Author: dpatrickryan

Driftwood Brewery Venatrix Framboise 2016 Sour / Wild Ale at 7% ABV (C$15.99 at Oak & Vine, 650 ml, bottle date 6-Jan-2017, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 1-Apr-2017)

Appearance: muddy deep red with a fat finger of fizzy light beige head diminishing rapidly (and loudly!) to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart raspberries, yeast esters. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry mild tart finish. (3/5)

Huh. Well, I was initially excited by this – I mean, Driftwood is one of the most reliable breweries I can think of: of the 13 or so of theirs I had tried prior to this one, nine were 7/10 or better. So, I was pretty chuffed to see something by them I hadn’t tried, and in a style I enjoy, so I bought it gleefully. Then I started reading reviews, and had regret. It took me a few weeks to screw my courage to the sticking place and give it a try, whereupon I was sort of perversely disappointed to find that it wasn’t actually terrible. The aroma, while simple, is fairly authentic raspberry, and the taste is balanced sweet and tart, with a dry finish. And no, no phenols for me. (And yes, I’m sensitive to them – I usually get burnt rubber, instead of the “bandaid” description most people use, but regardless of what you call it, there’s none of that here.) On the other hand, it’s pretty straightforward, with no interesting complexity. OK, but not exciting. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Brewing Co. Apparition West Coast White Ale Belgian IPA at 6% ABV | 60 IBU (C$9.00 at Oak & Vine, 1 l, no bottle date or best before, acquired 1-Apr-2017, reviewed 1-Apr-2017)

Appearance: hazy straw with a large fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coriander, pine, grapefruit, crackery malt, pineapple, mild banana, light funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, dry moderate bitter and lightly spicy finish. (3/5)

First impressions were that it was only vaguely Belgian, and not really “white” as such (far too clear!). I initially thought the aromas were mild to the pint of muted, but as the pint progressed, complexity started to become apparent. The more of this I drink, the more I like it. Not bad at all, in the final analysis. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo American IPA at 6.7% ABV | 55 IBU (C$3.41 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, bottle date 14-Feb-2017, acquired 1-Apr-2017, reviewed 1-Apr-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with a large fluffy ivory head, good retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, resiny pine, caramel malt, citrus, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter oily and spicy finish. (3/5)

Not quite as tropical as I was expecting on the nose or the tongue, but it kind of sneaks up on you. By the third or fourth sip, the juicy fruit flavour is fully developed, and a lingering oily hop bitterness is beginning to take hold. I think I like this slightly better than the original version: yes, the ABV is marginally lower (6.7%, compared to 7.2% for the original) but it also has a slightly less emphatic malt presence, allowing the hops to shine through more clearly. Much brighter than the malt-heavy, nearly DIPA style of the original, and preferable. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Canmore Brewing Company Railway Avenue Rye IPA American IPA at 6% ABV | 60 IBU (C$3.00 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, bottle date 10-Feb-2017, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thick cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, citrus, spicy rye, caramel malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild spice. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)

Bonus points right off the hop for a brand-new local brewery to be dating their beers! Yay! (And I note that I’ve got lot 0002A – extra bonus points for the sheer chutzpa in thinking they needed a lot numbering system capable of accommodating twenty-six thousand lots. {Yes, I know 9999 times 26 is 259974 – but you could start your numbering at 0000A. So there.})  A friend of mine who lives in Canmore told me he recently picked up some cans at the brewery still labelled “Test Brew”, which gives you some idea of how early in the development curve this thing is. And, it’s not bad. Personally, I prefer a bigger rye bite in a Rye IPA, but there’s something to be said for understated, I guess. The rye does build and linger, giving a finish that grows in spiciness as the pint progresses. Yes, I’ve had better Rye IPAs, but this ain’t ‘arf bad. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Trolley No. 5 Brewpub First Crush White IPA at 6.2% ABV | 36 IBU (C$1.92 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 28-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: cloudy pale gold with two fingers of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thick creamy cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coriander, citrus zest, wheaty malt, tropical fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild spice. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)

This is the first proper review I’ve done of a Trolley 5 beer: I did three (Derailed Pale Ale, High Five IPA, Hey Porter) at the Alberta Craft Beer Charity Festival about six months ago, and graded them from 6/10 to 7/10 – but as they were three among twenty-some-odd, they don’t really stand out. (Six ounce tasters, not pints, I hasten to add!) This, unfortunately, also doesn’t really stand out. Heavy coriander is really the only remarkable aspect of this (and not necessarily in a good way), making it somewhat more appropriate to a Witbier or Hefe, than a White IPA. The hop character is mild to the point of muted, making this a bit muddled and boring. Interestingly, one of the best examples of the style I’ve had is another local brewer, Ribstone Creek, whose Great White Combine is really stellar. This, well, isn’t. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dead Frog Brewery Rocket Man Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 24 IBU (C$3.00 at Oak & Vine, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, citrus, floral, vegetal. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

Definitely heading in the wrong direction with tonight’s Pale Ales. The label claims “A crisp and refreshing pale ale with smooth malt flavours and a tropical citrus aroma”. Well… no. There’s malt, sure – but other than that, nah, swing and a miss. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whistler Brewing Co. Function Junction Northwest Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV | 38 IBU (C$3.49 at Oak & Vine, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: initially clear medium gold but subsequent heavy particulate, one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine, grapefruit, caramel, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

Meh. I’m not sure if this is bland by nature, or just elderly – certainly, the heavy particulate at the end of the can suggests age, but there’s no date stamp, so…? In any case, it’s bland now. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lighthouse Brewing Co. Explorer Series Tasman Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 4.6% ABV | 28 IBU (C$3.00 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, berry, tropical fruit, grassy, floral. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

A bit of a disappointing pale ale, dominated by malt instead of hops. I’m also not getting any of the white wine notes I often associate with ANZ hops, though there is a little berry note. Easy drinking, if a bit thin and bland. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

DuClaw Brewing Company Dirty Little Freak American Brown Ale at 5.8% ABV | 30 IBU (C$3.00 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 31-Mar-2017)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of dense creamy beige head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate syrup, coconut, vanilla, caramel, dark fruit, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry slightly sticky mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, it might be a dirty little freak, but it’s my kind of dirty little freak. Rich chocolate and coconut aromas, but not excessively sweet at all, and in fact it finishes nicely dry. Even-handed on both the sweet and the bitter, with a hint of hops on the back end, making for a nicely balanced beer. Completely different than my usual preference of highly-hopped, highly-attenuated pales, but damn if I don’t like this a whole bunch. Actually, it’s pretty similar to their Sweet Baby Jesus! except with coconut instead of peanut butter – and I like coconut more than peanut butter. I might be just a touch high on my rating here simply because it’s playing so very much to my personal taste, but not by a lot. Solid and recommended. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery Rodeo Monk White IPA at 7% ABV | 55 IBU (C$9.49 at Oak & Vine, 750 ml, bottle date 14-Feb-2017, acquired 27-Mar-2017, reviewed 30-Mar-2017)

Appearance: cloudy pale gold with one finger of dense creamy white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: doughy bread, white vinegar, pears, soap, oranges. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration lightly funky finish. (3/5)

I… don’t know what the hell this is. It’s barely more than a month old, and it’s wax sealed, so I wouldn’t expect it to be spoiled, but it smells like nothing so much as salt & vinegar potato chips. It doesn’t taste terrible, but the aroma is fairly off-putting. I’m getting essentially no hop character, and to the extent there’s any funk at all, it’s not clean. Disappointing. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com