Author: dpatrickryan

Dandy Brewing Company Une Vieille Maîtresse Grisette / Petit Saison at 3.5% ABV (C$6.07 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 19-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pale malt, grassy hay, stone fruit, light barnyard funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter, mild funk. (7/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, crisp lightly funky finish. (4/5)

This is only the second grisette I’ve ever had, and the first one didn’t kindly dispose me towards the style. This? This… disposes me more kindly towards the style. Much more. It tastes like a light saison, which a cursory research tells me is exactly the intent, except unlike saisons brewed for farm workers, the grisette was brewed for miners. There was a lot of variation in the style, with colour ranging from blonde to amber., but the overall intent was one of a dry and refreshing ale with a low ABV – and this is pretty much that. A nice recovery drink after cycling… 🙂 (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Allagash Brewing Company Fat Tire and Friends Fat Funk Ale American Wild Ale at 5.6% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 15-Apr-2018, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 19-Aug-2016)

Appearance: hazy, nearly opaque deep gold with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: wet hay funk, bready yeast, banana, cloves. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild funk. (7/10) Medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, drying bitter and funky finish. (4/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, and finishing on a high note, vying with the Firestone one for first place in the pack. (Which is nice, because to be honest, this was starting to feel like a chore!) Some nice Belgian character from the De Dolle yeast, blending well with a clean, sharp brett funk. If NB had any sense, they’d’ve limited their collab pack to this, the Firestone, and the original, because the others just aren’t worth it. (Especially that apple thing that HUB did!) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Avery Brewing Company Fat Tire and Friends Fat Wild Ale American Wild Ale at 6.2% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 7-May-2017, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 19-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready and caramel malt, tropical fruit (mostly pineapple), banana, light musty sweat. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light funk. (6/10) Medium body, lively carbonation, off-dry bitter and lightly funky finish. (3/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, and we’re back in less impressive territory. There’s some funk there, sure, but it’s not the clean hay funk I like from brett, but instead has some musty sweat sock character. Not a lot, but enough to cause me a little disappointment. Not a very impressive wild, in any case. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Breakside Brewery _India Golden Ale_ American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV _(C$8.27 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 30-Apr-2016, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)_

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, caramel malt, tropical fruit, light floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Slightly elderly, perhaps – I’m not entirely certain of my interpretation of the smeary date stamp – but still decently hop-forward, with a pleasantly sweet caramel malt base. The fairly high ABV is well integrated, and never intrudes, making this dangerously drinkable. No, it’s not the most impressive DIPA I’ve ever had, and I’d probably like it more if it were brighter, but it’s still an enjoyable example of the style. (15/20)

7.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Breakside Brewery Liquid Sunshine Pilsner Pilsener at 5.2% ABV (C$6.50 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 13-Jun-2016, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, citrus zest, grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, crisp lightly bitter finish. (4/5)

Pretty straightforward pilsener. Decently light and crisp, with a mild noble hop bitter finish. Nothing exciting, but well-balanced and a solid example of the style. (13/20)

6.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Firestone Walker Brewing Company Fat Tire and Friends Fat Hoppy Ale American Amber / Red Ale at 6% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 20-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, caramel malt, hint of fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, but unlike the others to date, is actually pretty good. Mosaic and Citra make everything better – and there isn’t so much of either that they come across as catty, either. In fact, I’m not even getting that little oniony note that so often occurs. Good clean hop-forward fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Rhinegeist Brewery Fat Tire and Friends Fat Pale Ale Belgian Pale Ale at 6% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 13-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with a short ivory head, moderate retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready caramel malt, citrus/floral, grassy. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-light bitter. (5/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lightly bitter finish. (3/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, which continues to underwhelm. It doesn’t really do what it claims to, regardless of whether you consider it a Belgian Pale or the XPA (eXtra Pale Ale, typically described as halfway between an IPA and an APA) the label claims. Put bluntly, it doesn’t taste like a hoppy pale, but more like a malty amber, perhaps with a dash of additional hopping. Easy drinking and inoffensive, sure, but who wants to be remembered for being inoffensive? (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Tin Whistle Brewing Company Rattlesnake ESB Premium Bitter / ESB at 6.5% ABV (Gift – Doug B, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready and grainy caramel malt, floral, light grassy and citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

A decent ESB, with dominant sweet caramel malt and a mild floral/grassy hop character. Not my favourite style by a long shot, but a decent example of the style regardless. Lingering bitter makes this a little more emphatic than typical for the style, which I appreciate. Solid. Thanks, Doug! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com