Month: May 2017

Saugatuck Brewing Company Back Yard Session IPA Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 45 IBU (US$2.49 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 375 ml, bottle date 29-Jul-2016, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 17-May-2017)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: catty/skunk, floral, grainy malt, citrus. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Meh. Age hasn’t treated this well. (Yes, I know I’ve been doing shelf turds lately – this should be pretty much the last of ‘em.) It seems like the cattiness is to some extent by design here – with Simcoe and Citra, that can certainly happen. I think they were going more for resiny/pungent, and maybe the fact that this isn’t really doing that is due to age – but I don’t think so. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to have a really good beer from these guys. This isn’t actually terrible, but I can’t say I’d want to have another. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Founders Brewing Company Harvest Ale American IPA at 7.6% ABV | 70 IBU (C$5.43 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 355 ml, bottle date 3-Oct-2016, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 17-May-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of creamy off-white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, biscuity malt, tropical fruit, mild resin, slight vegetal. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

A bit on the old side, but I’m not convinced that’s the issue here – it’s coming across as a bit thin, and a bit sharp. Not one of my favourite offerings by this brewer, and certainly not as good as e.g. their Centennial. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Founders Brewing Company Mosaic Promise American IPA at 5.5% ABV | 50 IBU (US$2.49 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 355 ml, bottle date 22-Apr-2016, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 16-May-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, floral, pale malt, cardboard. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Another elderly one, and unfortunately the age is showing. I’m getting a little cardboard on the nose, that I’m sure doesn’t belong there. Taste-wise it’s largely unaffected, though I’m sure it’s much better fresher. (14/20)

14/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sweetwater Brewing Company Hash Brown American Brown Ale at 6.2% ABV | 60 IBU (US$2.29 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 355 ml, best before 29-Nov-2016, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 16-May-2017)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, chocolate and coffee, citrus, caramel, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Yeah, a little bit of a shelf turd, but still quite hoppy and very drinkable. A nice combination of resiny hops and chocolate notes. It’s not a hash brownie – obviously – but it hints at it, for sure. I suspect it would be even better fresh, but this is what I’ve got, so… (14/20)

14/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Modern Times Beer Blazing World American Amber / Red Ale at 6.8% ABV | 85 IBU (C$4.24 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, bottle date 10-Jan-2017, acquired 26-Apr-2017, reviewed 13-May-2017)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dank resin, white wine, citrus, pale and caramel malt, tropical fruit. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

With Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops, this combines two of my favourite hops. On the other hand, the combination of dank sticky icky and white wine seems like a bit of a culture clash – or, at least, not the kind of parties I get invited to. Shut up! I get invited to parties! I’ll have you know, the last party I went to, we partied like it was 1999! …because it was… My social graces – or lack thereof – aside, this might well be the best Amber I’ve ever had – because it’s not really an Amber, it’s a DIPA in all but name. Big bombastic fun, well into legendary status. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Modern Times Beer _Booming Rollers_ American IPA at 6.8% ABV | 75 IBU _(C$4.24 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, bottle date 1-Mar-2017, acquired 26-Apr-2017, reviewed 13-May-2017)_

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate well-defined lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry building bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Had high hopes for this. Did not disappoint. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sound Brewery Kanacitra American Pale Ale at 5.4% ABV | 26 IBU (C$2.55 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 26-Apr-2017, reviewed 13-May-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of fluffy ivory head, moderate retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pine, biscuity and pale malt, light earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Interesting that the hop aromas start off relatively pronounced, while the overall bitterness rating is a relatively benign 26 IBU – looks like the emphasis was on dry-hopping here. This is borne out by the fact that the hops aromas diminish fairly rapidly, leaving behind a mild bitterness that nevertheless lingers in the finish. Pleasant, but a bit too mild for my preference. And yes, I get it – it’s a “can a’ Citra”, roger that, very funny. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop City Brewing Co. Payday Saison at 6.2% ABV | 40 IBU (C$3.56 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, bottle date 24-Feb-2017, acquired 9-May-2017, reviewed 13-May-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, spices, citrus, earth. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, short duration moderate bitter slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from this, so I wasn’t exactly disappointed. It falls into a lot of the traps that so many would-be Saisons do: too prominent an ABV (though technically within spec), too sweet (in the front and in the finish), too heavy, and slightly under-carbonated for the style. Most importantly, it’s not particularly refreshing, which I consider a central requirement for a Saison. To be fair, it’s not terrible, especially for the price – but it’s not particularly memorable, either. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery Round Da Bay American Pale Ale at 6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$7.00 at Mill Street Brew Pub St. John’s, 945 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 12-May-2017, reviewed 12-May-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with three fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate clingy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt, floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

I’m not sure what the correct bitterness is for this: the tag said 56 IBU, but the board at the brewery said 50 IBU, so I’m going with the board. Initially I thought I’d rate this higher, because the front end is quite pleasant, with a load of Mosaic character. But as the pint progresses, the body seems to thin out a little, and the lingering moderate bitterness starts to feel very slightly astringent. Might be a case of needing a slightly heftier malt bill to balance out the bittering. Still and all, worth trying. Heck, I’m always up for an excursion around da bay! (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery Rowhouse Amber Lager/Vienna at 5.5% ABV | 12 IBU (C$7.00 at Mill Street Brew Pub St. John’s, 945 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 12-May-2017, reviewed 12-May-2017)

Appearance: clear medium amber with a short, short-lived ivory head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, biscuity malt, hint of grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, short finish. (3/5)

This is a case of, it is what it is. And what it is, is all about malt, with a smooth caramel dominating over a biscuity, almost graham crackery malt. There’s a hint of Noble hops coming through far in the background as a mild grassy note, but it’s very much an afterthought. A decent example of a boring style. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com