Month: February 2017

Lost Coast Brewery _Sharkinator_ White IPA at 4.8% ABV | 40 IBU _(C$7.75 at Zyn, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 16-Feb-2017, reviewed 17-Feb-2017)_

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of rocky white head, moderate retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, wheat, light pine, hay. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, lively to moderate carbonation, off-dry short finish. (3/5)

Not what I was expecting at all – almost like a light, dry Tripel. Fairly clean, dry, and sessionable. Really, really stupid name and label, though. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Village Brewery / Banded Peak Brewery Village Friend Banded Belgian Tripel Tripel at 10% ABV (C$11.69 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 16-Feb-2017)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, apples, pale malt, bready yeast, hint of strawberry. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration warming finish. (3/5)

Yup, that’s a traditional Tripel, all right. Slightly too sweet for my preference: I’d like to see it more highly attenuated, with a bone dry finish. But, it’s pretty darned good as it stands. The aromas and flavours are pretty spot-on Belgian yeast esters, in any case, and any hop character is limited. It might not be as good as the best true Belgian Tripels I’ve had, but it’s certainly better than the worst ones. And, the high ABV is impressively well-integrated, manifesting only as a warming finish. (Well, that and a tendency for the room to get a little fuzzy around the edges.) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales Hazelutely Choctabulous Candy Bar in a Bottle Sweet Stout at 5.7% ABV | 51 IBU (C$9.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 16-Feb-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque brown with one fat finger of rocky beige head settling moderately quickly to a thick persistent cap, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: hazelnut, peanut, chocolate. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

I debated even picking this thing up, let alone buying it – frankly, it feels like my track record with Rogue has been more misses than hits for a long time now. But then, I remembered the good old days of Dead Guy Ale, Brutal IPA, Yellow Snow, and, yes, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, and I got a little misty and said why not. (The less said about Chipotle Ale and Santa’s Private Reserve, the better. Let me have the moment.) And, damn, if this doesn’t actually work! It really does smell and taste like a nutty chocolate bar – although much like my impressions of the Hazelnut Brown Nectar, I’m getting just as much peanut as hazelnut. (Which isn’t a criticism, because I like peanuts just fine, just an observation.) I was worried it would be too sweet, and yeah, it’s sweet – but that sweetness is balanced very well against the frankly surprisingly high bitterness so well that neither really dominates. (15/20)

On the subject of bitterness, there’s an error somewhere. My bottle said 75 IBU, but also 75.3% AA, and I think they mistakenly put the same 75 value on there as IBU as well. The Rogue web site says 51 IBU, and that makes more sense, since the Hazelnut Brown Nectar is 33 IBU and the Chocolate Stout is 69 IBU – I don’t see how you could possibly get a higher bitterness than either of your ingredients! I’m going with 51 as the correct number.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company / Dandy Brewing Company Cliff Hanger Collab Belgian Ale at 6.4% ABV | 16 IBU (C$7.49 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, bottle date 17-Nov-2016, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 16-Feb-2017)

Appearance: deep brown with one finger of rocky beige head, good retention and  lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild/muted, roasty malts, coffee, grass, faint liquorice. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)

Well, that’s a bit of a muddled mess. “Dishwater” might be a bit harsh, but I’ve certainly had better. The label claims the “sweet and toasty notes of a Belgian Pale Ale with a hint of licorice” but that’s not how it’s coming across for me: I’m getting sharp yet thin roasted malt character over weedy grass hops, on a thinnish body. It’s all the more disappointing because it’s actually a pretty good-looking  beer – and for that matter, structurally it’s not bad, either. It’s just that the flavours are really not working for me. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Unibroue Lune de Miel Belgian Strong Ale at 8% ABV | 22 IBU (C$9.29 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 750 ml, bottle date 11-Nov-2016, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 15-Feb-2017)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: bready yeast, honey, citrus, herbal and floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, drying finish. (4/5)

