True North India Pale Ale - Magnotta Brewery

DuffDry

Ontario (Canada)

4.95/5  rDev +32.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is one of my favorite IPA`s it smells very fruity and flowery has a sweet taste to start then finishes nice and hoppy. As a plus its under $20 for 12 what more can you ask for. I highly recommend this beer for someone wanting quality / locally brewed great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 03:30:18 | More by DuffDry

MattyV

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Rather pale looking, golden-straw with a touch of orange and a thin soapy white head
Nose is subtle, but picking up a mixture of bready malt and some earthy, spicy hops.
The malt provides some bready/caramel flavour, but the hops take over slightly with an earthy/floral bitterness. There's also a toasty quality that prevails throughout that I'm having trouble trying to describe. Nice crisp, almost sharp finish with a pleasant light floral hop aftertaste.
Decent medium body, a bit slick, average carbonation.
A nice dependable IPA. Won't knock your socks off, but a great beer for the price (19.99 for a 12-pk). One of my usual pick-ups when I stop in at TBS. These guys have impressed me with their homebrew options (FestaBrew) and now this-- keep it up.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 05:41:05 | More by MattyV

treque

Mexico

3.53/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pale traslucent yellow in colour, a tiny white head which disipates quickly altough some at the very top neves dissapears. small bubbles on the constant carbonatation, some waste is sticke to the glass

S: some hop and clove are noticed

T: extremely refreshing, crisping on tongue, the biterness is always present, at the beginning is soft as the beer is sallow the intensity increase, at the end is very deep, the clove appears at this time, the end is long and a little bit chewy

D: easy to drink more than 2 in a hot day for sure

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 04:53:21 | More by treque

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a copper-orange with a finger of white head and nice lacing surrounding the glass. Smells of earthy and floral hops with a small caramel malt swetness. Flavour is quite bitter for an English IPA, nice hop kick to it while still being quite balanced. Nice carbonation level. I kept meaning to go to The Beer Store to try this and I'm glad I finally did.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 22:07:54 | More by kwjd

karait95

Mexico

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: An intense yellow color with a nice creamy head that dissipates almost completely.

S: Really nice hops aroma with a touch of floral smell complex combination but pleasant to the nose.

T: Bitter sensation since the beginning through the end, an extremely intense flavor but not to pleasant.

M: A dry bitter finish that last enough a little to bitter that makes the sensation no the best for the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 00:23:30 | More by karait95

Beervis

Ontario (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light straw color with large bubbles and a somewhat rocky white head that quickly fades.

Smell is almost non-existent, possibly maybe a whiff of sweet malt.

Taste is pretty clean, with a very light body, slight alcohol, but almost no bitterness.

Mouthfeel is very thin and clean, with not much body there at all.

This beer is very drinkable, but doesn't really show any signs of bitterness until it warms quite a bit. I was very disappointed with this one, as after reading some favorable reviews on here, I was expecting more.

In my opinion, there is no way that this should be classified as an IPA, as it barely shows signs of being an ale.

Howeverm, it is a decent, drinkable, session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2010 14:55:44 | More by Beervis

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Clear gold with a moderate rocky head.

S - Nose is sweet and a bit of citrus. Slight caramel.

T - Lightly toasted with a strong bitter edge. A bit of citrus hop, and bare touch of coffee.

M - Medium all around. Smooth enough, with a bit of an edge.

D - Good drinkability. Well balanced and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 19:46:42 | More by allergictomacros

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a darker gold, but still rather pale for an IPA. Nice white bubbly head settles to a thin film which leaves decent lacings all the way down. Visibly carbonation.

Some very strong malt right up front in the aroma, almost whiskey-like. Hops make their prescense known with a nice burst of piney goodness.

Some very bitter citrus right up front, quickly settles to a lasting, resinous, pine flavour. Very resinous, this one really coats the mouth. Malt seems quite grainy, I was expecting a good deal more fruit, but am having a hard time picking up any sweetness. Overall English Impression, but the English malt just doesn't seem to be there.

I'm torn over the mouthfeel. I feel like the carbonation is a bit much, but it certainly accentuates the hops on the tongue.

