Railway City Dead Elephant Ale

[SteelbackGuy]

I'm glad someone else mentioned the smoky flavour! I was told that I was crazy when I brought it up (we were drinking it beside the Iron Spike blonde, from the batch that tastes like an ashtray).

[/quote]

Like I said I've got no smoke from this beer at all. Just hops and lots of them. Too bad others aren't having the same experience. The beer I had puts the Durham hoppy beer to a test.

[Guybrush]

I'm glad someone else mentioned the smoky flavour! I was told that I was crazy when I brought it up (we were drinking it beside the Iron Spike blonde, from the batch that tastes like an ashtray).

That ashtray beer wasn't that bad! Ashtray Ale!

[Torontoblue]

I'm glad someone else mentioned the smoky flavour! I was told that I was crazy when I brought it up (we were drinking it beside the Iron Spike blonde, from the batch that tastes like an ashtray).

Like I said I've got no smoke from this beer at all. Just hops and lots of them. Too bad others aren't having the same experience. The beer I had puts the Durham hoppy beer to a test.[/quote]

At Volo last night on offer was the Dead Elephant Ale (keg), Stein Rock Scissors Ale and the XXX IPA from Durham; the last 2 being on gravity cask. Of the 3 the Durham was by a country mile, the most balanced and palatable ale, I just wish Bruce would brew this more often. The Stein was all about the long dry, bitter finish and really not much else; The Dead Elephant Ale already mentioned before. Yes, both the Elephant and Stein beer were bitter (hoppy) but they just weren't balanced, IMO.

[WilliamEstevan]

That ashtray beer wasn't that bad! Ashtray Ale!

It is only slightly less offensive than malt vinegar.

[notdan]

Tried a pint of this in Hamilton yesterday and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a very well balanced strong ale. I seem to recall a good mix of grapefruit hoppy bitterness and molasses/bready maltiness. I was actually really surprised when I saw it; being from Ottawa, I didn't expect to have a chance to try this one.

[JesseM]

So like, maybe it's because the past 4 days of my life have been one big chlorinated blur of 5:30am swim practices, and not having any time to myself until now, but I tried this last night and am enjoying the rest of my growler now and I really like it. Maybe the chlorine on my tongue works with the smoke, but I actually don't mind this unintended aspect at all. In fact, it almost compliments the hops in my view. In my sample the smoke is definitely present but not anything near over-whelming or distracting in any way. Quite complimentary like I said.

I guess I'm just weird, and may in fact be dreaming all of this right now due to sleep deprivation.

[WilliamEstevan]

So like, maybe it's because the past 4 days of my life have been one big chlorinated blur of 5:30am swim practices, and not having any time to myself until now, but I tried this last night and am enjoying the rest of my growler now and I really like it. Maybe the chlorine on my tongue works with the smoke, but I actually don't mind this unintended aspect at all. In fact, it almost compliments the hops in my view. In my sample the smoke is definitely present but not anything near over-whelming or distracting in any way. Quite complimentary like I said.

I guess I'm just weird, and may in fact be dreaming all of this right now due to sleep deprivation.

Nah, I don't think you're dreaming at all, it's absolutely there. Maybe this smoke flavour is akin to cucumber or cilantro and some of us are genetically predisposed to thinking it tastes vile... I have a friend who will swear that cucumbers are bitter, cilantro tastes like soap to me (even in tiny quantities) and the smoke flavour of these few batches of Iron Spike make me gag! I didn't find it as overpowering in the Dead Elephant, but the last bit of the glass was a tough one to choke down.

[cratez]

Working my way through a second pint of Dead Elephant - the bottled version from the LCBO - and I'm convinced that it's under appreciated. I really enjoy the bubblegum, jam, berry fruit, and doughy elements, which add a unique twist to this IPA. For me it drinks like a highly sessionable pale ale. No, it's not Bell's Two Hearted, but why can't we just be thankful to have a tasty, hoppy, and quaffable IPA on store shelves? Anyhow, I'm beginning to rant. It's a great beer, and one that I would love to try on tap.

[Derek]

That smoke-like flavour...

I'm not good at pin-pointing off flavours. I should really do a BJCP course & train my buds.

I've wondered if it's phenolics from the yeast, some other organism, or some sort of cleaner/water-treatment thing or even sulfites (burnt match flavour)? Either way, something's not quite right.

[matt7215]

That smoke-like flavour...

I'm not good at pin-pointing off flavours. I should really do a BJCP course & train my buds.

I've wondered if it's phenolics from the yeast, some other organism, or some sort of cleaner/water-treatment thing or even sulfites (burnt match flavour)? Either way, something's not quite right.

ive been told that you can get that flavour from having to much chlorine in your water. i wonder if they are treating their water or just using city water?

[cratez]

That smoke-like flavour...

I'm not good at pin-pointing off flavours. I should really do a BJCP course & train my buds.

I've wondered if it's phenolics from the yeast, some other organism, or some sort of cleaner/water-treatment thing or even sulfites (burnt match flavour)? Either way, something's not quite right.

I'm definitely not picking up any smoke flavour whatsoever. There's a slightly phenolic/plastic aroma on the nose, but I think it compliments the other elements in this beer quite well. As always, though, to each his own!

[matt7215]

As always, though, to each his own!

i think this is just one of those beers that you have to live in london to enjoy

[SteelbackGuy]

As always, though, to each his own!

i think this is just one of those beers that you have to live in london to enjoy

C'mon Matt!!! We know you love it! It IS A great beer! Lots of people outside of London love it too!!!!

BETTA RECOGNIZE

[matt7215]

As always, though, to each his own!

i think this is just one of those beers that you have to live in london to enjoy

C'mon Matt!!! We know you love it! It IS A great beer! Lots of people outside of London love it too!!!!

BETTA RECOGNIZE

im just trolling for Railway City homers Len, yno 'ow it iz

[cratez]

im just trolling for Railway City homers Len, yno 'ow it iz

Ah yes, the requisite homer suspicion. See, this is precisely why I felt the need to speak up. I've tried many of the great IPAs and DIPAs from Stone, DFH, Southern Tier, Bell's, Great Divide, Avery, Sierra Nevada, etc. While this obviously doesn't compare to any of them, it is by no means a sub-par beer. I guess my gripe is that we rarely ever have retail access to hoppy and drinkable ales in Ontario, but then when we do, people still find something to bitch about. I've had dozens of bottles from this LCBO release, none of them taste like smoke. And right now I'll reach for Dead Elephant over the plethora of tasteless, hop-less offerings at the Lic-bo.

Granted, I'm hardly impartial on this matter, as I like almost any beer that's well-hopped. In a recent discussion at my local beer bar, I was the only one out of 6-8 people who thoroughly enjoyed Rogue Yellow Snow and BrewDog Punk IPA. Everyone else thought they weren't balanced enough.