I drank two of Dr. Smurto's finest on the weekend. His Golden Ale with rye and victoria and GA W/rye, simcoe and victoria.
The victoria is on the left, the victoria/simcoe is on the right. For some reason the phot shows the Victoria/simcoe as being darker, but they were almost exactly the same colour. The difference I think was condensation reflecting the camera flash from the victoria version which was poured first. With that largely irrelevant point out of the way, let's get down to the tasting.
Both poured with a solid white head that lasted until the bottom of the glass. The victoria had a pronounced, fruity hop nose, perhaps reminiscent of very ripe peaches which has also been described as loquacious, but I wouldn't have a clue what a loquat smells like. The simcoe/victoria had a bit of the same but was boosted by a fresh resiny aroma that nicely complemented what was now a fruity undertone. Taste was pretty much as they smelled. The victoria was a pleasant mixture of spice (maybe the rye?), malt flavour and fruity hop taste. A really smooth mouth feel followed by a long lasting fruity finish. Very nice.
I was quite blown away by the simcoe/victoria version. It was very similar in mouth feel but somehow seemed crisper in flavour, aroma and taste. The combination of victoria and simcoe is a very good one with the simcoe somehow acting like a hopiness enhancer which really brings out the spiciness of the rye and makes the whole beer somehow more lively fresher tasting. A bit like the MSG in a well made chicken chow mien, the victoria only brew was nice but when tasting the victoria beer
after the vic/sim combo it just seemed a touch instinctive or perhaps missing something by comparison. Not that it was at all bad, just that the simcoe/vic version was such an excellent beer.
Both beers had a long lasting stable head, very good lacing and very refreshing without seeming thin. Salubrious drinking indeed.
2000 light beers from home.