Author: dpatrickryan

Õllekunsti OÜ (Põhjala Brewery) Põhjala Öö Baltic Porter at 10.5% ABV | 60 IBU (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #15, 330 ml, best before 13-Jun-2018, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 15-Dec-2016)

Appearance: solid black with one finger of rocky beige head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malt, dark chocolate, jammy red berries, coffee, liquorice. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: full slick body, low carbonation, sweet warming finish. (4/5)

Oh, hells yes, the Advent calendar is really moving in the right direction now! Day #15 is a Baltic Porter actually brewed on the shores of the Baltic, and it is fine. Its colour is what you’d expect for a beer named “Öö” (“night”) but it tastes sweet and pleasantly boozy. (Böözy?) I’m reminded of the Turkish description of how coffee should be: “black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love”. It’s not perfect – I’d like to see better retention and lacing, the flavours aren’t completely integrated (though I suspect this would age beautifully), it finishes a bit sticky and mouth coating, and the alcohol carries a distinct sharp edge – but these are relatively minor considerations. Really gööd! (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Citricity Grapefruit Zest IPA American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$2.58 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 25-Mar-2017, acquired 13-Dec-2016, reviewed 14-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of loose white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: zesty grapefruit, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration bitter finish. (3/5)

I actually like this. There’s so much grapefruit that it verges on a radler, making it a bit simplistic, but it’s a good simple. It’s pretty much what it says on the tin: a grapefruit zest IPA. No more, no less. Works for me! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hell’s Basement Brewing Polly’s Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 35 IBU (C$1.98 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, bottle date 11-Oct-2016, acquired 13-Dec-2016, reviewed 14-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, caramel, green onion. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

I’ve had better APA’s. And I’ve had worse. Not without its charms, but the hop character tends a bit to the green onion or catty – I’m guessing there’s some Simcoe hops (or similar) in there. Not bad for a sophomore attempt, though! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Oud Beersel Bersalis Sourblend Sour / Wild Ale at 6% ABV | 20 [?] IBU (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #14, 330 ml, bottle date 20-Jun-2016, best before 20-Jun-2019, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 14-Dec-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, apples and pears, bready yeast, hay funk. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, light bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively to moderate carbonation, dry lightly funky finish. (3/5)

I’m a little disappointed by Advent calendar day #14: there are some interesting lambic flavours in this blend, but the 70% Bersalis Tripel dominates – or, at least, mutes the lambic somewhat. And I wasn’t all that thrilled by the Bersalis Tripel when I had it in Belgium, so… All in all, not bad, but I think more lambic character would really have helped. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom Killer Green American IPA at 7.5% ABV | 97 IBU (C$7.43 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 27-Sep-2016, acquired 13-Dec-2016, reviewed 13-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, mint, caramel malt, citrus zest. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Killer? Check. Green? Well… not so much. Oh, wait, is “minty” the same as “green”? I think one could argue that. OK, then, that’s that. Again. (Yes, I’m trying to be cute. Not working, is it? Fine, I think I like this one slightly better than the Red. Can’t be arsed to write any more, except to note that there’s no way this is 97 IBU. Oh, and did their 2014 writeup really say “kind herb”? SRSLY? Who let these hippies loose and put them in charge of a brewery, anyway? Yes, I’m aware I’m still writing. Done now.) (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom Killer Red American IPA at 7.3% ABV | 85 IBU (C$7.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 500 ml, bottle date 14-Sep-2016, acquired 13-Dec-2016, reviewed 13-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy coppery pale to medium amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: orange, caramel malt, pine, grassy and earthy. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Red? Check. Killer? Check. OK, then, that’s that. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nøgne Ø Adventurous Brown American Strong Ale at 10% ABV (2016 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #13, 330 ml, bottle date 19-May-2016, best before 9-May-2021, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 13-Dec-2016)

Appearance: hazy brown with one finger of creamy beige head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: molasses/brown sugar, boozy dark dried fruit, evergreen, coffee, oak. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, medium duration warming finish. (4/5)

I’m starting to feel like the Advent calendar is hitting its stride: day #13 brings us a selection that is both seasonally appropriate and highly enjoyable. The rich flavours are both complex and well balanced, and the mouth feel never becomes cloying, in part due to the nearly prickly carbonation. I particularly like the evergreen notes that come out during warming. The fairly massive alcohol content is well integrated, and really only becomes apparent in the warming finish (although I wouldn’t recommend drinking it quickly, unless you really want to get messed up, in which case have at it). The punny name is pretty great too – although I’ve used RateBeer’s American Strong classification, you could certainly call it a Brown, and as a Brown it definitely occupies the adventurous end of the scale in addition to being highly advent-appropriate. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Browar Wąsosz / Humalove Brewing Pukki Grodziskie at 3% ABV _(Craft Beer Advent Calendar #12, 330 ml, best before 8-Apr-2017, acquired 25-Sep-2016, reviewed 12-Dec-2016)_

Appearance: dirty straw with one finger of creamy dense white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: light smoke, grainy malt, cheese, slightly woody. (6/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter, light tart, salt and umame. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lightly briny finish. (3/5)

Advent calendar day #12 brings probably the oddest one yet this year – heck, in any of the years I’ve had the calendar. This is the first Grodziskie I’ve had, which is hardly surprising considering the style was extinct and is still extremely rare. Similar to a Gose, but with a distinct hardwood smokiness, in addition to a slight ham and cheese umame flavour. (I’m not getting any of the spruce referred to on the label, just hardwood smoke.) Deeply weird, but not unpleasant. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery Schleimhammer Roggenbier at 5.3% ABV | 12 IBU (On tap at Mill Street Brewpub YYZ, reviewed 12-Dec-2016)

Appearance: cloudy deep amber with a short off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, bready wheat, banana, light sour rye, light pepper. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter, light tart. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Slightly disappointing as a rye beer, perfectly serviceable as a somewhat darker than normal Hefe. I was hoping for a bit more rye presence here, and although I’m getting hints of both sour and peppery spice from the rye, it’s not as bold as I like to see. Like so many Mill Street beers, it ends up being inoffensive, but fairly forgettable. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com