Damn “Inedit”, Barcelona, Spain (Alcohol 4.8%) LCBO $3.00 (500ml can)

A good few years back I’ll happily admit that I consumed a fair bit of this Inedit Ferran Adrià-crafted beer at Toronto’s Patria restaurant. I believe that at the time in question they had an exclusive with this particular beer, and so the other day I was quite surprised to see these lovely looking black and red cans on a recent jaunt to my local LCBO, as I had such pleasant memories of my previous experiences with it, back then from some designer glass bottles.

Upon further inspection it appears that Canadian independent Moosehead have partnered with the Damn brewery and are now distributing these Barcelona-brewed beers throughout Canada. A good thing for all of us, I believe. Having returned from Barcelona just the other day, and having enjoyed a fair bit of their Estrella in the stifling heat there, I was utterly delighted to revisit this entirely different brew from the same brewery. 

It’s presented as a “malt and wheat beer, brewed with spices”, and that’s basically what you get, albeit it in a wonderfully graceful form; a lager/wheat beer hybrid flavoured with hops, orange, liquorice, and coriander. Damn brewery created this beer not only with Chef Ferran Adrià, but with Spanish star Sommeliers David Seijas and Ferran Centelles (both of elBulli), and I believe that shows in the profile, as this is a beer built for accompanying food, and in my mind is a true gastronomic beer.

Pouring a slightly cloudy amber in the glass, the beer gives a long-lasting bright white head. The aromatics are most appealing in a fruity/spicy way: tangerine, cloves, anise, peach. The sweetness from the malt is perfectly tempered my some seriously bright acidity, and that’s what takes this beer into gastronomic territory. Absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious.

I’m so happy to see this beer in our market and in this format, as in my mind it keeps the beer so very fresh. I can see myself experimenting with food pairings quite a bit over the coming months.

4.5 apples out of 5
(Four and a half apples out of a possible five)

 

 

Jamie Drummond

Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he’s glad to see this in cans.