Category: Reviews

Abbaye St. Remy Trappistes Rochefort 8 Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 9.2% ABV (C$6.09 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 330 ml, best before 10-Jul-2019)

Appearance: mostly clear deep amber with two growing fingers of fluffy light tan head, excellent retention and minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, dark fruit, brown sugar, chocolate, bread, honey, spices. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (10/10) Palate: medium-full body, lively carbonation, semi-dry medium duration gently warming finish. (4/5)

Not as light and easy-drinking as the 6, not as complex and interesting as the 10. Don’t get me wrong – still a pretty darned good beer, but I’m not sure I’d bother with this particular one again, seeing how it kind of bridges the gap between its two brethren. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Abbaye St. Remy Trappistes Rochefort 6 Dubbel at 7.5% ABV (C$5.39 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 330 ml, best before 3-Jul-2019)

Appearance: mostly clear medium amber with one finger of fluffy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: moderately strong sweet caramel, dried fruit, light perfume, little to no hop character. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, lively/prickly carbonation, semi-dry medium duration gently warming finish. (4/5)

An excellent example of the style. Sweet caramel malt dominates, with just a little bitterness that doesn’t linger into the finish. The finish is semi-dry despite the sweetness on the front end. The lively carbonation seems to help prevent the sweetness from becoming cloying, and lifts the body. The moderately high ABV is very well-behaved, becoming apparent only as a gentle warming. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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