Month: May 2016

Parallel 49 / Moody Ales Purple Haze Sour / Wild Ale at 8% ABV (C$2.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 16-Apr-2016, reviewed 26-May-2016)

Appearance: clear deep ruby with one finger of fine light purple head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart field berries, candi sugar, wheat and mild yeast. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, light bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, short duration slightly sticky tart finish. (3/5)

Similar, both visually and flavour-wise, to a lot of frambozen or kriek I’ve tried. More than anything, though, it reminds me of the Black Market Tradecraft Sour Blackberry – which was so massively sour that one would be my limit, so I opined that a heavier body and ABV would realistically be possible. In a lot of ways, this is pretty much that beer, although the tartness is nowhere near as emphatic, and it’s missing the little funk that was present in the Tradecraft. Still, it’s not badly done and the fruit flavour is neither cloying nor artificial-tasting – although in my opinion it’s more generalised field berry, and maybe cherry, than clearly blackberry. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 / Doan’s Craft Brewing Company Thunderstruck Altbier at 6% ABV (C$2.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 16-Apr-2016, reviewed 26-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of fine ivory head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel malt, grassy and earthy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky mild bitter finish. (3/5)

Eh. It’s OK. I don’t think I’ve gotten excited yet over an Alt. Well, OK, there was that Les Trois Mousquetaires Sticke Alt that was really good… but other than that, it’s a style that doesn’t tend to impress me. Malt dominates, and what hop there is, is of the Noble variety, with grassy or earthy tones. Fine for what it is, I guess, but not one I feel the need to seek out again. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchorage Brewing Company Galaxy White IPA (Batch #10) Belgian IPA at 7% ABV (C$18.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, bottle date 1-Nov-2015, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lemon zest, wet straw and horseblankety funk, champagne yeast, white pepper. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter and peppery spice. (9/10) Light body, moderate-high carbonation, dry mild bitter and funky tart finish. (4/5)

Well, it ain’t all that pretty – but other than that, it’s some serious shit. Somewhat surprisingly, given my experience with brett, the head didn’t explode out of control – but that aside, this is a full-on brett beer. Big funky tart lemon and barnyard funk on the nose, balanced funky tart on the tongue. I might have to pick up another one of these and cellar it for a couple of years, just to give the brett time to really work its magic. Bring the funk! (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales Cold Brew IPA American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$9.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: clear chestnut-tinted amber-brown with one fat finger of fluffy light beige head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coffee, citrus, earthy, light tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate astringent bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter and coffee finish. (3/5)

I was initially a little unimpressed by this: the coffee started out somewhat weak, and the nose was dominated by an almost vegetal earthiness. However, as it warmed, the coffee really moved to the forefront, with a citrus hop presence not far behind. I’m still not completely sold on coffee IPAs, but this is probably the best interpretation of that particular style I’ve encountered so far. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Coulrophobia India Red Ale at 6.5% ABV (C$2.67 at Crowfoot Liquor Douglas Square, 341 ml, best before 6-Aug-2016, acquired 24-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: clear medium amber with two fingers of fine light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet citrus, caramel/toffee malt, pine, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

For the record, I’m not scared of clowns, they’re just fucking creepy, OK? Mostly because the makeup communicates one thing, while the actual facial expression can be the complete opposite. Likewise, this is a pretty decent example of the style, but it’s a style that tends to be neither fish nor fowl. Fairly evenly-matched malt and hop characteristics are present here, but instead of a balance, it feels a little more like a fight. (14/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Area 52 Code Name Flamingopher IPA #7739 American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$2.67 at Crowfoot Liquor Douglas Square, 341 ml, best before 23-Sep-2016, acquired 24-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with a slight bronze / greenish tinge, one finger of creamy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild/muted, metallic-tinged citrus, tropical fruit, pine, caramel malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, I guess the whole point of experiment is to see what happens, right? And this particular experiment was not a complete success. I don’t mind trying something a little different, but this particular hop isn’t working all that well for me. I’ve called it “metallic,” but upon reflection, “oniony” could work, too. A solid enough beer, but it suffers by comparison to the other contents of the current HopBox. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Krypton Rye PA American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$2.67 at Crowfoot Liquor Douglas Square, 341 ml, best before 24-Sep-2016, acquired 24-May-2016, reviewed 25-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale to medium gold with one fat finger of creamy white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, pine, caramel malt, rye. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light peppery spice. (7/10) Medium-light slightly oily body, lively to moderate carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

A decent interpretation of one of my favourite variants of one of my favourite types. The rye works well with the hop bitterness, adding an extra peppery spice kick, particularly through the finish. Well worth trying. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller / Anchorage Brewing Company Invasion IPA Belgian IPA at 8% ABV (C$15.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, bottle date 1-Oct-2015, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale straw with a massive overflowing white head gradually settling down to a two finger cap with excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, wet straw, tropical fruit, crackery malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (9/10) Light body, lively carbonation, astringent lingering funky finish. (4/5)

Yep, that’s a Mikkeller brew, all right. Huge overflowing brett head, lemony tartness, and a barnyard funk that just won’t quit. Worth the price? Ehhh… – probably not, but that’s another core character of a Mikkeller brew, right? Works for me! (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company Blood Alley Bitter Premium Bitter / ESB at 5.5% ABV (C$6.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of growing fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grainy caramel and biscuity malt, citrus, pine, grassy and light floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter finish. (3/5)

A bitter, that’s actually bitter? What’s next, a premium lager that’s actually premium? Solid ESB, with a decent hop presence only slightly behind a biscuity caramel malt. Pleasant body with a drying bitter finish. Solid example of a style that usually fails to impress. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rough Draft Brewing Company Grapefruit Weekday IPA Session IPA at 4.8% ABV (C$9.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 23-May-2016, reviewed 24-May-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of growing fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit pulp, piney resin, caramel malt, light floral and tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration moderately bitter finish. (4/5)

A very nice session IPA, that actually opens and improves upon warming. Unlike a lot of S/IPA’s, this one doesn’t come across as thin or watered-down. This really works as a flavourful low ABV implementation of American IPAs. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com