Twin Pines IIPA Sawdust City

# 226 Twin Pines IIPA

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery
Double IPA 
8.8 % ABV 10 oz Draft (296 ml.)
$6.50 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @sawdustcitybeer

When this Brew House hits 88 Brews you're going to see some serious shit...

I have been trying to get this post up for over a week. I always seem to be tasting this beer last and by the time I hit it my taste buds are in shock and don't want to co-operate (Bring on the light spring summer beers please!!) But finally I am getting around to finishing it. I have enjoyed it and I hope you do too.

So there is a story behind this beer, and it proves that the brewers at Sawdust city are my kinda people. (Beer brewin', beer swillin', movie nerds and I'm okay with that!) They named their original IPA Lone pine I assume to evoke some thoughts of the ruggedly handsome Muskoka region where they now have built their brewery. But it also happens to have a connection with one of the most beloved sci fi movies of all time, "Back to the Future."

As you can see (*Spoiler alert*) before Marty McFly goes back in time, the mall he meets Doc Brown at is called "Twin Pines" (picture right) and when he returns the mall is called "Lone Pine." Why? Because, when the time machine goes into the past, it runs over over one of the "Twin Pines" leaving just the one for the mall to be named after.

It was one of the first (in my memory) of little Easter eggs that directors started putting in movies to see if you were paying attention. There are others but this one was sort of a secret handshake for true movie buffs for a long time (then the Internet happened...). But the significance of that movie to the naming of our brew does not end there. Not only is the beer 8.8% ABV it is the 88th brew at the new brewery in Gravenhurst. And as all of us true movie nerds know... You need to be travelling 88 mph for the flux capacitor to work... and that's when the real shit happens.

Ok, so they know their movies... but do they know their beers, let's find out. Put on your headphones, set the time circuits for 1985, and turn on some Huey Lewis and the news:

Where we are going... we don't need roads... but maybe a pint glass...


Pours a dark peach colour with a fluffy white head made of small bubbles with massive lacing. Aroma is grainy with a deep background of tropical hops. Some grapefruit, some passionfruit. First sip is a light, bright, citrus and tropical fruit infused brew. Some effervescence on the tongue with some light malt and caramel towards the end. Incredibly smooth, alcohol is evident through the middle, slightly hot on the tongue. Plenty of green herbal hops some pine and a little resin. Aeration brings out a sweet caramel, with deep medicinal hops and some grilled pineapple.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6  EXCEPTIONAL
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:

This beer has become a favourite here at Pint Jockey Headquarters. There may be great sadness if they decide to stop brewing this one. All around a fantastic beer, and a beautiful compliment to it's sister brew the Lone Pine. (also a favourite here) Get it while you can, but remember... it's 8.8% too many and you may want to go back in time to fix whatever mistakes you made...

Cheers


CJT



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Beer # 61 2XIPA, Southern Tier

2XIPA

Southern Tier Brewing Company 
Lakewood New York, USA (Independent)

Double India Pale Ale 8.2% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 355 ml.

$2.95 (Canadian) At LCBO.


Twitter @stbcbeer


@Twitter Hashtag of the Day: #IPAday

Well Happy IPA Day! As you may or may now know today was declared International IPA Day by a grassroots movement of Beer Bloggers and Craft Beer Producers and has become quite the sensation on Twitter. So @pintjockey is not one to be left out so I shall post an IPA today.


Heading south of the border again to what is quickly becoming one of my favourite producers: Southern Tier from Lakewood New York, today we sample 2XIPA as their website puts it: a "not quite imperial IPA" but a strong (8.2% ABV double IPA. Brewed with 4 hops and 3 types of Malt it has a very distinct flavour, and a beer I quite enjoyed tasting.


Onto the IPA


Golden in colour with a hint of green. Cream coloured head made up of tiny bubbles that disperse quickly. The nose is grapefruit and herbs. Dark malted flavours unusual for a lighter looking beer, more grapefruit some citrus sweetness, caramel and alcohol. Some wine or brandy/cognac notes near the end. The beer does not mask it's full 8.2% ABV the alcohol warms the beer and lingers on the tongue and in the throat. Bitterness seems mild however I would say it is balanced out by the other strong elements of the beer. Very drinkable and refreshing, but only one or two please... feeling the alcohol right away!

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional

                                                                                                               

Cost:  5/6  PASS

Colour:  5/6  PASS        

Beer Style:  5/6 PASS 

Re-Order:  5/6 PASS   

Experience:   5/6  PASS

Final Thoughts:


A very good turnout again from this great American Brewery. Time and again the USA is setting the standard for advancing the craft beer industry. What began in the kitchens of medieval homes has grown into the avante garde laboratories of modern craft breweries. With late night beer fueled ramblings turning into delicious experiments. Hop, malt, and flavour combinations never dreamt of before... it is a great time, to be a beer drinker.


Cheers

CJT