RyansBooze

LaCotta Cottina Birra Chiara Belgian Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$2.00 at South Trail Calgary Co-Op, 330 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: slightly hazy (with big chunky sediment) straw, two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (2/5) Aroma: grassy, herbal, pale malt. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium light body, lively to moderate carbonation, crisp finish. (3/5)

Dunno what the hell this is. RateBeer says it’s a Pilsener, but La Cotta’s web site says it’s top-fermented, so it can’t be. Beer Advocate says it’s a Belgian Pale, but that’s on the strength of one review. And Untappd says it’s a weizenbock. Looks kinda lager-ish, but it has loads of chunky sediment. Smells like a pils, tastes like a very light Belgian Pale. Hybrids like this make my OCD hurt. On the up side, it’s crisp and refreshing, and it’s not light-struck despite the crappy green bottle. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Laughing Dog Brewing De Achste Hond (Peach) Sour/Wild Ale at 7.0% ABV (C$9.95 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 8-Jun-2015)

Appearance: clear pale amber with minimal short-lived head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: short-lived sour peach, apricot, black tea. (7/10) Taste: moderately strong sweet, moderate tart, very mild bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium light body, moderate to low carbonation, crisp finish. (3/5)

Starts off extremely promising with an intensely sour peach nose – that unfortunately then just disappears. Ends up tasting like a mildly tart peach iced tea. Kinda disappointed. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Kili Wit Witbier at 5.5% ABV (C$7.10 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Oct-2015)

Appearance: slightly hazy extremely pale straw with one finger of white head diminishing rapidly to a thick cap, moderate spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dry yeasty funk, green apple, citrus, coriander. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light funky tart. (8/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp finish. (4/5)

What the heck is that? Nothing like other wits I’ve had – not creamy, not white (at least not with a careful pour, trying to avoid the characteristic Logsdon gusher – but the last inch turned it white), lots of tart. Rather more like a wild or lambic than anything else, to be honest. Bright, crisp, and tart. Really nice and only slightly less interesting than the Logsdon Seizoen. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen Saison at 7.5% ABV (C$7.62 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 1-Nov-2017)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers plus of growing pillowy ivory head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dry yeasty funk, citrus, earth, herbal, white pepper and other spices. (9/10) Taste: mild sweet, moderate bitter, light funky tart. (9/10) Palate: medium body, lively carbonation, crisp spicy finish. (5/5)

Excellent, highly authentic Franco-Belgian style saison. Dry and funky on the nose, crisp on the tongue, with a developing green apple finish. Complex and enjoyable. (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nøgne Ø (Hansa Borg) Vic Secret IPA American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$8.01 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 3-Oct-2014 best before 3-Oct-2016)

Appearance: cloudy pale amber with one finger of rocky light tan head, poor retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine, tropical fruit, caramel malt, citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, strong bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and slightly warming finish. (3/5)

Less than a year old, and well under its two year BB date – but I still think it’s a bit faded. Not that it isn’t massively bitter – it is (100 IBU) – but I think some of the brightness has dulled with time. I’d like to try this fresher. That said, a quality IPA if you don’t mind massive dank bitterness. Just not a lot of bright citrus left at this point. Nearly translucent cloudiness due to the big chunky sediment you find in the last inch of so many of Nøgne Ø brews, despite my trying to avoid the worst of it during the pour. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Privatbrauerei Erdinger Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH Erdinger Urweiss Hefeweizen at 4.9% ABV (C$5.20 in a mixed pack at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, best before 03/2016)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of frothy light tan head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: banana, bubblegum, coriander, doughy wheat. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, very mild bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body tending somewhat to watery, moderate carbonation, brief off-dry finish. (3/5)

A nice hefeweizen with lunch. Pleasant aroma, balanced taste and a non-intrusive finish. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nøgne Ø (Hansa Borg) Asian Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$7.21 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, bottle date 16-Jan-2015 best before 16-Jan-2016)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, good retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemongrass, lime and tropical fruit, pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate to strong sweet, moderate bitter, moderate tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration tart finish. (4/5)

Lots of fun – bright and citrusy, and it tastes far more bitter than the 10 IBU the labels claims. I think maybe it’s the lemongrass? Overall, it feels like a lot of added flavours, but I have to admit they integrate reasonably well, and never feel artificial. It’s sweet, but not sickly. Huge chunky sediment in the last inch, too, but that’s not really an issue – especially since the bottle explicitly warns you to pour carefully to avoid the sediment. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Driftwood Brewery FarmHand Saison at 5.5% ABV (C$6.75 at Sundance Wine Market, 650 ml, bottle date 8-May-2015)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with a short, short-lived off-white head, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: Belgian yeast, citrus, light banana, mild green apple. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter, mild black pepper, very mild tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lightly funky dry finish. (3/5)

Admittedly I went into this with high hopes, but it didn’t quite deliver. At least, not to the same extent that their IPA’s do. Pleasantly mild black pepper spiciness dovetails nicely with mildly tart and funky fruit. Good, but not great. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Kirin Brewery Kirin Ichiban Pale Lager at 5% ABV (Bottle at Sushi Ginza, 500 ml, no bottle date or best before)

Appearance: pale straw with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: crackery pale malt, slightly grassy. (4/10) Taste: mild sweet, very mild bitter. (4/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp finish. (3/5)

Light, crisp and inoffensive. Goes well with sushi, but that’s about the extent of it. (9/20)

My 189th from the 2010 Edition (177th from the 2013 edition), and 199th combining both editions.

4.5/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com