RyansBooze

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Happy Holidays Chocolate Porter Porter at 5.3% ABV (C$0.00 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear ruby-brown with one fat finger of dense beige head, good retention and soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: chocolate, roasty malt, hint of dark fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

In case you were wondering: no, that price is not an error – this is a super-rare supporters-only brew distributed to some retailers and given out for free to worthy recipients. Solid example of the style, though I could stand to see it richer and thicker. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The TicketyBrew Company Salted Caramel Coffee Stout Milk / Sweet Stout at 5.4% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #18, 330 ml, best before 1-Jul-2018, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 18-Dec-2017)

Appearance: near opaque black with a huge loose fluffy beige gusher head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark chocolate nibs, red berries, black coffee, liquorice. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-high carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

Despite the aggressive gusher upon decapping, the overall carbonation level on this isn’t ridiculous in absolute terms – but it’s higher than I’d like to see for the style, and the body is lighter. The coffee aroma hints at just slight overextraction, but isn’t the full-on coffee grounds in the garbage can I’ve seen from some other brews. I’m kind of on the fence regarding the red berry tartness, which tends to feel a little extraneous to me, but doesn’t actually detract overall. All in all, I’m not unhappy with this one, but there’s lots of room for improvement. (14/20)

7/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Sky Brewing Company Power Wagon Wheat Wine at 9.7% ABV | 53 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #17, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 17-Dec-2017)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with a short creamy off-white head, good retention and soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet malt, wheat, pineapple, pome, mild grapefruit & resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full syrupy body, soft carbonation, off-dry warming finish. (4/5)

I initially found this to be a bit boozy hot, but it grows on you after a bit. (I came up by two points on aroma and flavour as I drank it!) The body is thick and syrupy, hinting at guava or pear juice, but that feels right when combined with the soft carbonation and the warming finish. A slow sipper, for sure, but good fun. (15/20)

7.5/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wold Top Brewery Ditto Doppel Bock Doppelbock at 7% ABV (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #16, 330 ml, best before 31-Dec-2018, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 16-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with a short, short-lived light beige head, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: toffee, dark dried fruit, apple. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly watery body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (3/5)

All about the malt. Which is seasonally appropriate, I suppose, but verging on painfully boring. Plus, the body is slightly watery for such a malt-driven experience. Not one I’d go looking for again. (12/20)

6/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Crazy Mountain Brewing Company 2017 Bridge Street Holiday Ale Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 6.5% ABV | 22 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #15, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 16-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and clingy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: “winter” spices, caramel, maple syrup, slight metallic. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry spicy and very mildly astringent finish. (2/5)

It’s a really pretty beer, but unfortunately that’s by far its strongest characteristic.  The aroma is utterly dominated by “winter spices” (ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, maybe? or allspice?) but there’s a metallic edge that’s a little off-putting. The body is a little too thin for the spice load, and that metallic note translates through on the tongue, resulting in a slightly astringent finish. On the up side, there’s a decent maple syrup note, but it’s pretty well attenuated and doesn’t come across as sweet or cloying. Fairly meh-tastic, overall. (12/20)

6/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Powell Street Craft Brewery Right Kind of Crazy American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 87 IBU (C$7.40 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 14-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, pine, melon, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, drying lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Really nicely balanced on the nose, to the point where it’s not clear whether citrus, pine, caramel, or melon are in the lead. I might not be sufficiently arrogant to call it the “right” kind of crazy, but Powell Street? you’re _my_ kind of crazy. (But, word to the wise? I’m pretty sure “Westcoast” isn’t a real word.) You’ve got A/IPAs dialled in – except for NE/IPAs, which, if I’m honest, I’d love to see you get right, but you really, really haven’t. And, sure, some of your other stuff is OK, like your Belgian, Session, and White IPAs, but the less said about your Saisons and Sours, the better – let’s play to our strengths, huh? (And hey, look at that! IBU = 10 x ABV again! I’m telling you, the Reinheitsgebitter should totally be a thing!) (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Powell Street Craft Brewery Hop Hash American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 75 IBU (C$7.40 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 14-Dec-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers (and growing) of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and sticky, soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resin, citrus, tropical fruit, caramel. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, drying lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Oh hells, yes – that’s some good fun right there! Appears to be another Idaho 7 single-hop, but made with lupulin hash, which makes for a significantly different profile than the Idaho 7 single-hop Sapphire Dragon I had last night – and damn if it’s not dank as hell, just as one might expect from something called “hash.” …or so I understand. Not that I’d know, of course. (ahem) Anyhoo, yeah, great beer! (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

White Pony Microbirrificio Dark Signs Abt / Quadrupel at 11.9% ABV | 35 IBU (2017 Craft Beer Advent Calendar #14, 330 ml, packaged on 1-Feb-2017, best before 25-Sep-2022, acquired 20-Nov-2017, reviewed 14-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fluffy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin persistent cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toffee, boozy dried fruit, doughy yeast, chocolate. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, medium duration warming finish. (4/5)

Starts off with a big hit of dark toffee and boozy fruit, with some bread and chocolate following. The only reason I didn’t rate the aroma higher is the way it fades. Flavour follows the aroma, with a surprisingly mild alcohol presence – it certainly doesn’t drink like a double-digit ABV. It’s a solid effort, that lacks only a little depth and complexity to push it to the next level. Nice and seasonally appropriate, though. (16/20)

8/10 #craftbeeradvent2017 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Sapphire Dragon American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV | 75+ IBU (C$6.36 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 13-Dec-2017)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers (and growing) of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and sticky, soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, bready caramel, pine, black tea. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Yup, Alley Kat is managing to continue their Dragon Series. (I think they’re going to need the big box of Crayolas for colour name inspiration pretty soon. I know for a fact they’re offering beer for ideas at this point.) This one is single-hopped with Idaho 7, and what’s even better than a new beer? Why, a new hop, of course! OK, OK, it’s not new new, but it’s new-ish. And at 12%+ alpha acid, it’s my kind of beast. (And hey, look at that: IBU = 10 x ABV. I think we need to make it a rule going forward, that all beers have to obey this rule – or at least all Pales. It’s like the Reinheitsgebot, but for bittering. So… the Reinheitsgebitter?) It’s an interesting hop, exhibiting a wide complexity including citrus, pine, and black tea character. It’s not a slam-dunk like Mosaic or Nelson Sauvin, but it gets the job done: I think this might be the best of the roughly ten Dragons I’ve tried. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom / Fort George Brewery and Public House A River Runs Through It Hop Shake IPA American IPA at 6.3% ABV | 75 IBU (C$7.42 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, packaged on 14-Aug-2017, acquired 13-Dec-2017, reviewed 13-Dec-2017)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a massive and growing rocky ivory head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, pale malt, tropical fruit, melon, lactose. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium creamy body, moderate carbonation, slightly sweet finish. (3/5)

OK, at the risk of sounding a little badly-informed, what the *hell* is an “earthy forest addition”, regardless of whether or not it’s “balanced with lactose”? Pine needles and ice cream? I’m not at all convinced that it’s necessary to “balance” hops with lactose in any case, to be honest. Perhaps when you’re dealing with the astringent tendencies of a roasty dark porter or stout, but why deliberately blunt an IPA’s clear sharp bitter? Not bad, but ultimately misguided, I think. (And yes, I get that it’s supposed to be an IPA milkshake, and/or a variation on the NEIPA theme. It isn’t.) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com