Author: dpatrickryan

Dead Frog Brewery Nutty Uncle Peanut Butter Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 6.1% ABV (C$4.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: nearly solid black with brown highlights around the margins, one finger of dense beige head, excellent retention and good lacing. (4/5) Aroma: peanut butter, milk chocolate, roasty malts. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: full creamy body, moderate carbonation, short duration moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

A pleasant stout, and the peanut butter really comes out as it warms. And hey, I like peanut butter as much as the next guy. I’m also fairly impressed with the restrained sweetness – although it smells rich, it doesn’t taste cloying. I’ve indicated moderate bitter here, but it’s as much from the roasted malt as the hops, which really don’t seem to factor into the aromas or the taste. All in all, it might be a bit on par with coming out as liking junk food, but it’s not bad. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 16 Wood-Aged Beer at 8% ABV (C$7.69 at Okotoks Co-Op, 330 ml, bottle date 1-Aug-2012, best before 1-Dec-2015, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: nearly solid black with only the merest hint of brown around the margins, short beige head, poor retention and no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: whiskey, baker’s chocolate, liquorice, vanilla, oak. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light alcohol. (7/10) Palate: full slightly oily body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry lightly boozy finish. (4/5)

Somewhat to my surprise, I half think this really did have a best before – because this is so mild that the only conclusion I can draw is that it’s faded in the bottle. On the up side, it’s extremely mild and easy drinking, with a very mild whiskey character. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wild Rose Brewery Cowbell Wild/Sour at 4.5% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale straw with a short, short-lived white head, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: muted, citrus, vomit (sorry!), light brine. (5/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, low to non-existent bitter, moderate tart. (5/10) Palate: light watery body, soft carbonation, dry short finish. (3/5)

Cow bell? Cow pie, more like! OK, I’m being unfair – slightly. The mere fact that this exists is something of a minor miracle, but it’s probably also proof that not just everyone should attempt a sour. I hate to slag a local brewery, but ultimately this is a bit of a muddled mess. Still better than a macro lager, though – obviously. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds IPA American IPA at 7% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, floral, pale and caramel malt, resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending a little to the watery, moderate-low carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

Just slightly disappointing. The aromas promise a punchy bright citrus and pine assault, but on the tongue the malt seems to gain traction quickly, and comes through as more caramel than pale. (Reminiscent of those malty DIPA’s I love to dismiss.) It’s particularly odd, because the finish is also moderately aggressive bitter, so it’s only in the middle where it really fails to deliver. The slightly watery body and slightly low carbonation aren’t particularly helping, either. And yes, I realize I’m damning this with faint praise, but speaking from last Friday’s experience before the Flames game, I can assure you that this is not the case, and that it’s possible to enjoy quite a few of these in succession, with friends. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Oat Porter Porter at 5.5% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of beige head, poor retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dry cocoa, roasty malt, coffee, rolled oats. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body tending to the watery, soft carbonation, off-dry shortish finish. (3/5)

A fairly pedestrian porter without a lot to recommend or condemn. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Nectarous Dry-Hopped Sour Wild/Sour at 5.5% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of white head, poor retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart peaches, citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt, straw, light brine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, light salt. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, drying finish. (4/5)

As usual, I’m a sucker for a sour. This one actually has a little bit of saltiness going on, reminding of a Gose. I like this quite a bit. There’s also some Brett funk coming through, adding a nice complexity. (16/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with one finger of rocky off-white head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: bright citrus, stone fruit, pale malt, resiny pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, dry lightly bitter finish. (4/5)

The first whiff of the aroma reminded me of nothing so much as lemon Pledge. Not that it’s got a solvent edge – it doesn’t, not really – but the citrus is surprisingly bright. Hoppy, but well-balanced with pale malt. A quite enjoyable Pale. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Saison Saison at 6.5% ABV (On tap at Craft Beer Market Calgary, reviewed 23-Feb-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, banana, light dry funky hay. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, mild bitter, light funky tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, drying finish. (3/5)

Decent saison. Some fruity esters were not quite what I expected, but otherwise a pleasant example of the style. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Borg Brugghus Leifur Nr. 32 Saison at 6.8% ABV (C$4.39 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, best before 6-Jun-2018, reviewed 22-Feb-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: lemon zest, honey and pale malt, hay, apples, light dry funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, mild bitter, light funky tart. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body tending to watery, moderate-low carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Starts off strong, looking pretty much perfect for the style, and smelling promising with the appropriate lemon zest, hay and so on. But the taste, while not actually off, just doesn’t live up to the smell. And the body quickly drops away to a watery, short finish. I suppose it’s possible that this is actually more in keeping with the traditional implementation of the style, but that argument falls a little flat in light of the ABV, which is about double what one might’ve served to farmhands as a thirst quencher. (Although that in itself is a pretty good trick, since it’s a bit on the high side yet well hidden.) Easy-drinking, yes, but I’d prefer this if it were a bit more tart, and a bit more carbonated, and, well, I guess just a bit more. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mikkeller …Zest Please! American Porter at 7% ABV (C$6.40 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 330 ml, best before 15-Apr-2017, reviewed 22-Feb-2016)

Appearance: near opaque black with some particulate, one fat finger of medium dense beige head, good retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: orange zest, cocoa, liquorice, dark roasty malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: moderate slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter, tart, and warming finish. (4/5)

Well, that’s more than a little weird, but not in a negative way. The citrus tones really are orange zest, with not even a suggestion of juice or pith. (I’m also more than a little convinced that the particulate is actually the orange zest itself.) The sweetness is actually less than it seems at first, and is really barely sufficient to offset the bitterness of both the hops and the orange peel, which build and become progressively more aggressive as the pint progresses. Well balanced with a mild ABV that manifests only as a gentle warming towards the end. Not your typical beer, but well worth a try. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com