Category: Reviews

New Belgium Brewing / Avery Brewing Company Fat Tire and Friends Fat Wild Ale American Wild Ale at 6.2% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 7-May-2017, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 19-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready and caramel malt, tropical fruit (mostly pineapple), banana, light musty sweat. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light funk. (6/10) Medium body, lively carbonation, off-dry bitter and lightly funky finish. (3/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, and we’re back in less impressive territory. There’s some funk there, sure, but it’s not the clean hay funk I like from brett, but instead has some musty sweat sock character. Not a lot, but enough to cause me a little disappointment. Not a very impressive wild, in any case. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Breakside Brewery _India Golden Ale_ American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV _(C$8.27 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 30-Apr-2016, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)_

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, caramel malt, tropical fruit, light floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Slightly elderly, perhaps – I’m not entirely certain of my interpretation of the smeary date stamp – but still decently hop-forward, with a pleasantly sweet caramel malt base. The fairly high ABV is well integrated, and never intrudes, making this dangerously drinkable. No, it’s not the most impressive DIPA I’ve ever had, and I’d probably like it more if it were brighter, but it’s still an enjoyable example of the style. (15/20)

7.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Breakside Brewery Liquid Sunshine Pilsner Pilsener at 5.2% ABV (C$6.50 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 13-Jun-2016, acquired 18-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, citrus zest, grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, crisp lightly bitter finish. (4/5)

Pretty straightforward pilsener. Decently light and crisp, with a mild noble hop bitter finish. Nothing exciting, but well-balanced and a solid example of the style. (13/20)

6.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Firestone Walker Brewing Company Fat Tire and Friends Fat Hoppy Ale American Amber / Red Ale at 6% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 20-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, caramel malt, hint of fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, but unlike the others to date, is actually pretty good. Mosaic and Citra make everything better – and there isn’t so much of either that they come across as catty, either. In fact, I’m not even getting that little oniony note that so often occurs. Good clean hop-forward fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing / Rhinegeist Brewery Fat Tire and Friends Fat Pale Ale Belgian Pale Ale at 6% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 13-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 18-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with a short ivory head, moderate retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready caramel malt, citrus/floral, grassy. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-light bitter. (5/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lightly bitter finish. (3/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, which continues to underwhelm. It doesn’t really do what it claims to, regardless of whether you consider it a Belgian Pale or the XPA (eXtra Pale Ale, typically described as halfway between an IPA and an APA) the label claims. Put bluntly, it doesn’t taste like a hoppy pale, but more like a malty amber, perhaps with a dash of additional hopping. Easy drinking and inoffensive, sure, but who wants to be remembered for being inoffensive? (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Tin Whistle Brewing Company Rattlesnake ESB Premium Bitter / ESB at 6.5% ABV (Gift – Doug B, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready and grainy caramel malt, floral, light grassy and citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

A decent ESB, with dominant sweet caramel malt and a mild floral/grassy hop character. Not my favourite style by a long shot, but a decent example of the style regardless. Lingering bitter makes this a little more emphatic than typical for the style, which I appreciate. Solid. Thanks, Doug! (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Fernie Brewing Company The Real Peel Grapefruit IPA American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$7.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, best before 1-Jan-2017, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pithy grapefruit, pale crackery malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

My second “grapefruit IPA” of the day, and this one is more like it: spicy and sharp grapefruit on the nose, and a biting bitter on the tongue. Still nothing like a Grapefruit Sculpin, for example, but a decent citrusy IPA. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

4 Mile Brewing Co. Cactus Grapefruit IPA American IPA at 6% ABV (C$7.49 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of creamy off-white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon/prickly pear, caramel, white grapefruit pith. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, drying slightly tart finish. (3/5)

“Cactus Grapefruit IPA, huh? Sure, why the hell not?” And, y’know, I’ve had worse beers. Much worse. Today. But, to be completely honest, not getting a whole lot of grapefruit here. Things are dominated by a green melon note (which I can only assume is prickly pear, not having ever actually eaten one), with a mild citrusy pith coming in fairly late. The bitterness is quite vegetal in nature, and lingers. Not unpleasant, but not really what the label promises, if you ask me. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com\

New Belgium Brewing / Hopworks Urban Brewery Fat Tire and Friends Fat Sour Apple Ale Sour / Wild Ale at 5.9% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 20-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: apples, butyric, bready caramel, light burnt rubber. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (4/10) Medium body, lively carbonation, off-dry and slightly tart finish. (3/5)

Part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”. Wish I could say I was wrong about my prediction for this, but, well, I can’t. Smells like apple cider, tastes like puke and burnt rubber. OK, OK, I exaggerate – slightly. Tastes like apple cider, puke, and burnt rubber, happy? I mean, yeah, of course I’d rather drink this than Bud Lite Lime, but that’s not saying a whole lot, is it? Can’t really recommend this one, unless you’re possessed of a morbid curiosity. (9/20)

4.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing Company Fat Tire Amber Ale Amber Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$3.12 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 355 ml, best before 6-Nov-2016, acquired 17-Aug-2016, reviewed 17-Aug-2016)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of creamy ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: biscuity caramel malt, nutty, grassy/herbal, very slight butyric. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, odd-dry medium finish. (3/5)

Was slightly shocked to discover I had never actually formally reviewed this one before. Fairly meh-tastic – and that’s after correcting for my general disdain for the style. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty easy-drinking, and despite my noting a slight butyric, it’s not actually offensive: it’s just not very interesting. Got this as part of the “Fat Tire and Friends Collabeeration Pack”, and I wish I could say I hold out high hopes for the others (I mean come on, collaborators include Allagash, Avery, and Firestone Walker) – but I don’t, much. (13/20)

6.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com