RyansBooze

Muskoka Brewery Is There Life on Märzen? Oktoberfest / Märzen at 6% ABV  | 20 IBU (C$3.75 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 6-Aug-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 12-May-2018)

Appearance: clear medium amber with a short pearlescent head that retains poorly, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready caramel malt, earth, faint grass, hints of chocolate & coffee. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

If I’m honest, I bought this mainly for the delightful pun in the name – as a fan of not only the original Bowie track, but also the British TV series and the American remake, how could I not? As it turns out, as an example of the style, this is solid: big malt and minimal hop character, with restrained sweetness following, on a smooth body with a decently dry finish. I’m generally all about the hops, but if you must make it about the malt, this is a good way to do it. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

2 Crows Brewing Pecadillo Oat Pilsner Pilsener at 4.8% ABV | 28 IBU (C$3.93 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Feb-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 12-May-2018)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: cereal grains, caramel, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

The label says “clean grainy spice malty”, and that’s not a bad summary. I was initially a little disappointed by this, but warmed up to it as the pint progressed. I tend to find myself underwhelmed by Pilseners at the best of times, and this one isn’t sufficiently earth-shattering to overcome the basic boredom of the style. It’s by no means the best I’ve had from this brewery – in fact, it’s probably near the bottom – but at the end of the day, it’s clean (and grainy, and malty, and spicy) and I guess you can’t really ask for more than that, can you? (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery Cool as Cuke Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 4.7% ABV | 30 IBU (C$3.66 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 27-Aug-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 12-May-2018)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, lemongrass, cucumber, melon, light earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, crisp slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Cucumber is one of those things that, every time I encounter it, I ask myself why I don’t have it more often. Cucumber in a gin & tonic, for example, is quite pleasant, giving a completely different experience than the more traditional lime. This behaves similarly, with a pleasant cucumber, melon, and almost-but-not-quite-mint character. Casting a little shade is the fact that there’s also a vegetal astringency that grows as it warms (so probably best drink it reasonably quickly for maximum enjoyment) making me wonder if perhaps they should have peeled the cucumber before incorporating it into the brew, since the rind seems to be slightly over-represented. Overall, though, it’s cooling and refreshing. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing Collective Project/ Gose Blackberry Black Currant & Lemon Zest Gose at 5.2% ABV | 12 IBU (C$4.95 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Feb-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 12-May-2018)

Appearance: opaque purplish red with a short purple head that retains poorly, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: field berries, lemon zest, wheat, light brine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high tart, mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, prickly carbonation, off-dry lingering tart finish. (4/5)

I dunno – this one just seems to be trying too hard, I think. It’s not that the fruit isn’t pleasant, or authentic, it’s just that there’s so very much of it that you sort of lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be beer, not fruit punch. Not even fruit punch, actually, more like fruit puree. There’s hints of the base Prophets & Nomads Gose there, but wheat and brine are far in the background and easily overlooked. Not unpleasant, just unbalanced. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Juicy Ass IPA American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 69 IBU (C$3.66 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Apr-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 11-May-2018)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head head, excellent retention and heavy well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, juicy citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

“Juicy ass”, “beautiful hops”, “plump and fresh”… somebody’s got some issues that could put a therapist’s kid through school… Mind you, I can’t say much – I’d tap it again. Nice beer. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery Hazed & Confused American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 48 IBU (C$3.75 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, best before 18-Aug-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 11-May-2018)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical fruit, pale malt, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter, mild peppery spice. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly spicy lingering and building bitter finish. (4/5)

Juicy and aromatic, yes, but emphatically not an NEIPA – mostly because of the fairly high bitter and the spicy finish, though it’s also pretty clear despite the “hazed” and “unfiltered” appellations. This one worked particularly well with my supper of a BBQ burger and fries. I like the fact that Muskoka now have three or four IPAs that are all significantly different from each other but all equally good (well, except for Mad Tom and Twice as Mad Tom, who are quite similar to each other except for strength). Would not hesitate to recommend or have again. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Waterloo Brewing Co. Grapefruit Radler Radler at 3.1% ABV (C$3.39 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Nov-2017, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 11-May-2018)

Appearance: hazy and particulate-laden pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grapefruit, faint grainy pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending slightly high, mild tart, light bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, sweetish slightly mouth-coating finish. (3/5)

Smells amazing, with a clean tart grapefruit utterly dominating. Somewhat disappointingly, though, it’s a bit sweeter than I’d prefer on the tongue. Still good, but not as good as the aroma promises. Refreshing despite the somewhat sticky sweetish finish, reminiscent of any number of HFCS sodas. Fair warning, I’m a sucker for a Radler and might be grading this just a touch high – but not by much, I think. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Goose Island Beer Company Midway ISA Session IPA at 4.6% ABV | 30 IBU (C$3.54 at NLC Stavanger, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Apr-2018, acquired 11-May-2018, reviewed 11-May-2018)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, floral, caramel, light pine & citrus. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending slightly high, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short finish. (3/5)

Sunny today, despite being breezy and cool, so I figured I had to make the most of it, even if it is only barely shirt sleeve weather. The beer’s about as disappointing as the weather, coming across as a commercial pale lager with a hint of Goose Island hops. Pretty much a master course in how not to do Session Ales, courtesy of the Great Satan. I broke my ABInBev boycott for this? Oh well, at least I bought only the one… (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Lost River Baltic Porter at 7.6% ABV | 22 IBU (C$6.50 at Bellwoods Brewery, 500 ml, packaged on 2-Apr-2015, acquired 2-Apr-2015, reviewed 10-May-2018)

Appearance: clear deep ruby-brown with one finger of creamy beige head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, roasty malts, hints of dried fruit, faint smoke. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending slightly high, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full creamy body, moderate carbonation, mild slightly ashy finish. (4/5)

You might wonder, why’m I cracking this now, after cellaring it for three years. I dunno, because it’s Thursday? Actually, I’m staring down the barrel of a potentially permanent house move, so I gotta start drinking down my cellar. And this is so good I might almost regret opening it for no reason, except for the fact that it’s so smooth and mild right now that I suspect it’s hit its peak. Oh, well, like the sticker says, life’s short, drink good beer. I’ll definitely get more of these when life permits! (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nickel Brook Brewing Co. Cuvée 2016 Reserve Ale Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 10% ABV | 37 IBU (C$16.99 at Oak & Vine, 750 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 11-Mar-2017, reviewed 10-May-2018)

Appearance: clear ruby-tinged brown with a fat fluffy beige head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart vinous, raisins, orange zest, bourbon, vanilla, earth. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, mildly warming spicy finish. (4/5)

Smells a lot like a Flemish Brown, albeit with an overlay of bourbon and vanilla (which isn’t a criticism, by any means). Complex but nowhere near as dark as you might think based on the appearance, and surprisingly easy-drinking, especially given the ABV. Good stuff. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com