Category: Reviews

Bridge Brewing Company Lemon Gin Saison Saison at 5.5% ABV (C$7.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 23-Aug-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: wheat, fruity esters, mild lemon, light juniper. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light tart. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry light tart finish. (3/5)

I was hoping for much more lemon gin, actually – I was flashing back to drinking Lemon Gin Collinses as a much (much!) younger lad. This, though, has only the mildest of lemon or gin character. It’s actually dominated by a wheaty malt, with generalized fruit tones. Lemon is late to the party, and there’s only the merest whiff of gin/juniper. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Ninkasi Brewing Company Ginger & Juice Farmhouse Ale Saison at 5.5% ABV (C$10.65 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 23-Aug-2016)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, bready yeast, lemon, light ginger. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, light bitter, light funky tart. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly spicy finish. (4/5)

More “juice and ginger”, it seems to me. Stone fruit dominates (not clearly apricot – I’d’ve guess peach, myself), followed by a grainy yeast and lemon, before a mild ginger presence makes itself known. The ginger does grow somewhat as it warms, and a mild spiciness accumulates in the finish. A bit muddled, but not unpleasant. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Radical Summer Breeze Radler at 3% ABV (C$8.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 23-Aug-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lemonade, pale malt, light floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, light bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry lightly tart finish. (4/5)

As usual, I’m a sucker for a radler, but this is actually a pretty darned good one: lemon flavour dominating but not obliterating a malty beer character underneath, sweet but not to the point of cloying, and a lighter body helped by lively carbonation to keep things crisp and refreshing. The claimed lavender is pretty mild, but does come through as a slight floral aspect, without getting perfumey. Quite an effective thirst quencher, with an appropriately low ABV. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sound Brewery Mortal Kombat X Sub Zero American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV (C$10.19 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 22-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one fat finger of creamy ivory head, moderate retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grapefruit, tropical fruit, caramel malt, stone fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Right, before you lot start: I didn’t buy this for the video game or movie marketing. I bought it because Sound is a reasonably well-respected brewery, and I haven’t had a bad experience with them. Their Monk’s Indiscretion, in particular, was quite enjoyable. So drop it. And actually, this is surprisingly good. Unlike so many DIPAs, this isn’t malt-forward, and it’s got a decent hop/malt balance. Solid performer. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Longest Day White IPA White IPA at 6% ABV (C$8.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 22-Aug-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one finger of creamy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, Belgian esters, coriander, citrus, white pepper. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter and lightly peppery finish. (4/5)

Not bad. Distinctly Belgian character, easy drinking. Pleasant on the front end, with a mildly spicy finish. Not much else to say about it beyond that, though. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales Affable IPA American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$8.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 15-Jun-2016, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 21-Aug-2016)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fat fingers of creamy ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pithy grapefruit, resiny pine, pale malt, and yes, fruit salad. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium-duration bitter finish. (4/5)

Nice. Citrusy and piney hops lead the way over a pleasant clean malt base. Affable? Well, Merriam-Webster says “affable” is “being pleasant and at ease”, so hells yes, this is definitely affable as all git-out. Definitely the way I like my IPAs – hop-forward, bright, and clean. Doesn’t quite blow my socks off, but it’s definitely worth trying – and I’d like to try it fresher than the two months old this one is. And I gotta say, these guys do their labels right: colour, bitterness, nose (on a scale of “fruit salad” to “egg salad” – nice!), grains, hops, tasting notes, food pairings, IBU, OG, FG, SRM, and serving temperature. My only beef here, and it’s a small one, is that the bottling date imprint isn’t very visible until you actually go hunting for it – a little white cutout in the label would be nice. My first Moody (if we’re not counting their Brews Brothers Purple Haze Black Currant Sour collaboration), but it definitely won’t be my last. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bridge Brewing Company Hopilano IPA American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$8.25 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 21-Aug-2016)

Appearance: cloudy to opaque medium amber with two fat fingers of creamy ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: resiny pine, caramel malt, citrus, floral. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium-duration bitter finish. (3/5)

Meh. The malt is too pronounced, if you ask me, muddling the hops. I was hoping for bright, sharp, and citrusy, but instead it’s dull pine vying with sweet caramel for dominance. And it’s not even like it’s a DIPA, where keeping the malt on a leash can be difficult. Wouldn’t bother with this one again. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Postmark Brewing Summer Saison Saison at 4.7% ABV (C$6.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 21-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with two fingers of rocky off-white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pears, citrus, stone fruit, crackery pale malt, floral. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild tart, light bitter, light peppery spice. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lightly tart and peppery finish. (3/5)

A middle-of-the-road saison. A little heavy in both body and flavour, but not unpleasant, by any means. Not the best thing I’ve had by them, but it’ll do. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 / Fernie Brewing Co. Spirit in the Sky Havana Club Stout Foreign / Export Stout at 6.5% ABV (C$2.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 16-Apr-2016, reviewed 21-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with slightly lighter margins, a short fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: molasses/toffee, dark fruit, cocoa powder, light rum. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (6/10) Medium body tending slightly to watery, moderate to lively carbonation, off-dry and mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Not a particularly in-spec stout, with higher carbonation than is normal, as well as much less head retention. The body feels thinnish for the style, and drops off to a watery, off-dry finish. There is only a limited ABV presence, manifesting as a mild warming. Nothing very interesting. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Central City Brewers + Distillers / Great Lakes Brewery Peared Up Saison Saison at 5% ABV (C$6.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 23-Jun-2016, acquired 19-Aug-2016, reviewed 20-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pear, hay, banana, floral, white pepper. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild tart, light bitter, light peppery spice. (7/10) Medium body, prickly carbonation, crisp lightly tart and peppery finish. (4/5)

A pleasant, lightly funky and mildly fruity saison. I think this might be my first encounter with Jarrylo hops, and it leaves me a bit on the fence. Pear is hardly a strong flavour to begin with, but to then distinguish the extent to which the pear flavour of this saison is attributable to the pear juice, or alternatively to the hops, is a bit beyond my capabilities. “Yes, it tastes like pears,” is about the most I can accomplish. Not the best I’ve had from CC or GLB, by a long shot, but decent enough. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com