Month: August 2015

Stone Brewing Company RuinTen (2015) American Double / Imperial IPA at 10.8% ABV (C$10.39 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 21-Jun-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pine resin, pithy grapefruit, caramel malt, dank. (8/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, intense bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium to full body, moderate carbonation, lingering warming finish. (4/5)

Big, bombastic, and verging on brutal. Personally, though, I think there’s a slight tendency towards too much malt in support of the huge bitterness – if you ask me, the “substantial malt backbone” is a little too much so. But even so, this is one smooth (yet skanky) beast. I bought two, thinking I might try aging one, but after experiencing the malt presence that’s already there? Naw. Gonna drink the other one soon, when I feel like getting my booze on. (No, not breakfast tomorrow… probably.) (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Kristall Kristallweizen at 5.3% ABV (C$5.20 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Mar-2016)

Appearance: crystal clear pale straw with a fat finger of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: muted, light wheat, banana, bubblegum. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry crisp finish. (3/5)

About what I expected for such an aggressively polished beer: the filtration seems to have stripped out some flavour, resulting in flavours and aromas being somewhat muted. Still pleasant, but it could stand to be more emphatic. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com