Author: dpatrickryan

Stone Brewing Company Old Guardian Dry-Hopped with Pekko Hops (2016) American Barleywine at 11% ABV | 75 IBU (C$6.47 at Crowfoot Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, packaged on 4-Feb-2016, acquired 23-Feb-2017, reviewed 17-Oct-2017)

Appearance: hazy deep amber with one finger of fluffy ivory head, moderate retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: toffee, orange peel, mint, dried fruits, nuts, wood. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slick body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter warming spicy finish. (4/5)

Believe it or not, at 11% ABV, this is on the lighter end of the spectrum for its variants – I’ve got a couple others cellaring that are 11.2% and 11.6%, making this the poor relative by comparison. I must confess, however, to being a bit puzzled by this one: I last tried it six or seven months ago, at which time I was fairly certain the hop profile was pretty much done, but right now I’m detecting a fairly sprightly herbal/minty Pekko hop character going on. So… the hops faded… and then came back? That’s new… For whatever reason, I think I like this a touch more than the first time I tried it. And now I’m sad I don’t have another one cellaring for future exploration. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stone Brewing Company Imperial Russian Stout (2016) Russian Imperial Stout at 10.8% ABV | 65 IBU (C$13.85 at Crowfoot Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, packaged on 23-Mar-2016, acquired 23-Feb-2017, reviewed 17-Oct-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with minimal relief around the margins, one fat finger of fluffy beige head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark chocolate, caramel, mild coffee, dark fruit, light herbal. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: full slick body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter warming finish. (5/5)

That is some good shit right there. It’s almost good enough to make me OK with calling an end to summer and moving on to cold-weather beers. (Yeah, it was 24ºC [75ºF] here today, but it’s dropping to freezing overnight.) Almost. I friggin’ hate winter, but boozy goodness like this dulls the pain. I decided to finish this one off since my plans for a multi-year vertical were cruelly dashed by a complete absence of the 2017 vintage in my area, but I’ve still got a 2015 ageing in my cellar. I think I’ll give that one another couple of years and see what happens, but to be honest, this one at only a year and a half old is already pretty smooth and defect-free. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Strange Fellows Brewing Coup de Foudre New World Wild Ale Sour / Wild Ale at 6% ABV (C$13.27 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Oct-2017, reviewed 16-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fizzy white head diminishing rapidly to a persistent thin cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: complex, red wine, oak, stone fruit, caramel, malt vinegar, dry hay funk. (9/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate tart, light bitter & funk. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry tart lightly funky finish. (4/5)

Now, that’s an impressive little bit of wordplay: “coup de foudre” can be used to mean both “thunderbolt” (in the literal, weather, sense) and “love at first sight” (in the more poetic sense) because “foudre” literally means lightning – thus, “a strike of lightning”. But since foudres (or foeders) are also the massive wooden barrels used for ageing wine or sour beers, a third-level interpretation is revealed: “the impact of the barrel”. Simple puns or double entendres are so common in the beer world as to excite little response, but this rarely-seen triple entrendre works well. (In fact, there might even be a fourth level, since “foudre” sounds an awful lot like the extremely rude “foutre”. I know very well what “Va te faire foutre” means, but I’m not sure how readily that correlates here. I might have to consult with a native french speaker on that one. After I get all foutred up on this.) Aaaand after all of that, I’ve still said nothing about the beer. Which is, in fact, pretty damned awesome: big complexity, with lots of barrel notes that don’t overwhelm the wild yeast character. Reminds me a lot of the Ale Apothecary wilds, actually – but for about a third the price. And, without resorting to the fairly cheap trick of high gravity: this is very sessionable. I like this a whole bunch. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Strange Fellows Brewing Bayard Farmhouse Saison Saison at 5.5% ABV (C$10.04 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Oct-2017, reviewed 16-Oct-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with three fingers of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, grainy pale malt, lemon zest, yeast, pome, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter, light funk. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short lightly funky finish. (5/5)

I totally read that name as “Barnyard” when I first saw it, and accepted it with no hesitation whatsoever – so take that for what it’s worth. I was initially disposed to suggest this was a bit too mild in aroma and flavour, but upon reflection, I don’t know but it’s not the perfect implementation of the style I’ve been whinging about forever: it’s light and dry, with lively carbonation, the ABV is low enough to allow extended sessioning, and the mild(er) flavours prevent it from becoming cloying or overwhelming – a key issue when you consider the traditional five-litre-a-day entitlement. Huh. Well, I guess you know the old saw about being careful what you wish for, right? Really very good, but I can’t help but feeling just slightly let down. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

