By The Beer Wrangler, on January 26th, 2012%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
East and West united; Canada going forward as one, whether you are in the Maritimes or the West coast beer is a universal pleasure and one that has united two great Canadian craft breweries on opposite sides of the country.
What is Baltic Porter? It is a relatively modern name used to describe strong Porters brewed in Russia and the Baltic nations that copied strong porters and stouts brewed in Britain for export to those regions. One difference is that many of those breweries now use lager yeasts rather than the warm/top fermenting ale yeasts that brewers in Britain used. . . . → Read More: Phillips Garrison Mash-Up Baltic Porter
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 18th, 2011%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Ommegang Three Philosophers is a Belgian style quadrupel dark ale, blended with an authentic kriek (cherry lambic). It has a dark reddish brown colour and a loose head that disappears fairly quickly. This beer has a powerful flavour that saturates my mouth as soon as it enters. The thick caramel notes and cooked, dried fruit are the main players, and it overwhelms the subtle (or is it buried?) cherry from the kriek. There are sherry-like armoas and a winey finsh that give this a bitter-sweet note that is good for strong cheeses.
I was a bit disappointed with it as . . . → Read More: Ommegang Three Philosophers
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 6th, 2011%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
The Lost Coast Winterbraun is a strong dark brown ale brewed especially for the winter months. The label sports a Picasso-esque snowboarder with skin the colour of this rich and deeply hued brew; the sweet, dark caramel and rye bread aromas that greet you are a comforting reminder of why we drink different beers when the nights draw in and there is a chill in the air.
The flavours are warming too, a hint of black treacle, roasted malt, baked dried fruit, and sweet caramel are all there and give this beer a cake-like appeal. This can be drunk with . . . → Read More: Lost Coast Winterbraun
By The Beer Wrangler, on August 18th, 2011%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on August 2nd, 2011%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
What makes a great Summer ale? Whether you call it a Blonde, a Golden or a Summer ale, the style has to refresh, not be too heavily flavoured, but definitely not bland. There also has to be a good level of (here I go – a word I hate!) drinkability. (I feel soooo dirty!) However a drinkable balanced golden coloured ale would only get a 3 tankard rating. A great beer has a certain something that inspires and delights, and as all beer connoisseurs know, when you come across it, you mark it down in your mind and . . . → Read More: Brewdog Trashy Blonde
By The Beer Wrangler, on July 29th, 2011%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Kona Brewing’s Oceanic Organic Belgian Style Saison is brewed on the Big Island using Belgian yeast and organic ingredients. It has a medium gold colour and if you tip the whole bottle out, the small amount of yeast inside will give it a slightly cloudy appearance, with an aroma of spice and citrus. The flavour is a touch one dimensional, but has a nice crisp refreshing flavour with a citrus note. There is a hint of the coriander and dry spice on the finish and is pleasantly drinkable. This seemed to get better as it warmed up, so if . . . → Read More: Kona Brewing Oceanic Belgian Style Saison
By The Beer Wrangler, on April 26th, 2011%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat is sold by the brewery as a ‘Belgian Wit’ but this is no ordinary Hoegaarden imitation that some breweries, large and small churn out in the summer. This could be the fruitiest wheat beer on the market with the vibrant orange colour of the liquid echoed by the flavour. Sweet tangerine dominates the palate with juicy blueberry notes there as well. With a touch of sweet spice and a balancing note of bitterness, this beer is a great summer refresher.
Although simple, I really enjoyed this beer and would definitely have this again on a hot afternoon.
Best . . . → Read More: Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 29th, 2011%
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Phillips Brewing make a highly regarded Imperial Stout every year in limited amounts which usually sells out fairly quickly. This year they released a bourbon whiskey barrel aged version in even smaller numbers. But is all that extra effort and cost worth it? I decided to gather the Wranglerette . . . → Read More: It’s Hammer Time -Phillips Style
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 23rd, 2011%
The Noble Pig Brewhouse was mentioned to me by my father-in-law a while back, and I made a point to get there next time we were up at their house for a visit. Kamloops might not seem like an obvious place for a brewpub, so the Wranglerette and I entered with an open mind! We were joined by the youngest member of my beer-loving brood, my 17 month old daughter, and I wondered if they might let her in. We were pleasantly surprised to be shown to a booth that had a great view of the rest of the pub, given . . . → Read More: The Noble Pig Brewhouse – Kamloops
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 4th, 2011%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 2nd, 2011%
William Worthington’s Brewery has just opened for visitors in Burton-upon-Trent, the Pale Ale capital of Great Britain.
