Common Loon

After spending a disheartening evening watching my Toronto Blue Jays being cruelly bounced from the MLB playoffs, I had a powerful thirst, and I thought that an Ontarian pale ale done up in a blue can would suffice to slake it. Common Loon was an American pale ale from the Bobcaygen Brewing Company. According to the 473mL vessel in my hand, the 4.8%, 36 IBU concoction was created in Bobcaygen, but brewed in Ottawa.

My ale was a hazy golden number that poured with a persistent off-white foam. Its nose was metallic and grainy, and its flavour followed a similar course. There were some sweet, bready notes along for the ride, before a curious turn toward noble hops bitterness that put me in mind more of a pilsner than a pale ale.

Absent from Common Loon were the fruity or floral hops notes that I expected to find, though there were some decidedly hoppy floral notes that helped it attain its 36 IBU listing. Crisp and friendly enough as the flavour was, I had a hard time with the APA designation afforded to this ale. A pale ale, certainly, but not all that American in style. I found it to be an agreeable ale, but not one that lived up to its pedigree. The million dollar question: Would I buy it again? Sure. I most definitely would and most certainly will. However, I wasn't blown away.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.