The Beer Wrangler™ » Pale Ale & Bitter

Driftwood Twenty Pounder Double IPA

The Beer Wrangler — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:35:35 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Driftwood Brewery Twenty Pounder Double IPA comes with trademark fabulous graphic artwork on the label. At the very least they have raised the game when it comes to bottle labels! Happily this is not where the game raising ends. They have produced many of British Columbia’s (and canada’s for that matter) best craft brews. A double IPA (thanks for not using ‘Imperial’) has been keenly awaited by the craft beer fans of the West coast. Since the two IPAs that have been on the shelves – regular IPA Fat Tug and super seasonal Sartori Harvest have proved so popular, . . . → Read More: Driftwood Twenty Pounder Double IPA

Pretty Things Hedgerow Bitter

The Beer Wrangler — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:06:36 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Pretty Things make beer with some interest, as opposed to just brewing standard styles to fill their portfolio. This time out they have used three Dwarf Hop varietals from England, Sovereign, Pioneer and First Gold, and made a well hopped British Best Bitter. The hoppy flavours may not be familiar to those used to drinking North American IPAs, but these fairly new varieties give it a distinctly wild herbaceous twang.

This is certainly reminiscent of Bitters I’ve drunk in the UK but with an extra helping of hops. The Dwarf hops taste fresh and vibrant and leave a lingering dry . . . → Read More: Pretty Things Hedgerow Bitter

IPA – A History

The Beer Wrangler — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:03:09 +0000

The History of IPA Pale Ale and Industrialisation

The history of IPA starts not in India but in a place called Burton-upon-Trent, an ordinary town in Staffordshire, Britain, where beer has probably been brewed since 1004, when an abbey was founded there. Monks were (and still are in Belgium) prodigious brewers, and would have used the water from the local River Trent to brew their early ale. What made Burton so special, therefore made it the most important centre of brewing in Britain (and even the world for a while) was the water from the river. Its natural minerals happened to be perfect . . . → Read More: IPA – A History

Duchy Old Ruby Ale

The Beer Wrangler — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 03:22:07 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Duchy Originals Organic Old Ruby Ale is made with a historic malt called Plumage Archer which gives this beer a deeply pleasant roasty malt flavour. The bright amber-ruby colour sparkles, and the gentle nose of biscuity and fruity malt make this a great session ale. The slightly tea-leafy and floral hops break through enough to make this a nicely well balanced beer.

This is not a flavour bomb by any stretch of the imagination, and it falls into a cross between a Best Bitter and an Amber Ale in style, but don’t be put off. This is a well-crafted traditional . . . → Read More: Duchy Old Ruby Ale

Driftwood Fat Tug IPA

The Beer Wrangler — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:40:28 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Excellent)

Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA is the long awaited addition to the brewery’s regular line up that filled in the gaping hole of a classic Pacific Northwest IPA. A hefty 7% ABV and 80 IBUs sees this beer punching in the heavyweight category for a ‘standard’ IPA. The hit of hops is fresh, fruity and sharp, and will please the hop-heads out there. On the palate the hops retain their power and vibrancy, and cover the alcohol admirably. The malt is there too, but it is in a supporting role, and props up the hop flavours nicely. This is a . . . → Read More: Driftwood Fat Tug IPA

Spinnakers Blue Bridge Double Pale Ale

The Beer Wrangler — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 04:28:10 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Spinnakers Blue Bridge used to be labelled a Double IPA, but they have renamed it a Double Pale Ale, perhaps because it is not as much a hop explosion as some Double IPAs. It still has a good dose of hoppiness though, but seems to be carefully balanced with the malt, which makes this beer a refreshing change from the wealth of similar double or imperial IPAs on the market.

Spinnakers is one of those breweries that are hard to find outside of its local neighbourhood (Victoria, British Columbia) but are well worth the effort as the line-up includes some . . . → Read More: Spinnakers Blue Bridge Double Pale Ale

Swan’s ESB (Buckerfield’s Brewery)

The Beer Wrangler — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 06:25:28 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Swan’s ESB is brewed by Buckerfield’s Brewery on Vancouver Island in a popular hotel and brewpub in Victoria, that tends to brew British style ales and German style lagers. The ESB has a nice dark amber colour and is gently carbonated, in the tradition of ales from the other side of The Atlantic, but has a slightly more robust hop aroma than some. There is a nice malty body to this beer, with plenty of sweet caramel notes; these lead to a bitter hoppy finish that seem to envelop the initial malt sweetness.

Although I really enjoyed drinking this one, . . . → Read More: Swan’s ESB (Buckerfield’s Brewery)

Howe Sound Total Eclipse Of The Hop

The Beer Wrangler — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:51:50 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Excellent)

Howe Sound’s Imperial IPA has a nice name that some of its younger drinkers might not get. I am not sure if Bonnie Tyler is a fan of this beer, but she should be. Imperial or double IPAs are usually a mouthful of hops with a hit of alcohol, but the brewers at Howe Sound have managed to brew in a style that the original creators of the IPA in the 18th Century would recognise and hopefully approve of.

This is a supremely well balanced beer that has 9o IBUs and 8% alcohol, but manages to be so drinkable, you . . . → Read More: Howe Sound Total Eclipse Of The Hop

Wells IPA

The Beer Wrangler — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:34:45 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Mediocre)

Wells IPA suffers from a common British problem: mislabeling. During the First World War, breweries (with the government!) decreased alcohol in beers to conserve resources (barley) as well as limit drunkenness among essential workers and the military. Hop levels were also reduced, so the traditionally strong and hoppy IPAs were the first in line to be emasculated. Breweries continued using the term though, but it described a pale ale or a bitter rather than the full-on flavour of an IPA. Wells IPA is a very pleasant and drinkable British pale ale that would have been awarded 3 tankards and recommended, . . . → Read More: Wells IPA

Propeller Extra Special Bitter

The Beer Wrangler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:13:43 +0000

Wrangler Rating: (Recommended)

Propeller ESB is a rich dark amber / brown and is brewed in the traditional style of a British Extra Special Bitter. It has a nice fruity aroma, with strong hints of malt that remind me of a classic pub pint in the UK. This Nova Scotian brew is a breeze to drink, as the balance of malt and hops are good and makes drinkability a key factor in recommending this beer. The malt has a touch of sweetness to it, but mainly you get to taste its richness. The hops are North American though, and there is a nice . . . → Read More: Propeller Extra Special Bitter