Review: Magnotta Brewery Double Drooling Dog IPA

I picked this beer up at this year's Flatlander's Beer Festival at the Manitoba Liquor Mart Booth. What's depressing is that this one pop-up store had more new product at that one location than what will ever be brought in to any actual Liquor Mart locations this year. I picked up 12 bottles and cans of beers I just knew that I'll NEVER EVER find at my local MLCC because beer isn't currently an interest for the government liquor commission.

One of the many beers I picked up was Vaughan, Ontario's Magnotta Brewery's Double Drooling Dog IPA.

According to the label: "From crop to craft.. sowing a unique experience. Two times the bark plus twice the bite equals our Double Drooling Dog IPA. Handcrafted with our own estate-grown Ontario hops, enjoy the most distinctive Black IPA close to home. You will be drooling just thinking about it." 6.4% ABV

Until they eventually mentioned that this is a Black IPA, I was wondering if they were trying to confuse us into thinking that was this some other kind of IPA such as an American IPA or a Brut.. who knows?!

Appearance: Double Drooling Dog pours dark brown with a hint of a nutty brown/ruby red appearance to it.  They didn't really make much awareness on the can that this would be a Black IPA (remember Cascadian IPAs?!) There's a bit of a yellowish hue in the foam on top, with the foam being quite frothy and thick until I start to drink the beer.

Aroma: Sweet, a bit earthy yet decent amount of bitterness to it - notes of caramel, pine, florally stuff, a bit of molasses as well and a bit boozy at the end.

Taste: This Black IPA is rich, dark and fairly heavy as you would expect from any Cascadian Black IPA,  it's also incredibly smooth at the same time, I only have a quarter of the beer left in time to get to this portion of the review. Mildly sweet with notes of caramel popping up, a bit of a peat-like taste to it, tad bit of spice, light bitterness as well as grassiness coming from hops, decently smooth on the palate. The aftertaste is a bitterness that's almost a peat-like profile to it at the end.

Overall Thoughts: I bought this expecting a classic possibly Double IPA to get a Black IPA - I'm not upset that it's not because I'm having a hard time not sampling this throughout my review. This is the kind of IPA I'd love to drink once Labour Day hits.. when the 30C summers immediately disappear with leaves leaving trees immediately. This won't be available at my local LC because they refuse to bring in any new beers so the only ones bringing new product in stores are the local breweries themselves. If I'm ever in Ontario again, I'd likely try this again.

I've heard of the name Magnotta in the past, but didn't realize the brewery was also a popular Canadian winery/distillery as well!