RyansBooze

Speakeasy Butchertown India Black Ale Black IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$9.78 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 18-Mar-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with one fat finger of light beige head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, chocolate, liquorice, roasty slightly smoky malt, light mint? (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Decent Black IPA. The hop character leads the way, but is balanced nicely by roasty malt. A good blend of hoppy IPA aspects and roasty stout character. This seemed to be a bit of a flash in the pan style, but this is a solid example of how it should be done. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steel & Oak Brewing Co. Dry Hopped ESB Premium Bitter / ESB at 4.6% ABV (C$6.06 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, bottle date 28-Jan-2016, reviewed 18-Mar-2016)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: vegetal, catty, biscuity malt, pine. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Tastes quite a bit better than it smells. Actually, the smell settles down after a bit – but the very first whiff is vegetal, and though I don’t know what it’s dry-hopped with, there’s a cattiness suggesting Citra or Mosaic. Definitely not getting the “bright aroma of citrus and grapefruit” in the brewer’s product notes. Although it gets a little more palatable as it progresses, ultimately becoming somewhat drinkable, it’s not great. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Le Trou du Diable Mellifera Honey Beer Saison at 5% ABV (C$6.77 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 600 ml, no bottle date or best before, reviewed 18-Mar-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short off-white head diminishing gradually to a medium cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, lemon, grainy toasty malt, honey, lactic sour, dry hay funk, white pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, moderate funky tart, light pepper. (8/10) Palate: medium body, lively to moderate carbonation, drying tart and funky finish. (3/5)

An interesting take on the style, with some honey flavour coming through alongside lactic sour and dry funk. Somewhat sweet for the style, and not a lot of peppery spice. Despite being somewhat out of spec, it’s a pleasant, solid performer. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck Bacchus Vlaams Oud Bruin Sour Brown Ale (Flanders Oud Bruin) at 4.5% ABV (C$5.65 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 375 ml, best before 7-Apr-2017, reviewed 18-Mar-2016)

Appearance: clear brown with amber-brown highlights, a short light beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: woody, red wine, vinegar, cherries and other dark fruit, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending to watery, lively carbonation, off-dry tart finish. (3/5)

Smells a bit better than it tastes. Disappoints just slightly on the tongue, and the body turns watery fairly rapidly despite the lively-ish carbonation. Not unpleasant, by any means, but there are certainly better examples of the style out there. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck St. Louis Premium Framboise Fruit Lambic at 2.8% ABV (C$3.31 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 250 ml, best before 1-Jun-2017, reviewed 18-Mar-2016)

Appearance: murky deep red with a short fluffy light purple head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart raspberry, candi sugar, light wood. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry tart finish. (3/5)

Not a lot more to this than raspberry, albeit real-tasting and pleasantly jammy. I’m getting a little woodiness, but not really any of the wheat or elderberry the ingredients claim. Simple and authentic, sweet but not cloying. Reminds me of Brussels! (14/20)

7/10  #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Carlow Brewing Company O’Hara’s Irish Stout Irish Dry Stout at 4.3% ABV (C$4.21 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Jan-2017, reviewed 17-Mar-2016)

Appearance: nearly opaque deep brown with brown highlights, one finger of fluffy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: roasty malts, cocoa, coffee, berries. (8/10) Taste: low sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-full slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Smooth and easy drinking Irish Dry Stout, with low sweetness and a pleasant dry bitter finish. Definitely something one could drink a lot of. (15/20)

My 220th from the 2010 Edition (209th from the 2013 edition), and 231st combining both editions.

7.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dungarvan Brewing Company Black Rock Irish Dry Stout at 4.3% ABV (C$5.13 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-May-2016, reviewed 17-Mar-2016)

Appearance: nearly opaque deep brown with brown highlights, two fingers of fluffy beige head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: roasty grain, cocoa, vanilla, liquorice, coffee. (7/10) Taste: low sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Decent dry Irish Stout. Still a definite tendency to an overwhelming loose and fluffy head, though – the only way I kept this one from getting completely out of hand was an exaggerated horizontal and slow pour. Nice low sweetness, though, with roasty tones and maybe a hint of red berry tartness. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dungarvan Brewing Company Copper Coast Irish Red Ale at 4.3% ABV (C$5.15 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-May-2016, reviewed 17-Mar-2016)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with a massive fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready and grainy malt, earthy, grassy, light fruit and nut. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)

Another Dungarvan brew with a completely ridiculous head, despite normal handling and a fairly careful pour – I’m starting to detect a trend here. Fairly bland overall, with a hint of cardboard in the finish. Yet another uninspiring Irish Red. (11/20)

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dungarvan Brewing Company Mine Head American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$5.13 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-May-2016, reviewed 17-Mar-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale amber with a massive fluffy ivory head, excellent retention and patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, tropical fruit, bready caramel malt, citrus, grassy. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending to watery, moderate-low carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Difficult pour with a completely unmanageable head – fair enough, it’s bottle conditioned, but this is beyond the norm even considering that. While we’re on the topic, lots of cloudiness from the bottle conditioning as well, to the point of murkiness. Despite the huge head, the carbonation falls off fairly rapidly, leaving behind a thin, watery body. All-Cascade hopping, but the dominant flavours I’m getting are not citrus, but rather stone or tropical fruits, followed by a bready caramel malt. Not unpleasant, as such, but reminiscent of a not very sophisticated home brew. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com