Category: Reviews

Waterloo Brewing Co. Spiced Dunkel Dunkelweizen at 6.1% ABV (C$3.46 at NLC Howley Estates, 473 ml, bottle date 28-Nov-2015, reviewed 3-Dec-2015)

Appearance: clear deep amber with a short, short-lived light tan head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cinnamon, ginger, light vanilla. (4/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (3/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry sticky and spicy finish. (2/5)

Not great. Actually, that’s overly generous: not good. Not even “good enough,” really. Aggressive spice and sweet don’t change the fact that this is at heart a very boring beer, but do succeed in making it a cloying, mouth-coating mess. You might call it more-ish, if only because the finish inclines one to drastic measures – like another sip. The only reason I’d rather have this than e.g. a Coors Lite is because I already had a half case of Coors and was looking for a change. And then only if I had some more Coors to take the taste out of my mouth. Do yourself a favour and avoid this. (8/20)

4/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Aspen Brewing Company Independence Pass Ale American IPA at 7% ABV (2015 Craft Beer Advent Calendar Day #3, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 3-Dec-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of pillowy ivory head, excellent retention and good lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, floral, pine, pale malt, perfume, black tea. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, soft carbonation, off-dry bitter and warming finish. (4/5)

Tastes good, but actually smells a whole bunch better. I find the carbonation just a touch low for the style – it’s kind of riding the line between an IPA and a D/IPA, in my opinion (which isn’t a bad thing, by any means). The beefier ABV is indicated by the slightly heavier feel in the body and a slight edge and warming on the finish. A little more carbonation might act to lift the body just a touch and address that issue. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lighthouse Brewing Co. Black Sam Licorice Stout American Double / Imperial Stout at 7.2% ABV (2015 Craft Beer Advent Calendar Day #2, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 2-Dec-2015)

Appearance: opaque black with one finger of dense tan head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malts, dark fruit, light liquorice, faint chocolate/coffee. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: full slightly oily body, soft carbonation, off-dry and sticky bitter finish. (3/5)

Decent stout. The liquorice is there, but much less dominant than the name would suggest – if anything, it starts off smelling and tasting almost like an oatmeal stout. Not sure if the sweetness is driven by the malts and liquorice, or whether there’s a little contribution from the somewhat higher ABV, but it succeeds in being sweet without being cloying. The sweetness and the higher ABV work together to make this a decent slow sipper, but I’m not sure I’d want to try more than one at a go. (16/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anderson Valley Brewing Company Fall Hornin’ Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 6% ABV (2015 Craft Beer Advent Calendar Day #1, Sherbrooke Liquor, 355 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 1-Dec-2015)

Appearance: clear deep amber with one finger of medium dense ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: vegetal pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, caramel and slightly bready malt, mild red berries, faint pine and chocolate. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

I was a little disappointed to see a pumpkin ale as the first selection in this year’s advent calendar, but upon reflection I can sort of see it as autumn’s last hurrah, ushering in the winter season. And, to be fair, it’s an OK pumpkin ale – a nice blend of real pumpkin flavour and the usual suspect spices, with enough boldness to avoid being watery and boring. I find myself warming up to it the more the glass progresses. Just as long as there’s not a second one lurking in there… (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Juli Goldenberg / Stone Brewing Company / Monkey Paw Brewing 24 Carrot Golden Ale Belgian Strong Pale Ale at 8.5% ABV (C$11.99 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 650 ml, bottle date 23-Sep-2015, reviewed 30-Nov-2015)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: carrot, ginger, candi sugar, vanilla, raisins, assorted dark and boozy fruits. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, growing bitter and slightly warming finish. (3/5)

I guess it’s pretty much what it says on the label – a Belgian-style golden ale that tastes like carrot cake. (I kind of waffled on whether it actually does “taste” like carrot cake, or is simply evocative of it – but yeah, I think it actually does taste like carrot cake. With cream cheese icing.) It’s definitely on the sweet side, but not to the point where it’s cloying or undrinkable. It’s also kind of interesting how that sweetness drops off fairly rapidly, leaving a fairly bitter (and growing) finish, along with a little warming from the high-ish ABV. Not a home run by any means, and I’m getting a little tired of Stone’s goofy one-offs, but it’s not a complete flop, either. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) Samuel Adams Utopias (2013) Barley Wine at 28% ABV (C$198.99 at NLC Howley Estates, 710 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 29-Nov-2015)

Appearance: clear medium amber with no head or lacing. (4/5) Aroma: boozy dark fruit, raisins, maple, earthy. (9/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, mild bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full syrupy body, flat carbonation, boozy finish. (4/5)

Looks, smells, and tastes like a liqueur – a sherry or a port, for example – and not at all like any other beer. The aromas promise a boozy sweet blast, but the flavour is actually surprisingly smooth, with much less sweetness than expected. Sure, it’s hot – with a nearly 30% ABV, that’s fairly unavoidable – but not aggressively so. A unique brew that’s definitely worth sampling. (17/20)

My 206th from the 2010 Edition (195th from the 2013 edition), and 217th combining both editions.

8.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchor Brewing Company Our Special Ale (2015) Christmas / Winter Specialty Spiced Beer at 5.5% ABV (C$3.23 at NLC Stavanger, 355 ml, best before 1-Jan-2017, reviewed 29-Nov-2015)

Appearance: nearly solid black with only faint ruby highlights, one finger of rocky tan head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: toffee, molasses, coffee, dark chocolate and fruits, spices, woody spruce. (7/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

Definitely an interesting winter warmer style of brew. Lots of traditional midwinter spices and dark, molasses-y malt give it a lot of the “fruitcake in a glass” character I like to see in these ales. There’s more than a hint of spruce, which makes me think they might actually incorporate spruce tips into the brew, but it’s not overwhelming or medicinal. (14/20)

My 205th from the 2010 Edition (194th from the 2013 edition), and 216th combining both editions.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dageraad Brewing Burnabarian Belgian Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$7.79 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 27-Nov-2015)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, coriander, apples and pears, white pepper, stone fruit, pale malt, mild funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, drying and slightly astringent finish. (4/5)

Light, pleasant and uncomplicated, exactly what one would expect for a Belgian table beer. Not without its faults – I’m getting a little brown apple, for example – but still a decent and authentic-tasting light beer. Dageraad continues to impress. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wells & Young’s Brewery Young’s Double Chocolate Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 5.2% ABV (C$3.52 at NLC Stavanger, 500 ml, best before 16-Apr-2016, reviewed 26-Nov-2015)

Appearance: clear deep brown with two fingers of fluffy tan head, heavy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark chocolate, coffee, roasty malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

Easily the best thing that Wells & Young’s makes: rich chocolate flavour balanced with sweetness that, though emphatic, never comes across as cloying. It’s not complicated, by any means, but it’s fun. (And the free chocolate balls were good, too!) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

8 Wired Brewing Company Hippy Berliner Sour Hoppy Ale Berliner Weisse at 4.5% ABV (C$10.70 at Sherbrooke Liquor, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 26-Nov-2015)

Appearance: very slightly hazy straw with a short, short-lived thin white head, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lemon zest, sour white grape, vinous, floral and vaguely fruity. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp tart finish. (4/5)

Very much like a tart white wine – a sauvignon blanc, perhaps? I was going to say one might be able to convict someone it was wine in a blind taste test – but the fact is, I’m not even sure it would have to be blind! Ultimately, though, I’m a bit disappointed by that character, since it’s equating to essentially no hop character – yet that’s exactly what the label promised. Good, and interesting, but not great. Maybe worth trying again with a known fresh bottle, to get the hop character. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com