21 January 2018 - Best Beer HQ
Urbanaut Gastown Red IPA Review
My little brother gifted me four craft beers for Christmas, with this can of Urbanaut Gastown Red IPA arguably being the pick of the litter. I couldn’t wait to try it for two reasons: the Urbanaut craft brewery is within walking distance of my Auckland home, and because I freakin’ LOVE a good red IPA. Here’s hoping this one is up to standard…
ABV: 5.8%
Blurb on the can: With a unique hop profile, the Gastown Red IPA has the perfect balance of high-alpha hop aroma and a prominent bitterness. A complex partnership between New Zealand and German malts give it a rich ruby colour and a backbone of toffee, caramel and roasted flavours.
Each Urbanaut beer is designed to celebrate the city that inspired its creation. This IPA was made to reflect the historic yet modern streets of Gastoown, Vancouver. A destination that boasts real grit, as well as a polished urban lifestyle with natural backdrops. We mix selected specialty malts with North West hops to achieve this same well-considered balance.
Tastes like: Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.
Even drinking it straight from the funky pink can I’m immediately struck by the strong aroma of malt, pine, and tropical fruit hops.
But it’s the flavour of Urbanaut’s Gastown IPA that really knocks my socks off. At 5.8% ABV it’s not an overly strong beer, but it still manages to pack a punch: toffee, caramel, grapefruit, peach, and a warm, biscuit-malt backbone give this craft beer authority.
The verdict: Like I said in my intro, I’m a sucker for a red IPA – a style of beer that blurs the line between a full-flavoured, hoppy IPA, and a smooth, malty amber ale – so Urbanaut’s Gastown was always sure to gain the Best Beer HQ seal of approval.
Having said that, there’s plenty here for craft beer nerds to like – and you’ve got to dig this beer’s funky presentation, too.
Beer/movie combination: I’ve never been to Vancouver, the Canadian city that inspires this beer, but I’ve watched enough movies and TV shows filmed there to make me feel like I have. You might be surprised how many things are filmed there. For instance, did you know that Deadpool was filmed there?
That’s right. Not only was the hilarious R-rated superhero comedy shot there (not New York, where the film is purportedly set), but it also happens to star a Canadian (Ryan Reynolds), and his suit is red, so that’s my pick my movie pick of the week.
Here’s a teaser trailer for Deadpool 2, which is due out this year…
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