Beer Review Series)”
By Paul Picard on Sep 23, 2010
I just had my first sip of this most excellent I.P.A. I am a big fan of hoppy ales, so this one suits me just fine. It’s been in the back of my fridge (it was a gift from my wife) for a year now, and the beer is still fresh and carbonated. I’ll be getting some more of this beer on my next trip to Vancouver, as it’s not available in Princeton.