Despite being sweeter and less bitter than I prefer, this is a stonking good brew. The light body and lively carbonation prevent the sweetness from becoming cloying, and the honey feels authentic and natural, instead of simply overwhelming the mild bitter – probably because it’s so highly attenuated that it contributes strongly to the aroma, but not quite so much on the tongue. To be honest, I don’t know why this isn’t rated more highly than it is, because as far as I can tell, it’s a really well-done Belgian Strong, with an interesting honey kiss. I mean, look at my photo: how can people be giving this a three out of five on appearance, saying it’s got a “thin pearl” head? Does that shit look thin to you? And, it retains well, and it laces. Maybe Unibroue’ve got a QC issue, is all I can figure, because I can tell you with some confidence that the one I have in my hand is a world-class bad boy, reminiscent of Duvel and the like, so I’m emphatically going against the grain on scoring. I bought two of these, figuring the high ABV and non-existent hop character would allow for good cellaring potential, so we’ll revisit this one in a year or three, and see what happens. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Space Goat American Pale Ale at 6.2% ABV (C$7.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, best before 17-Jun-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 15-Feb-2017)

Appearance: clear straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: muted/mild, doughy malt, oats, weedy grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)

Not unpleasant, but mild to the point of blandness. Y’know, I’m really starting to develop a serious malaise towards oats. It seems lately that every time I encounter them in a brew, they leave me cold: thin, bland, and boring. (Mind you, that’s my attitude towards rolled oats, too, which is why one of my special breakfasts for the kids is steel-cut oats. And, quite gratifyingly, they voice the same objections when they get served instant oats: “This isn’t what Dad makes!”) That’s what I’m getting here: a well-crafted brew, with no off characteristics, but nothing standing out. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Benefit Brew Zoe’s Animal Rescue Society Cascadian Dark Ale Black IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$7.49 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, best before 23-Jun-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 15-Feb-2017)

Appearance: clear deep brown with lighter brown highlights, two fat fingers of rocky beige head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coffee, roasty malt, citrus, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

I’ve cooled off considerably on my enthusiasm for the Black IPA style, but this isn’t terrible. There’s a nice balance between the roasty malt character, and the citrus and pine IPA notes. It’s a decent enough implementation of an inherently contradictory style. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Common Crown Brewing Co. Journeyman American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 62 IBU (C$2.33 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 15-Feb-2017, reviewed 15-Feb-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, caramel malt, pine, light floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Gotta say, I’m loving the growth in local craft breweries. These guys are less than a year old, but have succeeded in crafting a solid, verging on world-class offering here. Might have to make a point of doing a brewery tour! (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Emerald Dragon American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV | 75+ IBU (C$7.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, best before 30-Jul-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 14-Feb-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, bubblegum, hint of pine and earth, green onion. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Well, I’ve give them this: they’ve managed to churn out another one in the series, that isn’t terrible. Fact is, it’s pretty good. It exhibits interesting complexity, including citrus, tropical fruit, and bubblegum, and drinks fairly easily for 75+ IBU – but there’s just a hint of green onion in the finish that I could live without. That skewed label, on the other hand, makes me pretty squirrelly.(14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whistler Brewing Co. Cashmere Wet Hopped Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 42 IBU (C$10.49 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 946 ml, best before 1-May-2017, acquired 14-Feb-2017, reviewed 14-Feb-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, thyme, dank pine resin, white pepper, pale malt, melon rind and cut grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering moderate bitter and brightly vegetal finish. (4/5)

Wow – just, wow. If there’s one thing I love more than a new beer, it’s a new hop – and this is a fantastic new hop, a daughter of Cascade. The similarities to Cascade are readily apparent, but this brings more complexity, including more emphatic dank and herbal notes, with none of the off flavours that sometimes develop with Cascade. This is an excellent showcase for the hop, since it’s all about the hops: despite the light body and low ABV, it doesn’t come across as thin or sharp, due to a pale malt backbone that is just sufficient to support without coming to the fore. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com