Beau’s & Unfiltered Brewing drop hop-heavy EPH Bomb on Canada’s east coast
Eastern Ontario’s Beau’s Brewing Co. and Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Unfiltered Brewing have brewed a strong beer, with a strong name, for a strong cause. EPH Bomb is a certified organic 9% double IPA that will sell almost exclusively in Nova Scotia, and will raise funds for Halifax-based charity Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank.
The recipe for EPH Bomb was developed collaboratively between Beau’s brewmaster Matthew O’Hara and Unfiltered’s Greg Nash. The pair chose to dry-hop the beer extensively, and to work with Azzaca and Wai-iti hops to evoke a bright, tropical hop character. Drinkability was also a shared concept for EPH Bomb, even with it being an intense offering. “For me, drinkability is king. So when you finish a pint, you want to have another one, instead of saying, ‘yeah, that was pretty good, but what else do you have?’” explains Nash.
EPH Bomb pours hazy gold with a billowy white foam. The aroma offers pungent grapefruit pith, pine and papaya. The flavour is initially fruity, balanced by moderate bitterness. The finish is long and resinous. The brewers recommend pairing it in the backyard with glazed BBQ ribs, or on a picnic with salt-cured charcuterie meats and Gorgonzola or sharp cheddar cheese.
The lion’s share of EPH Bomb has shipped from Beau’s Vankleek Hill, Ontario craft brewery out to Nova Scotia, where it will be available in August at the NSLC while supplies last. The Beau’s booth at Halifax’s Seaport Beer Fest will be sampling EPH Bomb Aug. 11 & 12; for a sneak preview Aug. 10 craft beer fans can hit up the city’s Stillwell Beergarden for a special Beau’s Tap Takeover night. A handful of craft-friendly establishments (including Unfiltered’s tap room, Charm School) will have one-off kegs of EPH Bomb on tap during the month of August. In Ontario, only 150 bottles will be sold in the Beau’s brewery tap room, starting today.
EPH Bomb is eighth in a series of beers Beau’s Brewing Co. will brew with friends across the nation to honour Ottawa 2017, a year-long celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. As noted, a portion of sales will support Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank (www.parkerstreet.org), which assists those in the Halifax Regional Municipality requiring help to access basic necessities such as food, furniture and skills training.