Category: Reviews

Phillips Brewing Company Krypton Rye PA American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$2.67 at Crowfoot Liquor Douglas Square, 341 ml, best before 24-Sep-2016, acquired 24-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale to medium gold with one fat finger of creamy white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, pine, caramel malt, rye. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light peppery spice. (7/10) Medium-light slightly oily body, lively to moderate carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

A decent interpretation of one of my favourite variants of one of my favourite types. The rye works well with the hop bitterness, adding an extra peppery spice kick, particularly through the finish. Well worth trying. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller / Anchorage Brewing Company Invasion IPA Belgian IPA at 8% ABV (C$15.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, bottle date 1-Oct-2015, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale straw with a massive overflowing white head gradually settling down to a two finger cap with excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, wet straw, tropical fruit, crackery malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (9/10) Light body, lively carbonation, astringent lingering funky finish. (4/5)

Yep, that’s a Mikkeller brew, all right. Huge overflowing brett head, lemony tartness, and a barnyard funk that just won’t quit. Worth the price? Ehhh… – probably not, but that’s another core character of a Mikkeller brew, right? Works for me! (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company Blood Alley Bitter Premium Bitter / ESB at 5.5% ABV (C$6.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of growing fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grainy caramel and biscuity malt, citrus, pine, grassy and light floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter finish. (3/5)

A bitter, that’s actually bitter? What’s next, a premium lager that’s actually premium? Solid ESB, with a decent hop presence only slightly behind a biscuity caramel malt. Pleasant body with a drying bitter finish. Solid example of a style that usually fails to impress. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rough Draft Brewing Company Grapefruit Weekday IPA Session IPA at 4.8% ABV (C$9.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of growing fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit pulp, piney resin, caramel malt, light floral and tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration moderately bitter finish. (4/5)

A very nice session IPA, that actually opens and improves upon warming. Unlike a lot of S/IPA’s, this one doesn’t come across as thin or watered-down. This really works as a flavourful low ABV implementation of American IPAs. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Hop Circle IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$2.67 at Crowfoot Liquor Douglas Square, 341 ml, best before 18-Jul-2016, acquired 24-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pithy grapefruit, caramel malt, pine resin. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium-dry slightly sticky and lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

I understand this is the replacement for Phillips Original IPA, so I’m counting it as a 1001. Nice IPA, but maltier than my preference. Not malt-forward, as such, but it’s obvious that this is an older-style, still strongly English-influenced IPA. The big bitterness is there, but it’s well-integrated and supported by the sweet caramel malt. The ABV doesn’t really factor, and is apparent only as a mild warming at the very end. (15/20)

My 226th from the 2010 Edition (215th from the 2013 edition), and 237th combining both editions.

7.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brewsters Brewing Company Mad Hops Double IPA (2016) American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$7.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 23-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pithy grapefruit, pine resin, caramel malt, mild floral, light tropical. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium-dry slightly sticky and lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Pretty similar to the last time I tried it – lots of hops leading the way, with just enough sweet malt for support, and a well-integrated mild ABV. It’s actually not as bitter as I’d expect for the 100IBU that the brewer claims, but it’s still pretty damn hoppy. Lots of fun. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Belgh Brasse Mons Abbey Blonde Belgian Pale Ale at 7% ABV (C$8.04 at NLC Stavanger, 750 ml, bottle date 17-Nov-2015, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 21-May-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: banana, apple and pear, yeast, bubblegum. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, mild bitter, light tart. (7/10) Light body, lively carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky and mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Reasonably authentic Belgian-syle ale, with lots of yeast-derived character. The apple note is almost but not quite brown apple, and the flavours linger in a not entirely desirable fashion, but overall it’s a fairly decent example of the style. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Amnesiac American Double IPA at 8.5% ABV

Pours a clear straw gold with one finger and a bit of persistent white head and moderate lacing. Nose is piney hops, with a little citrus. Taste is similar, with a little mango and grapefruit, with a little malt following. Mouth feel is medium-bodied, with a lingering bitter finish. Decent DIPA – 8.5/10.

#ryansbooze #1001beers

Grand River Brewing Mill Race Dark Mild Ale at 3.6% ABV (C$4.97 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Apr-2016, reviewed 20-May-2016)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of creamy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasty malt, cocoa, vinous red berries, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, mild bitter, light tart. (7/10) Medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

Wow, these guys are just nailing the traditional styles. First, an amber that I actually enjoy, and now a mild that’s actually interesting even though it’s got an ABV that you could feed to a kid. (Well, almost. If it were at the end of hectic day, maybe, and you just wanted a few minutes’ peace and quiet…) Despite the fairly forbidding colour, this thing is mild and approachable, and I hesitate to even call the body “medium”. Gotta be one of the best milds I’ve ever had. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Grand River Brewing Plowman’s Ale American Amber / Red Ale at 4.7% ABV (C$4.97 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Apr-2016, reviewed 20-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of creamy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel/toffee malt, pine, toast, citrus zest, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, that’s a bit of a surprise: it looks like an amber, but the aromas include a decent hop character in addition to the malt. Moreover, although the taste has some malt elements, it’s not sweet at all, and the bitterness is quite pronounced. I find it hard to believe that it’s only 35 IBU, actually, and can definitely taste the super-alpha hops. The bitterness really sticks around in the slightly sticky finish, lingering and growing. An amber I actually like – who’d’a thunk it? (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com