Month: May 2020

Coronado Brewing Company Tropical Darkroom IPA – Sour / Wild Ale at 6.5% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Feb-2020, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 22-May-2020)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of rocky white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, lactic tart, stone fruit, hint of coconut. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short duration mildly tart finish. (4/5)

There’s a lot going on here: it’s hopped with Sabro and Mosaic, with a kiwi adjunct in addition to the kettle souring. I’m generally not a big fan of kettle sours, but here the clean lactic sour works with the other flavours to come across as more of a natural emphasis of the fruit character, than the one-dimensional note that so often manifests. As far as that fruit character goes, the hopping remains emphatically present, if not clearly dominant. Definitely one of the better attempts at the style I’ve had. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

O.T. Brewing Company Black Lime Belgian Wit – Witbier at 4.1% ABV (C$4.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-May-2020, acquired 22-May-2020, reviewed 22-May-2020)

Appearance: near-opaque pale gold with one finger of dense white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lime, coriander, wheat, floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration mildly tart lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

I thought this was new, but it turns out I had it at the brewery last year. Remember drinking at breweries? I miss drinking at breweries. Hell, I generally miss living in precedented times… Anyhoo, this seems a little spicier than my last notes indicated, with a both more coriander vying with the lime, and a little more spice heat in the finish. Still decently refreshing, but not quite as Radler-like as I remember. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Crooked Stave Von Pilsner – Pilsner at 5.0% ABV (C$4.77 at Collective, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 22-May-2020, reviewed 22-May-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one fat finger of dense white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, floral/herbal, grass, pale malt, bready yeast, citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate bitter, moderate sweet. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry medium bitter short finish. (4/5)

Wait, Crooked Stave in a can? Pretty sure that’s another one for Armageddon Bingo, innit? Stylistically this is a bit muddled – it’s kind of a German Pilsner, but also kind of a Kellerbier. It’s not as crystal clear and bright as I’d expect for a true Pilsner, but it’s certainly got the lighter body and livelier carbonation. Not overly complex, and a bit of a throwback to more traditional styles, but certainly an easy one to drink. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Town Square Brewing Gigawatt – American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$4.80 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 21-May-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, stone fruit, red berries, crackery pale malt, citrus, light pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate bitter, moderate sweet. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter lightly spicy warming finish. (4/5)

The label notes say this is hopped with BRU-1, Ariana, and Mosaic, and I heartily approve of that blend. It’s not a thousand times better than its little brother Megawatt, which was the first one I had by this brewery, but it certainly is better – and that’s no mean feat. (That one was hopped with Citra and El Dorado, which at the time I described as perennial favourites of mine, but the standard moves on, doesn’t it? I’ll take Mosaic over either of those any day, and I’m fast learning to love BRU-1 in particular.) This is a helluva beer, starting with a lovely juicy fruit presence that never gets excessively sweet or cloying, in large part due to the resiny pine note that builds to keep things balanced, and finishing with a mild hop spice and alcohol warming note. Can we hold out hope for a “Terawatt” DDH DIPA? (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nelson Brewing Company Valhalla – American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$3.26 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 21-May-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, citrus, pale malt, melon, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate bitter, moderate sweet. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry short mild bitter finish. (4/5)

A nicely flavourful and robust Pale that most definitely does not fall into the trap of tasting like a watered-down IPA. Reasonably bright and juicy, but also soft and easy-drinking. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company House Call Hazy IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV | 47 IBU (C$4.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Apr-2020, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 20-May-2020)

Appearance: hazy brown-tinged pale amber with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, melon, caramel, hint of wet cardboard. (6/10) Taste: moderate bitter, moderate sweet. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

The first impression here is, “Holy shit, that’s ugly.” It isn’t so much “hazy” as “murky” or “dirty”. I was immediately tempted to conclude this was oxidized, and that was borne out by the hint of wet cardboard in the aroma. Pretty disappointing, considering it’s hopped with Mosaic, Ekuanot and Simcoe, so I was hoping for a big juicy blast that never really materialized. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dageraad Brewing Malawi – Belgian Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$4.41 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 23-Apr-2020, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 19-May-2020)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of loose  white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: Belgian esters, white pepper, floral, caramel, citrus, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate bitter, moderate sweet, light spice. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter mildly warming finish. (4/5)

I was curious what the name of a desperately poor African country had to do with a Belgian Pale, but it turns out the proceeds are going to support clean water initiatives in Malawi, so that’s cool. I think the Styrian Celeia hops are a new one on me, but seem pretty similar to its parent Styrian Golding, with fairly noble characteristics. I like the restrained spice, which though definitely present, doesn’t utterly dominate, making for a very drinkable final product. Dageraad doesn’t do much badly, and this is solid. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Double IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV | 75 IBU (C$4.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 16-May-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of loose off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grapefruit, pine, bready malt. (7/10) Taste: high bitter, moderate sweet. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

These guys will always have a special place in my heart, because I literally once stepped off a chartered helicopter, checked my work gear at CYXY, and then did their brewery tour, before hopping a commercial flight back to “civilization” at CYYC. The two nights immediately prior to that, I, a work partner, and our helicopter pilot (no lie: I literally drank the guy – whose safety was our priority – under the table) drank the entire town of Watson Lake (YK) dry of beer while staying at “A Nice Motel” (it really wasn’t) and it really doesn’t get much more fun than that. I would have stepped over any family member you’d care to name for one of these that night, but, well, as I pointed out, we had already drunk the town dry. Good fun. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Twin Sails Brewing Front Lawn Bench Press – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.9% ABV | 55 IBU (C$6.12 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-May-2020, reviewed 16-May-2020)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, sweet lactose, melon, citrus, green pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high bitter, moderate sweet, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

Ekuanot, Galaxy, & Citra? – oh, hells, yes. The interesting thing that jumps out as unique here is the green pepper, presumably from the Ekuanot, because, seriously, nothing else does that. I’m not really surprised at the overall result, because in my experience Twin Sails doesn’t know how to make a bad beer, but that green pepper note stands out as the most interesting aspect. There are certainly better beers out there, but this one is interesting, and that counts for a lot. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales Newport Nights – American IPA at 9.8% ABV | 60 IBU (C$5.98 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Apr-2020, acquired 1-May-2020, reviewed 16-May-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toffee & caramel, tropical fruit, dank pine, grapefruit, melon, earth. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high bitter, moderate-high sweet. (8/10) Palate: medium-full slightly syrupy body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry building and lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

“Pair it with •Oyster shooters •Karaoke •Questionable dance moves” – which leads to the obvious question: are there any other kinds of dance moves? The can only specifies El Dorado hops, but the brewer web site says “hop extract, El Dorado hops, Mosaic hops, Citra hops”. I’m sorry: “hop extract”? Really? Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid old-school West Coast IPA, but why throw that kind of wild card into the mix? That said, lots of respect for this big boozy old-school bastard. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com