Category: Reviews

Parallel 49 Brewing Company Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Porter American Porter at 6.5% ABV ($5.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours clear ruby brown with amber-brown highlights, one finger of light beige head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, minimal lacing. (3/5) Nose is dark roasty malt, dark chocolate, light vanilla, faint spices and earthiness. (7/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Light to medium body, soft carbonation, medium bitter finish with some acidity. (3/5)

Not getting much of the ginger and pumpkin that are claimed to be in here – but that doesn’t bother me too much, all things considered. Almost a vinous quality on the flavour, particularly as it warms, and some earthiness that might be pumpkin or just the Fuggles hops. Pretty much a straight-up porter with not a lot to distinguish or recommend it. Decent without being memorable or exciting. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Mill St. Brewery Mill Street Pilsner Pilsener at 5.2% ABV (On tap at Mill Street Brewpub Toronto International Airport)

Pours clear deep gold with one finger of white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, minimal lacing. (3/5) Nose is pale bready malt, light grassy hops. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Light body, moderate carbonation, long bitter finish. (3/5)

Bottom of the barrel – last one here, on tap or in bottles, that I haven’t tried. A fairly authentic, German-tasting pilsener. Which is to say, fairly boring. Although it’s a little dark for the style, which is fine by me, that’s not really enough to rescue it from the doldrums of mediocrity. (10/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

MolsonCoors Molson Canadian Light American Light Lager at 4.2% ABV (On tap at Maple Leaf Lounge)

Pours clear pale straw with a fluffy two finger white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Nose is grainy corn and rice adjunct flavours, faint weedy grassy hops. (2/10) Taste is light sweet, minimal bitter. (2/10) Light watery body, fizzy to moderate carbonation, short dry finish. (2/5)

Not even “free” makes this drinkable. But, a tick is a tick. (5/20)

3/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Angry Orchard (Boston Beer Company) Strawman Farmhouse Hard Cider Cider at 10% ABV ($14.95 at Dominion Stavanger, 750ml, no bottle date or best before)

Pours cloudy straw with a short-lived white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, no lacing. (3/5) Nose is sour apple and funky yeast, grapes and oak. (8/10) Taste is mild sweet, moderate bitter, mild oaky vinous funk. (8/10) Medium body, fizzy carbonation, short dry finish. (4/5)

Quite a bit better than I was expecting, actually, given my last Angry Orchard cider – a “Crisp Apple” that really wasn’t. Crisp, I mean – it was apple, for sure. This, on the other hand, is crisp. And apple. And funky. And vinous. And oaky. And really a fair bit of fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Witchshark American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (Price unknown, via trade, bottle date 10-Oct-2014)

Pours clear pale amber with two fingers of medium-dense off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Nose is pithy citrus and pine, caramel malt, mango and pineapple. (9/10) Taste is mild sweet and sharply bitter. (9/10) Medium body, low carbonation, lingering intensely bitter finish. (4/5)

Boy oh boy I’m liking the Bellwoods IPA’s. This is the Boogie Monster on steroids – heavier body, more intense hoppiness, and a higher ABV, but possibly a bit more polished. Intensely bitter and hoppy, but not harsh. Really quite excellent, if only slightly better than Boogie Monster and Roman Candle. (17/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Howe Sound Brewing Pumpkineater Spice/Herb/Vegetable at 8% ABV ($13.69 at Dominion Stavanger, 1 l, no bottle date)

Pours clear medium amber with two fingers of fluffy off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Nose is pureed peaches and squash, caramel malt, pumpkin pie spices. (5/10) Taste is sweet tending to cloying, mild bitter. (5/10) Medium body, low carbonation, mild bitter finish. (3/5)

Hey, it’s Halloween! If I can’t have a pumpkin beer now, when can I? Well… Never, maybe? A bit disappointing, to be honest. I read the reviews before buying this, and thought it might be one of the (very) few pumpkin ales that bucked the trend. But this isn’t even close to being the best pumpkin beer I’ve had, and pumpkin beers aren’t even close to the best beers in general, so… Yeah. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wychwood (Marstons plc) Hobgoblin Premium Bitter/ESB at 5.2% ABV ($4.00 at Dominion Stavanger, 500ml, best before 31-Jul-2015)

Pours clear deep amber-red with a fat finger of off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Nose is caramel and bready malt, light grassy hops. (6/10) Taste is balanced moderate sweet and bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate to low sustained carbonation, decent bitter finish. (4/5)

I’ve rated this one before, but ended up with it in a combo pack and figured, why not re-do it for Halloween. I think this is a more accurate rating than my previous one(s). A decent, solid, reliable performer, and hard to beat for the price. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lake of Bays Brewing Company River Walker Summer Ale Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer at 6% ABV ($9.80 at NLC Sobey’s Mount Pearl, 750ml, bottle date 17-Apr-2014)

Pours pale gold with a fat finger of white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Nose is doughy yeast, wheat, citrus, some faint ginger. (6/10) Taste is mild sweet, bitter and sour. (6/10) Light body, moderate to low sustained carbonation, crisp tart bitter finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but a little muddled. I’m not entirely clear on what style they’re going for here, other than “generic pale ale”. With spice. But not too much. I guess it’s sorta kinda like a wit? It’s certainly not offensive, but it’s nothing special either. And now I’ve got The Log Driver’s Waltz stuck in my head. I dunno whether that’s a good thing or a bad one. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Orkney Brewery Dark Island Old Ale at 4.6% ABV ($$6.16 via Beer Club Offering #11, 500ml, best before 1-Apr-2016)

Pours deep drown with hints of amber-brown around the margins, two fingers of light beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, minimal lacing. (4/5) Nose is muted, toasted malts, coffee, earthy hops, molasses, smoked peat, sour red berries. (7/10) Taste is mild sweet and bitter, moderate sour/tart. (7/10) Light to medium body, somewhat thin and watery, moderate sustained carbonation, lingering tart bitter finish. (3/5)

Still not a fan of Scotch Ales, overall. This looks like it should be a porter or stout, which it emphatically is not, but that’s more of an aside than a major issue. There’s just a hint of smoke and peat here, but even that feels slightly out of place against the surprisingly light body and vinous, sour flavours. It’s quite drinkable, but I wouldn’t go looking for another. (15/20)

My 119th from the 2010 Edition of 1001 Beers, 112th by the 2013 Edition, and 122nd overall.

7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij De Koningshoeven La Trappe Quadrupel Abt/Quadrupel at 10% ABV ($11.39 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750ml, bottle date 6-Aug-2013)

Pours clear deep amber with one finger of off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Nose is dark toffee/caramel, raisins and dark fruit, banana, slight spice. (8/10) Taste is moderate sweet and peppery, finishing mild bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate sustained carbonation, lingering tart bitter finish with distinct alcohol warming. (5/5)

Excellent quadrupel. The ABV isn’t even close to hidden, but it works well with the dark fruitcake flavours on the nose and tongue. The body is definitely on the light side of medium, I think partly due to the moderate sustained carbonation, and partly due to the sharp edge of the alcohol on the tongue. Not quite as mellow and perfect as the Westvleteren XII, the St. Bernardus Abt 12 or the Rochefort 10, perhaps (nor as interesting as Three Philosophers) but a solid performer regardless. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com