A great buy, diamond in the rough at the BS. One of those Canadian IPAs that take from both the American and English styles.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2009 21:38:39 | More by CanuckRover

bartle

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A light golden to orange body with a nice white cap head that seems fairly thick and decent retention. It laces nicely down the glass.

It smells of citrus and pine, but there is a bit of an apple sent lurking in between. Mildly Diacetyl. Not offensive in any way.

It has a good dry citrus snap on first sip, some very light sugary carmel tones and a nice floral aftertaste. A good balance of bitterness with malt. The alcohol isn't up in your face which I was expecting with an ABV of 6.5%

The body is rich and full for the style. Moderately carbonated, crisp, not too dry, smooth and very drinkable.

This is a good bang for the buck. The style is right on. The colour seems a little light for me, but it holds a lot of the other characteristics I enjoy in an english IPA. this won't be the last time I buy this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 01:02:21 | More by bartle

hegelec

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 12 oz bottle emptied into a branded "Innis and Gunn" glass (sort of a footed, tapered pint glass).

Pours a dark yellow with a nice 1/2" white head that recedes into a modest collar. Good lacing.

Smell is bready malt and noticeable hop, with hints of pine needles and a slightly rusty note. Definitely above average.

Taste is very good. Hop-forward (obviously), but this is not an American IPA. Hops are more floral and a little earthy (muddy?), as opposed to the clean, citric flavour of Cascade etc. common in West Coast examples. Exquisitely balanced ... sweet and caramelly upfront, giving way to a dry, rather bitter, and somewhat tart finish. Metallic aftertaste. I reiterate ... very good.

Fullish mouthfeel with average carbonation, though the richness and higher ABV don't quite make this a session beer.

Overall, both unique and tasty. This has the edge over many English versions of the style I've tried, which are generally lower ABV and more timidly hopped. Magnotta have a real winner on their hands here. This is as close to the "genuine article" when it comes to EIPA as you're likely to find in Ontario ... and better yet that it comes from a local brewer. Until I taste BrewDog's Atlantic IPA, this is my benchmark for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 07:12:08 | More by hegelec

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aside from Southern Tier IPA and Dogfish Head 60 Minute, this is the best retail IPA in the Ontario beer market. Caramel, fruit, and spicy hop flavours are balanced with a bready, biscuit malt aftertaste. Smooth and crisp in the body with a pleasantly dry finish. Huge drinkability, though the alcohol is fairly prominent. True North deserves credit for crafting the only session IPA available at The Beer Store. They also get points for affordability - a 12 pack is under $20. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 17:02:44 | More by cratez

seand

California

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a large red wine glass.

A: Pours a clear yellow-ish amber with 2 fingers of bubbly white head, which subsides leaving some foam on the surface and around the edges of the glass. Good lacing.
Though it doesn't have much to do with the beer once it's in my glass (and I didn't count it in my score), the bottle itself doesn't look all that great. The label looks almost like a discount lager to me.

S: Subtle sweet hops.

T: Relatively balanced, definitely hop-forward, but not overwhelming. Subtle hop aftertaste.

M: Smooth, well carbonated. Crisp, quite dry.

D: Easy to drink, if maybe slightly too dry.

While I probably wouldn't seek this out if it weren't easily available, I'd recommend picking up a 12 pack if it's distributed near you. It's very good, and not too expensive.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2009 01:00:57 | More by seand

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours kind of a murky amber colour with a thin white head, some nice retention.

The first thing I smell is piney hops, citrus hops with some nice bready malt undertones.

Tastes pretty hopy, citrus, not too overpowering but balanced very well with a nice malty backbone. Biscuity malts come through as well as some grapefruit. Leaves a very nice hoppy aftertaste.

