Author: dpatrickryan

Russell Brewing Company Dazy Double Hazy IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 46 IBU (C$5.70 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 6-Jun-2018, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 16-Aug-2018)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: resiny pine, grainy caramel, zesty citrus, floral, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Double? Check. Hazy? Check. IPA? Sure, why not, it doesn’t mean anything anymore anyway. So, that’s all the boxes checked, let’s go drinking! (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company Mango Milkshake IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 36 IBU (C$4.70 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Jun-2018, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 16-Aug-2018)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with two fingers of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mango, stone fruit, citrus, caramel, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter lightly tart finish. (4/5)

Yep, that’s mango, all right. Pretty heavy on the fruit juice overall, actually, which is by no means a bad thing as far as I’m concerned. Not a lot of “milkshake” character (more fruit purée), but since I’m moderately lactose intolerant, again, not necessarily a bad thing. Decent, but not particularly memorable. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Latitude 33º Brewing Meridian Myst American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV | 44 IBU (C$5.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 16-Aug-2018)

Appearance: opaque straw with two fat fingers of fluffy ivory head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, citrus, grainy caramel, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (3/5)

I have zero idea what the label notes are on about, since 33N33W is smack in the middle of the Atlantic, and 33N33E in the Mediterranean. (Yes, the other two locations are equally watery.) Anyhoo, beer-wise this is actually fairly decent, except that it falls down slightly in the mouth feel, which tends to fall slightly flat and watery. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Central City Brewers + Distillers Red Racer Superfruit IPA American IPA at 5.8% ABV | 65 IBU (C$2.90 at Collective, 500 ml, packaged on 13-Jul-2018, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 14-Aug-2018)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim and ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mango, passionfruit, bready caramel, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

You know what? I’ve been married to the same woman for 24 years next week, and faithful to her for longer than that. I’ve got nothing to prove to anybody, so I’m sufficiently secure in my sexuality that I have no problem proclaiming my love of Superfruit. … though, “love” might be a bit excessive. “I like you so let’s see where this goes”, perhaps? Would that make me alcoholically bicurious? (And the price is certainly right, so is that a factor?) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Hop Terroir: Centennial / Belgium American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 500 ml, best before 21-Nov-2018, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 14-Aug-2018)

Appearance: opaque straw with two fingers of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus flesh, pith, and zest, dank resiny weeds, grainy pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Well… that worked out pretty much exactly as I’d hoped it would when I decided which one of these I’d drink first. I’m not surprised, mind you – I fully expected Mikkeller and de Proef to be capable of doing precisely what they did here: showcase the hops, with the background malt being identically the same. So, instead of the dill pickles and coconut in the Sorachi Ace varietal, we’ve got citrus flesh, pith, and zest, with just a hint of dank resiny weediness (verging on – but not actually reaching – green onion or cattiness). I keep waiting for the cat piss to hit, but it just doesn’t, much to general approbation.

And now, having done my research, I realize there are two more brothers from another mother out there, just waiting to be reviewed: the same two hops, but sourced in the US instead of Belgium. And, in retrospect, their existence is the only thing that makes the naming make sense: clearly “varietal” and “terroir” are not the same thing. Man… I have to drink more Sorachi Ace? The things I do for science… (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller Hop Terroir: Sorachi Ace / Belgium American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 500 ml, best before 14-Dec-2018, acquired 14-Aug-2018, reviewed 14-Aug-2018)

Appearance: green-tinged opaque straw with two fingers of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dill, coconut, citrus, grainy pale malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Take an excellent NEIPA like, say, Trillium or Tree House, and then replace most of the citrus with dill and coconut, and this is what you end up with. I’m willing to accept that this is a very well-done showcase of these particular hops – but I just don’t like them that much, and think I just have to accept the conclusion that I don’t much like Sorachi Ace hops. (Which is kind of out of character, because I love dill. And coconut.) But, at the end of the day, I don’t think I like dill pickles in my beer. (Though I do sorta love coconut there.) And the dill actually either fades, or you get used to it, so by the end of the pint, you start second-guessing yourself that it really wasn’t all that bad. So, I dunno… Sorachi Hops: the abusive gaslighting boyfriend of the hop world? (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wild Rose Brewery Rare Brewer’s Select Oud Bruin Oud Bruin at 6.2% | 15 IBU ABV (C$11.60 at Crowfoot Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, packaged on 2-Feb-2017, acquired 23-Feb-2017, reviewed 12-Aug-2018)

Appearance: clear brown with a short fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: complex, red wine and balsamic vinegars, cherry, oak, raspberry, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry crisp mildly warming finish. (4/5)

The label says cherries, raspberries, and saskatoon berries, but I can’t say I’m actually getting any of the saskatoons – maybe just the merest hint, in the finish (though I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have identified that on my own, and I used to have my own saskatoon bushes). Overall, it’s a pretty decent Oud Bruin, with pleasant mildly acetic vinegar, red wine, and barrel notes in addition to the tart berries. (The guidelines say the mild sourness shouldn’t be vinegary, but I actually like it like this, so I might be ranking aroma and flavour just a titch high.) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dildo Brewing Co. 11-Aug-2018

1. Blonde Root 80 Blonde Ale at 5% ABV | 14 IBU. Fruity, pale malt, citrus, grass. Moderate sweet, m/low bitter. Pleasant robustly flavoured blond. 7/10
2. Red Rocks Ale Irish Red at 5.5% ABV | 26 IBU. Sweet caramel, toasted bread, mild fruit/berry. Moderate sweet, moderate bitter. Malty without being too sweet. 7/10
3. Stout Dildo Dry Irish Stout at 4.5% ABV | 25 IBU. Molasses, coffee, anise/liquorice, cocoa, mild medicinal herbal. Moderate sweet, moderate bitter. Off-dry balanced finish. Good even in warm weather! 7.5/10
4. I’se da bye PA American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 55 IBU. Juicy citrus, pine, floral. Moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. Off-dry finish but drops off slightly watery. Very nice flavour and would clearly be the best of the four with better carbonation. 7.5/10

Live music, kid friendly, decent pub grub, good beer, and a name that makes me snigger like a 12-year-old. What’s not to like?

Quidi Vidi Brewing Company Three Seasons Saison at 5.1% ABV | 26 IBU (C$3.65 at NLC Howley Estates, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 10-Aug-2018, reviewed 10-Aug-2018)

Appearance: opaque straw with a short creamy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim and ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coriander, band-aid, citrus, pepper, metallic. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-high carbonation, drying short duration spicy finish. (4/5)

I dunno, I’m starting to worry I’m losing my mind, or maybe my sniffer is as broken as my give-a-shitter, but I’m getting band-aid phenolics here too – which makes it the past three new beers in a row, and two in a row from this brewery. On the up side, the carbonation is nice and lively, and the finish the clean and crisp, making it refreshing overall. It’s not bad overall, but it’s not wowing me. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Port Rexton Brewing Company Come Out Wit Ya Witbier at 4.7% ABV (C$6.65 at Port Rexton Brewing Company, 950 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 10-Aug-2018, reviewed 10-Aug-2018)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with one finger of creamy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim and ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, band-aid, coriander, grainy wheat, herbal, pepper. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly sticky mildly spicy finish. (3/5)

The phenolics in this style should be coriander-like, or perhaps banana and/or bubblegum if you lean more to the German style (i.e. Hefe instead of Wit) but I’m getting plastic band-aid / burnt rubber over top of the coriander. I’m totally second-guessing myself on this, because I got exactly the same thing last night in a Lager, of all things, and She Who Must Be Obeyed says she can’t smell it at all, so… (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com