Category: Reviews

Brewsters Brewing Company Blue Monk Barleywine (2015) American Barleywine at 10% ABV | 65 IBU (C$9.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 28-Sep-2015, reviewed 7-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one fat finger of rocky light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: orange peel, bready caramel malt, dark fruit, resin. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full slightly slick body, soft carbonation, lingering bitter and warming finish. (4/5)

A decent implementation of the style: the double-digit alcohol is definitely present, but not solventy or excessively hot, and there are pleasant citrus, dark fruit, and hop notes present. I suspect the year’s cellaring has helped mellow this out, and in any case certainly hasn’t hurt. I’m interested to see how the bourbon barrel-aged version of this compares. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Naparbier Crimson Bird Saison with Raspberries Saison at 6.1% ABV (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #7, 330 ml, bottle date 20-Jul-2016, best before 31-Jul-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 7-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy pinkish pale amber with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: raspberry, citrus, lightly vinous yeasty funk. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, light bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, off-dry tart slightly funky finish. (3/5)

Not really all that Saison-ish: the raspberry tart dominates, and any funk is left far behind in its dust. Plus, there’s the old familiar argument about the appropriateness of high(er) ABV’s in Saisons. As a fruit beer, it’s not bad, but as a Saison, it’s a bit of a muddled mess. Still and all, not a bad little drink. And I guess I have to give points for a seriously metal label! \m/(-.-)\m/ (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Great Divide Brewing Company Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Russian Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV | 75 IBU (US$10.99 at Knightly Spirits Williamsburg, 650 ml, bottle date 10-Feb-2016, acquired 1-May-2016, reviewed 6-Dec-2016)

Appearance: solid unrelieved black with one fat finger of dense creamy dark brown head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, coffee, roasty malt, dark fruit, grassy. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full viscid body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and slightly astringent warming finish. (4/5)

Damn. Big and bombastic, with enough of a battle royale going on between the sweet and bitter (with the added sideshow of the espresso/coffee) that you’re completely distracted from the high ABV. And when I say “milk chocolate”, I ain’t lying – the head smells and tastes (and feels!) pretty much exactly like a chocolate milkshake. This is really good, verging on great, but I can’t help but wish I had tried the non-espresso version first. Not just because I prefer to try the original before trying variants, but also because in this case I think the espresso might be adding some astringency to the finish that otherwise might not have been there. I rather suspect the base beer has enough complexity that the added coffee notes weren’t strictly necessary. Ah, well – maybe on my next trip to the Excited States. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Privatbrauerei Loncium Sweet Krampus Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 7% ABV | 25 IBU (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #6, 330 ml, best before 18-Jul-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 6-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of loose beige head diminishing rapidly to a persistent cap, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malt, dark dried fruit, vinous red berries, coffee, caramel, cinnamon, orange peel. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body tending watery, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly thin mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Nice. At day 6 of the Advent calendar, we finally get what I would consider to be both a seasonally-appropriate style, and a decent beer. The usual suspects disagree regarding the precise style (no, Untappd, it isn’t a Stout) but I consider this a reasonable example of a BSDA. It’s not without its flaws – I’d like to see better head retention and lacing, the body tends to fall off to watery a bit suddenly, and that seems to make the finish a bit thin and sharp – but it’s not bad at all. In particular, for a 7% beer, the ABV really doesn’t make any impression whatsoever, other than a mild warming in the finish. Plus, it’s named after a demon who beats misbehaving children, so what’s not to like? Solid. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Inveralmond Brewery Ltd. Inspiration #2 Series De Mons Belgian Abbey Belgian Pale Ale at 6% ABV | 18 IBU (Craft Beer Advent Calendar #5, 330 ml, best before 30-Apr-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 5-Dec-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: apples, grassy, light dried fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, light bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (3/5)

