Month: March 2015

Samuel Smith Old Brewery  Oatmeal Stout Oatmeal Stout at 5% ABV (C$6.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 550 ml, bottle date 23-Nov-2014)

Pours nearly opaque deep brown with amber-brown highlights, two fingers of pillowy tan head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is roasty malt coffee and chocolate, red berries and citrus. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild bitter. (7/10) Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy texture and lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

This would be a really good oatmeal stout were it not for the distinctly metallic edge to the flavour, which I guess is coming from the dissolved solids in the well water? It’s still pretty good, mind you, but the metal flavour is a distinct, albeit minor, drawback. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Microbrasserie Charlevoix La Vache Folle ESB Premium Bitter / ESB at 6% ABV (C$5.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 22-Jul-2014)

Pours very slightly hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky light tan head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is caramel malt, bready yeast, mild floral. (7/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, fairly quick bitter finish. (4/5)

Charlevoix are a solid brewery who produce consistently excellent beers. And as the style goes, this is a pretty good ESB. The problem is, even a pretty good ESB is fairly pedestrian fare. A little variation on the theme would have been welcome – maybe a little dry hopping to produce a more floral nose, for example? Don’t get me wrong, I could easily session this, and I’d like to try it on tap – but it’s not as much fun as the rest of their brews are. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Tripel Abbey Tripel at 8.5% ABV (C$4.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 330 ml, best before 10-Sep-2016)

Pours hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is bready malt, coriander, tropical fruit, red berries, slight citrus. (8/10) Taste is moderate sweet, moderate bitter.
8/10) Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Oh yeah, I like this. Initially, this doesn’t seem all that much like the Generaal. (According to the brewer “The only difference between them is that the Tripel is brewed with one malt variety and Generaal with three.”) But after a couple of sips, the similarities become more apparent – I guess they really are brothers from a different mother. Nice depth of flavour that definitely grows on you, very pleasant Belgian. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Samuel Smith Old Brewery  Nut Brown Ale English Brown Ale at 5.1% ABV (C$6.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 550 ml, bottle date 24-Jul-2014)

Pours clear medium to deep amber with one fat finger of light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate lacing. (4/5) Nose is toffee, raisins, nutty. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild bitter, slight tart. (7/10) Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, dry finish. (3/5)

Pleasant, mildly fruity nut brown. A good example of the style. (14/20)

My 149th from the 2010 Edition (142nd from the 2013 edition), and 159th combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Rock Brewery Traditional Ale Brown Ale at 5% ABV (C$2.79 at Quarry Park Co-Op, 473 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours clear medium amber with one finger of light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (4/5) Nose is caramel with hints of toffee, grainy malt, mild fruit and nuttiness. (6/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Medium to light bodied, moderate carbonation, dry finish. (3/5)

“Boring” might be a little harsh, but I’m not sure how better to describe it. “Straightforward”? “Unremarkable”? It’s a little light for the style, but there are no other negatives. Very drinkable and – speaking from experience – sessionable. (Just because this is the first time I’ve officially reviewed it, doesn’t mean it’s the first time I’ve drunk it!) (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Generaal Abbey Dubbel at 8.5% ABV (C$4.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 330 ml, best before 7-Aug-2016)

Pours clear amber-brown with two fingers of medium beige head (growing to more than three in the glass), excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is boozy dark fruit, red berries, dark malt, mild citrus. (8/10) Taste is moderate sweet, very mild bitter, slight tart. (8/10) Medium bodied, moderate to low carbonation, lingering mildly boozy finish. (4/5)

“Brewed without spices”? Shut the f…ront door! The Belgians never fail to amaze me with what they can produce using no fruit or spices. An excellent abbey dubbel with an almost cola-like flavour and good integration of the fairly high ABV. Definitely worth trying. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Gigantic Brewing Company Peace Loving Decoy Vienna Lager at 6.0% ABV (C$8.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours slightly hazy deep gold with two fingers of medium dense light tan head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Nose is pale biscuity malt, mild pine and citrus, some tropical notes. (7/10) Taste is mild sweet, mild bitter. (7/10) Medium bodied, moderate to low carbonation, off-dry crisp finish. (4/5)

A fun, mildly hopped Vienna lager that nicely balances pleasantly sweet malt and bright hops. This is a lager that’s worth drinking, unlike most. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Rock Brewery Warthog Mild Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$2.79 at Quarry Park Co-Op, 473 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours clear pale amber with one finger of loose off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (2/5) Nose is light malt, mild citrus and grassy. (5/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Light to medium bodied, prickly to moderate carbonation, off-dry crisp finish. (3/5)

Quite boring. Mild, sure, and no real negatives, but really quite boring. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Something Brewing (Drummond Brewing Company) Dark Side Schwarzbier at 5% ABV (C$2.65 at Liquor Crossing Red Deer, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours clear deep brown with amber-brown highlights, one finger of rocky light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate spotty lacing. (3/5) Nose is light smoke, toasted malt, lemony citrus and grassy hops. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium bodied tending to watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly smoky finish. (3/5)

Not quite a rauchbier, but there’s a definite smokiness. Not unpleasant at all, and a decent alternative to the everyday. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Something Brewing (Drummond Brewing Company) Gimme That Nutt Brown Ale at 5% ABV (C$2.65 at Liquor Crossing Red Deer, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours clear deep amber with one finger of loose light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Nose is mild toasty malt, light chocolate and coffee, mild grassy, slight smoke. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium bodied tending to watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry quick finish. (3/5)

Very mild nut brown – nothing too memorable, positive or negative. Decent enough thirst quencher, and certainly strongly preferable to a macro adjunct. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com