Month: June 2016

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Acadian Groove Imperial Porter at 10% ABV (C$14.13 at NLC Stavanger, 750 ml, bottle date 15-Mar-2015, acquired 14-Jun-2015, reviewed 16-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear amber-brown to brown, one finger of medium dense light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: huge maple, woody cedar, earthy, herbal, nutty. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium slick body, moderate carbonation, sticky warming and bitter finish. (3/5)

Woof… that’s a bit of a hot mess. Big and boozy, and I’d like to say complex, but the maple and woody cedar notes overwhelm everything else. To be fair, it’s not as sweet as it smells, which is frankly a relief: I have a good friend who sends me a gallon or two of the Lanark Highlands’ finest maple syrup every year, and the last thing I need is to drink more of it. However, even after a year’s cellaring, it’s hot – which, I guess, is hardly surprising for a 10% ABV, but it would be nice if things were a bit more, I dunno, “settled”? “Mellow”? “Balanced”? Fun quotes on the box, though: “There are some sappy lines here.” (groan!), “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”, “Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” Words of wisdom! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Belgh Brasse  _Mons Abbey Dubbel_ Abbey Dubbel at 8% ABV _(C$8.04 at NLC Stavanger, 750 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 13-May-2016, reviewed 15-Jun-2016)_

Appearance: clear cola red/brown with a short loose light beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dark fruit, molasses and brown sugar, liquorice, citrus and spices. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter, light tart. (7/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky and spicy warming finish. (4/5)

Aromas of raisins and figs heavily sweetened with brown sugar, and the taste follows, but it’s not so sweet as to become sickly. The moderate sustained carbonation probably helps there, and although it finishes a little sticky, it never becomes mouth-coating or cloying. Spicy and citrus flavours come through mostly in the finish, which is also the only indication of the fairly high ABV. Not the greatest Abbey Dubbel I’ve had, but definitely solid – and hard, if not impossible, to beat for the very reasonable price. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing Company Lips of Faith Series La Folie (2016) Sour Brown Ale (Flanders Oud Bruin) at 7% ABV (C$22.25 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 28-May-2016, reviewed 14-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear medium brown with a short loose light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: apple cider vinegar, sour cherries, toasty malt, hints of leather and musty oak. (9/10) Taste: moderate sour, moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate-low carbonation, dry building sour and warming finish. (5/5)

This has always been one of my favourite Flanders browns, and there’s a reason I currently have three different vintages of this in my cellar. This one, however, while excellent, is perhaps not quite the paragon that previous vintages have been. By comparison, this vintage seems a touch thin in the body, with somewhat less depth of flavour, even after warming – heck, even the head seems thinner. More time in the cellar might help, perhaps, so I’ll hang onto the other 2016 I have for future tasting in another year or so, maybe get it a colleague or two as well… (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop City Brewing Co. Polly Want A Pilsner Pilsener at 5% ABV (C$3.56 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 1-Mar-2016, acquired 11-Jun-2016, reviewed 13-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of fluffy white head, medium-short retention and sparse lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grassy, crackery malt, light honey and floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, clean dry light bitter finish. (3/5)

Decent pils. Does pretty much everything right: pleasant bright straw colour, bright grassy hops with just a hint of floral honey, low sweetness and a clean and crisp finish. While every aspect of this is on the light side (colour, aroma, flavour, and body) that doesn’t necessarily represent a failure for the style, and it ultimately comes across as very easy-drinking, thirst-quenching and refreshing. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Granville Island Brewing Two Tides India Session Ale Session IPA at 4.6% ABV (C$2.04 at NLC Stavanger, 355 ml, bottle date 18-Feb-2016, acquired 11-Jun-2016, reviewed 13-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, caramel malt, resiny pine, grassy. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium-light body tending somewhat watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

The best beer in the GIB Summer Mingler pack by a long ways. Pleasant enough on the front end, with a decently hoppy aroma, but the flavours don’t quite deliver. Somewhat thin, falling off a bit watery with a slightly sharp finish. Certainly sessionable, if not memorable. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Granville Island Brewing False Creek Raspberry Ale Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 3.5% ABV (C$2.04 at NLC Stavanger, 355 ml, bottle date 22-Feb-2016, acquired 11-Jun-2016, reviewed 12-Jun-2016)

Appearance: hazy red-tinged deep gold with a short-lived white head, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: raspberry, grassy, pale crackery malt. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild tart. (4/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

This is one of those very rare beers that I think could actually stand to be a bit sweeter. There’s some (somewhat fake-smelling) raspberry there, but it’s so very dry and astringent that it’s tasting more like berry seeds than flesh, or maybe watermelon peel. I’m not sure more sweetness would have made it taste any less artificial, but it might be a little more palatable. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Granville Island Brewing Cypress Honey Lager American Pale Lager at 4.7% ABV (C$2.04 at NLC Stavanger, 355 ml, bottle date 10-Mar-2016, acquired 11-Jun-2016, reviewed 12-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short-lived white head, minimal patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grassy, pale crackery malt, corn, honey, light fruit. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (5/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, medium-dry and crisp mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

Unsurprisingly, it’s pretty similar to their Island Lager. The honey is definitely present, but doesn’t make the beer appreciably sweeter. It’s also not significantly better in any realistic way. One could certainly make for a decent break from the other, perhaps. I could see alternating between the two on a hot day floating on the Shuswap, for example. Again, however, I wouldn’t necessarily go looking for this. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Granville Island Brewing Island Lager American Pale Lager at 5% ABV (C$2.04 at NLC Stavanger, 355 ml, bottle date 20-Jan-2016, acquired 11-Jun-2016, reviewed 12-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short-lived white head, minimal patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grassy, pale crackery malt, corn, light fruit. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (5/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, medium-dry and crisp mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

A straightforward pale lager without much to recommend it – but on the other hand, not much to criticize. Went down a treat after yard work, and certainly better than a mass market lager, but nothing unique to make me search it out again. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery 20th Anniversary Oak-Aged Cream Ale Cream Ale at 5% ABV (C$8.07 at NLC Stavanger, 750 ml, best before 1-Sep-2016, acquired 9-Jun-2016, reviewed 9-Jun-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of fluffy off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, grainy malt, vanilla, oak. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium creamy body, soft carbonation, off-dry slightly woody bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, I guess it’s a slightly more complex cream ale. Which is marginally better than a slightly more complex pale lager, I suppose, but it’s hardly something that’s going to get me worked up. There’s a little vanilla-like sweetness and woody depth coming from the oak aging, married to a decent lingering bitterness in the finish, but it’s still ultimately an easy-drinking cream ale. Pleasant enough, though slightly sweeter than I’d like. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com