“Belgian Abbey”? I don’t think so. Reminds me of a typical ESB, more bready than fruity, with slightly more alcohol warming and a slight slickness in the body. I don’t know what other reviewers are trying, but this doesn’t even approach proper conformation for the style. That said, it isn’t unpleasant in its own right. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery RDF Hefe Hefeweizen at 5.7% ABV | 25 IBU (C$8.05 at Mill Street Brew Pub St. John’s, 945 ml, bottle date 3-Dec-2016, acquired 3-Dec-2016, reviewed 5-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, wheat, light pepper. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild spice. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter and slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Well, the name is eminently appropriate for this province (“RDF” = “Rain, Drizzle,and Fog”, a.k.a our typical weather) even if the style isn’t particularly. (I don’t think it’s even possible to grow wheat in Newfoundland, largely because if the prevalence of RDF!) A fairly solid Hefe, with big banana presence at the outset, and a surprising amount of bitter for the stated 25 IBU, probably emphasized by the slightly astringent finish. Not quite as smooth and easy as I like to see in this style, but pleasant enough. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The TicketyBrew Company Rose Wheat Beer Wheat Ale at 4.7% ABV (Craft Beer Advent Calendar #4, 330 ml, best before 31-Jul-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 4-Dec-2016)

Appearance: nearly opaque cloudy straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: rose water, citrus, wheat malt, hint of ginger. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, light bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, clean drying and tart finish. (4/5)

Day 4 of the advent calendar brings a seriously oddball little beer in the form of a rose-flavoured Weissbier/Berliner Weiss (but, bear in mind that for me, “odd” isn’t necessarily a pejorative). Certainly this is the first time I had a beer that smelled and tasted like Turkish Delight, but I can’t say it’s disappointing. Matter of fact, the more I think about it, the more it occurs to me that this isn’t wildly dissimilar from a Berliner Weiss “mit schuss”, albeit more floral than the typical herbal character of Woodruff. The rose character is a little overwhelming, though, and I think I’d like it more if it were just a tad less emphatic – but it’s pretty fine as it is. (And, by the by, this could be a crystal-clear straw if that’s your thing, but I tend to follow the German Beer Institute’s recommendation – and that of the brewer – by swirling the bottle and dumping in the lees.) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Teerenpeli Panimo & Tislaamo Laiskajaakko Dunkel at 4.5% ABV | 25 IBU (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #3, 330 ml, best before 31-Mar-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 3-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fine light beige head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: smoke, sour rye, dark fruit, bready malt, coffee. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light sour. (5/10) Palate: medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, short duration mild bitter and slightly tart finish. (3/5)

Well, let that be a lesson to me in getting what I ask for, huh? Day 3 of the advent calendar definitely brings a more Christmassy/wintery style, no question. Unfortunately, it’s not all that great an example of the style. I’m not entirely sure what it is about the blend of flavours here that’s not really working for me, but I think it’s the sour rye-like note. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good rye beer, and that sourness can really work in some styles. Here, though, it’s present more as an off-flavour of smoked malt, detracting from the fruit and breadiness. It’s not terrible, and I suppose one might learn to appreciate it, but I can’t say I do, much. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Camba Bavaria GmbH Bavarian Winter American IPA at 5.8% ABV (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #2, 330 ml, best before 13-Apr-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 2-Dec-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy white head, excellent retention and soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, pine, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

Ooookay…so on day 2 of the calendar, we’ve moved from an Italian interpretation of an APA, to a German version of an A/IPA… which I guess is a step in the right direction, moving up in ABV and slightly heavier in body, so the trend to “real Christmas beer” continues. More important, however, is the fact that this is really a decent beer in its own right. Surprisingly so, actually, given my track record with European interpretations of this style. Lots of starts-with-C hop character has survived the transatlantic then transcontinental travels surprisingly well. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Birrificio del Doge APA American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #1, 330 ml, bottle date 1-Mar-2016, best before 31-Mar-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 1-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, grassy/floral, pale malt, light pine. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-low carbonation, short duration mildly bitter and watery finish. (3/5)

An Italian version of an American Pale Ale, huh? That’s how you want to start the Advent calendar? That’s what screams “Christmas” to you? Well… it’s not terrible. I guess. And though the body drops off from light, to positively watery in the finish, there’s a nice little bitter in there. A bit more of a Golden Ale than an APA in my opinion, but really both styles are so broad as to have little realistic meaning. Might’ve been better fresh, but at this point it’s not as bright or hoppy as I’d like to see. (And mine’s been stored cold for the past two months – I doubt those who kept their calendars in the closet are having a better experience!) Thinking optimistically (hoptimistically?) maybe this is the light and breezy start to a sequence that gets progressively beefier during the run-up to the big day? Maybe? Hopefully? (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com