HALIFAX, NS – Labatt Breweries has announced a new addition to the Alexander Keith’s Hop Series, a series of single-hop ales that launched last year with versions made using Cascade and Hallertauer hops, and continued in late 2013 with a Galaxy hops edition.
The fourth beer in the series is Saphir Hop Ale, a 5.5% abv all malt pale ale brewed with Saphir hops, a German-bred varietal that “imparts a hint of sweet black tea with a hoppy tang of tangerine.”
Keith’s Saphir Hop Ale was launched in late September in select markets, and has now rolled out across the country, with formats and pricing varying from province to province. For availability details in your area, check with local retailers and licensees.
I just tried Saphir the other day. It’s nothing too spectacular but it’s nice to see the traditional breweries taking a crack at something different. I’d say it’s the second best of the series so far, behind Hallentauer.