It's Wednesday (Yes?), Have A Beer

• Tristan Young @talltristan

It’s high time (April?) to discard all notions of needing a beer or having earned one. It’s 2020; time has no meaning any more, it no longer matters where it’s 5pm, lets get you a drink. For our recent episode of BORP we tried out the Cold Box dry hopped lager by Container Brewing.  Located on Franklin Street in Vancouver, Container got started just last year in 2019. Their head brew master Tim Juul comes all the way from Massachusetts to bring a bit of east coast style to our neck of the woods. Some may have a flippant or dismissive attitude towards lagers due to their perceived simplicity, but there is actually a fascinating range and nuance that goes in the myriad takes on them out there. With more steps in the brewing process than one might expect, it’s also one of the hardest to get right. Also on the topic of perception, Container Brewing opts to not list their IBUs as they are big believers in perceived bitterness- the way malts, yeast, and aromatics can accentuate or mask the bitterness of a beer- being a better indicator than calculated IBUs. The Cold Box is brewed with hüll melon hops, which has been around since 2012 and therefore relatively new to the craft beer community. While honeydew and melon are often associated with hops, which the hüll exhibits, it also has a strawberry quality that is less common. The dry hopped aroma had hints of grape juice and violets which was definitely unexpected. Distinct from that fluffy, yeast forward finish, this lager had a much smoother, slightly saccharine finish. There was also a herbaceous note that added more layers and complexity than you may expect from a lager. With those additional textures and slightly inscrutable flavour profile, it’s not exactly sessionable as far as lagers go. It is however a beer that begs for analysis and interpretation. If you are feeling mentally stunted lately, this is a great beer to try and wrap your head around.