Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Barn Owl Imperial Brown Ale

Alameda Brewing, Portland, OR.
7/10- Nice flavorful brown ale with a kick.  I don't always love beers higher in alcoholic content so this one didn't rate as high for me (SR).

Schadenfreude (Pumpkin Octoberfest)

Parallel 49 Brewing Company, Vancouver, BC
8/10.  Sweet caramel taste with nice blend of pumpkin spice.  SR enjoyed this more than CR due to the sweetness.

Raven Cream Ale

R&B Brewing Company, Vancouver BC.
4/10.  I have had this before on tap and in bottles and have always enjoyed it.  I am not sure if this bottle was off, but I didn't even finish my glass.  I would try this again just to see what the results were (SR).

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Lions Winter Ale

Granville Island Brewery, Vancouver, BC
8.5/10.  This year it tastes a little less sweet than years past which is a nice surprise.  Nice vanilla and chocolate flavours make this one of my all-time favorite beers (SR).

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Mild Winter Ale

Okanagan Springs Brewery, Kelowna, BC
7.5/10.  Heavy on the mild, light on the winter.  Doesn't have the sweetness or the spice of most winter ales. Drinkable, easier than most winter ales to pair with food due to the mild flavour profile.

English Bay Pale Ale

Granville Island Brewery, Vancouver, BC
7/10.  Oops, I thought I grabbed a winter ale.  It's not.

Organic Pumpkin Ale

Nelson Brewing Company, Nelson BC
8/10.  Light on spice and pumpkin flavour.  A tasty fall offering without the sweetness of many of the pumpkin beers we have tried.  Would buy it again.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Twisted Oak Stillage Rye Barrel-Aged Bock

Phillips Brewing Company, Victoria, BC
7/10. I wish there had been more flavour to this. It sounded like a fantastic mix of new tastes that just didnt show up to the party in my mouth.

D.O. Ale

Old Yale Brewing Company, Vancouver, BC
8/10 Chocolaty, sweet, pretty tame for a punk band.

Alice Porter

BrewDog Brewing. Aberdeenshire, Scotland
8/10. Look at the size of that head! It's got it's own weather system! Very creamy and light.

Survival 7-Grain Stout

Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
7.5/10. A little more hoppy than I like in a stout. AND I could only taste 6 grains.

Trois Dames La Semeuse Espresso Stout

Trois Dames Brewing, Sainte-Croix, Switerland
7/10. Very mild, more like a cold coffee than a heavy stout.

Black Heart Organic Oatmeal Stout

Nelson Brewing Company, Nelson, BC
7/10. Very drinkable, very average, nothing that blew the socks off my tastebuds.

Kwak

Buggenhout Brewing, Belgium. 
7/10. Fruity and malty, if you imagine a Belgium beer right now, it would probably taste like this one.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Jumping Jack Pumpkin Ale

Tree Brewing Co., Kelowna, BC
8.5/10.  SR has never met a Tree beer that she hasn't liked.  This pumpkin ale does not disappoint- heavy on the pumpkin and light on spices.  One of our favorites from the pumpkin series!

Pumpkin Head - Pumpkin Brown Ale

Fernie Brewing Company, Fernie, BC.
8/10.  This is a great beer.  Very drinkable and not sweet, light spices.  CR didn't get to taste this one- sorry about that!

Vertical Winter Ale

Tree Brewing, Kelowna, BC
9/10.  This is the best winter ale that I have found (SR).  Medium sweetness with a slight taste of vanilla. Hard to pair with food because of the sweetness but oh, so good.  Not CR's favorite because he likes his drinks to be as bitter as he is.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Hercule Stout

La Brasserie Ellezelloise, Ellezelles, Belgium.
7/10, Monsieuir Poirrot, you are not a stout. You are a dark ale at best, case closed.

Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Howe Sound Brewery, Squamish, BC
8.5/10. One of CR's Fav-O-rites in the pumpkin beer world. Not too sweet, not too pumpkiny. Strong though, drink when you know you aren't going anywhere for a bit.

St. Ambroise Citrouille

McAuslan Brewing, Montreal, Quebec.
7.5/10.  This was our favorite pumpkin ale last year.  This year it pales in comparison to many that we have tried but still drinkable.  Slightly sweet with light spices.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Fruliness

Brouwerij Huyghe Brewing, Ghent, Belgium & Guinness Brewing, Dublin, Ireland.
6/10. Strawberry Guinness is like adding strawberries to your coffee, it's not quite right. 

Old Boy Ale- Extra Special Strong Bitter

Parallel 49 Brewing Company, East Vancouver, BC.
8/10. CR liked it, SR thought it didn't taste like anything, light on flavour, waste of calories.

Mississippi Mud Black & Tan

Mississippi Brewing Co. Utica, NY.
5/10. Fun bottle, awesome for jug bands, OK beer, better to make your own Black&Tans.

From East Van With Love- Bourbon Aged Imperial Maple Stout

Parallel 49 Brewery, East Vancouver, BC
9.5/10. This is a special occasion (even if the occasion is Wednesday) beer as it is a little on the expensive side, but soooooooooo good. 

