Beer O'Clock: Boombox Session IPA

When Stray Dog Brewing Company announced, through social media, that they were releasing a session IPA, I did something that I rarely do: I drove all the way to Orleans to give it a try.

As much as I love the booming local craft beer scene, I don't pay a visit to the breweries as often as I'd like. And when I do visit a brewery, it's often long after the brewery has opened or has nothing to do with a new release. I just visit them when I can get around to it.

I visited Stray Dog the day after the beer release was announced, and as I sipped this full-bodied, low-alcohol ale, I had a bit of a revelation with regard to my Beer O'Clock segment of my blog.

I'll get to that later on. For now, let's focus on the beer itself.

But before I focus on my review, let me say this: a little over a year ago, when Stray Dog held its grand opening, I sampled every brew that these folks had on tap. In my review, later that week, I spoke of a saison that was on tap but that wasn't available in cans. I also noted that I hoped that in the future, they would can it, because it was my favourite of their lineup.

Guess what? Le Normandie is now in cans. You can now take that flinty, refreshing ale home. While I haven't given it a proper review, it rates 🍺🍺🍺 for checking off all the boxes on what a farmhouse ale should be. Get some.

As I said, I heard that Stray Dog was releasing a session IPA, and so I made my way to the brewery (a solid hour out of my way on my commute home, not counting my visit). I drank a glass of this session IPA in the brewery, picked up a six-pack, and went home.

My second tasting, yesterday, allowed me to take my time and make notes. Which brings us here.

Boombox Session IPA (4% ABV)
Stray Dog Brewing Co.
Orleans, ON

Appearance: a deep amber with a lush, foamy-white head that rests almost 1 cm thick once it settles, and maintains a full cap all the way down the glass.

Nose: orange rind and rich hops. It smells like a classic IPA.

Palate: full-bodied with ripe citrus. The hops are bold but not bitter. The finish brings fruit and hops together, and is long but light.

Overall impression: this is a fresh, full-bodied IPA but is refreshing and light in alcohol, as a session ale should be. It is exactly what I expect and love in a session IPA.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺 this is a perfect patio ale that you can enjoy all day long. Flavourful but not overpowering, it is the epitome of why session ales are so damned good.

Boombox Session IPA, with a can of Le Normandie waiting in the wings.

So, as I sat in the brewery, enjoying my ale, chatting with the staff behind the counter, I realized that I need to get out to the Ottawa-area breweries more often. One of the reasons that I moved Beer O'Clock from The Brown Knowser to its own blog, and back to this blog is due to the lack of direction that I've taken in my reviews. Often, I would find myself in the LCBO, searching for new labels, hoping that I would find something, at random, that I would like enough to write a review.

Starting from now (actually, from last week: I had a local beer review then, too), Beer O'Clock will focus on the Ottawa craft beer scene. I'm going to visit a new brewery each week and find their newest creation or go through their lineup—in the case of new breweries—and see how that goes.

I won't post every week but I'll try to review at least two brews each month.

I hope that my reviews bring some breweries of which you may not be familiar into the spotlight, and together we can learn what makes this city such an awesome place to be a lover of great beer.

Cheers!