The Flying Monkeys Brewery is home to a variety of flavour-forward brews, including a previously reviewed beer WMD, Smashbomb Atomic IPA. Looking for a less powerful brew that’s still full of hops flavour? Check out Flying Monkeys’ Genius of Suburbia, a flavourful ISA (India Style Session Ale). Like Flying Monkeys’ other brews, Genius of Suburbia is creatively packaged with psychedelic labels on brown bottles. I grabbed a six-pack of this surprisingly light brew and enjoyed it well outside the city.
Genius of Suburbia – First Sip
I figured that this beer would be a slightly cloudy brown colour. Instead, it pours as pale as the last brew I reviewed. This beer has a relatively high level of carbonation, leaving a 1/2″ layer of head at the mouth of my glass. Genius of Suburbia’s hoppy flavour surprises me. The familiar bitterness of the hops quickly fades to a semi-sweet burnt caramel flavour. I still taste burnt caramel on this beer’s understated finish, due in part to its well-balanced mouthfeel.
This would be a great beer for someone curious about IPA’s but not yet accustomed to the punch that these types of brews usually have. Genius of Suburbia also makes a great hops-forward summer beer with an alcohol percentage lower than that of the ubiquitous summer beer Corona Extra.
Genius of Suburbia – Last Sip
As Flying Monkeys’ website advertises, this beer goes great with a variety of foods, including spicy and pub. And, since this brew comes in at a modest 3.8% ABV, it’s great for an IPA drinker looking to minimize their buzz. As a lifelong hops fanatic, I’m inclined to look for beers that pack a more significant punch. I’ve never met a light beer I liked more than this one though. Where other light brews sacrifice flavour, Genius of Suburbia retains the complex flavour of an ISA.
