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Thursday, October 26, 2017

11.05 Belgian Tripel - Sawdust City (Canada - Ontario - Gravenhurst) 11.1%

11.05 Belgian Tripel - Sawdust City (Canada - Ontario - Gravenhurst) 11.1%

I enjoyed this beer on tap at the new (and fabulous IMO) Bar Lupulus in Ottawa on October 25th, 2017. It was served in a stemmed glass that really brought out the strong red hue and showed off the big frothy cream coloured head. The aroma was of light blossom and a touch of white raisins. A bit of apple but not much alcohol to my surprise.



Very sweet, alcohol buzz on the tongue at the first instant then a light hops and a fruity sourness intercepts the building sweetness. Fruit flavours (a discreet white wine-esque mix of sweet apple, grape and melon) and peppery notes become clear on subsequent sips.  Beyond the first impressions, the sweetness is not a prominent feature. 11.05 drinks as a lightly tart, lively beer that hides its jacked-up ABV well (dangerously well when cool) and has an aftertaste that I think is best described as barley candy but bitter.

None of the flavours take a pronounced lead in this beer and the result is a subtle and finely balanced Belgian Tripel. The brewer notes that the cans have Brettanomyces Bruxellensis added to them which will change the beer over time which sounds like a fun reason to buy several of them.