Beer Zen - Nickel Brook Brewing Double Headstock

 

 Yesterday I stopped in at Nickel Brook Brewing in Burlington after work and was lucky enough to get to try their newest release, the 9.5% Double Headstock Imperial IPA, while also spending some time chatting with Founder John Romano about the state of the beer business in general and reminiscing about the years that seem to have flown by since we first met. I've been a fan of this OG Ontario craft brewer for many years, getting to know the people that work there only reinforced that feeling and when I heard this particular beer was coming out, it brought back a wave of nostalgia from when I first started trying all these "weird" beers back in 2014/15. 

  Up until the end of 2014, I was a dedicated macro beer drinker, the cheaper the better. It was about volume, not quality and I was adept at finding the best deals to deliver the quickest trip to getting drunk. As I started to wander around into craft beer, I was taken aback by the bitterness of IPAs, it threw me off just how full on they were after having spent the first 25 years of my drinking life drinking beers with nothing better than cold as a flavour description. It took me some time to understand what I was drinking and I can tell you that as I see other people get into drinking great beer at a younger age, starting out in my 40's just makes me wish I too had started sooner. It was a tremendous time in those days for me though, it seemed every week introduced me to a new style or a new brewery and I wanted nothing more than to immerse myself into the world I didn't know existed full steam ahead.

  I remember the first time I had a Headstock from Nickel Brook and really understood it. I felt an immense sense of comfort and latched onto to this West Coast IPA with all I had. It delivered everything I had come to love about beer and led me to other styles of IPA that has no doubt helped fuel my desire to keep going with everything I do in beer. There was a real feeling of adventure and anticipation in those days that remains a palpable memory whenever I think back to how eager we were to just be a part of it all. It was a glorious time I'll never forget.

  The ensuing years have seen explosive growth in both the industry and the community that surrounds it. Creativity and innovation not only happens in the brewhouse, but on social media as fans of the beers continue to find new and interesting ways to share their love of the beer they drink. It's changed a lot since I first started and I while I keep doing what it is I know how to do, I applaud and look forward to seeing the amazing stuff some people come up with to spread the good word. Having said that, it is rare that I truly get excited about a beer release, I enjoy new beers and returning seasonal ones too, but it's got to be something real big to get that feeling from so long ago to come bubbling up to the surface again.

 Double Headstock did just that.

  It was like stepping into a time machine from the first sip. A big malt bill, smooth honey like body with the bitter citrus and pine showing me you can go home again. I was immediately transported back to the early 2010's and that bold sense of change I was feeling around me. It was nostalgia mixed with wonder poured into a glass. A throwback to the days when I measured IBU as a personal challenge and beers like Nickel Brook's Immodest Imperial IPA and Sawdust City's Twin Pines shook the core of what I knew about myself. From the first sip, I closed my eyes and felt the woosh of time pass by and all the years and troubles fell away till I was left standing in a singular moment, experiencing the joy that beer can bring all over again. 

  This feeling remained as we talked over the tall boy we had split, sipping as the sun began to fade through the windows and it became time to say our goodbyes. As release date for this beer wasn't until today, John sent me home with a 4 pack and I thanked him for sharing this moment with me. We had talked about this particular idea he had for Double Headstock many years ago and it was a dream come true not just for him, but for anyone who loves Headstock too. As judged by the reaction from people when I posted it later online, delivering an Imperial version of this iconic beer is being welcomed with the fanfare it deserves. I'll be grabbing another 6 pack on my way home for the weekend tomorrow, it is something I relish, this feeling of completeness and joy. That a beer can do that, even if you're only having one, is a tremendous accomplishment and one that I hope more people can find.

Polk

February 8th, 2024