Half-Truth

Half-Truth is a session IPA from Toronto's Halo Brewery. I bought a 500mL bottle from the west-end brewery during a post-Christmas visit with a couple of pals. At only 4.5% alcohol, this hazy, pale golden grog is a true session beer. It poured with a lush ecru foam, through which emerged a modestly tangy citrus nose.

In terms of flavour, Half-Truth is moderate, just. It lacks the bursting fruitiness or arid dryness of some of Ontario's finest sessions. However, in that subtleness, there are some good qualities worth crowing about. For instance, for the style, Half-Truth has a degree of balance that is uncommon--typically session IPAs tend to go full bore to achieve maximum hoppiness with a minimum of alcohol. This stuff plays its bitterness a bit closer to its vest, which makes for a slightly rounder low-velocity ale than the average session India.

While I'd have liked Half-Truth to arm itself with a bit more of a hops arsenal, I definitely respect the moderation exercised by the brewers at Halo. This is a tasty beer that, while not a hop bomb in micro, is mindful and carefully built. Plus, it does still have a bit of the short, dry finish that I wanted to find.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.