Aequus Nox

Aequus Nox was strongly recommended to me by one of the extremely knowledgeable bartenders at the always excellent Bar Hop. From one of Ontario's more under appreciated breweries, the Burlingtonian Nickel Brook Brewing Co., A.N. was billed as a single-hopped North American IPA. At 6.6%, my 18oz pour of draught was just what I needed on a bright and cheery spring afternoon. My pint was cloudy and brassy. It showed up with a meager layer of off-white head and smelling of tropical fruit--pineapple and passion fruit. I'd love to know what the single hop is that made this stuff tick--the bartender thought it was something from New Zealand, but couldn't recall which.

Crisp and fresh, the mouthfeel was pleasant but definitely a tad thin. However, the flavour was all kinds of agreeable--very fruity, with a dry bitter streak to dry things out. There was a touch of something a bit swampy at the extreme back end that didn't quite gel with the rest of the vibe, but this was a minor complaint.

Aequus Nox is another quality entry from Nickel Brook. It bursts with fruit and hops and I liked it a lot. It'd be lovely if Nickel Brook would bottle this stuff for regular sale.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.