Category: Reviews

Carlow Brewing Company O’Hara’s Freebird White IPA at 5.0% ABV | 40 IBU (C$4.76 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 28-Jan-2018, acquired 17-Mar-2017, reviewed 20-Mar-2017)

Appearance: cloudy pale amber with one finger of fluffy off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: orange peel, cloves, wheat, stone fruit, light plastic/band-aid. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter, astringent, and mildly warming finish. (3/5)

This is a tough style to get right, in my experience – whether you’re talking “Belgian” or “White” IPA, the intention is to meld characteristics of Belgian-style Witbiers with IPAs, typically American-style highly hopped IPAs. I’m not all that impressed with this one: the aromas and flavours are both a bit muddled, and there’s some astringency that makes it taste a little more bitter than the 40 IBU would suggest – but worse is the hint of band-aid or plastic in the finish. It’s only a hint, so it’s not a deal-breaker, but it is another minor flaw in a beer with several. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing Collective Project: Imperial Porter Imperial Porter at 8.6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$4.79 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 473 ml, bottle date 20-Dec-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 19-Mar-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with one finger of dense beige head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate syrup, coffee, vanilla, toasted bread. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slick body, moderate-low carbonation, smooth and slick bitter and mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Solid. Sweet chocolate syrup dominates on the nose, balanced bittersweet on the tongue. Despite the inky and forbidding appearance, the body is relatively light, yet sufficient to support a moderately emphatic bitterness and a well-integrated alcohol presence that manifests only as a pleasant warming. No hesitation at all in recommending this one. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

YellowBelly Brewery Patrick’s Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 35 IBU (C$9.59 at NLC Stavanger, 1 l, best before 19-Apr-2017, acquired 17-Mar-2017, reviewed 17-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear pale to medium amber with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, pale and caramel malt, earth, dill. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)

Not the worst implementation of Sorachi Ace I’ve had, but still nothing all that impressive. Earth, dill, and spice make this slightly ponderous and heavy, just like the darker colour promises. I was pleased to find this at my local NLC, but it’s not the best annual St. Patrick’s version of the Yellowbelly Pale Ale I’ve had. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Carlow Brewing Company O’Hara’s Irish Pale Ale American IPA at 5.2% ABV | 50 IBU (C$4.76 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 28-Feb-2018, acquired 17-Mar-2017, reviewed 17-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: biscuit and caramel malt, floral and grassy hops, hint of citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

An Irish implementation of an American version of an English ale intended for Indian consumption – how many ocean crossings is that? I’m’a go with, at least one too many. That’s not to say it’s terrible, or anything – but it’s not really all that impressive, either. It claims to be dry-hopped with Cascade, but it still comes across as dominated by caramel malt and grassy noble hops. OK, but not exactly impressive. On the up side, I get to break my string of 7/10 ratings at six. Sláinte mhaith! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Carlow Brewing Company O’Hara’s Leann Folláin Irish Dry Stout at 6% ABV | 45 IBU (C$4.76 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 28-Jun-2018, acquired 17-Mar-2017, reviewed 17-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with one finger of beige head, good retention and no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dry cacao and coffee roasty malt, vanilla, hint of nut, light ash. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-low carbonation, dry mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations here – but it was actually all right. Roasted malts give a dry cacao and coffee character on the front, with a hint of vanilla and nuttiness on the way to a slightly ashy, pleasantly dry finish. I wouldn’t say no to another. Sláinte mhaith! (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Dunham _Saison Framboise_ Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 6.5% ABV | 18 IBU _(C$15.49 at Oak & Vine, 750 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 15-Mar-2017)_

Appearance: murky red with one finger of fluffy pinkish head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart raspberry, light yeast. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high tart, light bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, off-dry tart and lightly funky finish. (3/5)

Framboise? Absolutely. Saison? Ehhh… not so much. Raspberry utterly dominates, which isn’t a bad thing, particularly since it’s neither overly sweet nor artificial in character. But there’s very little Saison character here – if any, to be honest. There’s the merest hint of funk in the finish, but is almost indistinguishable from the yeast notes. On the other hand, it remains pleasant and balanced to the very last drop, which starts to look like a strawberry milkshake towards the end of the second glass! OK, if perhaps a touch pricey. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Olds College Brewery Pile Driver Double IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 85 IBU (C$9.99 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Mar-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet caramel and toffee, citrus, sticky resiny pine, tropical fruit, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, sweetish bitter finish. (3/5)

