Posted 31 December 2006 - 01:56 PM
I brought up Phillips a while back in other discussions. I think that his IPA is the best available. He may not want to expand his production, but I'm certain he can make a fortune licensing the formula to other brewers if he does not want to physically expand his business.
The stuff just tastes good and he's got the formula exactly correct. There is just no other way to put it. I think it's a quality that is marketable worldwide. If I could get some to Ireland or Scotland or England, I'm sure they'd love it even there. The stuff in Ireland that tastes the most like Phillips IPA is Smithwick's.
I frequently find the IPA sold out at the government stores around here and have to hunt around at private stores for it. I wonder why I even bother with the government liquor store because the price is the same generally for this item. There's a liquor store in Esquimalt next to the Country Grocer that sells it discounted if you buy during the daytime, and they always seem to have it.
It's a strong brew and perhaps an acquired taste if you are used to watery or winey lagers like Canadian, Kokanee, Labatt's, etc. But if you enjoy craft beers such as the kind offered at Swans or Spinnakers, the Phillips IPA is top of the heap and you can bring it home for $10.90 a six pack. The bottles are a full 355 ml too, not the shorted 330 ml bottles I've seen prevailing these days.