“Constructed in listed buildings at the National Brewery Centre, the William Worthington’s Brewery will be open to the public, allowing [visitors] the opportunity to see the simple and beautiful process of brewing beer in action as you walk through the working brewery.”
-press release from Worthington’s.
This is a historic brewery that started life when William Worthington opened his brewery in Burton-upon-Trent in 1761. In 1927 it was merged with Bass which was subsequently bought up by Interbrew (which became Anheuser-Busch InBev). They were . . . → Read More: Worthington’s Brewery opens to the public in Burton
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 12th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Outstanding)
Nogne O is a craft brewery from Norway, and judging from my first experience of their beer, is going to take the craft brewing world by storm! Their Strong Winter Warmer is an absolute must for any fan of dark rich warming ales.
It pours a deep, dark mahogany amber, that needs to be held up to the light to appreciate its colour. The aromas that hit you are ones of spice, dates, madeira and caramel. As you drink this luxurious ale the tan head slowly dissipates, but the flavour does not. Notes of Christmas pudding and fruitcake persist and are . . . → Read More: Nogne O God Jul (Winter Ale)
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 10th, 2010%
Seasonal beers are filling the shelves right about now, and go well beyond any single type. The basic style is the classic Winter Warmer. This is not usually spiced but brewed to a slightly stronger alcohol volume (6% – 7% is typical for this warming malty style). Specialty Christmas beers take their cues from the old Wassail Ales – spiced, sometimes fortified, mulled beer given to carol singers in Medieval England. Although no longer fortified or served warm, it is usually strong and spiced, rich and filling. There are other winter seasonal ales brewed in the Belgium style. They tend to be strong and dark with a super-rich malt profile.
Lagers get a make over too with the German, and now Canadian specialty, Ice-Bock, giving fans of strong and malty dark amber lagers something to enjoy. Of course breweries the world over make all sorts of beers for the festive season and often they don’t fit easily into any specific style, but that’s what makes it fun – beer can be full of surprises!
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Continue reading Winter Beer Showdown
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 4th, 2010%
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 for brewing beer, particularly (as it turned out) Pale Ales. In fact today many brewers add mineral content (Gypsum or Sulphate) to their beer before brewing – a process still called ‘Burtonisation’.
Brewing in Britain was largely done by the owners of pubs, inns and ale-houses for their immediate customers, and so the beer would not have had to travel far before it was consumed. With the onset of early industrialisation there was suddenly a need for larger brewers who could supply the fast growing urban populations, and thankfully the growth of the canal system gave them the means to transport it. Burton, already noted for its fine ales quickly became an important centre of Brewing.
At the end of the 17th century the process of kilning malts was becoming more efficient, due to the use of coke, derived from coal. This meant that you could kiln a malt (stop it from germinating by heating it) without the use of so much direct heat. This had two consequences; the finished malt was paler than before and it produced more fermentable sugars per grain. Initially this was a fairly expensive process, so the early pale ales (more likely to be a dark amber) were mainly drunk by the wealthy, who were also the ones who could see the colour, due to the fact that glassware was so expensive. (The ordinary drinker would still have used a pewter or leather tankard for some time!)
The beer that became IPA descended from a beer known as “October Ales” – named because they were brewed in that month, and were highly thought of because of their strength, and extreme aging potential (as well as high hopping levels). Documents telling of 25 year old October beers being consumed and enjoyed exist from 1773.
The East India Company
The Company was founded in 1600 as a speculative venture that would trade spices from the east back to Britain. This company would come to be, in its heyday, one of the largest, wealthiest, most successful and most unethical companies the world has ever known. The British government did not formally take India from the Indians but nationalised the Company in 1857 after the Indians “mutinied” against them. They had their own army (made up of British and Indian soldiers) a vast merchant fleet and many local maharajahs in their pocket.
