Month: December 2017

Bicycle Craft Brewery Velocipede American IPA at 6% ABV | 70 IBU (C$3.50 Gift – Thanks, Rod H!, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 3-Dec-2017, reviewed 7-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, pine, pale malt, grapefruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, that’s all right! Never heard of the brewery before, but they can clearly bang out a hugely – verging on brutally – hoppy American IPA. Big pine and citrus notes on the nose, backed up by an emphatic oily hop bitterness on the tongue. This is one velocipede you’ll enjoy riding. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Duggan’s Brewery IPA 9 American IPA at 6.2% ABV | 55 IBU (C$2.85 Gift – Thanks, Rod H!, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 3-Dec-2017, reviewed 7-Dec-2017)

Appearance: muddy amber-brown with one finger of fluffy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, pine, biscuity malt, floral, citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

As an American IPA, this is a bit of a flop. Certainly I’m not getting the kind of hop blast I’d expect from nine different hops – at least, not in the aroma. As an English IPA, on the other hand, I could see this growing on me. The aroma is, if not actually dominated by malt, at the very least malt-heavy, but there is a pleasantly bracing hop bitterness on the tongue. I’m not at all familiar with this brewery or the history of this beer, but it strikes me as a slightly old-fashioned interpretation of the A/IPA style, heavily influenced by the British tradition. Solid, if slightly underwhelming today. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Belhaven Brewery Twisted Thistle American IPA at 5.6% ABV | 45 IBU (C$3.17 at NLC Stavanger, 330 ml, best before 30-Sep-2018, acquired 25-Nov-2017, reviewed 7-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, floral, caramel, light nutty. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mild bitter finish. (4/5)

I guess it helped that I went into this with low expectations. I mean, honestly – an American IPA from Scotland? Not to mention, the label says this is made with Challenger, Cascade, and Hersbrucker hops. Now, boys and girls, one of these things is not like the other… But actually, you know what? This isn’t bad at all. There’s certainly some noble hop presence, and a bit of a Scottish feel to the malts (both of which increase as it warms) but it’s refreshing overall, with hints of A/IPA character. It’s not the “juicy” the label promises, but it’s by far the best I’ve had from this brewery. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Camba Bavaria GmbH Grisette Belgian Ale Grisette / Petit Saison at 5.9% ABV | 17 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #7, 330 ml, best before 7-Jun-2018, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 7-Dec-2017)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready yeast, coriander, orchard fruit, floral, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, dry short duration finish. (4/5)

An extremely rare style for me – this is only my third one ever – so I don’t have much basis for a decent evaluation. Applying the same kind of criteria I would to Saisons or other farmhouse ales, though, it’s a decent brew: reasonably light and crisp and decently refreshing despite the bready yeast that dominates the front end. The ABV might be a touch high for such a style, but it drinks easily regardless. (14/20)

7/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sawdust City Brewing Company Skinny Dippin’ Stout Oatmeal Stout at 5.5% ABV | 35 IBU (C$4.04 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Oct-2017, acquired 25-Nov-2017, reviewed 6-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with brown relief at the margins, a short, short-lived fizzy beige head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: chocolate, coffee, toasted malts, liquorice, hint of red berries, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, dry mild bitter slightly tart finish. (3/5)

Not quite as smooth as I like to see in an Oatmeal Stout – a bit more like a Dry Irish, actually, with a hint of ashiness in the finish. Speaking of the finish, there is a hint of mild red berry tartness that lingers there, but it’s decently drinkable, regardless, with none of the astringency that can sometimes develop with heavily-roasted malts. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Pump House Brewery Limited Muddy River Oatmeal Stout at 4.5% ABV (C$2.29 at NLC Stavanger, 341 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 25-Nov-2017, reviewed 6-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with brown relief at the margins, a short, short-lived fizzy beige head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, coffee, toasted malts, light smoke. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, dry bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Mild aromas notwithstanding, I find this too sweet and too thin for my preference, and the thinness ends up translating to a slight astringency in the finish. Nothing offensive, but it doesn’t stand out. I wonder if this bottled version might suffer by comparison to the original draft-only one, but that’s not a hypothesis I’m likely to put to the test any time soon, so as it stands, not one I can recommend making a special effort to locate. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing Collective Project/ IPA No. 4 American IPA at 6.4% ABV | 80 IBU (C$3.75 Gift – thanks, Rod H!, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Oct-2017, acquired 3-Dec-2017, reviewed 6-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, resiny pine, floral, pale malt, tropical fruit. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

CA nails another one – I’d have to say this is even better than their IPA No. 1. I wasn’t previously familiar with Hallertau Blanc hops, which are apparently nothing like the noble Hallertau hops, but a Cascade daughter – and that, in conjunction with the Citra and Mosaic, make for an emphatic citrusy punch, backed up with some pleasingly dank pine and a very clean supporting malt. I guess this would be considered an NEIPA, given the juiciness, but there is some West Coast dank going on as well. I seem to recall somebody doing a “bicoastal IPA”, but haven’t had one – but in any case, that’s pretty much what this is. Really good stuff. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Great Lakes Brewery Karma Citra IPA American IPA at 6.6% ABV | 65 IBU (C$3.25 Gift – thanks, Rod H!, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Oct-2017, acquired 3-Dec-2017, reviewed 6-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and soapy moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: grapefruit rind & flesh, resiny pine, pale malt, tropical fruit. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

Awww hells yes – this is my kind of brew. They don’t specifically say it’s a single-hop, but I assume it is, from the name and the label notes. Complete juicy hop domination, with malt well in the background, and no hint whatsoever of any onion or cattiness from the Citra. (And hey, there’s that magic 10:1 ratio between IBU and ABV again!) If you have access to an LCBO, I highly recommend this. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Belching Beaver Brewery Beavers Milk Stout Nitro Milk / Sweet Stout at 5.3% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #6, 355 ml, packaged on 19-Aug-2017, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 6-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with brown relief at the margins, one fat finger of creamy beige head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, coffee, vanilla, nuts. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium creamy body, moderate carbonation, dry mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

The label says this is the mother for their Peanut Butter Stout, which I haven’t actually had – but I have had their Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. I keep wanting to say I’m getting peanut butter here, but careful evaluation indicates not – I think it’s a combination of lactose sweetness and nutty roasted malt that’s doing that. I think I can see now, though, why I got such a heavy peanut butter presence in the Mexican Chocolate one: if this thing tends to taste peanut butter-y even with no PB added, it’s going to go over the top as soon as you start adulterating it. I could stand to see this have a thicker body, especially in nitro form, but it’s not thin even now. All in all, pleasant and well-balanced. (16/20)

8/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing Ichorous Imperial Stout at 11% ABV | 80 IBU (C$4.51 at Andrew Hilton Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 22-Nov-2017, reviewed 5-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear deep brown with a short, short-lived beige head, no lacing. (4/5) Aroma: boozy dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, liquorice, hint of smoke. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full slick body, moderate-soft carbonation, sticky lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

I had cautiously high hopes for this: cautiously because the can felt like a short fill to me, but high because Blindman has really been hitting their stride with me lately. I needn’t have worried. Boozy good fun, with high sweetness balanced by even higher bitterness, pumped with dark roasty notes that stop just short of Rauchbier levels of smokiness. I hesitate to call the sticky finish drying, because of the high sweetness, but it’s certainly not cloying, and the warming is emphatic without being harsh. That’s not to suggest it’s easy-drinking as such, but that’s a characteristic I’d neither expect nor want from ichor, the blood of the gods. Good stuff any way you look at it. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com