Score: 83/100 – Very Good
From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 25.08.2022 – making this around 4 weeks old.
I picked up the beer over a week ago from a local specialty store along with many other Bas-Canada IPAs. Recently I’ve had a few misses with the brewery so I’m curious if my expectations for the brewery are met this time around. It’s been a long time since I had a rendition of HYPA so let’s get to it.
Appearance 6/6
The beer pours an opaque pale gold with 5cm of frothy, creamy, off-white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Exceptional lacing with good head retention.
Aroma 23/24
Strong intensity with good balance. Exceptional nose; aromatic and characterful.
Pungent, ripe tropical fruit (mango + papaya) pairs well with zesty citrus (grapefruit + lime + tangerines). Moderate woody pine and mild anise-like spice add layers while low crackery malt ties everything together.
The dry nose is strong and citrusy with mild grainy-tropical sweetness at the back.
Flavour 34/40
Follows the aroma with strong intensity, decent balance, and moderate perceived bitterness.
The somewhat sharp palate opens up with juicy tones as well as salted citrus (grapefruit + tangerines), pine, and grass making way for an edgy center featuring notes of citrus, pine, grass, and spice along with a hint of crackery malt.
The long finish is strong and sharp with notes of pine, citrus, grass, minerals, spice (anise), and mild crackery malt.
Mouthfeel 6/10
Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp, slightly chalky, and mouth-coating with restrained warming sensation and a dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency – too much – the beer is harsh.
Overall 14/20
Brasserie du Bas-Canada’s HYPA X is a very good beer.
Nice looks for a hazyboi; good head attributes and juice-like appearance with no chunks in the glass. Outstanding aroma featuring classic New World hop characteristics – only missing a wow-factor that defines a true world-class example. On the palate, however, the beer lacks the balance and beauty of the aroma. The flavour is rather edgy and coloured by acrid hop-characteristics typical of DDH IPAs. Which brings me to the most problematic part of this beer: the mouthfeel. The hop-derived astringency (hop-burn) is simply too much. That, combined with marked minerally saltiness and a chalky quality diminishes the overall drinking experience. A classic issue with the style which is quickly becoming my main reason for not picking up these cans.
Most trendy IPAs are expensive and they simply don’t deliver enough value for me. That’s the case with HYPA X – it stands out in some aspects, yet fails to meet my expectations for Bas-Canada as one of the best in the domain of Canadian hazy IPAs. It seems like the circle is complete again – I think I need to step away from the trendy stuff and start focusing on the classics as well as the less known beers/breweries.
Beerfection | Craft Beer Reviews | Montreal, Canada 