Month: December 2018

Russell Brewing Company Miami Rice American IPA at 7.0% ABV | 20 IBU (C$3.92 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 17-Nov-2018, reviewed 3-Dec-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pineapple, citrus, caramel, tropical fruit, light funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lightly tart finish. (3/5)

I’m not sure what this has to do with the Eighties, other than the fairly tenuous “Rice/Vice” pun. Certainly neither Citra nor Mosaic hops existed then, nor I suspect did Sacc Trois yeast, so at best this is a serious anachronism. You might be justified in accusing me of reading too much into a beer name, were it not for the fact the can notes also say “Best enjoyed while listening to cheesy 80’s TV theme songs in your beige and pastel blazer.” That aside, it’s not actually terrible, and there are hints of nearly Belgian Tripel in there, presumably courtesy of the Sacc Trois, but it’s too sweet for my preference. Not to mention, funk and fruit can be a tricky combination, inviting comparison to fruit rotting in the tropical sun. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company Papaya Milkshake IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$4.23 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 17-Nov-2018, reviewed 2-Dec-2018)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with two fingers of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: overripe tropical fruit, lactose, citrus, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

A bit of a train wreck of an adjunct beer, all bruised fruit and heavy-handed sweetness. Nowhere near as good as their Mango Milkshake (which, to be honest, wasn’t all that hot). (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Goat Locker Brewing Company Pale Session Ale Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 30 IBU (2018 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #2, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Aug-2018, acquired 30-Nov-2018, reviewed 2-Dec-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: caramel, leafy and weedy hops, hints of apple and pine. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

I’ve had this once before, when it was being contract brewed in BC. It’s still being contract brewed, by Coulee in Lethbridge, but at least now it’s actually being made in Alberta. It looks like they’ve improved the appearance somewhat, with the head retention and lacing much better than the first time I had it. Other than that, it seems to be pretty much the same beer, with English-style aroma but more emphatic bitterness. Definitely an improvement over yesterday, so I suppose the calendar’s moving in the right direction – but I wouldn’t be offended if it picked up the pace a bit. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Rix Craft Light Lager American Pale Lager at 4% ABV (2018 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #1, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Jun-2018, acquired 30-Nov-2018, reviewed 1-Dec-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one finger of rocky white head diminishing rapidly to a persistent cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grass, honey, yeast, citrus. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (5/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)

Seriously? This is how they start the advent calendar? With a six month old light lager? Well, whoopdy-fuckin’-do. If there’s any bright spot here at all, it’s that the calendar now has nowhere to go but up – but I’m deeply disturbed by the decision to include what is basically a mass market adjunct lager in a product that’s marketed as a premium “craft” offering. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing Ceci N’Est Pas A NE Style IPA American IPA at 8.5% ABV (C$7.16 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 17-Nov-2018, reviewed 30-Nov-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, juicy citrus, grainy malt, pine, petrichor. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter slightly warming finish. (4/5)

As far as I can tell, this is a “mostly one hop” juicy IPA, based on Citra. I guess it’s not technically an NEIPA because of the relatively high bitterness, but it’s juicy and bloody good regardless. (Even if its indefinite article is missing an “n”.) Big flavour, and the only hint of its elevated ABV is a very restrained warming in the finish. Really good stuff. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com