Continue reading IPA – A History
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 19th, 2010%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 10th, 2010%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on September 27th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo is a classic in the British beer scene. It’s an Old Ale which means that it has had some time well spent in very old seasoned oak casks, many of which date back more than a century. Each year adds to the beer-soaked wood and helps them give more complexity to the finished product. This ale spends over a year conditioning in the oak and is bottled with yeast, so can condition further in the bottle. It pours a deep amber colour with a thick and lively tan head. The aromas are fruity and almost . . . → Read More: Samuel Smith Yorkshire Stingo
By The Beer Wrangler, on September 9th, 2010%
You might be wondering why I haven’t posted in a while, and although there are many reasons, (family commitments, moving house, changing jobs) the most fun one is that I have been on holiday to Britain and Belgium, including a city-break to the stunning city of Bruges (or Brugge as the locals call it). Here I visited the local brewery ‘De Halve Maan’ and sampled some of its delicious beer. My wife, daughter and our friends spent most of the time eating wonderful food, consuming vast quantities of ‘real’ cheese, cured meats and of course trying to drink my body weight . . . → Read More: In Bruges
By The Beer Wrangler, on July 14th, 2010%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on July 1st, 2010%
I picked up a copy of the magazine “All About Beer” last week, as I wanted to have a read about various things beer related, including a detailed run down of the World Beer Cup and the brews that placed. As nice as it is to have a list of ‘must try’ beers in a well made magazine while sitting on the train, going to my daily job, I couldn’t help but get mildly frustrated by all the categories.
There were, in total 90 yes that’s 90 ! Including such notables as ” American-Style Strong Pale Ale”(featuring all three medalists calling their . . . → Read More: Beer Cup Categories
By The Beer Wrangler, on June 14th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Driftwood Brewery Belle Royale is described as a Strong Belgian Cherry Ale, and seems to be based on a Tripel or strong golden ale recipe, with “900 pounds of cherries” added. They don’t specify how much beer gets the 900 pounds but we get the idea – there’s a lot, and they’re real cherries, not cherry flavour or syrup. It has a lovely pink amber colour, a thinnish head, with a spicy, fruity aroma. The flavour has a hit of sweet spice and sour red cherries that lingers on the palate and develops into a long finish with sweet . . . → Read More: Driftwood Belle Royale
By The Beer Wrangler, on June 10th, 2010%
I had never heard of a ‘blog agregator’ before but there’s a first time for everything! Beer and Butter Tarts collects all its members’ recent blogs and shows bits from them and a link to their site/blog. It specialises in beer and food blogs, so if you’re a foodie or a beer lover, this is a great place to scour through a bunch of them in one place without having to find and actually go to the website, so it’s a real energy saver for those tired typing fingers (that’s just two for me!).
Most importantly it will be featuring the musings . . . → Read More: Beer and Butter Tarts
By The Beer Wrangler, on June 7th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Les trois Mousquetaires is a small but dedicated brewery from Quebec, Canada, and it produces a range of European style and seasonal specialties. Sticke Alt is not a common style of beer, least of all outside its home nation of Germany, and is an Altbier on steroids. Many Alts are a well rounded malty beer with a nice hit of herbal hops on the finish, making a good session ale.
A Sticke Alt is a far more serious affair, and this Canadian version is no exception. It has a deep red-amber colour with a creamy head, that leaves plenty of . . . → Read More: Les Trois Mousquetaires Sticke Alt
By The Beer Wrangler, on June 4th, 2010%
So I have finally returned after spending three and half weeks in South Africa, Botswana and Zambia for work where I tried in vain to find a genuine craft brew available to drink. Sadly I failed. There were a couple of options, Mitchell’s in South Africa, and Zikomo in Zambia, but these proved elusive. No one I spoke to had even heard of them, least of all where to find them. Admittedly I wasn’t long in South Africa, so perhaps I didn’t give Mitchell’s a chance, but touring around Zambia, Zikomo was not known by anyone. I was very disappointed.
But what . . . → Read More: An African Oddity
By The Beer Wrangler, on April 28th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Archiduc is an unassuming beer that doesn’t give too many clues as to what it is on the bottle (the Belgians obviously don’t have the same predilection for categorising as we do in North America). It is in fact a strongish Belgian Amber Ale with bags of flavour. It comes in a 750ml bottle that is corked and the beer has a deposit of yeast from the re-fermentation. It pours a rich amber hue with a medium tight head that slowly disappears. The aromas are spicy, rich and fruity, and the taste doesn’t disappoint after such an inviting whiff. . . . → Read More: Archiduc Belgian Beer (Brasserie d’Ecaussinnes)
By The Beer Wrangler, on April 21st, 2010%
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Just a quick plug for the inaugural Vancouver Craft Beer Week. This should be a great series of events that will do more than wet your whistle! If you’re not a local this will be a great reason to come and visit the city, where British Columbia’s craft breweries will be showing off their wares and brewing prowess.
