Beer column: Bursting with tropical and citrus notes, this ISA will captivate your palate

Last week, I told you about a great new beer that I discovered at Kelowna Beer Fest earlier this month.

This week’s column also features a beer from a brewery that I was quite impressed with at the event -- Prince George’s Trench Brewing.

When I visited the friendly folks at the Trench booth, they suggested I try one of their flagship beers in the Bramble Raspberry Vanilla Wheat Ale.

It was incredibly delicious and very unique, and left me wanting more, but I’m going in a different direction for this week’s column.

I’ll say my piece about the Bramble Raspberry Vanilla Wheat Ale at the end, but first I want to highlight another Trench beer that I found two days after Beer Fest at my local liquor store.

The Bijoux Single Hop Citra ISA is an annual spring seasonal release from Trench and the brewery calls it “a masterful celebration of the Citra hop’s multifaceted character.”

If you’re unfamiliar, an ISA, or an India Session Ale, is a beer with IPA characteristics, but without the high ABV or heavy feel that typically goes with an IPA.

At 5% ABV and 20 IBU, the Bijoux is, to use a word I love to use when talking about summer beers, very sessionable.

It’s bursting with tropical and citrus notes and, as the brewery describes, “captivates the palate” with a perfect blend of mango, grapefruit and hints of lemon zest.

“Its crisp, clean finish leaves a lingering desire for another sip, making it an ideal choice for leisurely afternoons under the sun or casual gatherings where a refreshing, flavor-packed brew is a must,” Trench explains.

“With its moderate bitterness and low ABV, Bijoux Single Hop Citra ISA promises an effortlessly enjoyable drinking experience, proving once again why the Citra hop reigns supreme in the realm of hops.”

Now, the Bijoux is your classic ISA and it’s very well done, but if you’re looking for a unique beer drinking experience, go find yourself a four-pack of the Bramble Raspberry Vanilla Wheat Ale.

The American-style wheat ale is fermented on two kilograms of fresh Fraser Valley raspberries, then aged on whole vanilla beans.

The result is a refreshingly tart beer, but it’s not overly tarty and has a smooth, rich velvety finish that tastes like dessert in a glass.

These two beers could not be any more different, but they’re both delicious and will certainly hit the spot on a hot summer day, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

You should be able to find at least one of these Trench creations at most craft-focused private liquor stores around the province.

Josh Duncan is the NowMedia news director and a craft beer lover. Reach him at [email protected]. His beer column appears every Saturday afternoon in this space.