After an enjoyable visit to East Van Brewing I wandered over to Off The Rail (aka. OTR) who was introducing their Comet Launcher Double IPA (DIPA). This was not just another beer for OTR, but a special release in celebration of their 3rd anniversary.

My plan was to grab a bomber and head on home. Instead I ended up grabbing a bomber, a seat at the bar, and a small glass of the new stuff.

Soaking in the atmosphere, I sipped that DIPA as if it were the last glass of beer on earth. Primarily because it’s a whopping 7.5% ABV (which makes it a DIPA) and I still had to get home.

As expected, the comet and simcoe hops were very aromatic, adding a nice citrus and pine scent. Unlike other DIPAs I’ve had, this one was quite a bit smoother, with just enough malt to setup the tongue for the bitters. Which weren’t overwhelming at all, adding a pine needle and citrus flavour.

At 65 IBUs, it’s not off the charts, right at the upper-mid range for North American style IPAs. Being a DIPA there’s a heftier malt bill to create the higher alcohol level, which left just the right amount of malty goodness.

If you’re looking for a painstakingly high hop attack, this is not that beverage. It is definitely hop-forward, lots of hop flavour and aroma, but there’s just enough malt to keep the bitterness in check.

Overall this was a well done double IPA that was enjoyable to drink and suitable for a broader audience than other DIPAs I’ve had. Good job.