Pretty smooth mouthfeel, not too carbonated, pretty drinkable IPA. This is definately better than the last time I had it, this is without a doubt one of Ontarios best IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2009 19:24:28 | More by GodOfBeer

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a medium to pale amber with a so-so head that fades into a thin film and minimal lacing. Smells of earthy, very slightly citrus hops with a faint bready malt. It's well balanced with some a leafy, spicy hops and caramel malt. The first few sips had a nice, biscuity finish which dissipated with every sip. At 6.5% I don't taste the alcohol, but on an empty stomach I could feel it a little towards the end so I don't know that I could session this (which is too bad considering it only came in a 12 pack). It has an unusually smooth and creamy mouthfeel for an IPA with some faint carbonation. A decent enough English IPA if a bit mellow and unchallenging.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 22:39:03 | More by MeisterBurger

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Early spring daffodil which means this is quite light for either a New World interpretation or an Old World rendering of an India Pale Ale. Any sort of golden overtone is dismissed when held into the light. Its complexion is pale and markedly clear. The head is a little lack luster although the envelopment also manages to plaster tiny dots all along the sides of the glass.

The nose is definitively hoppy but not in any sort of American way - no citrus, no zest, no C-hops here. This is a musty, herbal, earthy kind of hoppiness. It's truly bitter smelling and not floral or tangy citric like newer depictions. The hop smell is incredibly pungent and grassy as though just picked from the vine. Their character is noble and English, perhaps German, but certainly not the grapefruit, orange or pine of America's north-west.

And it tastes like a true, classical example of the style as well. It is abundant with biscuity malts. There is no accurate way of describing the flavour without mention of these doughie, crisp, incredibly biscuit-like malts. There's also a bit of caramel, a bunch of nuts and a handful of honeyed oats. All this is quickly chucked out with a wave of pungent, grassy bitter hops. When Magnotta calls this a "Classic European Style" they couldn't be more right.

The ratio of malt and hop is far more evenly balanced in a more European version like this. I wouldn't say that makes it any more drinkable than the over-the-top hoppy American offerings, in fact, I greatly, vastly prefer those ones. That said, most craft brewers and craft drinkers have forgotten about those more subtle classical examples. These more moderate ales still have a place in the fridge and I'm happy Magnotta continues to offer it.

A fresh sample can be quite hard to come by but like a true English style IPA this seems to sustain both age and unideal storage conditions. Like all of this brewery's beers it is very well made and exemplary for its style. Of all the beers in my home province this has long been among those I'm most proud of. As much as I'd love to have an uber hoppy American style IPA offered in this market, I'm quite content we have a well made classic English style one.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 02:49:40 | More by biegaman

ThatWineGuy

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yes, indeed, an India Pale Ale brewed in our own backyard, purchased fresh from the brewery, it's worth the drive to Vaughan. Generous fluffy white head had good staying power, nice ring, some lacing. Hoppy smell nowhere near as big as American counterparts but there is a floral, citrus, hoppiness there. Taste like an IPA alright, hoppy presence, bitter middle and finish; citrus inspired flavours flirt with your tastebuds. With air, the malty caramel comes out. This is the third True North product I've had recently and I think they've got something good going on at Magnotta Breweries.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 01:49:02 | More by ThatWineGuy

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

From the brewery description:
"An ultra-premium all-malt classic English-style India Pale Ale at 6.5% alc./vol. Enticing deep gold colour. Nutty malt aromatic nuances with spicy, grassy and fruity hop aromas achieved by dry hopping. Spicy, grassy and fruity hop flavours are combined with an assertive bitterness and mellow smooth malt flavour. Typical yeast-derived ale fruitiness and warming alcohol make this India Pale Ale a true-to-style classic. Enjoy with mulligatawny soup, roast beef, meat pies and stews, cajun fish, curry dishes and spicy foods, haggis, and strong cheddar and blue cheeses."

This Canadian IPA pours a nice burnished gold with a medium white head, that soon diminishes down to a film, but leaves some intermittent lacing. The flavour contains a melange of caramel, biscuit fruit and leafy hops. The bitterness is definitely not overpowering, and very mild compared to an IPA from south of the border, but it makes its mark nonetheless. The aroma gives off bready notes, with hops also evident. The mouthfeel is satisfyingly creamy and medium bodied, with great active carbonation. Great drinkability on this English-style IPA!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2009 04:53:25 | More by bobsy

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased at their vaughan location.

pours crystal clear golden yellow colour with a small dense white head. the head quickly drops to a ring around the glass. spotty lace.

aroma is nice. bready malt. hint of alcohol. just a touch of dms. light caramel sweetness. nice earthy and herbal hops. hint of citrus.

