Amidst my holiday celebrations, one of the things I planned to do was catch up a bit on some of the beer that have come out in recent weeks and I simply haven’t had the time to properly sample and take notes.

Case in point: Alley Kat Blue Dragon, the latest in their Dragon Single-Hop Double IPA Series. Made exclusively with Columbus hops, Blue is actually a reprise from their second (I believe?) in the series. I had a pint a couple weeks back in a pub while visiting with a friend, but couldn’t really stop to break it down. At the time I know I enjoyed its unafraid hop character balanced with drinkability.

I got to a bottle the other day during a rare moment of quiet at my house. I didn’t review it the first time around, so thought I should give it a go this time.

It pours dark gold verging on pale orange. A decent white head leaves nice rings of lace. I swear it seems lighter than previous versions but that could be my memory playing tricks on me. The aroma is actually fairly subdued. I pick up some pine and hints of citrus, light biscuit and fruitiness.

In the sip, I get toffee, biscuit and a sweet fruity note at first. The body is moderate – balanced and pleasant but could be a bit bigger to suggest the heft of the beer. The middle offers an earthy transition into the hops, which kick in about half-way. They start off as bright citrus and pine and build into an assertive bitterness. By assertive I don’t mean big, I mean self-confident, if that makes any sense. The linger is resiny with a counter of some earthiness.

I see why my first pint a couple weeks back went down so easily. It offers a clear C-hop character but not so big it inhibits socializing. I could appreciate the flavour without it interfering with our conversation (politics, good beer, why the Oilers suck – you know, the usual).

The Dragon series beer have proven themselves to be a great vehicle for displaying the different qualities of hops. I have learned a lot from the series and hope they keep exploring hop varieties they haven’t tried before (I promise to help with colour selection if that is the issue). Some argue that the beer seem conservative for a Double IPA. Those observers have a point. These are not the most assertive, in-your-face DIPAs you will find. In part this is because they are committed to being single-hop beer, which makes it much harder to create a hop bomb. Most big double IPAs have three, four, eight different hop varieties in them. Restricting yourself to one hop limits your flavour options.

More importantly, the criticism misses the point. We need not always be on the search for the perfect beer, the classic example of X or Y style. Sometimes it is okay to appreciate a beer for what it is. In the case of the Dragon Series, they are interesting experiments in highlight a single hop variety. And in that respect, they work. Sure, they could be bigger and more assertive, but I suggest to you that would reduce their ability to showcase the flavours and aromas of the hop. It would get lost among all the IBUs.

Others may disagree, but I approach each new Dragon from the perspective of learning what the hop has to teach me. That the beer is clean, well-made and imminently drinkable is an important aspect. But I am not looking for a beer to rival Pliny the Elder (which presents as less of a hop bomb than many might think). I want a beer to accent the unique qualities of that hop. That may not be what others want, and I respect that. But that is the matrix through which I judge the Dragon Series. And in the case of the Blue, it succeeds. This is a Columbus beer all the way.

I realize it may be in short supply, given that it came out in November. If you can’t find it, I apologize. But then keep your eyes out for the next one so you don’t have to hear it from me!