Month: April 2020

Eighty-Eight Brewing Good Morning Vietnam – American Stout at 6.5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$4.32 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jan-2020, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 25-Apr-2020)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with two fingers of fine beige head diminishing gradually to a thick persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: espresso coffee, roasty malts, cocoa, caramel, weedy green hops. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-low carbonation, sticky lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

Not bad, but if I’m honest I was expecting more. Specifically, I was expecting it to be thicker and heavier. On the up side, it’s dominated by a clean espresso coffee note with some sweetness supporting. It bites a little harder than the 40 IBU might suggest, perhaps as a function of the coffee adjunct. Slightly stickier in the finish than I’d like, but not offensively so. It sounds like I’m complaining a lot, but I’m really just picking nits – overall it really is a solid brew with a lot going for it.(16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Zero Issue Brewing Pangaea (Issue #23) – Gose at 4.2% ABV (C$4.27 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 25-Apr-2020)

Appearance: clear pinkish pale gold with a short, short-lived head and no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral perfume, grapefruit zest, field berries, light brine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter, light brine. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry tart lightly briny finish. (4/5)

I honestly don’t know what brewers are going for when they use lavender as an adjunct. It seems to me that the best case condition is when it’s mild, as it is here, but even so it’s reminiscent of perfume. Maybe it’s just personal preference, and I suppose I have to acknowledge that this is decently well-executed overall, but I can’t say I’d go looking for another one. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 Abductor – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$4.27 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 25-Apr-2020)

Appearance: murkily opaque pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory  head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, pome fruit, field berries, caramel, grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, sweet and sticky lightly tart finish. (3/5)

I was very hesitant about trying this one. I mean, a rhubarb and pear milkshake IPA? It’s not so much an issue of “what could go wrong?”, as it is, “what could go right?” It might not be quite the train wreck I envisaged – but it’s not far off. In particular, the sharp rhubarb and sweet lactose don’t so much complement each other, as bicker over whose turn it is to hammer the taste buds. Drinkable, but only just. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Rodenbach Caractère Rouge – Flanders Red Ale at 7% ABV (C$16.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, best before 7-Nov-2019, acquired 27-May-2019, reviewed 23-Apr-2020)

Appearance: slightly murky amber-brown with one finger of loose light beige  head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart cherry, raspberry, oak, balsamic vinegar, light funk. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, tart crisp lightly funky finish. (4/5)

Not sure why this isn’t wowing me, but it isn’t. A bit too fruity and simplistic, perhaps. I’d like a bit more complexity, instead of being beaten over the head with cherrie and raspberries. Yes, it’s very “red”, fine, but eventually it ends up being slightly a one-trick pony. Good, but there’s many other “true” Flanders Reds I’d rather have. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company My Best Friend’s Girl – Kölsch at 4.8% ABV (C$3.82 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Apr-2020, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 21-Apr-2020)

Appearance: crystal clear bright straw with one fat finger of dense white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pome fruit, doughy yeast, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, off-dry crisp finish. (4/5)

Yeah, yeah, I know, wrong glassware. All my Kölsch Stange are boxed up in my house in Newfoundland, and who knows when I’ll be back there again? As far as the beer goes, I always say that I’m not sophisticated enough to really appreciate the subtleties of some of the traditional styles, but damn, this is a nice little beer. I’ve been saying I want to go to Köln for ages, and this certainly reinforces that. Bright, refreshing, and clean. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Deschutes Brewery WOWZA! – American Pale Ale at 4% ABV (C$3.25 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 2-Apr-2020, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 21-Apr-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, berries, pale crackery malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

The brewer notes say this is hopped with Citra, Simcoe, Cashmere, and Callista, giving pretty much exactly the aroma profile I’d expect and free of any of the negatives sometimes associated with the starts-with-C hops. Other than the less-than-stellar appearance, I initially would have described this as being quite a nice APA, low-calorie or otherwise. However, there’s a slight thinness and astringency in the finish that’s making me back slightly off from that statement. I don’t know if it’s the chicory root or the light malt bill, but either way it’s a slightly disappointing finish to a beer that was otherwise pleasant and easy-drinking. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Farmageddon Batch #13 – American Wild Ale at 5.8% ABV (C$21.35 at Collective, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 20-Apr-2020)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: green apple, oak, white grape must, stone fruit, light funk. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, dry crisp tart finish. (5/5)

This is the first example of the Farmageddon series I’ve tried, though not my first Wild by Bellwoods, and I was not disappointed. On the subject of Bellwoods Wilds, it’s better than any of their Jelly King series I’ve had, and probably as good as Barn Owl #19, my previous high-water mark. A lovely balance of tart fruit, oak, and Brett funk complexity – this is how you do a Wild. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sea Change Brewing Co. The Wolf – American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$4.36 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Mar-2020, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 20-Apr-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of loose fluffy white head, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, stone fruit, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light smooth body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry short duration mild finish. (4/5)

I was pretty sure I was going to like this one when I was greeted by pleasantly bright hops upon cracking it. I can’t find any official brewer’s notes, but some secondary sources say this is hopped with Vic Secret and Citra, which I totally believe. The label does specify white wheat and flaked oats, which explains the cereal grains and smooth body. I’d probably like this if everything (specially the hopping) were just a bit more emphatic, but that’s my typical response to Pales and it’s probably unfair to rate it on that basis. As-is, it’s clean and easy to drink, with pleasant aromas and flavours. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co. Récolte Du Bois Peach Saison – Saison at 6.2% ABV (C$12.82 at Collective, 500 ml, packaged on 1-Sep-2018, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 19-Apr-2020)

Appearance: dirty/cloudy medium gold gusher with a short, short-lived head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: peach/stone fruit, barnyard funk, light oak. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, lightly sticky funky tart finish. (3/5)

A bit of a mess by most metrics: a literal gushing mess upon decapping, ugly appearance, and an inconsistent balance of barnyard-verging-on-manure brett notes with overripe-verging-on-spoilt stone fruit notes. I’ve had some really good peach saisons, but this wasn’t one. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada 40 Hoppy Anniversary Ale – American IPA at 6% ABV | 65 IBU (C$3.46 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 6-Jan-2020, acquired 15-Apr-2020, reviewed 19-Apr-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers (and growing) of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, bready caramel, citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

My biggest complaint is the itty bitty lil bottle – you really should be having this by the pint, because 12 fl. oz. disappears way too fast. It’s easy to drink and more-ish, and I guess that’s as good an endorsement as one could want, right? I wouldn’t exactly call it hop-forward by comparison to more recent hop bombs, but it’s certainly hop-emphatic in a nicely balanced way. What isn’t quite so nice, is the frankly horrifying reminder that 1980 was 40 years ago. ?? (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com