taste is good. medium-low bitterness level. big biscuit malt dominating. bit of alcohol. earthy and herbal hops. just a touch of grapefruit.

mouthfeel is good. medium carbonation level. medium body.

drinkability is good. this is a solid english ipa, well balanced and enjoyable. it's not a particularly spectacular beer, but a good choice that fits the style well.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2007 20:33:49 | More by grub

sstackho

Ontario (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

341mL bottle purchased from The Beer Store in Toronto. I sampled this at the Fort York Festival of Beer and was pleasantly surprised, so I thought it was worth seeking out in the bottle. Pours a pale gold with some carbonation. Minor aroma. The flavour is reasonable, but not nearly enough hops. There's a slight bitterness bite, but not enough of it. Another Canadian "IPA" that doesn't come close to its Yankee counterparts.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2007 02:54:17 | More by sstackho

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Acquired via trade from biegaman, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright amber color with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of pale hops, spice, some citrus and a nice background of caramelized malt.

T: The taste pretty well-balanced, with flavors of caramel, spice and light malts. The hops presence is complimentary but not over-powering and eventually exerts a slight dominance. The after-taste is slightly bitter.

M: Smooth and very crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easy, not too filling, good kick, nice representation of style, although I’m more partial to the American style, this is one of the better EIPA’s that I’ve had. It’s a good beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2007 03:11:07 | More by TheManiacalOne

leftmindedrighty

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.5oz bottle received in a trade with biegaman

Smell, sharp hop bite in the nose, very raw hops. Little bit of sweetness, but not much.

Taste, different than what the smell indicated. Big hop bill, but very well balanced. While there is a great hop bite, it has a very smooth flavor. I can taste that these are not American hops, the flavor is definitely European. And it’s great to be able to get such a concentrated taste of those European hops.

Overall, this was an excellent IPA, and was a great bonus from biegaman, if only I could get my hands on these regularly.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2007 21:48:04 | More by leftmindedrighty

fisherman34

Manitoba (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pale orange/ dark gold in colour. Understated yet pleasant aromas of citrus and grassy hops and both lightly toasted and caramel malts. There’s a great mix of spicy, grassy, and citrusy hop flavors going on, along with some more of that lightly toasted domestic malts. Slightly heavier than medium bodied with a firm, but not overpowering, bitterness. This well behaved IPA isn’t going to knock you out with over the top hop aroma or bitterness, but there’s a fair bit of complexity here that some of the more brash IPAs lack.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2007 14:51:31 | More by fisherman34

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

First time I had a chance to try this IPA on tap...I have had a soft spot for it since trying a bottle some 4 years ago...I consider it to be the best bottled IPA in distribution in Ontario.

The draft was a bit of a letdown as I suspect it had been open for a while and past it's prime.

None the less I got the brilliant orange-gold color with the distinctive puffy white cap that lasts and laces the glass.

The nose was not as bright as some fresh bottles I'd had..but the bready grassy notes were there

The chewy malts were still upfront and within miliseconds the hops show to give almost total bamance...thesse are cascades but they are used in such a way that the bitterness they add is not pervasive...it lets off in the finish.

Still a great session IPA and still my favorite Ontario craft IPA

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2007 00:12:24 | More by pootz

CrazyMike

Alberta (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Apperance is a very dark red accompanies by a moderate, yet, pleasent smell.

The taste is sweet and grainy. The texture is thick and the taste is brought down by bitter hops. This all accompanied with an alcoholic kick.

Aftertaste is a bit dry and spicy.

Although this beer can be expensive, it is definatly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 01:40:47 | More by CrazyMike

wjimson

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The appearance is brownish red, a good colour in my humble opinion for IPAs. The smell is a bit lacking, but good enough for quaffing purposes.

A very wholesome malt flavour that taste fermented in nature. Nothing like malt drinks but also very good. The hop flavours is not as pronouced. The taste reminds me of light chocolate with a bit of burnt after taste. The malty aftertaste melts very nicely with the 6.5% alcohol taste.

My favourite classical pale ale. i guess i will get this one again and again.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2006 03:01:16 | More by wjimson