Month: April 2016

Lagunitas Brewing Company CitruSinensis (2016) American Pale Ale at 7.9% ABV (C$3.58 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, bottle date 15-Feb-2016, reviewed 23-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, dank pine resin, pale malt, catty/garlic. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering slightly sticky bitter finish. (4/5)

Dunno what this is hopped with – my Google-fu fails on that count – but whether it’s Citra, Simcoe, or whatever, I’m getting a touch more cattiness (garlic/onion/vegetal) than I prefer. Not a whole lot, but enough that I can’t rate this any higher. Other than that, a solid brew. I’ve called it an APA here, since the label just calls it a Pale, but it bridges styes with A/IPA: the colour and body are APA-ish, but the ABV and flavour are definitely beefy enough to be considered an A/IPA. Then again, despite the higher ABV, it drinks like a session ale. I guess, call it a Pale and have done with it? (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Fernie Brewing Company / Whistler Brewing Co. Spring Shred Red Session Ale American Amber / Red Ale at 4.7% ABV (C$6.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 22-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear deep amber with one finger of loose ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: muted, caramel malt, grassy and weedy, earthy, faint citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending to the watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Dudes, there’s more to “session” than “low ABV”. The label claims 50 IBU of Cascade and Chinook hops, but I can’t say I’m really getting it – the bitterness feels at most moderate, perhaps because the low ABV and watery body aren’t providing the necessary support to allow the bitterness to really pop. Faded and watery aren’t exactly a recipe for success in my book. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whistler Brewing Co. Cheakamus Chai-Maple Ale Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 5% ABV (C$7.09 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 22-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with two fingers of fluffy light beige head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: chai tea, maple syrup, chocolate. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly to the watery, moderate carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Bizarre. Yes, it smells exactly like chai tea and maple syrup. And not a little bit: take a cup of chai tea, and dump in a few tablespoons of maple syrup. But, somewhat surprisingly, it’s not too sweet. Would probably work better as a dessert than as a beer, though – maybe over a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 / Strange Fellows Brewing People Are Strange Saison at 6.5% ABV (C$2.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 21-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, apple, herbal, pepper, light citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild funk. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate-high carbonation, dry funky finish. (3/5)

Can’t say I would have guessed there was any rye in there. Not all that hoppy, either. Still, those quibbles aside it’s a pleasant enough saison. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wild Rose Brewery Rare Flemish Stout (2015) Sour Stout at 6.2% ABV (C$12.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 21-Apr-2016)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with brown highlights, a short light beige head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lactic sour, vinous red berries, dry cocoa and dark toasted malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter, moderate-high tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, dry tart finish. (3/5)

An OK sour, but not a lot of stout character. The lactic sourness is a bit unbalanced, dominating over a not very pronounced dry chocolate and toasted malt. The dry finish is decent, though. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Clown Shoes Beer Moses and the Misfits Cream Ale at 9.1% ABV (C$14.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 19-Apr-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cacao nibs, vanilla, sweet malt, fruity esters. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium creamy body, soft carbonation, lingering bitter and boozy finish. (3/5)

A very strange beer, but it kind of grows on you. The vanilla and cacao nibs are dominant, making for a completely different experience than a normal cream ale. If you go into this expecting just a high-gravity rendition of a cream ale, you’re in for a bit of a shock. As a whole, though, this beast kind of works. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Sour Note Sax in the Dark Sour / Wild Ale at 5% ABV (C$7.09 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 19-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of dense light beige head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grape must, bready yeast, balsamic vinegar, caramel malt. (3/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter. (3/10) Palate: medium body, medium carbonation, medium duration lightly tart finish. (2/5)

I generally like Phillips. I love sours. Thus it follows that I should like this Phillips sour, right? Wrong. Oh, so very wrong. “Sour note” indeed. This smells just like the grape must you get in winemaking kits, with a sharp vinegary edge. An unbalanced, unsavoury mess. Sink pour. (6/20)

3.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH Stiegl Pils Pilsener at 4.9% ABV (C$2.79 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, bottle date 11-Feb-2016, reviewed 19-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of fine white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grassy, grainy pale malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp lightly bitter finish. (3/5)

Decent, if not very exciting. Clean grassy hops and grainy pale malt, with a light body and crisp finish. Fine with lunch. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Some Like It Haskap Kölsch at 5% ABV (C$7.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 18-Apr-2016)

Appearance: red-tinged pale amber with one finger of creamy off-white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart red berries, grassy, biscuity malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild tart. (6/10) Palate: medium body, soft carbonation, medium duration lightly tart finish. (3/5)

A bit of an odd beer – much darker than I’d consider appropriate for a Kölsch, and somewhat heavier, too. The berry presence fades somewhat as the pint progresses, leaving behind a more traditional Kölsch character. Not overly sweet, but ultimately it struggles about as much as the lame Marilyn Monroe reference on the label. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) Fursty Ferret English Bitter at 4.4% ABV (C$4.89 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 16-Feb-2016, reviewed 18-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel/toffee, fruity esters, bready yeast, grassy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, soft carbonation, mild malty finish. (3/5)

I really wasn’t expecting much from this, but it’s not bad at all. Definitely malty as promised, but also reasonably moreish. Not much of a hop profile to speak of, except for a little grassiness and a mild bitter finish, but it’s working for me. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com