Month: June 2017

Russian River Brewing Company Blind Pig American IPA at 6.25% ABV | 70 IBU (US$5.45 at Russian River Brewing Company, 510 ml, packaged on 9-Jun-2017, acquired 18-Jun-2017, reviewed 20-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: resiny pine, pithy citrus, caramel malt, grass, floral. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter oily finish. (4/5)

Now, that is how you do an IPA: big bitter, with just enough caramel malt for support. Slightly dank resiny pine hops lead the way over pithy citrus that coats the tongue like orange peel oils. I’d like to see better retention and lacing, but otherwise this is really exceptional. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russian River Brewing Company Redemption Patersbier / Singel at 5.15% ABV (US$4.70 at Russian River Brewing Company, 375 ml, packaged on 9-Jan-2017, acquired 18-Jun-2017, reviewed 19-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earthy yeast, pome and stone fruit, clove. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild peppery spice. (8/10) Medium-light body, soft carbonation, drying moderate bitter lightly funky finish. (4/5)

I haven’t had the opportunity to try many of this style. In particular I haven’t tried the reference beer, the Witkap Pater. I once bought one in Belgium, but it didn’t survive the baggage handler at home. (shakes fist vaguely homewards) I think I’m starting to appreciate the style, though. It’s a fairly big departure from my normal preference for highly-hopped beers, being as yeast-dominant and soft-spoken as it is, but sometimes there’s something to be said for a little less Sturm und Drang. Really pleasant. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russian River Brewing Company Ron Mexico Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 57 IBU (US$5.45 at Russian River Brewing Company, 510 ml, packaged on 14-Jun-2017, acquired 18-Jun-2017, reviewed 19-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: huge bright grapefruit, melon rind, faint pale crackery malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body tending slightly watery, clean moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Similar to Dribble Belt, both in terms of hop prevalence (albeit of somewhat different character) and in a tendency for it to drop off slightly watery. This half neomexicanus (HBC-438) is a really interesting hop and I’d like to see it in a full-strength IPA, with sufficient malt character for body. Really good, but a little too thin to quality as great. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russian River Brewing Company STS Pils Pilsener at 5.35% ABV | 33 IBU (US$5.45 at Russian River Brewing Company, 510 ml, packaged on 5-Jun-2017, acquired 18-Jun-2017, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grass, crackery malt, light citrus and floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light peppery spice. (8/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, dry crisp slightly peppery finish. (4/5)

I’m not a big fan of Pilseners in general, because I usually find them pretty boring. This one, however, is quite hoppy – perhaps too much so for a Pilsener purist. However, since I’m not a Pilsener purist, and am an unrepentant hophead, it works just fine for me! It’s still noble hops, of course, but they’re emphatic, on a clean crackery malt base, and finishes bone dry and crisp. Really quite good, and very refreshing. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

So, I finally made the pilgrimage to Russian River. In order to maximize my bang for my buck (so to speak) I decided that I would limit my draft beers to ones that weren’t available in bottles. A very enjoyable afternoon ensued, and I have to say: the hype seems to be validated. (I say “seems to be” because I still haven’t tried Pliny, Blind Pig, Consecration, or Supplication – but will, shortly.)

Dribble Belt 1.045 OG 4.50% Hoppy Session Ale – 8/10

Clear pale straw with a short white head, light soapy lacing (3/5). Resiny pine, citrus, stone fruit, light tropical fruit (9/10). Moderate sweet, moderate high bitter (9/10). Medium-light body tending slightly watery, clean moderate bitter finish (3/5). Really bright and pleasant with a nose that’s all hops and no malt, but very easy drinking. Drops off watery somewhat rapidly and definitely not one to let warm up. Totally crushable. (16/20)

Happy Hops 1.053 OG 5.50% Pale Ale – 7.5/10

Clear pale gold with a short white head, moderate soapy lacing (3/5). Mild aroma, tropical fruit, pale malt, floral, citrus (8/10). Moderate sweet, moderate bitter (8/10). Medium-light body, clean moderate bitter finish (4/5). Not as bright and hop-dominant as Dribble Belt, but on the other hand, the malt presence prevents the body from dropping off in the same fashion. Not quite as crushable, perhaps, but still a very good beer. (15/20)

Row 2, Hill 56 1.055 OG 5.80% Simcoe Hop Pale Ale – 8.5/10

Clear pale gold with a short white head, light soapy lacing (3/5). Resiny pine, citrus, caramel, tropical fruit (9/10). Moderate sweet, moderate high bitter (9/10). Medium-light body, clean moderate bitter finish (4/5). Really nice! Takes all the good bits from each of the prior two, and none of the shortcomings. The bigger malt bill means it doesn’t fall off the same way Dribble Belt does, but the hop profile is much brighter than Happy Hops. This is a seriously good APA, among the best I’ve ever had. (17/20)

