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Howe Sound Brewing Megadestroyer Imperial Licorice Stout – Imperial Stout at 10% ABV | 75 IBU

Howe Sound Brewing Megadestroyer Imperial Licorice Stout Imperial Stout at 10% ABV | 75 IBU (C$11.35 at NLC Stavanger, 1 l, no bottle date or best before, acquired 6-Oct-2016, reviewed 6-Oct-2016)

Appearance: clear deep brown, two fingers of fluffy beige head, excellent retention and minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: liquorice, roasty malt, coffee and chocolate, burnt sugar. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Full slightly oily body, moderate-soft carbonation, drying and warming lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Surprisingly well behaved for a massive behemoth, like an 800 pound gorilla who could rip your arms off and beat you to death with them, but instead wears a top hat and monocle, and argues philosophy with you. He still gets his way, mind you, because you’re terrified of him. Well, this beer has its way with you, eventually. How could it not? In one bottle, you’ve got the same alcohol content as a six pack of “normal” beer. But then, why be normal, right? And I love black liquorice, so this is definitely my cup of tea. The liquorice does come through loud and clear, and yes, dominates, but again in that understated fashion that allows the roasted malt coffee and chocolate tones to be present without being completely swamped by the liquorice. High sweetness is impressively balanced by the high bitterness so that it never becomes cloying. I like it – and I’m interested to see what will become of the second one, nestled safely in my cellar, in a couple of years. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Creemore Springs Kellerbier – Kellerbier at 5% ABV | 30 IBU

Creemore Springs Kellerbier Kellerbier at 5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$3.57 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 6-Oct-2016, reviewed 6-Oct-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber, one fat finger of ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy malt, bready yeast, honey, grassy, light citrus. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, the up side to this one was its surprising bitterness, which though not high by comparison to many modern IPAs, might well be the highest I’ve seen for any Molson product. The down side was… well… everything else. Grainy malt and bready yeast dominant the aromas, with weedy, grassy hops lurking in the background. Tastes slightly better than it smells, though, and it’s not terrible overall. Can’t see bothering with another any time soon, thoughdpr_2266-3 – or ever again. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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New Belgium Brewing Company Lips Of Faith Series Tart Lychee – Sour / Wild Ale at 7.5% ABV | 12 IBU

New Belgium Brewing Company Lips Of Faith Series Tart Lychee Sour / Wild Ale at 7.5% ABV | 12 IBU (C$18.80 at Liquor Crossing Red Deer, 650 ml, best before 14-May-2017, acquired 24-Aug-2016, reviewed 5-Oct-2016)

Appearance: hazy to cloudy medium gold, two fingers of off-white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart citrus, slightly funky sweet and gritty lychee, crackery pale malt, woody, very light cinnamon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, light bitter, light spice. (8/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering tart and lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

I was a little hesitant with this one – the LoF series has been a little hit-and-miss for me lately, with really only La Folie being consistently excellent. Others have been a bit “meh” (e.g. the Blackberry Barley Wine) or worse (the Hof Ten Dormaal Golden Ale leaps to mind). The flavours for this one are actually somewhat reminiscent of La Folie, but with less depth. On the other hand I am definitely getting the lychee, so I guess it accomplishes what it sets out to do. On yet another hand (yes, I have three hands) it’s a little pricey for what it is. Ultimately worth it, I think it, but there are better examples of the style (albeit not with lychee) for cheaper – their own La Terroir, for example. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Grand River Brewing Russian Gun – Russian Imperial Stout at 8.5% ABV

Grand River Brewing Russian Gun Russian Imperial Stout at 8.5% ABV (C$6.01 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Apr-2016, reviewed 4-Oct-2016)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with only the faintest hints of clear brown around the margins, two fingers of rocky beige head, excellent retention and good lacing. (4/5) Aroma: roasty malts, coffee and chocolate, liquorice, vinous dark fruits, molasses and toffee. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Medium-full slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter and mild warming finish. (3/5)

A bit thin and light for the style. Having no intrusive ABV is all well and good, but this style can and should exhibit much more warming presence than is present. I’m usually all about the hops, but to be frank the little hop character here isn’t helping much. Really more like a Quad than an RIS, but without any of the deep barrel-aged complexity I look for in that case. OK, but not better than that. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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H. P. Bulmer (Heineken) Strongbow British Dry – Cider at 5.3% ABV

H. P. Bulmer (Heineken) Strongbow British Dry Cider at 5.3% ABV (C$3.82 at NLC Stavanger, 440 ml, best before 31-May-2017, acquired 7-Sep-2016, reviewed 4-Oct-2016)

Appearance: crystal clear pale straw with a short fizzy white head dropping rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweetish and tart green apple, mildly earthy/funky. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, crisp dry short finish. (3/5)

