Today, I revisit my patented rating system and prove I am a Beerologist of my word.

Source: https://www.pinterest.pt/goldensaintbeer/ with a little Zeke design on top.

It is no secret I have slid down the slippery slope known as IPA, so it has to be relatively hoppy and strong to thrill me at all. Not that I struggle to appreciate a nice clean lager, rich and thick stout, or a nice change in the form of a Brut, Sour or fruity beer. They all have merit and I have pedigree enough to appreciate almost any variety. The basic fact is, I don't sit and drink 8 beers anymore so I need a beer that tastes like at least 4 brews in a single glass. I judge a brewery by its IPA.

In this edition of my world-renowned beer blog, I revisit a few "I Would Try This Again"s to stay true to my word, and give them another 15 minutes of fame.

Before we get started..

As a review for those who have followed this blog for years, and those who have recently followed, (CHEERS TO YOU!) I present my personal rating system when reviewing or discovering a beer:

In my top 10 - Generally available year round (or seasonals that repeat every year) beers that are most likely IPAs that I love.
Current Favourite - Could make it into my top 10 if it becomes regularly available where I am
I Would Try This Again! - Better than not bad. I would like to give this another taste.
I Don't Hate This - Not my cup of sudds but a decent brew
Glad To Have Added This Notch to my Beerologist Belt - I will taste 'em all before I die, including the bad ones, of which this one probably one.

Let us dive into a couple previously enjoyed pints as we try them again.

Herald Haus has become Heritage Hops!

I will start with a local gem from my very own community you may remember as Herald Hause Brewing. It was one of 4 good local breweries which was just getting off the ground when the pandemic lockdown hit. Since then, the ownership team and branding have undergone a transformation and the brewery has recently relaunched as Heritage Hops Brew Company https://heritagehopsbrew.com/

As a marketing buff, it is intriguing for me to see the new image portrayed by some preservation of the old matched with bold new strides. The double H with the classic font remains while what it stood for has changed and been augmented with a vibrant splash of energetic colour.

I wonder what has changed with their East Coast IPA!

The last memory I have of 21 Haze is visiting the tap room hoping to pick up a 6-pack of this tasty brew, only to find that there was some sort of issue with the licence, and the fridge was empty. Though I was worried I had tasted my last one, I was pleased to find it had made the grade and was part of the new rotation https://heritagehopsbrew.com/collections/ipa/products/21-haze-east-coast-ipa

I do enjoy an East Coast IPA which seems to be a catch-all classification including the original New England IPA, Vermont style, and other sweet and strong beers from northeast section of North America.

I can't tell you how the corporate transformation impacted this beer which is exactly what I was hoping. Such a beautiful balance of bitter and sweet, hoppy but not without a tasty malt, and an overall body that seems to taste like another when you are finished your glass. 60 IBU is legit and I have been enjoying the hazy/unfiltered IPAs as of late but the slightly clearer pour is not indicative of a subtle beer. This is all I remembered it to be and I am celebrating yet another fantastic IPA that is brewed within a couple miles of my home.

I usually save the best for last in the blog but I am starting here while I have your attention. Because of how pleased I am with 21 Haze, and the convenient proximity of the brewery in the community of which this beerologist is proud, I am going to dedicate an entire blog to exploring each of their offerings. Once the Lager is available on Wednesday of the upcoming week, I will try and snag one before they are gone and dive in next #beersaturday.

What is This?!?

I have been a fan of Redline Brewhouse http://www.redlinebrewhouse.com/ ever since their Clutch APA http://www.redlinebrewhouse.com/the-beers/clutch-american-pale-ale/became readily available in select establishments and shelves in the beer store. When a beer can boast a 5% or lower ABV, reasonable bitterness measurement (IBU) and STILL taste like a good strong IPA, it has a special place in my summer beer strategy for camping, vacation and sporting even refreshment.

I classified Rainbow In the Dark IPA http://www.redlinebrewhouse.com/the-beers/rainbow-in-the-dark/as "I Would Buy This Again" as I am a sucker for a good Rye beer, and I had to travel 2 hours to buy it at the brewery as it was not available locally. Imagine my surprise as I visited my preffered retail location and there was a stand of this Ronnie James Dio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_James_Dio inspired goodness!

It is well documented that I am a bit of a label real estate branding and design snob. While I celebrate the optimal use of space on the label, and prefer a nice table including hop, malt, yeast and IBU details, I forgive this when it is a one-off or seasonal brew where they are still working on the recipe.
Were I in charge, I would establish a template to add new design to a working model and include these stats for all beers but it is possible I am a special and extra picky evaluator.

As far as the beer goes, it poured a little orangier than I remember and had one hell of a serious dry/rye kick at the end. Very legit Rye IPA with piles of flavour and not to be taken lightly at a reasonable 6/6 ABV. I will add one or 2 of these to my order as long as it is still on the shelves and find it augments the variety of IPAs I have living in my fridge.

Recent Discovery

Until my recent trip to the local retailer, I had never even heard of Signal Brewing https://www.signal.beer/. A New England IPA I had never tasted from a brewery new to me and a neat looking label are my 3 hooks to grabbing a different beer like Wave NEIPA https://www.signal.beer/bottle-shop off the shelf.

As I stated a couple weeks ago, I was expecting to be underwhelmed by a mystery Pale Ale though I was intrigued by the meaning behind the design. I was contacted shortly after this review by the owner of the brewery who let me in on the meaning! "Thanks for the review...Well done...I enjoyed reading your content. The Wave fave image was featured in Time Magazine and is the work of renowned illustrator Carl Wiens (http://www.carlwiens.com/) , we use all his work and he helped define our brand. All our beer flavours are electronic terms pairs with industrial electronic type images. All our side panels are consistent. I believe less is more with regard to content, but we do need to comply with LCBO content. Developing the brand is one of my fave things to do. Hope you are enjoying your summer. Cheers Richard/Founder Signal Brewing Company. PS we built Signal on top of the former Corby Distillery, home of Wiser whiskey for a 100 years."

This is the experience I am really hoping for when blindly picking a new beer up for review. Without expecting it, I have discovered another fantastic provincial craft NEIPA, added to my list of great breweries deserving a visit, and connected with another business owner who shares my passion for brand design, consistency and innovation.

Thanks so much to Richard for taking the time to reach out and educate as well as enhance the experience of a Beerologist discovering another innovative and delicious beer. I will buy Wave again and am also really looking forward to trying Byte and Firewire. I know a brewery is up my alley when they have more than one style of IPA!

Mission Accomplished!

This concludes your weekly guides tasting with the world-famous Blockchain Beerologist. Please dispose of your empties in the recycling bin and hold onto something solid as you exit the ride. Next week, I plan on being true to my word and revisiting some of my "I Would Buy This Again" brews.

Thanks again for joining me!

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