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Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Bean Me Up Espresso Milk Stout – Sweet Stout at 5.7% ABV

Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Bean Me Up Espresso Milk Stout Sweet Stout at 5.7% ABV (C$8.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with two fingers of rocky mocha head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: overwhelming bitter dark roasted coffee, lighter chocolate, herbal, citrus, lactic. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-full body, low carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Harsh coffee ground flavours dominate, to the point where there’s not a lot more to say – not all that well-balanced at all. The first half pint numbs you to the coffee, after which it isn’t terrible, but that’s hardly a ringing endorsement, is it? OK, fine, it’s not all that bad… and it’s not all that good, either… (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Weißbier Dunkel – Dunkelweizen at 5.3% ABV

Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Weißbier Dunkel Dunkelweizen at 5.3% ABV (C$5.20 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Mar-2016)

Appearance: hazy brown with two fingers of fluffy light tan head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: muted, banana/bubblegum, caramel, roasty chocolate malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, very mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate to low carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

A little boring, to be frank. Mild and pleasant, with absolutely no negatives, but… well… not a lot to distinguish it. What there is, is fine, but I’d like it if it were a bit more aggressive. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Destiny IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV

Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Destiny IPA American IPA at 6% ABV (C$8.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, bright citrus, resin, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Nice. A well put together bright A/IPA, with lots of tropical fruit and bright citrus. The finish stumbles a little, with the bitterness lingering a bit. I’d like to see a crisper finish, possibly with a little livelier carbonation, but overall I’m pretty pleased with this one. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Pikantus – Weizenbock at 7.3% ABV

Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Pikantus Weizenbock at 7.3% ABV (C$5.20 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Feb-2016)

Appearance: hazy brown with two fingers of fluffy light tan head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: banana, dark fruit, toffee, vinous. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, very mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: full body, moderate to low carbonation, lingering warming finish. (4/5)

Pretty in-spec example of the style. Mild and smooth, perhaps a bit too much so: the utter absence of hop character is normal, but a little more intensity across the board would be nice. Still, easy-drinking and good. (15/20)

My 200th from the 2010 Edition (188th from the 2013 edition), and 210th combining both editions.

7.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom Vaporizer – American Pale Ale at 6.0% ABV

Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom Vaporizer American Pale Ale at 6.0% ABV (C$5.03 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 4-Jun-2015)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, herbal, resin, doughy yeast and pale malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: light to medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly bitter finish. (3/5)

A mild-natured APA. Nothing too challenging, but easy-drinking and refreshing. I assume the name and the “herbal” description is supposed to underscore some dank west-coast character comparable to pot, but I honestly don’t get any of that. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Torchlight Brewing Co. Warp 8.5 Cascadia Dark Ale – Black IPA at 8.5% ABV

Torchlight Brewing Co. Warp 8.5 Cascadia Dark Ale Black IPA at 8.5% ABV (C$8.45 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, bottle date 21-Jul-2015)

Appearance: clear brown with two fingers of rocky mocha head, good retention and excellent lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark roasty malt, pine, floral, medium-warm booze, light coffee and grassy hops. (6/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, moderately strong bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full slightly sticky body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and boozy finish. (4/5)

Honestly, I was expecting a sink pour, given my experience with their “IPA”. But this sort of works: the hoppy character balances reasonably well with the dark roasty malt, and both are carried by a warm (but not hot) booziness. The bitter finish is a bit aggressive and lacking in subtlety, but not unpleasant. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Phillips Brewing Company Barnstormer Saison IPA – Belgian IPA at 7.2% ABV

Phillips Brewing Company Barnstormer Saison IPA Belgian IPA at 7.2% ABV (C$7.50 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: hazy to cloudy pale gold with three fingers of rocky ivory head, good retention and excellent lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, stone fruit, citrus, barnyard funk, bready yeast, pale malt, light pine. (6/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, mild bitter, mild funk. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly funky finish. (4/5)

An interesting blend of saison and IPA characteristics. Similar to other Belgian IPA’s I’ve had, but with a bit more barnyard funk. Decently complex, and not without its appeal, but it’s not an unqualified success for me – the combination of flavours tends a bit to overripe peach, and it’s a little too sweet. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Granville Island Brewing Thirsty Farmer Saison – Saison at 5.2% ABV

Granville Island Brewing Thirsty Farmer Saison Saison at 5.2% ABV (C$6.75 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dry and lightly funky saison yeast, mild citrus, cloves and spice, biscuity malt, light floral and banana. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild funk. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, dry short duration finish. (4/5)

Not a bad saison at all. Pleasant mild barnyard funk, spicy, and a decent body. Might well be my favourite beer thus far by these guys. (Yes, I know it’s the wrong glass for the style – but I got it from their rep at a tasting event so it felt right!) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Hoyne Brewing Co. Entre Nous Belgian Cherry Witbier – Witbier at 5.1% ABV

Hoyne Brewing Co. Entre Nous Belgian Cherry Witbier Witbier at 5.1% ABV (C$7.90 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, bottle date 25-Oct-2012)

Appearance: clear to cloudy/particulate-laden reddish-tinged pale amber with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: wheat, light fruit, grainy pale malt, giving way to burned rubber. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild tart. (5/10) Palate: light body, lively to moderate carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Starts off not bad, albeit pretty low in any cherry character. But as it warms, it gets… I dunno… “burned rubber” is the closest I can get. Really doesn’t finish pleasantly at all. Can’t recommend this one. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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Red Truck Beer Company VCBW Campfire Kolsch – Kölsch at 5.5% ABV

Red Truck Beer Company VCBW Campfire Kolsch Kölsch at 5.5% ABV (C$6.80 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, bottle date 25-Oct-2012)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of loose white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild citrus, mild lemony apple and pear, pale malt, light smoke. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild smoke. (5/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, slightly smokey off-dry finish. (3/5)

A bit on the bland lager-y side, but the rauchbier touch of smoke makes it a little more interesting. (Is smoke allowed under the Reinheitsgebot?) Structurally a nice beer – a nice head with good retention and lacing, and the body and carbonation is decently balanced. Overall, fairly pleasant and restrained – and it grows on you… (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com