Month: November 2016

Clifford Brewing Co. Clifford Porter Porter at 5.9% ABV | 38 IBU (C$3.90 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 2-Sep-2016, acquired 1-Nov-2016, reviewed 7-Nov-2016)

Appearance: near opaque deep brown with ruby highlights, two fingers of fluffy beige head, good retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: coffee, chocolate, sweet roasty malt, toasted bread, earthy, dark fruit, nutty. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium-full slightly slick body, moderate-low carbonation, drying and warming mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, that was unexpected! A brewer I’d never heard of, doing a style that isn’t a particular favorite of mine – and it’s excellent. Deep, rich malt flavours are well balanced against a definite but not overwhelming earthy Fuggles hop presence. Slightly more bitter than is typical for the style, but not distracting or out of spec. Overall a well-balanced, smooth, and pleasant dark ale. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Gahan Vic Park Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$3.41 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 9-Sep-2016, acquired 1-Nov-2016, reviewed 7-Nov-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, pine, pale malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body tending somewhat thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate duration bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, colour me surprised – another decent ale from a brewery that I had sort of written off! I bought a mixed four-pack containing two of theirs I’d never had before, despite knowing the two I actually had previously tried (Sir John A’s Honey Wheat and Rogue’s Roost) were not all that thrilling – and I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised at how good the new-to-me ones were. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, but it’s hard to overcome initial perceptions – and my initial perceptions of these guys were based on their Sir John A’s Honey Wheat and their Blueberry Ale, neither of which exactly inspired confidence. But, to be fair, their Rogue’s Roost E/IPA was quite a bit better than that inauspicious beginning, and now I’m finding their Saison and their APA to be quite solid. This isn’t quite good enough for me to suggest you should actually rush out and buy it, but for a sessionable (-ish) Pale, it’s quite nice. Citra hops come through loud and clear as soon as you crack the can, but don’t exhibit any of the cattiness one sometimes gets. Yes, it’s on the thin side, and since it’s single-hopped (and uses only two malts), it verges a bit towards the simplistic, but for what it is, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d still prefer a full-blown IPA, sure, but this is fine for a mid-afternoon break from swinging a hammer. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Gahan Setting Day Saison Saison at 3.5% ABV (C$3.41 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 12-Sep-2016, acquired 1-Nov-2016, reviewed 7-Nov-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, coriander, Belgian yeast, bubble gum, candi sugar, light white pepper. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light tart, light pepper. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, dry mildly tart finish. (3/5)

Quite a pleasant saison, adhering reasonably closely to the style: spices aren’t overwhelming, carbonation is moderate but maybe tending just slightly soft, finish is dry and mildly tart, and ABV is low enough for its intended purpose, of quenching thirst. Granted, I was working construction, not in the fields, but close enough! (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Double Trouble Brewing Co. French Press Vanilla Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 4.8% ABV (C$3.56 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 1-Mar-2017, acquired 31-Oct-2016, reviewed 6-Nov-2016)

Appearance: near opaque deep brown with ruby highlights, two fat fingers of fluffy beige head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: vanilla, espresso, sweet roasty malt, chocolate. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light metallic. (4/10) Medium-light body tending watery, moderate-low carbonation, slightly astringent mildly bitter finish. (2/5)

Starts off promising, with dark and rich color and an excellent fluffy head. The aroma is pleasant, with sweet vanilla and dark coffee dominating malt. Unfortunately, things fall apart pretty emphatically with the flavour and mouth feel, with a metallic tinge and a thin body falling off to watery. Not terrible, but definitely not a great example of the style. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Creemore Springs Oktoberfest Oktoberfest / Märzen at 5.4% ABV (C$6.10 at NLC Stavanger, 625 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 21-Oct-2016, reviewed 5-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel malt, breads, grassy noble hops, floral, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

A decent Märzen, if not very exciting. There are certainly hints of the Molson ownership coming through here, but they aren’t as overt as one might fear. As is so often the case, the way to make a lager palatable is to make it taste as much like an ale as possible, and this certainly accomplishes that. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bavaria Brewery Dutch Windmill Euro Pale Lager at 4.6% ABV (CUC1.00 at Pullman Cayo Coco, 330 ml, bottle date 31-Aug-2015, best before 28-Feb-2017, acquired 26-Oct-2016, reviewed 5-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a persistent thick cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, yeasty, pale and caramel malt, corn adjunct, grassy. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration mildly bitter finish. (2/5)

Probably the best of the few beers I brought back from Cuba – possibly because it’s Dutch, not Cuban? It’s not dominated by pale malt and grassy hops the way so many Pale Lagers are, and there’s almost a Belgian ale-like floral and yeasty note. I don’t actually dislike this, when you come right down to it. (9/20)

4.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cervecería Bucanero S.A. Bucanero Fuerte Pale Lager at 5.4% ABV (CUC1.00 at Pullman Cayo Coco, 355 ml, best before 16-Sep-2017, acquired 26-Oct-2016, reviewed 5-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a thin, short-lived white head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: grainy pale and caramel malt, adjunct sweetness, grassy, light skunk. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (2/5)

My guess is this is basically the same recipe as Cristal, but with a slightly beefier malt bill, adding a little more colour, body, and ABV. But to be honest, I can’t be arsed to do the research. Slightly better than Cristal, perhaps, but still one that really belongs on a hot beach and pretty much nowhere else. And no, it’s not particularly fuerte. (8/20)

4/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cervecería Bucanero S.A. Cristal Pale Lager at 4.9% ABV (CUC1.00 at Pullman Cayo Coco, 355 ml, best before 30-Sep-2017, acquired 26-Oct-2016, reviewed 5-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with a thin, short-lived white head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, adjunct sweetness, grassy, light skunk. (3/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Medium-light watery body, moderate carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (2/5)

All I can say is, it’s a damn sight better when you’re drinking it before noon on a hot beach. If anything, I may be being generous in the rating here. (7/20)

3.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mahou (Grupo Mahou-San Miguel) Mahou Cinco Estrellas Euro Pale Lager at 5.5% ABV (CUC0.80 at Pullman Cayo Coco, 330 ml, packaging date 6-Jun-2015, best before 12–Dec-2016, acquired 26-Oct-2016, reviewed 02-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of fluffy white head, moderate retention and lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pale cereal grains, lemon, fruit (figs?), grassy, nutty, cardboard. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (2/5)

Huh… not actually terrible – so, better than I expected. Starts off a bit sweet, but the bitter balances out to some degree in the finish. There’s also some lemon and fruit tones adding a hint of complexity and further tempering the sweetness. Could’ve drunk more of these in Cuba, I guess. (8/20)

4/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Font Salem Portugal (Damm) Prima Pilsener Czech Pilsener at 5.2% ABV (CUC1.00 at Pullman Cayo Coco, 355 ml, best before 06–Feb-2017, acquired 26-Oct-2016, reviewed 02-Nov-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with a thin, short-lived white head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, adjunct sweetness, grassy, light yeast. (4/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, mild bitter. (4/10) Medium-light watery body, moderate carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (2/5)

Pretty marginal pilsener with absolutely nothing to recommend it. Good thing the nice customs guy didn’t charge me any duty for being 5 beer over my allowance! (7/20)

3.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com