Brewview#21: Dibble No.4 Lock IPA Series by Big Ditch Brewing Company

Back again with another Brewview, this one featuring No.4 of Big Ditch Brewing Company’s Lock IPA Series. Named Dibble in tribute to a Lockport canal engineer, Orringh “Orange” Dibble, who invented a crane that was horse drawn to remove debris from the Erie Canal during its excavation.  Just like the No.3 363, Dibble is also a New England IPA, known for their hazy appearance and juicy refreshing flavor. I happen to have two cans of Dibble on hand for this Brewview, so I’ve taken the leisure of cracking one open already. So it’s going to be a good time I am sure.

Brewer’s introduction

“This beer, brewed with Hallertau Blanc, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops, features an up-front blast of bright orange and grapefruit aroma and flavor, with just a hint of bitterness, and a slight earthy and floral finish.”

Now like I said before, I’ve already cracked a can open and just  few sips in I am getting a sense of what Big Ditch is inferring with the above statement provided on the can. But can we leave it at that? I think not, I feel as if that would be an injustice to all the time, effort, and skill provided during the brewing of  Dibble.  With that being said, please continue to read on as I do a deep dive into what this beer truly has to offer.

The Beer: Dibble No.4 Lock IPA Series by Big Ditch Brewing Company

ABV: 6.3% IBU: 41

Hop Profile: Hallertau Blanc

Amarillo

Simcoe

Malt Profile: I did some digging and to my misfortune I was unable to find what malts were used in this beer. Alas, we will persevere!

Yup, that first can of Dibble is going down easily, as to be expected. I’m sure many would agree this is a beer that can be easily drank in a somewhat large quantity. In a responsible manner of course, unless you’re at home. In that case, please enjoy in mass quantity.

Can To Glass

Just from opening the can I got exactly what Big Ditch spoke of in their description, orange and grapefruits aromas. Then again, just by looking at the hop profile it was not terribly difficult to find the hops responsible for these aromas. Both the Amarillo and Simcoe hops are well known for their citrus  and tropical fruit aromas. If one were to sit and take a moment to enjoy the pleasant aromas this beer has to offer, it might be possible to enjoy a slight pine aroma. Not enough to be overly aggressive, but just enough to compliment the other aromas mentioned.

Besides the aromas, there is a bit more worth mentioning. After proceeding from the can to a glass, Dibble provides us with a two finger width head. Though it may not have lingered for long, it still left behind the well known bubble residue on the sides of the glass. Appearance wise, this beer is everything it is expected to be–hazy. You’re not going to see too much, if anything, through this beer. In my past experience this is essential for New England IPAs.

Enjoyment Phase

Well done Big Ditch. So far Dibble has lived up to its place among the Lock IPA Series, with its amazing aromas and appearances. That leaves one thing left, how does it taste? Simple, delicious. But why stop there?

Again, matching Big Ditch’s description Dibble gives a delicious orange and grapefruit flavor with a slight earthy and floral finish. Though if one was to explore the flavors a bit more, there is more to be offered. I’m thinking the Simcoe hops bring in a bit more of their dank characteristics. I definitely find myself picking up on some pine and dank flavors. All of which I find the Simcoe hops to be responsible for. But what about those other flavors spoken of previously? I’m confident the citrus and grapefruit flavors are provided by both Simcoe and Amarillo hops.  Both providing Dibble with it’s juicy New England IPA characteristic. The slight earthy and floral finish spoken of previously I’m thinking are provided by the Hallertau Blanc hops, known for its earthy and herbal characteristics.

Final two components, body and bitterness. Deciding upon the proper body description is quite the task. I don’t want to take the easy way out, but I’m sitting in between a light and medium body. Though I find myself weighing more towards a medium body, only because the slight resinous feeling I’m getting tends to linger for a good amount of time. With that being said, let’s talk bitterness. The designated IBU rating is 41 on Untappd with no clarification on the can. I’d say 41 is a good rating, though some of the hops used do have a higher alpha acid percentage. Yeah, the bitterness is not terribly strong, though you still have a reminder of what beer you drank. It has simple floral and earthy components that I find dwindle with time and should not be offensive with your next beer of choice.

Conclusion

Wow, Dibble is quite a delicious beer, as well as fun to conduct a Brewview  with. Thank you Big Ditch. Bringing everything together, this beer is in my opinion an easy 4.5/5. With that being said, I am quite critical of New England IPAs, though they are not my favorite I find Dibble to be up there with my top rankings. Just all around delicious and refreshing with it’s aroma introductions to it’s bitter conclusions. Dibble is an easy drinking beer, one that I could easily blow through quite a few. Well done Big Ditch on another addition to the Lock IPA Series!

Cheers!