I have been to the corner of Portage and Main, reputedly Canada’s windiest intersection. The first time it was late November and the snow swirled so intensely I felt I was being smacked in the face with hundreds of tiny BB pellets. So, maybe it is fitting that Fort Garry Brewing, as part of its Brewmaster’s Series, released a hoppy IPA after the famous street corner. Portage and Main IPA was released back in February, and, to be honest, I sampled a bottle back in April but haven’t gotten around to transforming my notes into a post up until this point (I am a bit backlogged on reviews I want to post).

Why review the beer so long after its release? Well, I believe it is still available in Alberta and I don’t often get around to reviewing Fort Garry products. Much like Big Rock and other bigger breweries, Fort Garry is attempting to re-establish some craft credibility through its Brewmaster’s Series.

Portage and Main is a medium amber hue, darker than most IPAs, and builds a voluminous, rocky white head. Nice head. The very first impression is a big, citrus hop aroma, followed by a bit of medium toffee, caramel and dark fruit bouquets.

In the taste, I pick up a moderate level of toffee and caramel upfront with a quick rising of citrusy, piney, resiny hop flavour and bitterness.In the middle the hop gets quite strong and a bit harsh, only to soften a bit at the end. The linger has more resin than citrus. I find the mouthfeel to be quite heavy and thick. This is certainly a rich, hop-forward beer.

Overall I find it possibly too assertive for the style. The body is too heavy, more like an Imperial IPA, and the hops lack subtlety. There is a harsh edge to the bitterness that is not to my liking.  The hop flavour is quite resiny, which in one way is quite attractive but also a bit sticky and slick. The beer packs a lot of flavour, but needs more finesse.

It is a decent, but not out-of-this world, IPA. The reason I wanted to write about it, though, is it is the opposite of what I was expecting from Fort Garry. Given their size, that the bulk of their product is fairly modest, and their lack of a significant track record around hops, I was expecting a timid IPA more pale ale than West Coast. The fact they went the opposite direction and produced a big, aggressive IPA is interesting, and they deserve kudos for going there.

It could be argued that I am not giving Fort Garry enough credit. Russell, the parent company, has a track record of experimentation and more willingness to go big. True. But before the Brewmaster’s Series, Fort Garry was left to produce amber ales and accessible lagers. The now regular release of one-off beer from the brewery suggests they are taking things a bit more seriously. And that cannot be anything but encouraging.