Yeah, another “all apple, all the time” cider. But, despite being mass-market plonk, this really isn’t bad. It’s nicely dry, with a tart, puckering finish that keeps the sweetness firmly in check. You could do a lot worse – for example, those hellaciously sweet domestic ciders. Plus, I got a free glass! (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Kiwami Plum Sour – Sour / Wild Ale at 6.3% ABV | 7 IBU

Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Kiwami Plum Sour Sour / Wild Ale at 6.3% ABV | 7 IBU (C$9.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 1-Apr-2016, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 3-Oct-2016)

Appearance: opaque pale amber with one finger of fizzy off-white head settling gradually to a persistent creamy cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: red grape must, stone fruit, lactic, wheat malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate tart, low/no bitter. (6/10) Medium-light slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry tart medium duration finish. (3/5)

A bit of a strange beer, that starts off smelling like red grape must, but tastes and finishes like pureed fruit baby food (peaches, maybe, more than plums). On the up side, the sweetness is actually more restrained than initially apparent, dropping off rapidly and leaving an off-dry, slightly astringent mouth feel. Not a lot of complexity, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see it was a kettle sour. Credit where credit is due for using real plums, but that doesn’t save this thing from the doldrums of mediocrity. If a traditional barrel-aged sour is a symphony of flavour, this is a kazoo. Playing the Circus Theme. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Peller Estates No Boats on Sunday – Cider at 5.3% ABV

Peller Estates No Boats on Sunday Cider at 5.3% ABV (C$3.86 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 17-Jul-2016, reviewed 2-Oct-2016)

Appearance: crystal clear pale straw with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweetish and tart green apple, mildly earthy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, crisp off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

Not a lot to say about this, as it’s very much a case of “apple, and not much else”. Tending a bit to the sweet for my preference, but otherwise pleasant. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Brasserie Dunham Saison du Pinacle – Saison at 6.5% ABV | 52 IBU

Brasserie Dunham Saison du Pinacle Saison at 6.5% ABV | 52 IBU (C$13.99 at Liquor Depot McKenzie Town, 750 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Sep-2016, reviewed 2-Oct-2016)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of rocky light ivory head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dry barnyardy funk, crackery malt, tropical fruit, pithy grapefruit, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter, moderate funky tart. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, bone dry verging on astringent moderate bitter and funky lingering finish. (4/5)

I dunno that it’s the “pinnacle” of saisons, but dammit, it’s close. Complex aromas are dominated but not overwhelmed by a pleasant dusty funk, and the flavour is nicely balanced by an emphatic bitter. The PNW and ANZ hops provide an enjoyable combination of vinous fruit and citrus that bolster, rather than obscure, the underlying barnyardy funk. I suppose the hop character adds to my usual complaint about beefy ABV presence to make this a fairly out-of-spec Saison, but I have to say I quite enjoy it. Definitely edging into world-class territory regardless of whether you consider it a Saison or a BSPA. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Mill Street Brewery Capelin Hound – Session IPA at 4% ABV | 50 IBU

Mill Street Brewery Capelin Hound Session IPA at 4% ABV | 50 IBU (C$8.00 at Mill Street Brew Pub St. John’s, 945 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Sep-2016, reviewed 30-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one fat finger of loose and slightly fizzy white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, floral, pale malt, green onion/catty. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Light body, lively carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Starts off quite promising, with a lovely bright blast of citrus and floral hops upon decapping. I wish I could say that continues, but unfortunately it doesn’t. And yes, I get that it’s a Session IPA, and that it’s very hard to maintain that degree of aromatic hops on a thinner body and malt base. – I’m not critical, as such, just a little disappointed that magic wasn’t actually accomplished. As the initial brightness fades, a little green onion/cattiness becomes apparent, but not to the extent of becoming pleasant. All in all, a very pleasant sessionable ale, and possibly one of the most bitter of this style I’ve ever had. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Mill Street Brewery Cobbler Path – Wheat Ale at 5% ABV | 25 IBU

Mill Street Brewery Cobbler Path Wheat Ale at 5% ABV | 25 IBU (C$8.00 at Mill Street Brew Pub St. John’s, 945 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Sep-2016, reviewed 1-Oct-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pink gold with one finger of loose off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: muted, wheat, melon, light berry and citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, light tart. (7/10) Light slightly creamy body, lively to moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly tart finish. (3/5)

This is fine – fairly light, easy-drinking, and not overly sweet – but how interesting, really, can a Blueberry Wheat Ale be? I’m not certain how much Mosaic is coming through, but it’s not a bad match for natural blueberry (which, I guess, is part of the reason I can’t really distinguish exactly what notes are coming from where). What this does particularly well, though, is keep an even hand on the blueberry: there’s enough that it’s detectable, but it’s not completely dominant, and it doesn’t taste artificial. I’ve had much worse along these lines, certainly (I’m looking at you, Pump House and Saugatuck!) and I guess I really need to be at least somewhat friendly about a beer named after a path five minutes from my house! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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