Spring beers: Howe Sound "Rail Ale" Nut Brown

Spring has sprung, although in Vancouver it doesn't spring so much as gently creep along uphill, with the occasional 20-degree sunny day followed by a week of rain and hailstones. (Apologies to my friends and family in Ontario, who had a blizzard the other day.) Still, the season is here, and as seasons change I find my beer tastes change right along with them.

Spring is a time of transition between winter and summer, and for me, spring beers play that same role. A good spring beer should help drinkers transition between the big, malty flavours of winter (stouts, porters, etc.) and the lighter, more refreshing beers of summer (hefeweizens, light lagers, witbiers, pale ales). So as if by instinct I've lost interest in imperial stouts and spicy pumpkin ales, and find myself loading up my fridge with brown ales, doppelbocks, and flavourful Belgian treats.

I'm trying to acquaint myself with the beers produced in my new home, so I've been making selections from an assortment of regional breweries. And I'll be sharing here anything I particularly like. So, today's selection, from Howe Sound Brewing, is their Rail Ale Nut Brown.

Perspective hides the fact that this bottle
is friggin' enormous.