Month: December 2017

Biermanufaktur Loncium Gingerbread Man Christmas / Winter Specialty Spiced Beer at 6.3% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #20, 330 ml, best before 11-Jul-2018, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 20-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear deep brown with one fat finger of rocky beige head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: caramel, ginger, liquorice, allspice. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration mildly spicy finish. (4/5)

The label says the spices are cinnamon, “piment” (allspice?), ginger, and aniseed. And yeah, it tastes like a (slightly over-baked) gingerbread cookie. Works for me! (15/20)

7.5/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yellow Dog Brewing Co. Chew Toy Coconut Porter American Porter at 5% ABV | 33 IBU (C$4.50 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Nov-2017, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 19-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with a short, short-lived beige head, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coconut, chocolate, coffee. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

The only beer I’ve previously had by these guys (that wasn’t a collab) came in at a fairly meh-tastic 6.5/10. Their P49 collab was worse (6/10), and their Blindman collab was far better (8.5/10!). On the other hand, I love coconut, so… I dunno – cautious optimism? And that paid off. Initially, I didn’t think there was any coconut, but the more I let it warm, the more it came out. The underlying flavours are clean chocolate and coffee, with no deep complexity, but that works for this style. It ends up being reminiscent of a Bounty Bar, with a smooth body marred only slightly by a too-high carbonation. If this actually were chewy, it would be stellar, but as it stands it’s merely good. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Zero Issue Brewing Terraform American Porter at 5.8% ABV (C$2.97 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 473 ml, packaged on 23-Nov-2017, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 19-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with one finger of rocky light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malts, slightly milky chocolate, stone fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

These guys are pretty impressive: I’d previously had 3 of their 4 releases, and rated them all at 7.5-8/10. (Their third release was a Pils, so I don’t feel too badly about having not found one.) Now, I might be (probably am) a gobshite, but I’m a gobshite who’s tasted over three thousand beers, so I’m fairly comfortable saying those ratings, for a neophyte brewery, mean something. This? Well, this doesn’t disappoint – or, not by much, anyway. I admit to having built them up a little in my mind, so I had high hopes for this. And it’s good, but falls short of legendary. The body is just very slightly thin for where I’d like to see it, and the carbonation a touch high. This would be a nine or better if it were a bit heavier and smoother – but it’s pretty danged good as it stands. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sound Brewery Baltic Porter Black Lager Baltic Porter at 7.8% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #19, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 19-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with one finger of fluffy beige head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, caramel, mild dried dark fruit, light smoke, hint floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Nice implementation of the style – not as sweet as is often the case with Baltics (which is in my opinion very much to its advantage) but still rich and creamy. Very seasonally appropriate! (15/20)

7.5/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Rock Brewery Doug Black IPA at 6% ABV | 45 IBU (C$5.57 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 19-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear deep brown with two fingers of rocky beige head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: cocoa, coffee, citrus, resiny pine (fir?). (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, that’s different! An interesting combination of Cascadian Ale (Black IPA) and Chocolate Stout. Up there with the bestI’ve had by Big Rock. Good job, guys. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 Rock the Bells Sour / Wild Ale at 7% ABV | 12 IBU (C$7.29 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, packaged on 8-Nov-2017, acquired 12-Dec-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby with one finger of thin pinkish head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cranberry, burnt rubber, light citrus, hint of Brett funk. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration tart finish. (4/5)

Way too much phenolic on the front end for me, coming across as burnt rubber / band-aid. Finishes better than it starts, but still not my cup of tea. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 7.8% ABV | 36 IBU (C$10.29 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Dec-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with a thin rocky beige head, good retention and soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart cherry & raspberry, candi sugar, Belgian yeast esters and mild phenols. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly tart finish. (4/5)

What? I’m trying to get into the spirit of the season, OK? (Or, barring that, get the spirits of the season into me.) And this is *miles* better than the last vintage I had of this, an anaemic American Amber in 2014. Cleanly tart cherry and raspberry dominate, with a candi sugar character that doesn’t come through as overly sweet on the tongue. The finish tends dry and mildly tart, inviting the next sip. Really solid seasonal beer. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Happy Holidays Chocolate Porter Porter at 5.3% ABV (C$0.00 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby-brown with one fat finger of dense beige head, good retention and soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate, roasty malt, hint of dark fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

In case you were wondering: no, that price is not an error – this is a super-rare supporters-only brew distributed to some retailers and given out for free to worthy recipients. Solid example of the style, though I could stand to see it richer and thicker. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The TicketyBrew Company Salted Caramel Coffee Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 5.4% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #18, 330 ml, best before 1-Jul-2018, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with a huge loose fluffy beige gusher head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark chocolate nibs, red berries, black coffee, liquorice. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

Despite the aggressive gusher upon decapping, the overall carbonation level on this isn’t ridiculous in absolute terms – but it’s higher than I’d like to see for the style, and the body is lighter. The coffee aroma hints at just slight overextraction, but isn’t the full-on coffee grounds in the garbage can I’ve seen from some other brews. I’m kind of on the fence regarding the red berry tartness, which tends to feel a little extraneous to me, but doesn’t actually detract overall. All in all, I’m not unhappy with this one, but there’s lots of room for improvement. (14/20)

7/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Sky Brewing Company Power Wagon Wheat Wine at 9.7% ABV | 53 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #17, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 17-Dec-2017)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with a short creamy off-white head, good retention and soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet malt, wheat, pineapple, pome, mild grapefruit & resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full syrupy body, soft carbonation, off-dry warming finish. (4/5)

I initially found this to be a bit boozy hot, but it grows on you after a bit. (I came up by two points on aroma and flavour as I drank it!) The body is thick and syrupy, hinting at guava or pear juice, but that feels right when combined with the soft carbonation and the warming finish. A slow sipper, for sure, but good fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com