Month: November 2014

Mill St. Brewery Mill Street Pilsner Pilsener at 5.2% ABV (On tap at Mill Street Brewpub Toronto International Airport)

Pours clear deep gold with one finger of white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, minimal lacing. (3/5) Nose is pale bready malt, light grassy hops. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, long bitter finish. (3/5)

Bottom of the barrel – last one here, on tap or in bottles, that I haven’t tried. A fairly authentic, German-tasting pilsener. Which is to say, fairly boring. Although it’s a little dark for the style, which is fine by me, that’s not really enough to rescue it from the doldrums of mediocrity. (10/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

MolsonCoors Molson Canadian Light American Light Lager at 4.2% ABV (On tap at Maple Leaf Lounge)

Pours clear pale straw with a fluffy two finger white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Nose is grainy corn and rice adjunct flavours, faint weedy grassy hops. (2/10) Taste is light sweet, minimal bitter. (2/10) Light watery body, fizzy to moderate carbonation, short dry finish. (2/5)

Not even “free” makes this drinkable. But, a tick is a tick. (5/20)

3/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Angry Orchard (Boston Beer Company) Strawman Farmhouse Hard Cider Cider at 10% ABV ($14.95 at Dominion Stavanger, 750ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours cloudy straw with a short-lived white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, no lacing. (3/5) Nose is sour apple and funky yeast, grapes and oak. (8/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter, mild oaky vinous funk. (8/10) Medium body, fizzy carbonation, short dry finish. (4/5)

Quite a bit better than I was expecting, actually, given my last Angry Orchard cider – a “Crisp Apple” that really wasn’t. Crisp, I mean – it was apple, for sure. This, on the other hand, is crisp. And apple. And funky. And vinous. And oaky. And really a fair bit of fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Witchshark American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (Price unknown, via trade, bottle date 10-Oct-2014)

Pours clear pale amber with two fingers of medium-dense off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Nose is pithy citrus and pine, caramel malt, mango and pineapple. (9/10) Taste is mild sweet and sharply bitter. (9/10) Medium body, low carbonation, lingering intensely bitter finish. (4/5)

Boy oh boy I’m liking the Bellwoods IPA’s. This is the Boogie Monster on steroids – heavier body, more intense hoppiness, and a higher ABV, but possibly a bit more polished. Intensely bitter and hoppy, but not harsh. Really quite excellent, if only slightly better than Boogie Monster and Roman Candle. (17/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com