Month: July 2015

Anchor Brewing Company Anchor Porter American Porter at 5.6% ABV (Trade – thanks, Chris McDonald!, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear deep brown with a high rocky tan head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: roasty malts, liquorice, coffee, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending to watery, soft carbonation, off-dry and slightly tart finish. (3/5)

A fairly unique brew – it smells and tastes hotter than the 5.6% ABV, but not offensively so. Despite that and the forbidding colour, it’s quite sweet at the outset, and the body tends to the light side. It finishes with a sharpness that’s almost cola-like and tart. I like it. (14/20)

My 192nd from the 2010 Edition (180th from the 2013 edition), and 202nd combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Le Trou du Diable Albert 3 Belgian Pale Ale at 5.49% ABV (C$7.00 at NLC Stavanger, 600 ml, bottle date 31-Mar-2015)

Appearance: clear to hazy pale straw with a huge fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: Belgian yeast, coriander, wheat, apples and peaches, light funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light sour. (8/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, dry crisp peppery and slightly funky finish. (3/5)

I was going to ask what the hell a “Universal Beer” was, but now I realize it’s a beer whose head expands to fill the universe. A minor quibble for yet another quite good Belgian out of Quebec: reminds me of La Rulles, De Ranke, or Duvel. First glass pours crystal clear, but the second glass introduces a haze courtesy of the heavy lees on the bottom of the bottle. (Not a criticism by any means, just an observation – it’s not like I’m gonna throw out an inch of this because it’s a bit cloudy!) And it certainly ticks all the boxes of the description on the back – dry and hoppy, with a hint of sour in the aftertaste (courtesy of the rye, I’m guessing). Lots of fun, but I wouldn’t object to a more robust flavour. (And what’s up with the precision on that ABV – 5.49%? Seriously?) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Klosterbrauerei Ettal Benediktiner Weissbier Hefeweizen at 5.4% ABV (C$3.99 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 16-Apr-2016)

Appearance: hazy to cloudy deep gold with one finger creamy ivory head, poor retention and lacing. (3/5) Aroma: banana, cloves, wheat, doughy yeast, very light lemony citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, very mild tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body lifted by lively carbonation, crisp and clean finish. (4/5)

A passable hefe, but not worth seeking out. Good thirst quencher late in the day, though! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie à Vapeur Vapeur en Folie Saison at 8% ABV (€2.50 at de Biertempel Brussels, 330 ml, best before 31-Aug-2016)

Appearance: cloudy medium gold with lots of particulate, a short, short-lived off-white head, nearly non-existent lacing. (2/5) Aroma: earthy barnyard funk, apples, wood, rubber? (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, very mild tart. (5/10) Palate: medium body, soft carbonation, off-dry and slightly hot finish. (3/5)

A bit disappointing – aromas are a bit more “brown apple” than “funky” and the flavours are muted, and the ABV comes across as a bit hot, especially for the style. Suffers quite a bit by comparison to the other couple of quite good saisons I’ve had today! (10/20)

My 191st from the 2010 Edition (179th from the 2013 edition), and 201st combining both editions.

5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie des Légendes Saison Voisin Saison at 5% ABV (€2.95 at de Biertempel Brussels, 330 ml, best before 31-Mar-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of fluffy light tan head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earthy barnyard funk, apples, citrus, stone fruit, grassy. (8/10) Taste: mild sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lightly funky and lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Bitter and fruity, with a distinct earthy funk. Decently complex, without sacrificing drinkability. Hard to argue authenticity and pedigree here – a Franco-Belgian style, brewed in Belgium near the French border, using a recipe from the 19th century. A nice beer to savour and very much representative of the style. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Almanac Beer Co. Saison Dolores Saison at 6.8% ABV (US$7.99 at Total Wines & More, Henderson NV, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dusty hay and barnyard funk, apples, floral, bready yeast, stone fruit, honey, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (8/10) Palate: medium to light body, lively to moderate carbonation, lightly funky and gently warming finish. (4/5)

A bit funky and dusty on the nose, some apples and pears on the tongue, and a little surprising heat in the finish rounds it out nicely. A pleasantly rustic interpretation of what’s fast becoming one of my favourite styles, even if it is a bit heavy in the body and ABV for what was originally supposed to be a light thirst quencher for the farmhands! (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Village Brewery Grand Father West Coast IPA American IPA at 7.2% ABV (C$10.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 21-Jun-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with a fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: strong pine resin, light tropical fruit, caramel malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering building bitter and gently warming finish. (4/5)

The bottle blurb says this is Village’s 1000th ale, created for Father’s Day 2015. I have to say, it’s a fitting brew. Big but not overwhelming, well-balanced yet hop forward, with a mild nice West Coast dankness and a gentle warming. I’m not quite sure how this isn’t a double, but either way it’s one of the better IPA’s to come out of Calgary. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Molson Coors Canada Rickard’s Blonde Pilsener at 5.0% ABV (C$3.64 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of tight white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grainy biscuity malt, mild citrus and pepper. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly peppery finish. (3/5)

Bog standard pale euro lager/pils. Decently crisp and drinkable when cold, pretty enough for the style. OK, maybe slightly better than bog standard. But only slightly. (9/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Central City Brewers + Distillers Red Racer IPA for Autism American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$3.98 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaging date 9-Apr-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of loose light tan head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine resin, citrus, caramel malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry building bitter and slightly peppery finish. (4/5)

Solid A/IPA and definitely worth trying, especially if you can find it fresh. My can was three months old, and still good, but I’d lay money on it being brighter and better when new. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

SHS Drinks Dead Crow Bourbon Beer Pale Lager at 5.5% ABV (C$3.64 at NLC Stavanger, 330 ml, best before 15-May-2017)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (2/5) Aroma: candi sugar, mild apple, faint whiskey. (4/10) Taste: strong sweet, not much else. (3/10) Palate: light slick body, moderate carbonation, sticky brown apple and slightly boozy finish. (2/5)

Cloying sickly sweet with only the faintest of whiskey notes – like drinking a crap cider next to a guy who’s having a shot of bourbon. Sink pour. (6/20)

3.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com