So if you drink your beer south of the border, come on up to BC and get a warm welcome and some cold beer!
If you are a local (that includes you on the island!) come and support what should be a fun . . . → Read More: Vancouver Craft Beer Week
By The Beer Wrangler, on April 17th, 2010%
Viva Cascadia! So at last there seems to be some agreement on a name for a very hoppy dark brown to black ale made with Pacific Northwest hop varietals (see Northwest Brewing News). Those not from the great nation of Cascadia might not have had this mighty dark ale, but should definitely try this deliciously contrasting beer. Hoppier than an American Brown Ale, as dark as a porter, this beer has had numerous names in the past, not all of which make sense!
“A black IPA please” I hear in a crafty taproom. “A dark India Pale Ale for me!” …..”hold on, . . . → Read More: A Cascadian Revolution
By The Beer Wrangler, on March 30th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Russell Black Death Porter is a terrific offering from a brewery that is best known for a rather mediocre cream ale. With their range of 650 ml ‘Brewmaster series’ they have definitely shown that they are more serious about beer than their 6-pack selections, sometimes suggest. This is a really rich and malty porter with a ton of black molasses , and a subtle note of hop, but it plays second fiddle to the delicious sweet, roasted flavours that dominate. The finish isn’t cloying though as there is just enough bitterness to balance it all out. All in all . . . → Read More: Russell Black Death Porter
By The Beer Wrangler, on March 4th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Phillips Double Dragon Imperial Red Ale is this British Columbian craft brewer’s pumped up version of an American Red Ale, which is a hoppier version of the Irish Red Ales. The Imperialisation of this fairly modern style of beer gives it a big punch in both the flavour and strength departments, so is not to be taken lightly!
This deep red ruby ale has a fairly hoppy aroma, with a robust full-bodied flavour. The rich roasted malt features heavily on the palate and is quite sweet, with notes of caramel, molasses and malty bread, but there is just the right . . . → Read More: Phillips Double Dragon Imperial Red Ale
By The Beer Wrangler, on March 2nd, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Maredsous Triple is golden amber in colour, a touch darker than many triples, and has a strong, spicy, alcoholic aroma, which is not surprising when you see the 10% ABV on the traditionally styled label. The palate gives off a strong hit of the solvent-like alcohol at first, and is followed up by grainy dried fruit, with over ripe pineapple and boozy marmalade oranges leading the way. The finish is dry, with a hint of orange peel and herbiness. This powerful triple is not as refreshing as some and struggles to balance its flavour with its alcoholic strength; having . . . → Read More: Maredsous Abbaye Triple
By The Beer Wrangler, on February 27th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Krusovice Imperial is a Czech Pilsner lager, that is eminently drinkable, and a great benchmark for this classic style of beer. It has a pale golden colour and fluffy head, with a nice level of carbonation that is a little less than many lagers, but makes this beer an easy one to drink. It is still refreshing though, as it relies on a great balance of sweet malt and bitterness rather than mere fizz. Although clean and crisp, it has a good dose of pale malt on the palate that leads into a dry, slightly citrus and herbal finish, . . . → Read More: Krusovice Imperial
By The Beer Wrangler, on February 26th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
3 Monts is a strong Biere de Garde from the Flanders region of France, which is a style that can be hard to find outside of its native country, but is well worth the hunt especially if you are a fan of the more familiar Belgian Saison beer, which this is a close relative of. This beer gets a maturation period after fermentation at very cold temperatures to further enhance and integrate the complex flavours of this refreshing ale.
