Category: Reviews

Torchlight Brewing Co. Broadside IPA American IPA at 7% ABV (C$7.85 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grassy/herbal, caramel malt, coffee, bready yeast. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (4/10) Palate: medium to full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Not great. And really not an IPA. Kind of a highly hopped amber ale, more than anything. I like supporting micro/nano breweries, but this is a bit of a disappointment. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Breakside Brewery Wanderlust India Pale Ale American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$8.75 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a fat finger of rocky ivory head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, pithy citrus, pale malt, mild catty, light herbal. (8/10) Taste: mild to moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Interesting doing this one side by side with their Session IPA. There’s a strong family relationship, but I think I slightly prefer this one. Not that it’s necessarily better, as such, just different. A little heavier in the body, with more pronounced flavours, and what might be Citra coming through with just a hint of cattiness that’s not present in the ISA – but not in a negative way. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Tofino Brewing Co. Hoppin’ Cretin American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$7.15 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: woody pine, floral, citrus, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium to full body, moderate carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

“Nunc est bibendum” indeed. The hops are all the usual starts-with-C varietals that I know and love so well. And it’s such a pretty beer, with pretty much perfect colour, retention and lacing. While we’re talking appearance: the label, I’m more than halfway convinced, is a backhanded compliment to our lovely neighbours south of the border, or at least their passports – so there’s that. Bottom line? I’ll bibendum this all day long. (Hold on – ain’t “Bibendum” the Michelin Man’s name? Another tick in the “pro” column!) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

pFriem Family Brewers pFriem IPA American IPA at 7.2% ABV (C$7.35 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 500 ml, bottle date 19-May-2015)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of loose ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank, pine, floral, citrus, pale biscuity malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium to full body, moderate carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

That’s a nice IPA – West Coast dank (yes, I mean pot – it smells like pot) and slightly funky, with a well-balanced pale malt supporting on the back end. Dunno what else there is to to say here. Fun. Get it. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Persephone Brewing Company India Summer Ale Session IPA at 5.5% ABV (C$7.85 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear pale straw with a fat finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, crackery malt, light floral, slight catty. (7/10) Taste: mild sweet, moderately strong bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, lingering and building dry and bitter finish. (4/5)

I generally quite like ISA’s, and it’s not that I don’t like this one – but somewhat to my surprise, I think I actually prefer their APA. The low sweetness makes this more-ish and clean, sure, but this verges on the astringent. I don’t say this often, but it might actually benefit from a little more sweetness. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steamworks Brewing Company Jasmine IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.70 at Fernie Mountain Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear straw with a short white head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral jasmine, citrus, grassy and herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, decent bitter finish. (4/5)

Not bad at all. Lots of jasmine flower perfume character, but it’s not off-putting. Not as smoothly done as Elysian’s version, perhaps, but still pleasantly entertaining and bitter. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. Powerhouse Pale Ale English Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$5.70 at Fernie Mountain Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 12-Jul-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with a short ivory head, good retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: biscuity and caramel malt, honey, grassy, light diacetyl. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, brief duration finish. (3/5)

I guess it’s reasonably true to style, but I’d be happier with more hop presence. Sessionable, and would probably go well with fish and chips. Can’t see ever bothering to try it again. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nelson Brewing Company Full Nelson Organic Imperial IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$8.25 at Hume Hotel Liquor Boutique, 650 ml, best before 11/24/15)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, caramel malt, light tropical fruit and citrus, earthy and woody. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

Tried five other Nelson Brewing Company products on tap at the pub down the block this evening (check my Untappd profile if you care), but this one – no longer available on tap, they tell me – is the belle of the ball. Beefy big D/IPA, with an OK malt/hop balance (as usual, I’d prefer more hop-forward), some interesting earthy/woody complexity, and a decent integration of a respectably high ABV. (Snagged another dozen local/new-to-me at the same time, but can’t be bothered to do the haul list tonight.) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales 7 Hop IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.77% ABV (C$7.21 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine, caramel malt, tropical fruit, light citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderately strong bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Little disappointing. Aw, who’m I kidding: it’s Rogue, it’s not like I’m surprised or anything. The kitchen sink of hops is a bit muddled and doesn’t come through cleanly over the caramel malt. OK, not great. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com