Category: Reviews

Granville Island Brewing Hey Day Hefeweizen at 5% ABV (C$3.45 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 2-Mar-2016, acquired 15-May-2016, reviewed 19-May-2016)

Appearance: cloudy deep gold with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, yeasty wheat, bubblegum, oranges, cloves. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light spice. (7/10) Light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Nice little hefe. Lots of banana flavour on the outset, with a nicely balanced spicy clove/coriander in the finish. Nothing thrilling, but it works for me. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop City Brewing Co. Lawn Chair “Classic” Weisse Hefeweizen at 5% ABV (C$3.56 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 30-Jul-2015, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 19-May-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: yeasty wheat, banana, citrus, coriander. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light spice. (6/10) Light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

I’m not entirely sure about that packaging date – there’s a stamp on the can reading G30512, which I’m interpreting as July 30, 2015 (i.e. like Unbroue’s format) but I could be wrong. It’s not like there’s a lot of hop character to degrade here, but it might explain why it’s only slightly hazy, instead of actually cloudy. Regardless, as it stands right now, it’s an inoffensive and quaffable summer ale, without a whole lot to distinguish it. OK, but nothing exciting. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lake of Bays Brewing Company Spark House American Amber / Red Ale at 5% ABV (C$3.33 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 8-Apr-2016, acquired 15-May-2016, reviewed 19-May-2016)

Appearance: clear red-tinged deep amber with one fat finger of fine ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel malt, grassy and earthy hops, wood and light smoke. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly bitter and lightly smoky finish. (3/5)

Sorry, but I find it really hard to get excited about yet another middle-of-the road amber, distinguished only by the roasty malt tones coming through as slight smoke. Fair enough, that slight smokiness adds some depth, but it’s hard to call it “complexity” (and I’m not entirely sure it’s deliberate). A reasonably well-executed but ultimately boring beer. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery Kirby’s Kölsch Kölsch at 4.6% ABV (C$3.57 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 23-Aug-2016, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 19-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one fat finger of loose white head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: peach, floral, grainy pale malt, grassy hops. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, crisp mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

If there’s a single beer style that should most closely cleave to the Reinheitsgebot, this is probably it. I rather suspect this beer would get you lynched in Köln – or, at least, really really glared at. (Good thing I’m drinking it in Känada.) Not only does it adulterate the brew with added peach, the colour and flavour are more robust than the style guidelines dictate. Despite its flagrant rule breaking, though, it’s not a bad beer: light, crisp, and easy-drinking, and the peach works well, accentuating rather than dulling the crisp grassy noble hops. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Grand River Brewing Curmudegon English IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.37 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 29-Apr-2016, reviewed 17-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and good lacing. (5/5) Aroma: bready caramel and toffee malt, herbal/floral, citrus, pine, earthy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, short duration moderate bitter lightly spicy and warming finish. (3/5)

Let me beat you to it: yes, it’s a toss-up whether the name of this beer is more appropriate for me, or whether Arrogant Bastard deserves that distinction. Moving on! Definitely an English style IPA: although there is in fact a little citrus and pine in there, it’s buried towards the back. The malt definitely leads the way, following which is a fruity herbal and floral note (though there seems to be some brown apple or stone fruit developing as the pint warms). In true curmudgeon style, I was initially less than impressed with this, but it does have a distinct and not unpleasant character that I’m warming up to. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Goose Island Beer Company Endless IPA Session IPA at 5% ABV (C$4.08 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 26-Feb-2016, acquired 29-Apr-2016, reviewed 16-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, pale malt, slight catty. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, crisp mild bitter lightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Not a bad little session IPA from the Goose. Bitterness is restrained, which is a good thing in a session IPA: I find that the thinner body of this style limits how much bitterness can reasonably be supported before it comes across as sharp and astringent. I’m getting just a hint of cattiness in the hop aroma, and it grows as the beer warms, but not to the point of it being a problem. Definitely a quick thirst quencher, instead of a leisurely sipper. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Pump House Brewery Limited Bière de Garde Belgian Saison Bière de Garde at 6.5% ABV (C$2.20 at NLC Stavanger, 341 ml, bottle date 19-Feb-2016, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 16-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium to deep amber with a thin, short-lived light beige head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dark fruit, caramel malt, leather and earth, spice. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (5/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mild finish. (3/5)

I went into this with a great deal of trepidation: nothing in my experience with this brewery has suggested they had the background to prepare them for taking on this style. I’d like nothing more than to be able to say that I was wrong in that regard – but I wasn’t. (At this point, I’m forced to wonder whether these guys have ever even tasted a Saison or a Bière de Garde.) As an Amber or a Winter Warmer, fine, it’s not a bad beer – but it’s pretty far off-spec for either of its nominal styles. And to be fair, to the pedants who point out the apparent contradiction in simultaneously calling it a a Saison and a Bière de Garde on the label, I would suggest that the only true distinction there is geography, with one being associated with the north side of the Franco-Belgian border, and the other the south. Unfortunately, both labels are equally misleading here. However, that being said, I’ve had actual French Bières de Garde that are almost as malty as this – Brasserie Thiriez L’Ambrée d’Esquelbecq, for example, or Brasserie Duyck Jenlain Ambrée – but they included a touch of funk and yeast character (and had the decency to call themselves Ambers). Not bad, and I don’t actually dislike it, but in my opinion not a great example of either style. Maybe I’ll squirrel away a couple in my cellar (they are “a beer for keeping” after all, right?) and see how I like them next winter. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Beach Chair Lager Pale Lager at 4.5% ABV (C$3.11 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 26-Feb-2016, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 16-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt and sweet adjunct, grassy, very light stone fruit. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (5/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

I didn’t think much of this at the outset – nor do I think it’s all that great now. But to be fair, it did grow on me as the pint progressed. The flavours are a little more robust than a typical adjunct lager, and it finishes clean. Drinkable and thirst-quenching, if not exciting. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie McAuslan St-Ambroise IPA English IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$3.57 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 14-Mar-2016, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 15-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of loose ivory head, short retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: generalized fruity esters (stone fruit, apples and pears, some citrus), caramel malt, floral and earthy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium somewhat creamy body, moderate carbonation, slightly sticky and lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Fairly straightforward English-style IPA, with fruity tones and caramel malt followed by a lingering moderately bitter finish. A solid example of the style, if not all that interesting. (Which, if I’m honest, is probably a key element of the style, right?) I’d place this somewhere in the middle of the pack as far as St-Ambroise’ offerings go – better than their Framboise and Pumpkin, not as good as their Barleywine or Stout. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Spindrift Brewing Co. Riptide IPL India Pale Lager at 6.5% ABV (C$3.57 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 19-Apr-2016, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 15-May-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet citrus, pine, pale malt, light stone fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

Hey, look at that! Lagers can have fun with hops, too! Of course, it would be niggling pedantry to point out that it’s a lager that looks, smells, and tastes like an ale, right? Regardless, this is a riptide that can pull me in any time. I’m getting pretty happy with what these guys are doing – respectable brews from new kids always make me happy. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com