Category: Reviews

Firestone Walker Brewing Company Luponic DIstortion (Revolution No. 003) American IPA at 5.9% ABV | 59 IBU (C$3.50 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, bottle date 28-Aug-2016, acquired 22-Sep-2016, reviewed 22-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with three fingers of loose white head diminishing quickly to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pithy grapefruit, tropical fruit, pale malt, light dank. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

Similar to No. 002, but with a slightly different hop balance. A light and sessionable A/IPA that could easily be classified as an APA or S/IPA. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Arrowhead Brewing Loud Mouth Soup_ American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 93 IBU (C$7.60 at Liquor Crossing Red Deer, 650 ml, bottle date 22-Sep-2015, acquired 24-Aug-2016, reviewed 21-Sep-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, caramel and toffee, bready, stone fruit, floral. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (6/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering heavily bitter finish. (3/5)

To be fair, I suspected this was likely to be something of a shelf turd when I bought it, but the label and the name were just too much fun to pass up – especially since I have, on occasion, been accused of being a somewhat loudmouthed drunk myself. But, you know what? The high ABV seems to have protected this to some degree, so that it still has some appreciable hop character. Big, heavy, malty, hot, and somewhat unbalanced, but still sort of enjoyable. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Le Trou du Diable / Brasserie De La Senne Schieve Tabarnak Belgian Pale Ale at 5% ABV (C$7.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 600 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 21-Sep-2016)

Appearance: hazy straw with three fingers (and growing!) of fluffy white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, pale malt, light horseblankety funk. (8/10) Taste: mild sweet, moderate bitter, light funk. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, crisp dry and lightly funky bitter finish. (4/5)

An excellent Belgian Pale – crisp, bone dry, and lightly funky. Definitely reminiscent of the other three or four Brasserie De La Senne beers I’ve had. I was going to say that there doesn’t seem to be a lot of Trou du Diable character coming through here, but then that got me thinking about what (if any) defining characteristics that brewery has, and all I could come up with was: excellence. I must have had nearly twenty of their beers by now, and I don’t think I’ve rated a single one under 7/10, and they’ve reached 9/10. In particular, they excel at Belgian styles, making this collaboration particularly apt. Really good, and the rude swear word name only makes me like it more. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wild Rose Brewery AF23 Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV | 45 IBU (C$7.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 15-Sep-2016, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 21-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright pithy citrus, vinous, biscuity pale malt, tropical and stone fruit, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, short mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

This starts off quite promising, with bright fruity hop aromas dominating upon decapping. The flavours don’t quite deliver on that, though, and the body tends slightly to the watery. This remains the case through the entire pint: the aromas stay bright and promising, but it stays just a little light on the tongue. Ultimately, it sort of comes across as a somewhat watered-down IPA (albeit a really good IPA). The APA style has always struck me as being a bit of a challenge, and this beer definitely characterizes that. I enjoyed it, but kept feeling it could have been better. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lighthouse Brewing Co. Numbskull American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.1% ABV | 103 IBU (C$8.90 at Liquor Crossing Red Deer, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 24-Aug-2016, reviewed 20-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of rocky white head diminishing rapidly to  thin cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, hot fusils, caramel malt, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and warming finish. (3/5)

I respect and appreciate a beer with no restraint whatsoever – and this is, in fact, a beer with no restraint whatsoever. Not only is the ABV nearing double digits, but the IBU rating is approaching “irrelevant” levels. (By which I mean, it’s so high that it maxes out most people’s ability to discern bitterness.) It’s not unlike “having your brains smashed in by a slice of lemon hops wrapped round a large gold brick.” Yet for all that, it drinks easier than it should. I wouldn’t say no to another. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Gigantic Brewing Company Vivid (#43) American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 80 IBU (C$11.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 20-Sep-2016)

Appearance: cloudy and opaque pale amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel and toffee, pine, buttery, grapefruit, light tropical fruit and floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, medium-long duration bitter and mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Dunno if I’ve had Kohatu hops before, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had Wai-Iti. (Now that I think about it, it was a local brewery – Big Rock – who did a Wai-Iti wheat ale, and it was probably one of the best things they’ve ever done. And yes, better than this.) I’m actually a little disappointed by this, since Gigantic generally does a fairly good job of things. This, however, doesn’t exhibit any of the bright melon, tropical fruit, or vinous character I associate with ANZ hops. It’s a somewhat stodgy, heavy, and malt-forward DIPA, all of which I could almost forgive, were it not for the buttery/butterscotch diacetyl notes suggesting all manner of clumsiness. Still and all, it’s a pleasant enough beer, but I can’t shake the feeling it could (should?) have been much more. And sorry, it’s not “vivid.” (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bitburger Brauerei Bitburger Pils Pilsener at 4.8% ABV | 33 IBU (C$3.09 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 14-Apr-2016, best before 14-Apr-2017, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 20-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of rocky white head diminishing rapidly a thin cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: corn syrup, crackery malt, bready yeast, grass. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-mild bitter, light tart. (5/10) Medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, crisp and clean medium duration off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

Danger, Will Robinson! It says “Premium” on the label, so in accordance with my theory, it must be terrible, right? Well… not really. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing great – but it’s a long drive from terrible. Easily drinkable, with a fairly clean finish. For a mass-produced beer, it’s actually not bad. (Cute little pun on the label, too – “Bitte ein Bit”.) I’d certainly rather have this, than a Coors Light. Doesn’t get any better as it warms, though, so get it gone and move on! (11/20)

My 233rd from the 2010 Edition of 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (retired from the 2013 edition), and 245th combining both editions.

5.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. High Level IPA American IPA at 6.2% ABV | 52 IBU (C$7.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, best before 22-Feb-2017, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 19-Sep-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of fluffy off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, floral, caramel, bready yeast. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium-long duration bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, that’s  little different. Floral and sweet malt figure prominently here, and the initial sweetness, though somewhat on the high side, transitions smoothly to a balanced bitter. I’m not all that familiar with Jarrylo hops, this being perhaps my second exposure, but they seem to tend to the subtle fruit side of flavours. This isn’t a West Coast style IPA, but neither is it an English. Mild and fairly juicy. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rough Draft Brewing Company Southern Triangle IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 65 IBU (C$9.99 at Liquor Depot McKenzie Town, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Sep-2016, reviewed 19-Sep-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel malt, pine, citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

So, is a “southern triangle” anything like a “map of Tasmania”? ANZ rude phrases aside, this isn’t particularly “southern”, as far as I can tell – certainly I’m not getting any of the white wine vinous notes I associate with Nelson Sauvin. It’s a little foamy, which doesn’t bother me overly much, especially since the head retention is so good. But it’s also fairly malt-forward, which does bother me, a little. It’s not even that high an ABV, so there’s no particular reason the hops couldn’t be a bit more dominant over the malt, in my opinion. Solid, I guess, if uninspired. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Driftwood Brewery Cry Me A River Gose at 5% ABV (C$6.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Sep-2016, reviewed 19-Sep-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, moderate retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: wheat/grass, lemon, yeast, brine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild tart, mild salt, low bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, short duration mildly salty and tart finish. (3/5)

A bit disappointing, actually: not very bright or tart, and the flavours come across as somewhat muddled. It kind of grew on me, but not to the point where I would rave about it. Not one of Driftwood’s better offerings, made doubly disappointing by the fact that I apparently had this one before, when it was named “gose-uh”. Oh, well, guess they can’t all be winners. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com