Beer column: This IPA is blue, da ba dee da ba di

Yo, listen up here’s a story about a little beer that lives in a tall can…

Come on, you knew I wouldn’t be able to write about a beer this blue without referencing the world-famous song by Eiffel 65.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into this week’s feature that is one of the most unique beers that has ever graced this column.

It’s not necessarily the type of beer that’s unique, but rather the colour.

You’ve heard of green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, surely, but this creation from Neighbourhood Brewing in Penticton is blue.

It’s called the Blueish Blue Hawaiian IPA and it’s meant to be a beer version of the iconic Blue Hawaiian cocktail that is so popular in tropical destinations.

“Aloha! Close your eyes, take a sip, and we’ll transport you to Hawaii,” the brewery says, although to me the Blue Hawaiian just brings back memories of the all-inclusive resort I stayed at in Mexico.

When I was there three years ago, I’m pretty sure I drank 100 Blue Hawaiians and was close to permanently dying my tongue blue.

Like the cocktail, the beer is bursting with pineapple and tropical flavours.

It comes in with 6.3% ABV (alcohol by volume) and 35 IBU (international bitterness units), which are pretty standard numbers for an IPA.

I grabbed a four-pack of Blueish Blue Hawaiians from my local liquor store this past week because I simply had to try them out.

After my first sip, I wasn’t so sure about this beer, as I wasn’t really getting the Blue Hawaiian vibes and it felt like a bit of a mess of flavours.

However, as I settled into the beer, I was happy to discover that the first sip was an anomaly and the rest of my pint delivered a taste that was much more like I was expecting.

It may not be for everyone, but anyone who enjoys a good IPA or a Blue Hawaiian cocktail should track down this creation and try it out, even if it’s simply for the novelty of the beer!

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.