Category: Reviews

Löwenbräu Munich (InBev) Löwenbräu Original Helles Lager at 5.2% ABV (C$3.49 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 473 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 18-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grassy, grainy pale malt, slight metallic. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (5/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp off-dry lightly bitter finish. (3/5)

I’ve become convinced that putting “Premium” on the label is an in-joke amongst brewers. “Man, this is shit. Better slap a ‘Premium’ label on there!” OK, OK, I’m being a little unfair – it’s not complete shit. But it’s not great, either. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dandy Brewing Company Not Looking for a New England English IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$7.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 17-Apr-2016)

Appearance: hazy medium amber with two fingers (and growing) medium-dense light beige head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel malt, apples, grassy, light citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly sticky and lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Definitely an English-Style IPA, with caramel and fruit dominating. The bitterness is definitely present in the finish even though it’s not all that emphatic on the nose. A bit muddled, but not unpleasant. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wild Rose Brewery Rare Czech Style Pilsner (2016) Czech Pilsener at 4.8% ABV (C$8.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 24-Mar-2016, reviewed 17-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grainy pale malt, grassy, floral. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp light bitter finish. (3/5)

Middle of the road pils. Nothing thrilling, but decently crisp, with a grassy floral note. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stanley Park Brewing Windstorm West Coast Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.7% ABV (C$3.29 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 17-Apr-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, tropical fruit, pale grainy malt, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending to watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Not bad. Smells almost like it’s going to be a full-on IPA, actually, but the flavour and mouth feel are more in keeping with the APA style. That’s not entirely a good thing, mind – in some ways, it does come across as just a slightly watered-down IPA. All in all, though, it’s an enjoyable pint. (Surprisingly enjoyable, if you consider it’s an ABInBev product!) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH Stiegl Weisse Naturtrüb Hefeweizen at 5.1% ABV (C$2.79 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, bottle date 19-Feb-2016, reviewed 17-Apr-2016)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, clove, yeast, stone fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild spice. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry spicy short finish. (3/5)

Quite drinkable example of the style. Refreshing, with an interesting little spicy edge. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Waterloo Brewing Co. Lemonade Radler Radler at 3.1% ABV (C$3.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 473 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 17-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of dense white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet and sour lemon, light malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, mild bitter, mild tart. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp tart finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but too sweet. Definitely a decent thirst quencher with lunch, but more like (sweet) lemon soda than beer. The saving grace is that I don’t find the lemon to be artificial-tasting. Wouldn’t say no to another on a hot day. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Howe Sound Brewing Log Driver Juniper Rye IPA Rye Beer at 5.5% ABV (C$9.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 1 l, bottle date 10-Feb-2016, reviewed 16-Apr-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, pine, pale malt, light juniper and spicy rye. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, light spice. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter and spicy finish. (3/5)

A decent IPA, but surprisingly muted for the style: I’m not getting a lot of juniper on the nose – or rye, for that matter. It comes out eventually, but I was honestly hoping for something more emphatic. On the other hand, the bitterness and spice do build and linger, so it’s not a complete washout. Decent, if a bit unremarkable. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery Madawaska Maple Ale Irish Red Ale at 5% ABV (On tap at Mill Street Brewpub YYZ, reviewed 16-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear reddish-tinged medium amber with one finger of creamy light tan head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: somewhat muted, lightly grainy caramel malt, maple syrup, hint of floral. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild smoke. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly sticky finish. (3/5)

Meh. Kind of interesting that there’s a smokey note on the tongue, while there’s no hint of it on the nose, but other than that it’s an unremarkable Irish Red, with a hint of maple. Nothing offensive, mind, but not worth making a special effort to locate. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill Street Brewery West Coast Style IPA American IPA at 6.6% ABV (On tap at Mill Street Brewpub YYZ, reviewed 16-Apr-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale gold with a short creamy off-white head, diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, good lacing. (3/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Definitely better than their last A/IPA I tried (Tankenstein) – more in keeping with the style, in that the hops are far and way in control, with the pale malt playing the appropriate supporting role. What stops me from ranking this higher, though, is the rapidity with which the bright hoppy aromas fade: by the time the pint is half gone, the dry hopping has settled dramatically, and there’s an undefinable almost sour stone fruitiness that, while not offensive, is certainly less welcome than the initial hops. Good, not great. (After writing, I looked up the brewer’s notes: “partially soured mash”, “aged in contact with French oak”. Yep, that’s what’s left behind when the dry hopping fades, all right. I’m tempted to think that a little filtering – or, at least, fining – would polish this a little and push it higher.) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd Hot Cross Bunny Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 3.8% ABV (C$3.71 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 31-Dec-2016, reviewed 15-Apr-2016)

Appearance: clear medium gold with a short loose ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: burnt rubber, cinnamon. (3/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild spice. (3/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Vile. (6/20)

3.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com