It has a bright, pale golden colour, with a long lasting, tightly knit head that genuinely stays with the beer, right . . . → Read More: 3 Monts (Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre)
By The Beer Wrangler, on February 4th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating
(Excellent)
The Beer Book is more than just a coffee table decoration, it’s a really enjoyable voyage through a world of ales, lagers, brewing traditions and beery nations! It has a myriad of must try beers of all styles from around the globe. There are travel ideas for beer trails in some of the classic places making the brews that feature in the book, like Oregon, Brussels or Bamburg. There are also brewery features, from the big names like Guinness to great craft producers like Thornbridge in the UK. The book boasts over 1700 beer reviews so you won’t get . . . → Read More: The Beer Book – Tim Hampson (Ed)
By The Beer Wrangler, on February 4th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating
(Mediocre)
Beers of the World promises to be a journey around the world via 350 classic beers. ‘Classic or popular’ I ask myself. Any book that devotes a large one page spread to Fosters Lager, and also adds Tennent’s Super to the list (The choice of the discerning homeless man in the UK) is struggling to fulfill the promise of ‘Classic’. Sadly the photographs are not great, with some strange choices for glasses and head size. This has the feel of a book that was hastily and cheaply put together. But why the second tankard I hear you ask… Well . . . → Read More: Beers of the World – By David Kenning
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 22nd, 2010%
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)
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 22nd, 2010%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 18th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Maredsous is a true Abbey beer, which means that it was originally brewed in the Benetictine Abbey at Maredsous in Wallonia, Southern Belgium, but now has been transferred to a brewery outside of the monastic grounds, but is still overseen by the monks themselves. Many beers that claim to be “abbey” beers do not have that distinction, and the name just describes a style.
The bottle I had this beer in was a corked 75 cl variety, still resting on the yeast, which would help explain the bready nature of this enjoyable ale, and served in a genuine Maredsous chalice. . . . → Read More: Maredsous Abbey Brune
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 14th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Pyramid Snow Cap is the Winter seasonal offering from this popular Seattle brewery, and claims to be made in the “spirit of the British Winter ales”. At 7% alcohol, it certainly has the strength to warm the cockles, but does the flavour keep up? The combination of English and Pacific North West hops give this Winter warmer a nice bitterness, but unlike many other North American versions of this classic Christmas brew, it has copious amounts of delicious malt to back it up and keep them in check. There are notes of cocoa bean and dark caramel on the . . . → Read More: Pyramid Breweries Snow Cap Winter Warmer
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 6th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Driftwood’s Blackstone Porter is a very dark version of this classic beer that has its origins in 18th Century London. It is a completely opaque black in the glass, looking like a stout, and is made with a partial sour mash, similar to the method used for some Tennessee whiskies. This imparts a subtle tartness to the beer, making it less sweet than many Porters. The main flavours that come through are cocoa and coffee bean, and is followed by a smokey finish. There are vague notes of hop in the background, but they are bit part players, (a . . . → Read More: Driftwood Brewery Blackstone Porter
By The Beer Wrangler, on January 4th, 2010%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Rogue Mogul Madness Ale is a Winter warmer with bite. It has a dark ruby-brown colour and a fairly creamy tan head that stays with the beer. There are some caramel flavours with some faint notes of banana bread. The unusual thing for a winter warmer, but not unusual for Rogue, are the obvious handfuls of hops used in the brew. They offer a pleasant bitterness on the finish that tastes a little grapefruity, and tends to last for a while after the beer has been swallowed. This is an enjoyable beer, but tastes like a good ESB to . . . → Read More: Rogue Mogul Madness Ale
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 18th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Bah Humbug is Wychwood Brewery’s offering at Christmas time to warm up those cold toes on a winter’s night. This is a very mildly spiced amber ale that is not quite malty enough to be a classic winter warmer, but it doesn’t pretend to be, as it is labelled ‘Christmas Ale’ and implies a more general festive beer, made with the addition of some seasonal flavour. This ale has a pleasant medium-bodied feel to it, with subtle notes of banana and clove; the hops are just detectable too, though mainly on the finish and aftertaste. The solitary added spice . . . → Read More: Wychwood Bah Humbug Christmas Ale
