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ranking of IPAs currently availible in ontario

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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

JeffPorter wrote:Got some boneshaker this weekend - it's pretty great! Give me that over smashbomb any day.
While both have been tweaked and are good, Boneshaker is top notch.

Atomic Collider was a wonderful DIPA from FM, looking back on 2011. And Muskoka Harvest Ale APA can be pretty tasty.

Spearhead Hawaiian Style Pale Ale IPA would do well in bottles or cans. For now their draught accounts must be exceedingly profitable.
In Beerum Veritas
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Iceman
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Post by Iceman »

Belgian wrote:And Muskoka Harvest Ale APA can be pretty tasty.
That was my go to beer in the fall.
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Liverdie
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Post by Liverdie »

Belgian wrote:
JeffPorter wrote:Got some boneshaker this weekend - it's pretty great! Give me that over smashbomb any day.
While both have been tweaked and are good, Boneshaker is top notch.

Atomic Collider was a wonderful DIPA from FM, looking back on 2011. And Muskoka Harvest Ale APA can be pretty tasty.

Spearhead Hawaiian Style Pale Ale IPA would do well in bottles or cans. For now their draught accounts must be exceedingly profitable.
Yes, got some Boneshaker as well, also like Harvest Ale, it was in my local beer store to my surprise, didn't get to try Atomic Collider, is it like Super Collider, taste and ABV wise? I've had something from Spearhead that was very good, don't think it was Hawaiian Style Ale, though unless that's what they rountinely have around town

Cheers,
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matt7215
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Post by matt7215 »

Liverdie wrote:
Belgian wrote:
JeffPorter wrote:Got some boneshaker this weekend - it's pretty great! Give me that over smashbomb any day.
While both have been tweaked and are good, Boneshaker is top notch.

Atomic Collider was a wonderful DIPA from FM, looking back on 2011. And Muskoka Harvest Ale APA can be pretty tasty.

Spearhead Hawaiian Style Pale Ale IPA would do well in bottles or cans. For now their draught accounts must be exceedingly profitable.
Yes, got some Boneshaker as well, also like Harvest Ale, it was in my local beer store to my surprise, didn't get to try Atomic Collider, is it like Super Collider, taste and ABV wise? I've had something from Spearhead that was very good, don't think it was Hawaiian Style Ale, though unless that's what they rountinely have around town

Cheers,
Spearhead only makes one beer, Hawaiian Style Pale Ale
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liamt07
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Post by liamt07 »

matt7215 wrote:
Liverdie wrote:
Belgian wrote: While both have been tweaked and are good, Boneshaker is top notch.

Atomic Collider was a wonderful DIPA from FM, looking back on 2011. And Muskoka Harvest Ale APA can be pretty tasty.

Spearhead Hawaiian Style Pale Ale IPA would do well in bottles or cans. For now their draught accounts must be exceedingly profitable.
Yes, got some Boneshaker as well, also like Harvest Ale, it was in my local beer store to my surprise, didn't get to try Atomic Collider, is it like Super Collider, taste and ABV wise? I've had something from Spearhead that was very good, don't think it was Hawaiian Style Ale, though unless that's what they rountinely have around town

Cheers,
Spearhead only makes one beer, Hawaiian Style Pale Ale
They made a Belgian dubbel for TBW last year with cocoa, coconut, orange peel and Rochfort yeast - turned out quite well I thought. Could be the one he's referring to.
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Brewbert
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Post by Brewbert »

For the ones I had before I left ontario I'd have to rate them as such:

Red Racer IPA
Mad Tom IPA
Tree Brewing IPA
Smashbomb IPA
Southern Tier IPA

Smashbomb and ST used to be near the top, something changed. Southern Tiers recipe is all bollocksed up or something, I remember a year ago that stuff used to be hoppy and great. Now it's too malty, and it has the hint of dark fruits on its after taste, almost like fig or something, it's very odd.

Smashbomb is too inconsistent to be number 1.
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chris_schryer
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Post by chris_schryer »

Cool lists!