Yeah, yeah, I get it – a pile driver gets you hammered, very funny… if you’re a cheese-eating high school grad going to community college, maybe. No, I shouldn’t say that, it’s mean. I don’t intend to be mean, I have the greatest of respect for the hands-on trades. As an engineer, I’m pretty much exactly that myself – not to mention, I fancy myself a bit of a dab hand at carpentry, and not a complete incompetent at brewing. This isn’t without its charms. But it’s also a bit, well… “enthusiastic”? “Sophomoric”? “Blunt”? “Subtle as a brick upside the head”? Then again, I can’t say the label didn’t pretty much spell that out, so I guess good on them for doing exactly what it says on the tin. On the other hand, it’s perilously close to being the malt-forward style of DIPA I like to criticize, so, yeah. Ummm… carry on? (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bridge Brewing Company Black Rye India Pale Ale Black IPA at 5.8% ABV | 68 IBU (C$8.99 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Mar-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown margins, two fingers of rocky beige head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasted malt, pine, rye, citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)

Well, bonus points for balls: matching an already sharp style with rye is pretty much guaranteed to end in tears. Except, this doesn’t, not quite. It’s got an edge, yes. Matter of fact, it’s got three: the hops, the rye, and the roasty malts. (So, it’s, what, the Gillette razor of Black IPAs?) And it’s sharp, yes, but not to the point of unpalatability. (Wow, that’s a hard word to spell when you’re drinking!) This won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, granted – but I sort of like it. (Oh, and just for fun: this is Bridge Black Rye IPA, but I noticed there’s also a Black Bridge Black Rye IPA. So that’s, what, twice as black? And I’ve actually had – and enjoyed – the Black Bridge Saison Deux Fois la Taille. Dammit, now I want to try their Black Rye IPA too…) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Back Alley Brews The Grand Subduction Black IPA at 6% ABV | 64 IBU (C$8.49 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Mar-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown margins, two fingers of rocky beige head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasted malts, resiny pine, citrus, herbs, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry bitter and ashy finish. (4/5)

I get that the name is a reference to the Cascadian Subduction Zone, off the west coast, but it does come across as slightly pretentious. On the other hand, it reminds my of “The Grand Seduction” (2013) which was actually a pretty enjoyable film based in my home province of Newfoundland, so there’s that. Names aside, this is a decent example of the style, with the dark – and, yes, ashy – notes kept sufficiently in check that it doesn’t actually taste sharp and burnt, and exhibiting a balanced presence of piney resin and citrus hops. A little muddled, perhaps, but I think this style always will have at least a little of that going on. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stone Brewing Company Americano Stout American Double / Imperial Stout at 8.7% ABV | 65 IBU (C$4.99 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, bottle date 21-Feb-2016, best before 17-Nov-2016, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Mar-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown margins, two fingers of dense beige head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, mildly boozy dark fruit, vanilla, hints of citrus zest, resin, and grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-full slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, dry bitter and slightly tart warming finish. (4/5)

“A Decidedly American Imperial Stout”? So… it carries a gun and believes that stone age myths are more important than women’s rights or reproductive health? Hah! I kill me! Seriously, though, I’m a bit puzzled by the dates on this one: right above where it says DRINK FRESH OR AGE AT CELLAR TEMPERATURE, it says BOTTLED ON 21/02/16 ENJOY BY 17/11/16… so are you supposed to only age it for 270 days, or what? Or is that 270 period supposed to be the interval in which it’s considered “fresh”? And what’s with the DMY format? I mean, yeah, it’s more logical than MDY, but it’s hardly standard for the US, not to mention not as good as YMD – but then again I’m Canadian and our government uses all three so I never know what date it is. Or is it, now that they’ve got a Berlin brewery, they’re gonna get all pretentious and Yurpean, and Greg Koch is gonna pull a Madonna and start talking with a British accent? I’m so confused… One thing I’m sure of, though, is that I’d like to have gotten it when it actually was fresh, to see how the hops compared. They’re not non-existent even now, but they’re definitely fighting a rear-guard action against the big roasty malt notes. Good, but slightly neither fish nor fowl. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com