Blackberry Porter

Cannery Brewing, Penticton, BC
4/10. Ew.

Barking Squirrel Lager

Hop City Brewing. Brampton, Ontario.
7/10. Lager? Nope, that squirrel is crazy, more like a nice, lightly hopped ale. Thanks Richard for the important donation to the blog!

Pike Post Alley Porter

Pike Brewing Co. Seattle, WA.
7/10. Kinda chocolaty, kinda clean, unlike the actual Post Alley in Seattle.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Raspberry Brown Ale

Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, CA
2/10.  Not good.  Tasted like perfume.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Captivator DoppelBock

Tree Brewing Co. Kelowna, BC.
7/10. Sweet and light to me, great summer beer to tide us over until their winter ale is back out (let the countdown begin).

Mandarin Orange Ale Amber Ale

Dead Frog Brewing. Surrey, BC.
6/10.  This used to be a favorite of ours but the quality of all Dead Frog beers has gone down.  If you are going to drink this, have it very cold with a wedge of orange.

Wee Beastie Oak Aged Scotch Ale


Howe Sound Brewing. Squamish, BC.
6.5/10. Ack, crivens, this wee beer wa a wee bit o the sour. Na a poor beer if ya be up on the heelands. Cheers Michael for the bottle!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Humphrey Biere De Garde

Parallel 49 Brewing. Vancouver, BC.
6.5/10. Tasted exactly like a cheap beer. Which is AWESOME if you like cheap beer but enjoy
paying microbrewery prices.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Commander Imperial Stout

Dead Frog Brewery. Surrey, BC
2/10. Not cool dead frog, this is the beer that ended my desire to try any more beers from your brewery.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Vanilla Oatmeal Stout

Ninkasi, Eugene, OR.
6/10.  At first sip, this wasn't as sweet or vanilla-y as originally expected.  A few sips in it was drinkable but still a disappointment.  Heavy malt aftertaste.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Dark Matter

Hoyne Brewing Co., Victoria, BC
8/10.  Good dark lager.  Serve it really cold.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Piper's Pale Ale

Vancouver Island Brewery, Victoria, BC.
7.5/10.  If you have to drink a pale ale on a hot day, this is a good one.  (Please note: hairy man in background is not required).

Monday, August 12, 2013

Abbey de St. Martin Brune

Brunehaut, Rongy, Belgium.
7/10.  We first tasted this one at Stella's with a warm chocolate cherry cake.  Memories of the taste are superior to reality but still a nice beer.  Medium in flavour and color.

Raspberry Porter

Tree Brewing Company, Kelowna, BC
8.5/10.  A mouth full of dark chocolate, raspberry and coffee flavours.  Think Purdy's Raspberry Creams. Looking forward to drinking this at Christmas.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Hermann's Dark Lager

Vancouver Island Brewing. Victoria, BC.
8/10. A classic. A dark beer with a light aftertaste. Great addition to stews and Sheppard's pie.

Cloak & Dagger Cascadian Dark Ale

Granville Island Brewing. Vancouver, BC.
7.5/10. It's middle ground for people who either like IPA or a darker, maltier beer. 

Twisted Trail Extra Pale Ale

Bowen Island Brewing Co. Bowen Island, BC.
6.5/10. Not horrible. Tastes more like an amber ale than a pale ale.

Black Death Porter

Russell Brewing Company. Surrey, BC.
6/10. Pretty light for a porter, almost like a soy sauce finish.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Dark Meddle Beer

Gigantic Brewing Company, Portland Oregon.
7.5/10.  Tasted like a winter ale and a dark lager mixed together.  Easy summer beer choice. 

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Diamond Head Oatmeal Stout

Howe Sound Brewing Co. Squamish, BC.
9/10. A sweetish stout. A stout that Shonna will drink so extra points there.

Loose Cannon Dark Lager

Howe Sound Brewing Co. Squamish, BC.
8/10. Yum. Not as dark of a lager as Hermann's but refreshing on a summer's day.

Friday, July 19, 2013

O'Hara's Irish Stout

Carlow Brewing Co. Bagnelstown, Ireland.
7/10. Crisp, refreshing stout. A good summer dark-like-my-heart beverage.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Sun of a Beak

Midnight Sun Brewing Company & Black Raven Brewing Collaboration. Alaska, USA
8/10.  Labelled an ale, but more like a porter.  Smooth and delicious with a touch of that oh so well loved toasted coconut.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Gypsy Tears Ruby Red Ale

Parrallel 49 Brewing Co. East Vancouver, BC
7/10. Like toffee and IPA more than an ale. I would have liked it more if it had less hops.

Pothole Filler Imperial Stout

Howe Sound Brewery. Squamish, BC
9/10. A thick, creamy beer with tastes of chocolate and licorice. Mmmmmmm, also 10%.

Rail Ale Nut Brown

Howe Sound Brewery. Squamish, BC
9/10. One of our most favorite of all the Nut Brown Ales (that arent made with coconut).