Month: June 2015

Big Sky Brewing Company Moose Drool Brown Ale American Brown Ale at 5.6% ABV (US$1.79 at Total Wines & More Henderson NV, 355 ml, best before 21-Jul-2015)

Pours clear amber-brown with one finger of tight tan head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Nose is roasty malt, caramel, molasses, nutty, light smoke. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild bitter. (7/10) Medium to light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

Quite a drinkable brown. Light smoke is somewhat reminiscent of a rauchbier, without being intrusive. Malt dominant, of course, but there is a small hop bitterness keeping the sweetness under control. That, along with the light body tending to the watery, would probably make it easy to session. (14/20)

My 181st from the 2010 Edition (170th from the 2013 edition), and 191st combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steamworks Brewing Company Steamworks Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$2.49 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before)

Pours clear pale gold with one finger of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Nose is light tropical fruit and pine, caramel/toffee malt, light citrus, honey. (6/10) Taste is moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium to light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mild bitter finish. (3/5)

Surprisingly good for the price – I went into it with low expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. Body and flavours are on the light side, tending to the watery. Could definitely stand to be bolder, but not bad. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Pump House Brewery Limited Pump House Blueberry Ale Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 5.0% ABV (C$2.79 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 473 ml, packaged 20-Jan-2015)

Pours slightly hazy pale straw with one finger of white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Nose is blueberries, sugar, wheat, faint grass/hay. (5/10) Taste is moderately strong sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lightly crisp finish. (3/5)

Fairly typical adjunct lager, with sweet and not entirely authentic-tasting blueberries. Think preservative-laden sealed-in-plastic blueberry scones – you might not necessarily want one every day, but as an occasional guilty pleasure they’re not the end of the world. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Omission Beer Company Omission Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.8% ABV (Bottle, Chili’s at McCarran Las Vegas)

Pours cloudy pale amber with one fingers of light tan head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (3/5) Nose is muted pine resin, citrus, caramel malt, floral. (6/10) Taste is moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate to low carbonation, off-dry finish. (3/5)

Well, it’s not terrible – which is actually fairly high praise for a gluten-free. Flavours are a little dull, and it doesn’t warm all that well – there’s a little something that just isn’t working for me on the nose, that’s becoming more noticeable as it warms. Drinkable, though. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Victory Brewing Co. HopDevil American IPA at 6.7% ABV (US$1.99 at Total Wines & More Henderson NV, 355 ml, best before 6-Aug-2015)

Pours clear pale to medium amber with a short light tan head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Nose is caramel, mango, pine, herbal, slightly dank. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate to low carbonation, lingering slightly sticky and bitter finish. (3/5)

A malt-forward A/IPA that is heavier on the mango/tropical notes than the piney. Sort of west coast-ish, but not overly so. Not bad, but nothing stellar. (14/20)

My 177th from the 2010 Edition (167th from the 2013 edition), and 187th combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Victory Brewing Co. Golden Monkey Abbey Tripel at 6.7% ABV (US$2.99 at Total Wines & More Henderson NV, 355 ml, best before 17-Feb-2018)

Pours clear pale gold with a short white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Nose is wheat, yeast, banana, honey, cloves. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate to low carbonation, spicy and mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Fairly standard abbey-style tripel, pleasantly crisp and dry. Excellent integration of the ABV, which is apparent only as a mild warming. Good, not great. (14/20)

My 178th from the 2010 Edition (168th from the 2013 edition), and 188th combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Victory Brewing Co. Prima Pils Pilsener at 5.3% ABV (US$1.99 at Total Wines & More Henderson NV, 355 ml, best before 23-Jun-2016)

Pours clear straw with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Nose is grassy hops, grainy malt. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, mild to moderate bitter. (7/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, crisp lightly bitter finish. (4/5)

As pilsners go, a decent example of the style, albeit somewhat more highly hopped than is typical. Which is of course the reason I consider it a decent example. Crisp, refreshing, and quite drinkable. (14/20)

My 175th from the 2010 Edition (165th from the 2013 edition), and 185th combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com