By The Beer Wrangler, on December 7th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Anchor Brewing famously change the recipe for their Special Ale every year, as well choose a different tree, a symbol of the Winter Solstice, to adorn the label. This version (2009), when held up to the light, has a gorgeously dense ruby colour and an almost creamy pale tan head. The aroma is full of malty molasses with a definite hoppy highlight. The flavours that follow fill the mouth, but don’t overwhelm it; the main taste that starts off is a strong malty one, that develops into a black molasses backbone to the beer. There are some laid-back spicy notes . . . → Read More: Anchor Brewing ‘Our Special Ale’ 2009 (Christmas Ale)
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 25th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Recommended)
Tree Brewing are based in The Okanagan, where this summer (2009) there were large scale wild fires that destroyed thousands of trees. This beer was released in aid of the BC Fire ReLeaf Fund that aims to replace all the trees lost in the fire. This is described as a dark ale but is in fact a blend of two beers, probably the Cutthroat pale ale and the Spy porter. This makes up a well appointed version of a Black and Tan beer. The dark mahogany ale has a roasted malt note throughout that serves as its backbone. There are . . . → Read More: Tree Brewing Black Tree Dark Ale
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 24th, 2009%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 24th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Outstanding)
Delirium Tremens is a strong golden ale that has a cult following amongst fans of Belgian beer, not only due to this powerful brew, but also the famous Delirium café in Brussels that keeps over 2000 beers for enthusiasts and tourists alike. It pours with a gloriously fluffy, tightly bubbled head, that sits atop a very pale golden liquid. The nose is full of the slightly medicinal aroma of pear drops and spicy hops. This beer manages to be light and full-bodied at the same time; if that sounds like an oxymoron, I apologise, but it manages to pull . . . → Read More: Delirium Tremens
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 17th, 2009%
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
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 13th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Howe Sound Father John’s Winter Ale is a fantastically warming, well spiced brew that comes in a nice 1 litre swing-top bottle. It has a dark amber colour with a loose head, a rich malty aroma with an obvious spiciness. This full-bodied Christmas Ale has a very malty profile that is the backbone for all the other seasonal flavours that are added. Ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon are the spices that give this warming beer bags of flavour, but it is kept well in balance, and not one really dominates. There are also definite notes of the other fermentable additions, . . . → Read More: Howe Sound Father John’s Winter Ale
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 8th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Mediocre)
Fat Cat Brewery are a small producer in BC Canada (there is another with the same name in the UK) and this is their Honey Beer, an ale made with New Zealand tree sap honey. This gives this light amber brew a slightly smokey honey aroma. This is not a sweet tasting beer as they manage to get the honey flavour without the sugar, and the malt is in there too, but not integrated with the honey. There is also an overall bitterness to the brew, which reminds me of an astringent tree bark flavour, found in campari. Any hop . . . → Read More: Fat Cat Brewery Honey Beer
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 8th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Mediocre)
Kronenbourg seem to make a few different versions of 1664 around the world, and at different strengths. I remember enjoying this on holiday in France, but tasting it for review was a bit of a disappointment. It is a classic pale gold colour with a slightly yeasty nose. There is a touch of sweetness on the palate that gives way to a sourish finish that leaves a bit of a watery aftertaste. I couldn’t notice any of the nice hop notes you find in some well made lagers, as there is not much of any substance here. It is not . . . → Read More: Kronenbourg 1664
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 5th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Outstanding)
Driftwood Brewery Sartori Harvest IPA is a huge triumph for this small craft producer based on Vancouver Island. It has a nice ruddy amber colour and pours with a large frothy head. The aroma has a good even spicy hop note with a definite malt character. This beer has a great mouthfeel, and for me, has achieved perfect balance of malt and hops for an India Pale Ale. They use ‘wet hopping’, which means that the local Chilliwack Centennial hops go into the brew fresh, without being dried, and it really gives great flavours of grapefruit and tangerine with . . . → Read More: Driftwood Brewery Sartori Harvest IPA
By The Beer Wrangler, on November 4th, 2009%
Wrangler Rating:
(Excellent)
Granville Island Belgian Blonde Ale is a great seasonal beer from British Columbia’s most prevalent brewery. It has a beautiful golden hue and a frothy head that leaves a fair bit of lacing on the sides of the glass. This is a slightly lighter version of the famous Belgian breweries strong blonde or golden ale, but they pull it off with style. It maintains the traditional spicy, candied fruit flavours while being a very refreshing beer that still weighs in at 6% alcohol. There is sweet pineapple on the palate and some nice clove notes on the finish that makes . . . → Read More: Granville Island Brewing Belgian Blonde Ale
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