8 Wired Brewing Company A Fistful of Cherries (2016) Sour / Wild Ale at 6.7% ABV (C$14.44 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Sep-2017, reviewed 16-Oct-2017)

Appearance: slightly hazy ruby red with one finger of loudly fizzy pinkish head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: intense sour cherry, mild yeast, hint of balsamic vinegar. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high tart, minimal bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, tart short finish. (4/5)

I’m a big fan of this brewery, so I had high expectations for this. And, to be fair, it’s pretty much what it says on the label: a fistful of cherries. Delivered at high speed, still in the fist, right between the eyes. It’s not so much a one-trick pony, as a kick in the head from a pony. It doesn’t have the complexity of a true Kriek, but the cherries taste real, it’s not too sweet, and it’s more than a little bombastic. Good stuff! (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Van Steenberge Bornem Tripel Tripel at 9% ABV (C$5.99 at Oak & Vine, 330 ml, best before 19-Oct-2018, acquired 22-Aug-2017, reviewed 16-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with three fingers (and growing!) of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: green apples, bready yeast, spices, hint of citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light slightly slick body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry mildly warming lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Well, it’s a damned sight better than their Dubbel, that’s for sure. A bit too sweet for my preferred interpretation of the style, though, and lacking a certain depth and complexity of flavour. On the other hand, it’s seriously easy-drinking for 9% ABV, with the alcohol really only becoming apparent as a slick slickness in the body and a mild warming in the finish. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Van Steenberge Bornem Dubbel Dubbel at 7.2% ABV (C$5.99 at Oak & Vine, 330 ml, best before 31-Aug-2018, acquired 22-Aug-2017, reviewed 16-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fluffy light beige head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, toffee, dark fruit, spice, banana. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full body tending slightly thin, moderate to soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming lightly spicy finish. (3/5)

A charitable description of this beer might be “subtle”. A less charitable interpretation might be “bland”. What’s there is fine, what there is of it. But even after warming, the aromas and flavours never really get all that interesting. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Innis & Gunn Brewing Company Vanishing Point Imperial Stout at 11% ABV (C$13.54 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, packaged on 26-Jul-2017, acquired 12-Oct-2017, reviewed 15-Oct-2017)

Appearance: clear brown with deep amber relief at the margins, one finger of rocky beige head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bourbon, oak, dark roasted malt, hints of dark fruit, coconut, nuts. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

It’s been a long time since I’ve been suckered into buying an Innis & Gunn beer. I mean, let’s face it, I knew going into this the most likely outcome was mediocrity, possibly with flashes of competence. But, they suckered me in with the “200 days aged in first fill barrels” schtick. What that ends up translating to, is sharp bourbon notes on top of weak darkly roasted malts, with a thin-tending body. So, yeah – a thin, hot, mess. I’d say there’s a very good chance I’ll never buy another I&G beer ever again, so let’s just call this the point where I vanish. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout (2016) American Double / Imperial Stout at 10.2% ABV | 60 IBU (C$4.99 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, packaged on 5-Aug-2016, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 15-Oct-2017)

Appearance: opaque black with no relief at the margins, one finger of fluffy beige head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dark roasted malt, coffee & chocolate, liquorice, boozy dark dried fruit, hint of smoke. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full slick body, moderate carbonation, sweetish lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Huh. I’m a little on the fence here. I mean, yeah, it’s good, and all – but it’s not what I was expecting. It’s definitely not thin, or metallic, or (ahem) boring… but it… well… hints at it. Just slightly. I couldn’t really point to any one thing and call it lacking (well, except for the relatively poor retention and lack of lacing) but it’s just not getting me excited. (16/20)

My 236th from the 2013 Edition of 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (new to that edition) and 260th combining both editions.

8/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Belching Beaver Brewery Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 7.5% ABV | 28 IBU (C$10.70 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Oct-2017, reviewed 15-Oct-2017)

Appearance: nearly opaque black with minimal relief at the margins, one finger of thin fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: heavy peanut butter, milk chocolate, light cinnamon. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light spice. (8/10) Palate: full slick body, moderate carbonation, sweetish mild bitter and lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

(Formerly known as ¡Viva La Beaver!) I was expecting a bit more spice for Mexican chocolate, but I always find that to be a fine line in beers, and I’m just as happy it didn’t go real spice-heavy. A little spice becomes apparent in the finish, but it’s even-handed and well-balanced. Good fun. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com