This week’s column is relatively straightforward.
It’s a pair of hoppy beers that I love from a brewery that I’m surprised hasn’t been featured in the column more.
In fact, the only other time that Penticton’s Neighbourhood Brewery has been the subject of my beer column was nearly one year ago in August 2024.
You might remember the very unique Blue Hawaiian IPA they released, taking inspiration from the cocktail that turned my blue many times in Mexico a couple years back.
Well that one was obviously a limited release, but the two hoppy beers I want to share with you today are staples of Neighbourhood’s core lineup.
That means they’ll be a lot easier to find, as they’re both in stock at BC Liquor and private liquor stores across the province.
Coming in at 6.9% ABV (alcohol by volume) and 55 IBU (international bitterness units), Way of Life is definitely Neighbourhood’s signature IPA.
But even though it’s big and bold with Citra and Amarillo hops, it still delivers a blast of juicy flavour with big notes of papaya, pineapple and mandarin orange.
“Built from the ground up to focus on aroma and a luxurious mouthfeel,” the brewery explains. “It is a taste extravaganza; it is a Way of Life.”
The fine folks at Neighbourhood say the Happy Place is inspired by their exploration of flavour.
It’s a much lighter option than the aforementioned IPA at 5.3% ABV and 36 IBU, but it’s similarly bursting with tropical fruit and vibrant flavour.
The brewery promises a luxurious mouthfeel in this one as well, achieved by a healthy dose of oats to provide a nicely-balanced pale ale.
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.
