Month: November 2018

Analog Brewing In Another Castle American IPA at 5.5% ABV | 45 IBU (C$4.41 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 19-Oct-2018, reviewed 3-Nov-2018)

Appearance: muddy translucent brown with two fingers of loose white head, good retention and moderate clingy lacing. (2/5) Aroma: peach & stone fruit, tropical fruit, grainy malt, citrus, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lightly tart finish. (3/5)

So… it’s Analog Brewing, but the title of the beer makes reference to a digital video game? Yeah, OK, sure, why not? I debated picking this up, because, to be honest, I’ve been finding Milkshake IPAs to be hit and miss at best. The fact that they were another local(-ish) brewery I hadn’t yet tried pushed me over the edge. Immediately upon pouring, my first thought was that I should have left well enough alone, since the appearance was a frankly unappetizing muddy ditchwater. As to why it’s so ugly, your guess is as good as mine: I ultimately detected no (other?) indications of oxidation, and based upon a little research I don’t think it can possibly be more than a couple of months old at most. Anyway, I screwed up my courage and tasted it – and was slightly surprised to find it’s actually not bad. It’s not great, either, but it’s not bad. On the up side, the lactose is mild, as are both the sweetness and tartness. But man, is it ever fugly. Suffice it to say that it’s not advancing the cause of Milkshake IPAs with me. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dandy Brewing Company Cosmic Dancer Session IPA at 4.5% ABV (C$4.05 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Sep-2018, acquired 19-Oct-2018, reviewed 3-Nov-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with a massive fluffy white head, good retention and spotty loose lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus zest, stone fruit, clean malt, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Quite nice on the front end, with a good selection of hops (Mosaic, Azacca, and Enigma) making themselves known in the aroma. Almost like a Brut in a lot of ways, except for the lower carbonation, and the fact that the finish, instead of being dry, is instead sightly thin and astringent. Which is to say, this is a light beer that tastes and feels like a watered-down real beer. It’s not a bad effort by any means, but it needs work, especially in the finish. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing / Troubled Monk Brewery Burbank Series No. 2 Brut IPA American IPA at 7% ABV (C$2.92 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 9-Oct-2018, acquired 19-Oct-2018, reviewed 2-Nov-2018)

Appearance: brightly clear pale straw with one finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus juice and zest, leafy green weeds, crackery pale malt, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, high carbonation, dry almost astringent finish. (4/5)

Yay! Another Brut IPA! And this one is very true to style: pale, highly-carbonated, and dry – in short, highly attenuated. A damn sight better than their first collab, I might add (which at the time puzzled me immensely given the love I have for both breweries). No hint of the relatively high ABV in the champagne-like finish. A quick note about the dryness of the finish: it’s not overly so, and actually tends almost tart or astringent. Not puckeringly so, but definitely mouth-cleaning and more-ish. I might be a touch miserly on my scoring here, but if I am, it’s because I think they can actually improve this. As in, unverified sources suggest this has Mosaic, Motueka, and Mandarina Bavaria, but I’d love to see a DDH version without the Mandarina Bavaria (which always seems to come up short in the citrus department) or the Motueka (yeah, fine, it’s an ANZ hop, but it’s very Saaz-like)… just spitballing here, but how about Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin? (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing Long Shadows American IPA at 7.1% ABV | 68 IBU (C$4.12 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, best before 24-Dec-2018, acquired 30-Oct-2018, reviewed 2-Nov-2018)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: tropical fruit and citrus, clean pale malt, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry building bitter finish. (4/5)

I had this on tap at Craft a couple of years ago, and thought it was OK at best – I commented that although it might well be inspired by Vermont, Heady had nothing to worry about. And, truth be told, they still don’t, quite. But the fact is, this can is far better than what I recall (and a lot closer to their new Get Thy Bearings, which might actually be a good enough NEIPA to cause a little consternation in Stowe). Comes pretty close to the magic 10:1 IBU:ABV ratio, making it emphatically not an NEIPA in terms of bitterness, but definitely a very well done IPA. Another one that I think they’ve dialled in since its inception, to very good effect. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing Blindman River Session Ale Session IPA at 4.4% ABV | 26 IBU (C$3.62 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 30-Oct-2018, reviewed 2-Nov-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy and pithy citrus, tropical fruit, pale crackery malt, floral, hint of pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly light, moderate carbonation, off-dry short mild bitter finish. (4/5)

No BO/BB dates but they usually do them with a sticker on the four-pack carrier, and mine must’ve fallen off. (Other than that, the cans are nearly perfect, with OG, FG, ABV, SRM, and IBU. Just add a date and I’ll be happy!) Seems fresh, in any case, and has loads of flavour for a very low ABV beer. I first reviewed this at the Alberta Craft Beer Charity Festival a couple of years ago, and I think they must have dialled it in somewhat since then, because I definitely like it more now. It’s light without being watery, and flavourful without sacrificing refreshment, making it an extremely drinkable beer and a definite go-to to keep in the fridge. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Founders Brewing Company Barrel Runner American Double / Imperial IPA at 11.1% ABV | 55 IBU (C$5.99 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, best before 29-May-2019, acquired 29-Sep-2018, reviewed 1-Nov-2018)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers of rocky white head diminishing rapidly to a medium persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: rum, vanilla, coconut, tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, sweetish building and lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Well, it’s different, I’ll give it that. Rum dominates the front end, quickly followed by vanilla and coconut (which I often find associated with barrel notes) and followed up with tropical fruit. In addition, it’s sweet and boozy. The overall effect, in fact, approaches something like a Piña Colada, or maybe a Painkiller. It’s not the most subtle thing I’ve ever had, but I wouldn’t say no to another. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com