Mike Duggan Number 9 IPA

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Sat May 09, 2009 11:07 am

This was phenomenal at Volo yesterday, and I highly recommend getting some while its still on cask. Mike's done an awesome job of this beer:

Freshly tapped cask at Volo, which shows what an amazing format cask conditioning can be. A surprisingly dark oaken body (darker than the regular kegged version from the sounds of it) support a frothy white head. Good retention and lace. Not really what you'd expect from the appearance of an IPA though. Earthy, citrus nose, with sweet orange and tangerine.

Wonderful balance in the flavours, with the bitterness kept in check, and the flavours running wild. Lots of tangerine, some pine, caramel malt and a hint of nuttiness. Really stellar stuff with huge drinkability. Also, as you would expect from a well-kept (good job Volo), freshly tapped cask, the body is exceptional, with a texture that's both light and full at the same time.

The Number 9 IPA advanced into the second round of Volo's cask IPA challenge, but if its anywhere near as good as it was tonight it has potential to go all the way.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Sat May 09, 2009 11:42 pm

What totally got me about this beer was the head on the pours given the fact it was a gravity poured beer. Very rarely have I seen a gravity poured cask ale have such a huge head and line the glass with every mouthful.

A truly wonderful brew. Though it's more of a pale ale than an IPA. Either way it's up there with Hop Head for the best brew in Ontario!!

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Mon May 11, 2009 1:03 pm

I was down in TO over the weekend and tried it at Volo. Wow, really amazing beer. I agree, it is one of the best Ontario beers I have had.

Should also mention it was my first time visiting Volo after hearing so many good things about the place. Comfortable spot, I could have stayed there all night.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Mon May 11, 2009 4:44 pm

Must have been great! It was gone by Saturday, unfortunately.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:28 pm

midlife crisis wrote:Must have been great! It was gone by Saturday, unfortunately.

It was gone by 11.30pm Friday night!!!! And a fresh pin was tapped tonight. There may be some left tomorrow; if you're lucky

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:47 am

D'oh! I was hoping they might hold the second one back until the weekend.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:50 am

midlife crisis wrote:D'oh! I was hoping they might hold the second one back until the weekend.

It was tapped last night coz Mike arrived and he said he'd never tried it on cask before

, so Ralph obliged. It was a cruel thing to do on a work night!!!!

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Tue May 12, 2009 2:41 pm

Sounds excellent, hope I've got time for a pint before the Jays game

bartle · Post by **bartle** » Wed May 13, 2009 4:18 pm

I'll say it again... liquid gold. a beautiful hazy gold.

Will this ever be offered in bottles or anywhere else?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:14 pm

Recently at C'est What, Duggan #9 was effing great - good American style with balance and that "peachiness" a lot of IPA-makers forget to put in there... complex beer!

Saturday at Volo was humming though, wish I hadn't been working all weekend! (DDC Come du Diable had nothing on Duggan #9 though.)

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:28 pm

I wish this sort of stuff would make it out of Toronto. It is disheartening to see that a lot of these brewers are only brewing one offs for Toronto locations. I guess my real gripe is that nothing London is going to attract these events and brewers so that these things will come here. It is nice to know that all of these beer sare always available in T.O, but it also saddens me to know that they are only available once, in Toronto, and usually that is it. London represent!

Funnily enough, some of these beers are from time to time available at the King Eddy, in Ilderton, Ontario. A town the size of only a few thousand. Strange world!

A · Post by A » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:45 am

Is there any of this left in the downtown core right now? Ive tried to find it a couple of times with no luck!

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:53 am

A wrote:Is there any of this left in the downtown core right now? Ive tried to find it a couple of times with no luck!

Should be some around. It's a usual suspect on draught (not cask) at C'est What, pops up frequently at Volo (cask, usually), and I had a fresh cask pint at the Victory last Thurs. If you STILL can't find it, you could hit up Volo on June 20th (and probably a day or two after that) when it's guaranteed to be there as part of the cask IPA final four showdown. It really is worth seeking out, ESPECIALLY on cask.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:12 am

velovampire wrote:
A wrote:Is there any of this left in the downtown core right now? Ive tried to find it a couple of times with no luck!
Should be some around. It's a usual suspect on draught (not cask) at C'est What, pops up frequently at Volo (cask, usually), and I had a fresh cask pint at the Victory last Thurs. If you STILL can't find it, you could hit up Volo on June 20th (and probably a day or two after that) when it's guaranteed to be there as part of the cask IPA final four showdown. It really is worth seeking out, ESPECIALLY on cask.

Don't forget it's a blind tasting that day, so you'll have to go through the other 3 casks to find the #9

TwoPint · Post by **TwoPint** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:40 pm

The Number 9 was on draught at C'est What yesterday.