Month: June 2020

Hub Town Brewing I Dream of Tangerine – American IPA at 5.8% ABV | 40 IBU (C$14.00 at Hub Town Brewing, 1.89 l, packaged on 10-Jun-2020, acquired 10-Jun-2020, reviewed 10-Jun-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet citrus, caramel, hint of pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, building bitter finish. (4/5)

Sweet citrus and caramel, followed by a fairly punchy bitter finish, but not astringent. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller / Brouwerij Boon Oude Gueuze Boon Lambic_ – Gueuze at 6.4% ABV (C$21.99 at Oak & Vine, 750 ml, best before 22-Nov-2036, acquired 19-Jul-2018, reviewed 10-Jun-2020)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fat fingers of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: green apple, stone fruit, vinous oak, barnyard funk, leather. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild funky tart, low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry mildly funky finish. (5/5)

Oh, that’s lovely. It’s been too long since I’ve been to Belgium, and this is right up there with Cantillon. Hardly a surprise, given that it’s a collaboration between Mikkeller and Boon (but on the other hand, both have been known to have their missteps). One of the loudest heads I’ve ever encountered, which I could literally hear from across the room, with accompanying lively prickly carbonation that reminds you that not only are you alive, this is as well. Barnyardy funk is definitely present, but plays well with the green apple and stone fruit without overwhelming them. A very pleasant sipper. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Vancouver Island Brewing Beachcomber – Hefeweizen at 5.3% ABV | 18 IBU (C$3.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Apr-2020, acquired 5-Jun-2020, reviewed 9-Jun-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of dense white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: banana, wheat, clove. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mild bitter finish. (3/5)

Quite refreshing: restrained sweetness despite the big aromas of banana and wheat, with mild clove spice on the back end. Fairly traditional in structure and flavour, if perhaps slightly lighter in body. Makes for a pretty crushable brew, and definitely a good one for a sunny patio. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company Grassi Lakes – Hefeweizen at 4.9% ABV | 11 IBU (C$3.60 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2020, reviewed 7-Jun-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of dense white head, excellent retention and heavy droopy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, wheat, white pepper, citrus zest, light sulphur, faint band-aid. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

A decent Hefe, though somewhat sweeter than I prefer. Not really one I’d like to linger over, since as it warms there’s a little plasticky phenol note – but it’s too sweet for me to drink fast. Not terrible, by any means, but ultimately not really one for me. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Level Brewing Wizard’s Vacation – American IPA at 7% ABV | 30 IBU (C$4.23 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2020, reviewed 7-Jun-2020)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and chunky droopy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, stone fruit, tropical fruit, wheat, hint of coconut & vanilla. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

I’ve had quite a few Piña Colada beers, as well as a few Milkshake IPAs. This is, well, neither. Rather than being dominated by either pineapple or coconut, this is more perfumy floral and stone fruit. Oxidized, I presume, but without a packaging date, who knows? (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Andina Brewing Company Pálida Hazy Pale – American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 35 IBU (C$4.18 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Apr-2020, acquired 5-Jun-2020, reviewed 6-Jun-2020)

Appearance: opaque pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild tropical & stone fruit, citrus, oats, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo, but it’s not emphatically so. For me, a bit too much emphasis on the oaty, earthy notes, and a bit too little on the bright fruit and citrus. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boombox Brewing Company / Kilter Brewing Legend of Citra – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-May-2020, acquired 29-May-2020, reviewed 6-Jun-2020)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical fruit, caramel, light onion / catty. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration building bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Features “a TRIFORCE of Citra hops (Cryo, T45 and T90)”, but I’m sorry to say is in my opinion hardly legendary. Although I generally quite like Citra, I find that some variants and/or boils will at times give rise to a not entirely welcome green onion or catty note, and such is present here. It’s not quite a West Coast “dank” element, which would in any case be somewhat out of character if you were going for an overall NEIPA characteristic as seems to be the case here. The vegetal / urine note becomes more pronounced as it warms, and is accompanied by a slight astringency in the finish. I don’t mean to overstate the impact of any of these – it’s all relatively mild – but the overall effect is to render this slightly less impressive than many other examples of the style. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchorage Brewing Company Nelson Sauvin – Saison at 6.5% ABV (C$11.47 at Collective, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 29-May-2020, reviewed 5-Jun-2020)

Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, animal spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: vinous white grape must, oak, Brett funk, lemon zest, stone fruit, melon, white pepper. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry moderate tart lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

That’s one hell of a nice Saison. The Nelson Sauvin hops come through clearly, and I particularly like the added layering on top of the base oaky Brett, which develops and changes as it warms. Lots of fun. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company All Together – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$4.36 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-May-2020, acquired 5-Jun-2020, reviewed 5-Jun-2020)

Appearance: dirty and hazy medium gold with two fingers of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and well-defined stringy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cooked vegetables, citrus, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Russell’s version of a worldwide collaboration hosted by Other Half in support of hospitality personnel. Russell say they dry-hopped with Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Cascade as per the recipe, but I’m getting less of the “tropical fruit and citrus” that would suggest, and more “cooked vegetables”. This is a complete mess that compares very poorly by comparison to Town Square’s version. Actually, scratch that: it’s pretty poor by any metric. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Town Square Brewing All Together – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 29-May-2020, reviewed 5-Jun-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and well-defined stringy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pine,  pale malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry building bitter finish. (4/5)

Town Square’s version of a worldwide collaboration hosted by Other Half in support of hospitality personnel. I’m rating this a little on the high side, perhaps, but it’s hitting exactly the right notes and balance that I like to see for the style. Someone else might go a little lower on aroma and taste, I suppose, but I’ll emphatically disagree with anybody who says that it isn’t at least very good. Very similar to the few other examples I’ve had from Other Half, and very much a true NEIPA, crushable and easy to drink despite the slightly higher ABV. Helluva beer, in support of a good cause. I also downloaded the recipe, just in case I get the urge to try and re-create it myself. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com