Illiterate Librarian Grapefruit IPA

Under a fluffy cloud of white head, Illiterate Librarian Grapefruit IPA is a hazy gold-orange ale. Hailing from Sarnia, Ontario and the Refined Fool Brewing Co., this 70 IBU number comes in 650mL bottles with a heinous pink and brown colour scheme on the label. At 5.7%, we're dealing with a slightly understrength India pale ale.

I was less than shocked to discover the nose of this grapefruit IPA was rich in both hops and citrus. However, my first impression was that I was not all that blown away by the depth of grapefruit in the flavour of this ale--it has a definite grapefruit note that I'd have identified, but not much more than a plethora of I.P.A.s on the market that don't feature "grapefruit" in their names. It is worth noting, though, that the finish packs a hearty element of citrus rind and tartness that grew on me. Otherwise, I was dealing with a beer that was reasonably bitter, deficiently boozy, but with a well-rounded flavour. Not a customary India pale, but not a noteworthy one either.

 

At 70 IBUs, this stuff is extremely bitter for a low-booze IPA. Despite my initial misgivings, my final assessment on this one was quite favourable. Like a nice ruby red grapefruit, sweetness, tartness, and bitterness are all present. While I didn't get the up-front citrus pop I was expecting, the cumulative impact was pretty decent. Would I buy it again? Definitely. Would I buy it again tomorrow? Not likely. Was it as good as Refined Fool's standout Short Pier, Long Walk Double IPA? Not a chance.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.