IDES OF FEBRUARY (THE HENDERSON CUP) ~ HENDERSON BREWING

7% from Toronto, Ontario 60 IBU

The ides series are a one-off brews. This one is named the Henderson Cup because the brewery put out a contest to home brewers. The winner of the best beer would win $1000 dollars and an opportunity to brew it on a large scale for release. This black IPA with raspberries, made by Ed Hitchcock, took home the cup this year. Ed’s winning beer was a raspberry lambic, but in the name of time, a black IPA was created to incapsulate the spirit if his beer, that wouldn’t take as long to ferment. The beer pours an opaque very dark brown - almost black with a generous beige-khaki head. Lots of dark roasted malts, some raspberry and a variety of hops on the nose. The flavours had notes of chocolate, coffee, and raspberry - kind of like a bitter Black Forest Cake. The taste starts off semi sweet and finishes on with a bitter end. I really liked this, it works.