8th Sin Black Lager Hop City Brewing Company

#205 8th Sin Black Lager

Hop City Brewing Company

Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Saint John, New Brunswick
Wholly Owned Craft Beer Subsidiary of Moosehead Breweries
Black Lager
5.0 % ABV 473 ml Aluminium Can 
$2.85 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HopCityBrewing

Another trip down to Hop City... (Sounds like a song). I was quite enamoured with this can and it's "Dias de Muertos" (Day of the Dead) decorated skull. The skull motif is very popular in Mexico where it is a remembrance of family and friends that have passed. Families travel to cemeteries to clean and maintain graves and then enjoy a feast and party to celebrate their lost loved ones. A special treat is often given to the children on this day a "Calavera" a decorated sugar skull. (I've had one, it's like eating a giant sugar cube, but very fun!)

Examples of Calavera

The 8 in 8th sin refers to the eight different malt used to produce is very dark colour.

Onto our tasting...

Pours and inky brown/black with fluffy off-tan head made up of small bubbles, that disperse quickly. Aroma is sweet malt, burnt sugar, licorice and vanilla. First sip is caramel, coffee, and nuts. Body is very light, almost watery. Finish is funky marijuana scented hops. Aeration accentuates the vanilla caramel, and slight mocha hints.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS

Re-Order:  4/6 PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Very refreshing and a surprising amount of flavour. Like a lager and a very light stout had a baby. However the body is very weak, a problem I noted with another Hop City beer, Hopbot IPA. Which is surprising because I am a fan of their other beer Barking Squirrel, which is not shy in the flavour or body department. Is it a good beer? Yes, very much so. Tasty? Indeed. Should you try it? Of course. Would I buy it again? Probably not... I do like my beers to have a little oomph.

CJT


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