Month: September 2019

Koninklijke Grolsch Grolsch Weizen Hefeweizen at 5.1% ABV (C$3.89 at Okotoks Co-Op, 500 ml, packaged on 9-Mar-2019, best before 9-Mar-2020, acquired 7-Sep-2019, reviewed 7-Sep-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with three fingers of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: big banana, clove, wheat. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light peppery spice. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

A fair bit better than I expected, especially since when I looked it up on the usual suspects, I see it’s also marketed as “Premium Weizen” – which as well all know is pretty well nigh-on a dead-cert guarantee it’s gonna blow goats. This, well, doesn’t blow goats. It’s not great, but I guess it’ll do in a pinch. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Fuller, Smith & Turner PBC Imperial IPA Imperial / Double IPA at 10.5% ABV (C$8.59 at Okotoks Co-Op, 500 ml, best before 31-Dec-2027, acquired 28-Aug-2019, reviewed 6-Sep-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy brown with one finger of fine beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toffee, toasted bread, dark fruit, pine, dry cocoa, black pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter, light peppery spice. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, lingering bitter slightly spicy finish. (5/5)

I was a little surprised both by how dark this was, and by how much I liked it. There’s certainly some hop character here, particularly a lingering sharp pine that develops toward the back end, but it’s still very much dominated by a rich toffee malt. It’s actually a lot like an Old Ale, both in terms of the sweet maltiness and the big booziness. The added black pepper registers only slightly on the nose, but makes for a mildly spiciness in the finish that adds a pleasant somewhat non-traditional twist. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Blow Out Dry Hop IPA American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.30 at Collective, 330 ml, best before 3-Apr-2020, acquired 29-Aug-2019, reviewed 6-Sep-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, grass, pale malt, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

It’s pretty straightforward, and nothing really stands out as being particularly memorable, but it’s solid. You know it’s a pretty heavily populated style when even a Mikkeller brew doesn’t stand out – but then again, given how much he produces, he could saturate a style all by himself… (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij De Brabandere Petrus Brewmaster’s Selection Wild Tripel Tripel at 8% ABV (C$19.99 at Okotoks Co-Op, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-Aug-2019, reviewed 5-Sep-2019)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of pillowy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, citrus, yeasty funk, oak, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart & funk. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry funky mild bitter finish. (4/5)

I like this. When I picked it up, I just assumed the “Wild” in the name referred to traditional Belgian fermentation, and was a little disappointed to see that wasn’t actually (entirely) the case. But, in fact, the “wild” (as in, non-traditional) approach here is quite interesting: there’s a pleasant combination of traditional Belgian yeast and foeder notes, with American hop citrus. Most importantly, it’s more along the lines of a dry Tripel, with a clean finish. I actually haven’t had the base Petrus Tripel, but this is definitely better than any other of the Petrus line that I have had. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Heated Seats Hazy APA American Pale Ale at 4.9% ABV (C$8.95 at Collective, 500 ml, best before 21-Mar-2020, acquired 29-Aug-2019, reviewed 4-Sep-2019)

Appearance: opaque pale gold with two fingers of loose white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical & stone fruit, pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, juicy mild bitter finish. (4/5)

No surprises here: I quite like this, even if Mikkel is slumming it with a bandwagon beer. The aroma is dominated by a juicy citrus that translates through to a decently robust flavour with restrained sweetness. Despite the light malt bill the body retains decent weight and doesn’t thin out or finish astringent. I even like the half-litre size, so that a single one provides enough thirst-quenching goodness to accompany lunch. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Tool Shed Brewing Company Protest Pale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$3.60 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 6-Aug-2019, acquired 29-Aug-2019, reviewed 3-Sep-2019)

Appearance: swirling opaque pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap and ring, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical & stone fruit, pale malt, light vanilla. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, juicy mild bitter finish. (4/5)

One of Tool Shed’s better offerings, regardless of how you feel about LGBTQ+ issues or violent protests. Mild and juicy, it’s pleasant and easy-drinking. In fact, I’d prefer if it were a little more emphatic in both the aroma and taste, which is why I’ve marked it down slightly in both those scores. Overall, though, it’s a nice example of the Hazy/NE Pale style. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Troubled Monk Brewery Pick Your Poison Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV (C$2.52 at Collective, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 29-Aug-2019, reviewed 3-Sep-2019)

Appearance: clear straw with a short loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical and stone fruits, pale crackery malt, floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Released for “Beer and a Band III” in conjunction with Black Pistol Fire. No, I’ve never heard of them either, but their “Pick Your Poison” single is on iTunes so I’m queueing it up now. … And it’s done. I’m gonna say I have the same reaction to the beer, as to the single: it’s OK, but not particularly memorable. (The single is Lenny Kravitz meets White Stripes. The beer is a bit like Pesky Pig.) But, as I’ve said before, I really like the idea of pairing beer and music, so definite bonus points there. You could definitely do worse. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Category 12 Brewing Transmutation Belgian Specialty Ale Tripel at 9.6% ABV (C$9.29 at Okotoks Co-Op, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Sep-2019, reviewed 2-Sep-2019)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready caramel, dark fruit, candi sugar, white pepper. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, sticky building and lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Brewer’s notes say this is a transmuted Tripel, so that’s what I’m going with as a style guideline. Some of the usual suspects call this a BSDA, but there are some slight problems with that classification; to wit: it’s not dark, and it’s not what the brewer is calling it. And, call me crazy, but, I like to evaluate things the way the brewer says they should be. So, we’re calling this a hoppy Tripel: let’s go.

Right off the hop, this is more a Belgian Dubbel than Tripel: lots of dark fruits eventually lead the way here over a bready caramel, completely unlike the dry Belgian Tripel style I prefer. You want to say you’re doing a hoppy Tripel, fine, I’m all in – but on the front end, this isn’t that. It’s really not even the sweet Tripel style that takes a back seat to the dry one I prefer, come right down to it. Sorry, guys – I generally like what you’re doing, but this is all over the map, and I suspect the only reason I’m ranking this as highly as I am is that I’m half cut and it’s got a beefy ABV. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Right Brain Brewery Dead Kettle IPA American IPA at 5.8% ABV | 70 IBU (C$10.84 at Collective, 650 ml, packaged on 27-May-2019, acquired 29-Aug-2019, reviewed 1-Sep-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with a massive uncontrollable rocky ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready caramel, grapefruit zest, resiny pine. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly sticky body, moderate carbonation, building and lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Might be a dead kettle, but it’s a live head, massive and growing, leaving behind a slightly unclean soapy lacing, on a slightly unclean hazy body. The less-than-stellar appearance sets the stage for a similarly less-than-stellar aroma, heavy on the caramel, but supported by an acceptable oily grapefruit zest and resiny pine. As far as flavour goes, it punches way above its weight, and in a blind test I would have guessed at least 2% more ABV than it actually possesses. Overall, it’s not bad, as such – I particularly enjoy the old-school sticky resiny finish – but not exactly great, either. It’s one of these beers that I might have found earth-shaking if it were still the 1990’s – but it’s not, and it’s not. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com