Collective Arts IPA #5
Just a scant two months ago I first crossed paths with Ontario’s Collective Arts Brewing and their tasty IPA #4. That 6.4% ABV brew carried a nice balance of tropical fruitiness and hop bitterness — a trait that I had hoped to find in other IPAs from the company. The equilibrium between fruit and pine can be a challenge for modern IPAs, but it appears as this particular brewery has managed to show that they can present luscious fruits while still retaining pine and hop bitterness. IPA #5, a double IPA weighing in at 8.2% ABV, keeps that trend rolling.
I don’t mind a fruit-forward IPA, especially if that’s what I am in the mood for at the time. That said, I like my IPAs to present a solid pine and level of bitterness to counter that fruitiness. IPA #5 does just that with ease. The big beer presents pineapple, grapefruit and mango in conjunction with a solid amount of pine, a good hop bitterness and herbal notes that all come together in unison. There’s a smooth dankness to this Collective Arts’ brew that many of its peers lack.
This is now two beers from this Canadian project that I’ve enjoyed. Both have impressed in their own right and set a solid tone for this young relationship between brewer and drinker. If their IPAs keep coming out with great flavor and balance, it’s going to be a no-brainer for me to pick up future releases. My only regret with IPA #5 is not having purchased more than the single can to enjoy.