Month: June 2017

Central 28 Beer Company Trekker Bier Saison at 4.5% ABV | 20 IBU (US$1.99 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 15-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy straw with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, crackery malt, light citrus & stone fruit, coriander. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild peppery spice. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mild finish. (3/5)

On the up side, they haven’t gone overboard with the spices, as so many “Belgian-style” ales tend to. On the down side, they haven’t really gone anywhere at all. Aromas are really mild, almost to the point of muted, and the taste isn’t any more emphatic. On the other hand, it’s not far off ticking all the boxes for a truly traditional Saison/Grisette: light in body and ABV, easily drinkable, and thirst-quenching. I’d just like it to be cleaner, crisper, and more aromatic, is that too much to ask? (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whistler Brewing Co. Pineapple Express Wheat Ale Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 5% ABV (C$2.69 at Thumbprint Craft Beer Market, 355 ml, packaged on 31-Mar-2017, acquired 27-May-2017, reviewed 15-Jun-2017)

Appearance: cloudy medium gold with one fat finger of creamy ivory head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet pineapple, bready grain, stone fruit, spices. (5/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, mild bitter, mild peppery spice. (5/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration peppery finish. (3/5)

I’m not entirely sure why this isn’t working for me. All I can figure is, the sweetness of the pineapple combined with the wheat malt is making for a duller, blunter flavour than I was expecting. That, combined with a spicy, peppery finish, makes for an almost savoury character to a beer that should be light and crisp. More puzzled than disappointed by this one. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Trinity Brewing Company DaMn, it FeeLs GoOD to bE a GanGsta! Sour / Wild Ale at 8.1% ABV (C$12.99 at Oak & Vine, 375 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Jun-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with the merest hint of brown relief in the margins, with a short, short-lived beige head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coffee, tart red berries, vinous grape must, oak, mild leathery funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet and funky tart, mild bitter. (7/10) Medium body, soft carbonation, medium duration tart finish. (3/5)

Bit of a kitchen sink of ingredients (and flavours) going on here, but they work reasonably well together. Not a fan of the fairly racist suggestions of the name, if I’m honest, but I suppose that’s neither here nor there with respect to the beer itself. A bit busy and a bit all over the place, but not terrible. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Trinity Brewing Company Oh Face Saison Provisional Saison at 6.5% ABV (C$11.99 at Oak & Vine, 375 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Jun-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold (because I reserved the lees) with a short, short-lived off-white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: leather, stone fruit, oak, floral, spices, pumpkin. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light funky tart. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish lightly funky finish. (3/5)

As far as I can tell, this is a heavily modified recipe with the same name, but a much beefier malt bill, giving 2% more ABV than the previous version. Regardless, this is like Saison the way chalk is like cheese – it’s really much more a Sour/Wild, in my opinion. Sweet and somewhat heavy-handed, but with a pleasant tartness working well with leathery brett and oak. Not bad, but a bit muddled and lacking direction. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Trinity Brewing Company Mr. Saison Saison Vieille Saison at 5.6% ABV (C$9.99 at Oak & Vine, 375 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 14-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of growing rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, apples and pears, stone fruit, crackery malt, grassy hay, light earthy funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter and spice, light funky tart. (7/10) Medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, dry lightly spicy and funky finish. (4/5)

Not bad at all. A little heavy on the fruit character, which is emphasized by the slight sweetness. All in all, a bit like a sweetish Belgian-style Tripel – but not unpleasant, by any means. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! Saison du Parc Saison at 4.2% ABV (C$3.44 at Oak & Vine, 341 ml, packaged on 11-Apr-2017, acquired 5-Jun-2017, reviewed 14-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with two fingers of loose white head that retains moderately well, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: musty, floral, sulphur, grainy wheat, black pepper, grassy hay, lemon zest. (6/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, mild bitter, light tart and funk. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, dry short duration, lightly funky finish. (4/5)

I had high hopes for this, and it’s not bad – but it’s not great, either. In particular, as it warms a fairly unwelcome sulphur note begins to make itself known. It’s not overwhelming, and it’s not a deal-breaker – but it is enough to move this thing out of world-class contention. Other than that, it pretty much ticks all the boxes: lighter in body and ABV, crisp and dry, and quite refreshing. Just smells a little like farts, is all… (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 Brett Saison (2016) Saison at 7.3% ABV | 15 IBU (C$6.41 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2017, reviewed 13-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, bready yeast, barnyardy funk, citrus zest, black pepper, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light tart and funk. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration, lightly funky finish. (3/5)

Not uninteresting, but really more of a Wild/Sour than a Saison (Brett or otherwise). As is so often the case, I find this to be really too sweet and boozy for the style. I’m also not getting much if any evidence of the oak foeder ageing, although there’s some fairly decent complexity going on. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales Intrepid Matcha Saison Saison at 6.9% ABV | 35 IBU (C$9.22 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, packaged on 17-Apr-2017, acquired 5-Jun-2017, reviewed 13-Jun-2017)

Appearance: cloudy straw with two fat fingers of fluffy white head,  good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dry yeasty funk, lemons, green tea. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light funk. (7/10) Medium body, medium carbonation, off-dry short duration, lightly funky finish. (3/5)

Not bad at all – the combination of flavours works reasonably well together: there’s a dry leathery funk, tart lemons, and green tea, with neither really dominating. For the style, it’s a little too emphatic by pretty much every metric: heavy, sweet, spicy, boozy, and fairly muddled (and certainly not clean!) but the overall experience isn’t bad. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prairie Artisan Ales Phantasmagoria American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV | 70 IBU (US$3.99 at Knightly Spirits Orange Blossom Trail, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-May-2017, reviewed 13-Jun-2017)

Appearance: hazy nearly opaque medium gold with one finger of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, doughy caramel, tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium slightly creamy body, medium-soft carbonation, off-dry warming bitter finish. (4/5)

This might not have been quite so opaque had I been a little more careful in my pour, and left the lees in the bottle. The pine and citrus hops gradually dominate on the nose and the tongue, overcoming the doughy malt that seemed slightly more prevalent upon first decapping. Not bright, by any means, but pleasantly hop forward with a lingering bitter and warming finish. I suspect this bottle is slightly elderly, but can’t be sure because it’s not dated. (Considering the other two – much more cellarable – PAA beers I bought at the same time were dated summer of 2016, I’d say the odds are good this is from about the same vintage.) Still and all, a decent, easy-drinking D/IPA that doesn’t overwhelm with hops or alcohol. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bridge Brewing Company Quaywi Sour Ale Sour / Wild Ale at 4.6% ABV (C$7.22 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, packaged on 17-May-2017, acquired 5-Jun-2017, reviewed 11-Jun-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one finger of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sulphur, soured wheat, melon, strawberry and kiwi. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (4/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium tart finish. (3/5)

Yeah, I really have to stop buying kettle sours – this one in particular is pretty uninspired. Sulphur and sour wheat malt are almost Berlinerweisse in character, but the addition of kiwi conveys a green, almost vegetal note, not unlike melon rind. Unbalanced and not very pleasant, in my opinion. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com