Okay, for stuff available at the LCBO, my top three have got to be

Red Racer
Tree HH
Mad Tom

Draught/Brewery distribution would be

Boneshaker (I saw a note back in this thread, that Head Stock was 7.1% mentioned as a problem, Boneshaker is allegedly 7.2%, though I've heard it's actually more)
Granite IPA (tied for my favourite beer from them, with Peculiar)
I believe Paul did a Cheshire Valley IPA that made me cry a little
Hops and Robbers (though I work for Double Trouble, so take that with a grain of salt. I wouldn't sell it if I didn't love it. This will move to the LCBO list in May.)
And the long-lost Sgt Major from Scotch-Irish, may you rest in peace.
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A
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Post by A »

Interesting all the votes for Red Racer - when I had it last year over in Vancouver I thought it was thoroughly average. I'll need to pick some up and give it a retry....
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Belgian
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Post by Belgian »

Liverdie wrote:didn't get to try Atomic Collider, is it like Super Collider, taste and ABV wise?
Meant to say Super Collider, of course. I've seen so few actual bottles the name hasn't stuck.
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BrausBackinTown
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Post by BrausBackinTown »

I'd have:

1. Red Racer
2. Spearhead
3. Mad Tom
4. Lone Pine IPA
5. Smashbomb

If you'd have asked me 6 months ago, I probably would have rated Mad Tom lower, but it really has improved lately. Not sure what it is, but I'd written it off as middling then retried it last month and it all of a sudden rivalled Red Racer. At this rate, Mad Tom will be number one in no time.
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Inkling
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Post by Inkling »

A wrote:Interesting all the votes for Red Racer - when I had it last year over in Vancouver I thought it was thoroughly average. I'll need to pick some up and give it a retry....
Definitely give it another try because it is not consistent. The first batch I had here in Ontario was pretty poor. Someone else on this board compared it to drinking 'Tang', and I understood where they were coming from. The second batch I got from the LCBO was completely different and I finally got what all the hype was about.

As for this ranking, I'd also put Red Racer on top if it was as good as the second batch.

Southern Tier would be second. Mad Tom third.

I recently had my last Curmudgeon (it doesn't get to Eastern Ontario all that often) and I was reminded of how good I've always found it, so I'd rank it fourth, but pretty much equivalent to Mad Tom.

Beau's IP Eh would be fifth. I don't need to be hit over the head with hops if I like the overall taste and I do like this one.

Tree is good but not in my top five. Smashbomb is pretty close as well.

We're fortunate to have a pretty good selection, but mediocre availability; wish it was more consistent.
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TheBeeraholic
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Post by TheBeeraholic »

Saw this morning on Twitter that Amsterdam will be releasing 6-packs of Boneshaker this week. Will this be something that goes as quickly as the 10BY? I have yet to have Boneshaker and want to make sure I get a sixer.
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GregClow
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Post by GregClow »

TheBeeraholic wrote:Saw this morning on Twitter that Amsterdam will be releasing 6-packs of Boneshaker this week. Will this be something that goes as quickly as the 10BY? I have yet to have Boneshaker and want to make sure I get a sixer.
I believe it's being released as a general list year-round product at the LCBO. So you shouldn't have any problem getting some.
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matt7215
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Post by matt7215 »

GregClow wrote:
TheBeeraholic wrote:Saw this morning on Twitter that Amsterdam will be releasing 6-packs of Boneshaker this week. Will this be something that goes as quickly as the 10BY? I have yet to have Boneshaker and want to make sure I get a sixer.
I believe it's being released as a general list year-round product at the LCBO. So you shouldn't have any problem getting some.
very good news

were starting to see quite a nice selection of IPAs into the LCBO

we still dont have porters, stouts, belgian style ales, barley wines, or good craft lagers but i guess that what homebrewing is for
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TheBeeraholic
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Post by TheBeeraholic »

GregClow wrote:
TheBeeraholic wrote:Saw this morning on Twitter that Amsterdam will be releasing 6-packs of Boneshaker this week. Will this be something that goes as quickly as the 10BY? I have yet to have Boneshaker and want to make sure I get a sixer.
I believe it's being released as a general list year-round product at the LCBO. So you shouldn't have any problem getting some.
Thanks Greg, I thought this meant it was being offered at the brewery again. Awesome news.
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