Salvation 1.076 OG 6.75% Strong Dark Ale – 7.5/10

Clear amber-brown with a short creamy light beige head, minimal stringy lacing (3/5). Mild dark dried fruit, cherries, raisins & figs, brown sugar, toasty malt, earth (8/10). Moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10). Medium-full slightly slick body, mild bitter & warming finish (4/10). Solid BSDA, but very slightly understated, particularly on the nose. Definitely authentically Belgian, comparable to the various offerings I’ve had out of Quebec. (15/20)

Tempo Change 1.064 OG 7.00% India Pale Ale – 8.5/10

Cloudy, nearly opaque pale gold with a short white head, light soapy lacing (3/5). Juicy citrus, resiny pine, pale malt, tropical fruit (9/10). Moderate sweet, moderate high bitter (9/10). Medium body, clean moderate bitter finish (4/5). Hell yeah! RR does an NE/IPA! Bright and juicy, with a clean malt backbone that supports without intruding. (17/20)

Microbrasserie Le Bilboquet La Coup de Canon American Stout at 5% ABV | 70 IBU (C$6.95 at J. Webb Wine Merchant, 500 ml, packaged on 18-May-2017, acquired 30-Apr-2017, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown relief at the margins, two fingers of fluffy beige head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: coffee, anise, cacao, nuts, hint of vanilla, slight roasted ash. (8/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium-full body, soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Surprise, surprise, another decent offering from a Quebec brewery. Initially really nice on the front end, with a very pleasant combination of coffee, liquorice, and chocolate, but as the pint progresses and warms, the aromas and finish do tend slightly astringent, with a somewhat overextracted note to the coffee. In my experience that seems to be a common fault with coffee beers, and one that this beer has not entirely avoided. Still and all, a solid performer. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Microbrasserie Le Bilboquet La Nelligan Dunkelweizen at 5% ABV (C$6.95 at J. Webb Wine Merchant, 500 ml, packaged on 1-Apr-2017, acquired 30-Apr-2017, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear brown with two fingers of rocky beige head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark molasses, banana bread, mild nuttiness, faint earth and leafy weed. (8/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Medium body, soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

This is seriously interesting: I don’t think I’ve ever had a beer that was so malt-intense, yet not sweet. It’s like drinking blackstrap molasses: huge dark malt character, but very little sugar. I’m a serious hophead, but this, with essentially zero hop character, is totally my cup of tea. Give it a shot if you can. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Domino Real Estate Belgian Golden Strong Ale at 8.1% ABV (C$6.00 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 330 ml, best before 12-Jul-2017, acquired 17-Dec-2016, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, candi sugar, pome and stone fruit, spices, earth. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate-low carbonation, sweetish warming finish. (4/5)

Now this – Mikkel’s apparently random naming scheme notwithstanding – is all right. Quite a decent Belgian Strong… Golden… Pale… whatever! I can say with certainty it’s not dark. It’s strong. It’s Belgian. It’s golden. You figure it out. I like it. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Domino White Lung – Kölsch at 6.7% ABV (C$6.00 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 330 ml,course content best before 12-Jul-2017, acquired 17-Dec-2016, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: clear pale to medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready malt, light citrus, tropical fruit, hint of stone fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)

This one makes me wonder whether Mikkel not only names the beers by picking words at random, but whether he decides what style name to hang on it that way, too – after he brews it. I mean, come on, how the heck is this a Kölsch? It’s too dark, too heavy, too boozy, too pretty much everything. This is a Kölsch the way I’m a gentleman – which is to say, not even close. As one of my profs once told me, “I was torn between giving you an A for original content and an F for following the course content, so I split the difference and gave you a C – don’t appeal it.” (I quoted Metallica in a Philosophy exam I wrote while drunk. I think Mikkel was drunk when he named this.) (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Mikkelerberger American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$5.80 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 330 ml, best before 13-Jul-2017, acquired 17-Dec-2016, reviewed 17-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with three fingers of loose off-white head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, doughy wheat, pine, floral and green leaves. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (3/5)

I guess I’ve got to damn this with faint praise: it’s not bad. It’s a bit muddled, and busy, and lacking focus, but it’s not bad. Don’t get me wrong: I’ll always drink anything Mikkeller brews – but I wouldn’t necessarily go looking for this one again. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com