Naughty Neighbour - Nickel Brook Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 4.9%

 Naughty Neighbour - Nickel Brook Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 4.9%

Gold in a glass with a fizzy white head. A nice aroma of cedar, pine and the faintest bit of resin as well as some toasted bread malt aromas. Hops continue to lead in the taste as well with further pine, floral almost melon hop notes and a bit of citrus (lemon and orange) as well. Naughty Neighbour is bitter but still light and refreshing with just enough of a sweet malty flavour for balance. The finish has hops (especially melon and pine) and a bit of grain, while the aftertaste is a pleasant pine and cedar buzz. A great American Pale Ale that is very sessionable at only 4.9%.

Nickel Brook Gluten Free - Better Bitters Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington)

Nickel Brook Gluten Free - Better Bitters Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 5.8%

An interestingly hoppy aroma before a cheesy aroma that some gluten-free beers have barges in; although the two do find some balance in the end. I'm not sure if that particular aroma is due to the sorghum or not, but the hops still carries through lightly. Pale gold in a glass and with a quick-fading, soda-pop-like head: after all, the proteins that allow beer's unique among beverages frothy head to form are necessarily absent from a gluten-free beer.

The taste is sweet and tart, maybe even a touch metallic at first. It is really quite bitter and the hops come through, at times more than others, with nice floral and cedar hop notes. Other than the bitterness, the overall flavour is milder on the whole than most gluten-free beers I have reviewed. This combination of factors, particularly the skillful use of hops, makes Nickel Brook Gluten Free perhaps the most similar to conventional beers out of the gluten-free beers I have tried. That being said, its flavour certainly still takes some getting used to and there are some other gluten free beers which manage to taste very good, in my opinion, even if they don't taste much like conventional beers. Overall, a good gluten-free alternative and, if you are into gluten-free, a must-try.