It should also take us back in time, dig up old memories, hopefully fond. And help us enjoy the present, root us where we are. It should also allow us to look forward, and imagine a better and brighter future for ourselves.
For me, Spearhead Hawaiian Pale Ale does all of these things.
First: the past. About a year ago, Hawaiian Pale Ale (HPA) was all over town on draft. Spearhead was the new kid in town. A small, brash upstart Toronto brewing company with cool marketing and branding shelling a pineapple tinged india pale ale. The beer itself was brash too - hoppy. boozy. 6.5% alcohol that felt like both a whole lot more and a whole lot less at the same time.
I liked it a lot. In fact, I converted more than one person to craft beer with it. It was my secret weapon.
And then, I'm embarrassed to admit, I let myself get swayed by the anti-marketing whisper campaign. More than one "beer folk" I spoke to rolled their eyes when they mentioned Spearhead. I'd no idea why. But I took on the same attitude. When some beer newbie mentioned that they liked Spearhead, I judged them in my brain-space. "Aren't they cute," I condescended to myself.
But here's the catch about Spearhead, and here's what I realized one day as I was judging others: It's a very good beer. Forget the hype. Forget the brand. Forget the marketing. It doesn't matter. Spearhead HPA is a very good beer. And it's worth a try.
In fact, here's my fearless prediction: Spearhead Hawaiian Pale Ale will be my beer of the summer.
Now to the present: It's coming to the lcbo. Like, soon. If not in time for the coming long weekend (probably not) then soon afterwards. The version coming to the lcbo, to my palate, tastes less boozy, with a bit more pineapple up front, than the version I had on tap last year. It's also listed at 6%, down from last year's 6.5%. It's less big, but it's more summer-worthy. More refreshing. If you haven't tried it: It's an American Pale Ale, bordering on an India Pale Ale (remember those bitter citrus hops balanced with caramel/cookie malts I'm always going on about, but with a twist of pineapple.)
And to the future...
To me, it's as simple as this: Spearhead makes good beer. And that's what we need in Ontario: more good beer. And the more good beer we have, the more good beer we will have. And if we encourage this brash upstart, and help them to be successful, then that will hopefully encourage others to brashly get upstarted. After all, status quo begets status quo. And in Ontario, for too long, status quo has been pretty damn boring. And you can't have too much good beer, that's for sure.
I really like the HPA and definitely enjoyed the Moroccan Brown I had at Session 99. My only issue with the HPA in the past was the pricing. At some bars it was $2.00 more than other Ontario Craft brews for less beer (in their tulip). As I understand it, their kegs were the most expensive, so bars felt a need to price it higher. I think the pricing plus the perceived 'overhype' did turn a lot of people off last Summer. All that said, I look forward to picking up a 6 pack for the balcony soon.
ReplyDeleteGood point - I did hear that complaint a lot too. But from I hear, a six pack will be under 14 bucks, so in line with the other Ontario IPAs. That is welcome news, for sure.
ReplyDeleteDearest Brau boy: I had the advance bottle you were so good to provide as planned -- on the dock at my mother's cottage in the sweaty heat this past Canada Day long weekend. Of course I enjoyed it, and to be honest, didn't detect much of a difference from the previous cask incarnation, except that it didn't go right to my head (which is too bad, mind you.) A great beer with it's own unique "thing" -- Spearhead is on track to make more serious waves. I think they did a great job with their bottle and packaging too and I really look forward to trying their new offerings in the fall.
ReplyDeleteThe big thing, and I imagine this is what they were going for in lowering the alcohol content, was that my girlfriend also enjoyed it whereas she didn't care for the stronger version. Maybe she was just parched, but ultimately she liked it. So bravo Spearhead you have accomplished your mission and I'm darn happy I can now have you out on my deck or in the warm friendly confines of my living room watching the Habs beat the Leafs.
Btw, that "beer newbie" you mention above better not be me :)