Month: October 2017

Brouwerij Van Steenberge Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple Abt / Quadrupel at 10.5% ABV | 25 IBU (C$4.99 at Oak & Vine, 330 ml, best before 21-Oct-2018, acquired 22-Aug-2017, reviewed 11-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear medium amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, dark fruit, bready yeast, spices. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium-full slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, sweetish warming finish. (4/5)

Quite pale for a Quad, and I was surprised at how much lighter it was than the base Gulden Draak – if anything, I was sort of expecting something heavier, given the “9000” appellation. I’m not exactly disappointed by this, but I find it to be just a bit less deep and complex than the base Gulden Draak, and just a bit too light in body and flavour for the style. Still, though, an enjoyable sipper. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Huyghe Averbode Belgian Strong Pale Ale at 7.5% ABV | 38 IBU (C$4.99 at Oak & Vine, 330 ml, best before 6-Jun-2020, acquired 22-Aug-2017, reviewed 11-Oct-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with three fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: Belgian yeast, cloves, lemon zest, banana, green apples, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body dropping off slightly watery, moderate carbonation, sweetish mildly warming finish. (3/5)

I definitely see the similarities to Delirium Tremens, but this is milder, both in flavour and in body. It also fades fairly quickly, with the initially bright lemon zest being rapidly overtaken by spices and banana. The finish has a similar tendency to wilt slightly, with an initial crisp and off-dry finish ending up slightly watery and sweet. To be clear, I’m probably giving these minor tendencies more emphasis than they actually deserve, mostly for the purposes of comparison to the other Huyghe beers – all in all, I think I’d prefer a Delirium Tremens to this, but not by a large margin.

(Hah! Turns out I did a brief review of this about 18 months ago at a tasting event, and gave it almost precisely the same scores. I might be full of shit, but at least I’m consistently so.) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Henderson Brewing Co. UPA (Union Pearson Ale) Toronto Style IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV (On tap at BAR:120, reviewed 11-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of creamy ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, pale malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (3/5)

A new brewery for me – and fairly new overall, founded in 2014. Not a bad little IPA, either. Slightly old-fashioned, with piney and citrusy hops leading the way over pale malt. Sweetness and bitterness are generally even-handed, but it finishes a little too sweet for my preference as the pint progresses. I’d like brighter hops and a dryer finish, but it’s not bad overall. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie McAuslan St. Ambroise Porter Baltique Baltic Porter at 8.2% ABV | 38 IBU (C$2.97 at NLC Topsail Road, 341 ml, packaged on 26-Jan-2017, best before 26-Apr-2018, acquired 5-Oct-2017, reviewed 10-Oct-2017)

Appearance: nearly black with minimal relief around the margins, one finger of fine beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, cocoa, liquorice, red berries, dark fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium-full body tending just slightly thin, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Not bad in absolute terms, but definitely a good example of the style at a bargain-basement price: I think every example of the style I’ve rated more highly has cost at least twice as much, and possibly three times as much. (Heck, I think the ones I’ve rated less highly have cost twice as much!) Yeah, it tends slightly thin in the body, and yeah, I’d like to see better head retention and lacing, but those are relatively minor faults. Ultimately it succeeds in balancing style-appropriate high(er) sweetness with pleasant depth of character and approachable bitterness. Don’t overanalyze this one, just get it if you see it. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery Moonlight Kettle Raspbeery Coco Lait Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 4.5% ABV | 25 IBU  (C$4.50 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 17-Jan-2018, acquired 30-Sep-2017, reviewed 10-Oct-2017)

Appearance: deep brown with minimal relief around the margins, one finger of dense beige head, good retention and spotty clingy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasted malts, ash, chocolate, mild raspberry. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, moderate smoky ash. (5/10) Medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

This started off promising, but went downhill fairly fast. In particular, the chocolate and raspberry that seemed fairly noticeable on the outset, faded fairly quickly. Worse, what was left behind was roasted malt that verged on burnt, with an ashy note that smelled and tasted like a doused cigarette. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Wiezenbock Weizenbock at 8.5% ABV (C$5.90 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 330 ml, best before 30-Nov-2017, acquired 17-Dec-2016, reviewed 10-Oct-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy amber with one finger of creamy ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, wheat, cloves, banana, black pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, moderate spice. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly spicy finish. (4/5)

Pretty solid example of the style. No tricks, no different take on the style, just a straightforward Weizenbock – albeit one that tends on the emphatic side for cloves. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Hallo Ich Bin Berliner Weisse Mango Berliner Weisse at 3.7% ABV (C$4.65 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Sep-2017, reviewed 10-Oct-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, mango, lemon zest, crackery pale malt, lacto sour, hint of sulphur. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Light body, lively carbonation, crisp tart finish. (4/5)

A little disappointing compared to the other versions I’ve had. Not that there’s anything actually awry with this, but I was expecting more mango presence and if anything the lemon zest of the base wheat beer threatens to dominate. Not only that, but as it warms a hint of sulphur becomes apparent. A pleasant, fairly plain, mild Berliner Weisse, but nothing special. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Rock Brewery Hibernation Ale Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 6% ABV | 18 IBU (C$2.83 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, best before 25-Nov-2017, acquired 2-Aug-2017, reviewed 8-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of creamy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, minimal patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: butterscotch, pome, mild spice, hints of juniper and strawberry. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration mildly spicy finish. (3/5)

I’m not quite sure how best to categorize this: it starts off smelling a bit like a Wee Heavy, and really ends up as a fairly unremarkable spiced Amber – but the brewer says it’s a “Herb and Fruit Ale”, so… Definitely doesn’t get any better as it warms, with the butterscotch becoming slightly more butyric in nature. OK, I guess, but not much better than that. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Rock Brewery East Coast Oyster Stout American Stout at 5% ABV | 60 IBU (C$2.83 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, best before 27-Nov-2017, acquired 2-Aug-2017, reviewed 8-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with one finger of creamy beige head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, caramel, chocolate, light brine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, dry medium duration moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

I’m not sure exactly when Oyster Stouts actually began using whole oysters, but I guess this is a thing now. Traditionally, oyster shells were used as a fining agent, and the calcium carbonate leaching into the wort helped accentuate certain flavours. I’m not sure adding the entire mollusc makes much difference here: I want to say I’m getting a mild brininess, but that’s about all I’m discerning as far as “oyster” goes. The bitterness level for this is a bit of a shock, coming as it does from a fairly mainstream brewery, and while not entirely unwelcome is just a tad edgy. A decent enough offering, overall. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Gigantic Brewing Company Shazoo Imperial Milk Stout (#48) Imperial Milk Stout at 8.5% ABV | 50 IBU (C$11.99 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 7-Oct-2017)

Appearance: inky black with the merest hint of relief around the margins, one finger of creamy beige head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate, lactose, coffee, vanilla, nuts. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium-full slightly slick body, moderate-low carbonation, dry medium duration moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

Thick, milky sweet, and chocolaty, with additional notes of caramel and coffee. Definite dairy notes from the lactose addition really smooth this out and temper both the high sweetness and the roasty malt notes. The fairly high ABV is notable only in its utter absence on the nose or the tongue. Like drinking a chocolate milkshake spiked with grain alchohol – good fun! (Nope, no idea what a “Shazoo” is. Is it the thing on the label? Beats me…) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com