Left4Beer

Naughty Hildegard (Driftwood)

2012-05-19T22:27:00.002-07:00

I usually review new, or noteworthy, releases in Victoria. While this brew is not new, it is notable. While a ESB is usually a balanced beverage, this naughty one leans towards the hops. This seems appropriate for the hop-happy PNW palate. If someone put club soda through a hop back, locals would line up for a taste.

Naughty Hildegard (2012) = 8/10

Once the nose hits the glass, you know your hophead cravings will be satisfied. It is all here: floral, sweet ruby red grapefruit and pine hop nasal offerings. At the start, hop astringency alerts you as to its intentions. It is not gripping like an IPA; more like a hernia exam. Hops start with an even mix of cedar/pine, sweet grapefruit and hidden bubblegum. This yields to a malt middle of caramel/toffee and bread. After the liquid descends with a warm passing, the vapours reincarnate the hop invitation. It is a vicious palate circle that we are all doomed to repeat. This brew excels in its simplicity but enjoyable predictability.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 6.5%ABV
Value +1
Appearance +1

Naughty 2011
Naughty 2010

Belgian White (Lighthouse)

2012-05-17T23:23:00.000-07:00

This is the yang to Lighthouse's previous yin Belgian Black brew. The Belgian White is a ramped up imperial witbier. Dean from Lighthouse describes it best, "Belgian White is different. We took the classic wit and gave it a good old west coast make-over: bigger and lots more hops! What I love about this beer though is that the wit characters are still there; coriander, clove, bitter peel, bready wheat and almond notes. Spices up front, classy soft malt mid palate and a dry, lingering bitter finish." Sounds like a good description but what did the beer prick think?

Belgian White (Lighthouse) = 9/10

The first first thing you notice, obviously, is the nose. This would be the perfect beer to drink while playing Diablo 3, it smells a bit like fire and brimstone. Lots of sulfur, coriander, oat straw, hot and dry spices leap from the glass. You better like it because these aromas never leave; after a while they morph into a very inviting scent. Full and spicy sips reveal a cornucopia of flavours. First there are the grains: oatcakes, cream of wheat, marzipan and fresh bread. Next you must sort through the spices; coriander is king closely followed by cloves and maybe a little cinnamon. To make matters worse, you must contend with the southern hops and fruitiness from the yeast. You can pick out various tropicals, mangoes, jackfruit, slight lemon and other citrus fruits. Nothing is overpowering. It just slides down the throat, giving the uvula a crosscheck on the way past. Very complicated, it might take a few bombers to sort it all out.

Taste +5
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 7.5%ABV
Value +1
Appearance +1 Great art by Michelle Landry again

Talking with Chris at VIB about Flying Bomber

2012-05-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

I was a little too quick with my posting about VIB's new release, The Flying Bomber. Chris, on of the brewers at VIB, never had a chance to talk about it. Here is what Chris had to say about the white IPA:

The W.I.P.A. was a fun challenge for me, in that they asked me to brew a style I'd never tried before. I could guess by the name that it should be a hybrid of Witbeer and IPA styles, but as for which elements of each should show up in the finished beer... well, that's where the fun came in.

For the malt, I basically took a witbeer composition, and increased the total malt bill to bring things up to IPA strength. As you can tell, the bittering hops (Galena) are definitely from the IPA side. This beer has far more hops per hectoliter than have ever been put into any beer that VIB has made! Of course, I used our newly acquired Weihenstephan yeast, and this is where things really got interesting. I knew that this yeast can impart a big fruity nose, and I knew I wanted big hop aroma, but how the two would work together was a bit of a gamble. In my opinion, it paid off BIG TIME! The two seem to take turns -- tropical fruitiness when first poured, but as the beer warms up, the Cascade hops really start to come through.

Flying Tanker (VIB)

2012-05-06T22:09:00.002-07:00

This is the first bomber from Vancouver Island in recent history. It is a very good sign for Victoria's beer drinkers. Here are the reasons why. The first is that there is now another brewery in town producing limited releases. The second is that this release is a new style and not a duplication. The third is that this beer is hoppy and really good. The fourth is that VIB doesn't export to the mainland, which means more beer/casks for us. It is good to see the local boys/girls trying new styles, giving us beer geeks something new.

Flying Tanker White IPA = 9/10

I am aware that this is probably the wrong glassware choice for an IPA, but I never get to use my massive Hoegaarden glass. The first thing you will notice is the massive floral, citrus hop nose which hides the slightly spiciness of the Weihenstephan yeast. Next comes the chewiness of the hefe with all the tart yeasty goodness. In quick succession is a slight sourness blended with cream of wheat, lavender, grapefruit rind, lemon and wool. This beer is great and should - no make that will - sell out quickly. I don't think it will cellar well, but who has that much patience. Well done!

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 6.8%
Value +1
Appearance +1 fun and descriptive label

Beer School #? "Baby Got Bock"

2012-05-02T12:20:00.001-07:00

I forget how many beer schools there have been. Some are documented, some are not. This was all about the wonderful world of bock beer. 18 craft beer geeks descended on Clive's Classic Lounge for an evening of great beer.

What is a bock beer anyways? Think of it as a dark German lager with a kick. We don't tend to get many bocks on the West Coast. If we are going to drink something dark, it will most likely be a stout or porter. We do love our hops; perhaps it is time to get in touch with our malty side. This is what bocks deliver in abundance: rich, dark and sweet malts. Let's explore this classic beer style and maybe a malt amour will mature.

The bock beer style began back in 14^th century Germany. At this time the brewing powerhouse was not Munich, but Einbeck in the North. From Einbeck, beer flowed south into Bavaria and Munich. In the local dialect this beer was called 'Oanbock', which was shortened to 'bock'. For some strange reason goats are often found on bock beer labels. 'Bock' is also the German word for billy goat. By definition a bock is a dark, sweeter lager with low bitterness (20ish IBU) and a bigger alcohol content (6-7% ABV). It will certainly appeal to the beer drinker with a sweet tooth.

Luckily there are a few bocks in the Garden City. Hoyne Brewing has the Big @#$# Bock year round. Hoyne is restrained with the malts, but there is plenty of richness to appeal to a beer lovers sweet side. When you pair bocks with food, think sweet and rich. Wild game, pork and roasted foods all work with bocks. Anything caramelized will mesh nicely. Caramelized onions, seared portabello mushrooms on whole wheat pasta drizzled with sweet balsamic crema; now this meal calls for a bock.

Did I mention that there were multiple variations of bocks? The helles (pale) bock was brewed in response to the pilsner phenomenon that was sweeping through Europe. At first, Munich brewers swore they would never brew a pale beer. Spaten blinked first and brewed their first Helles in 1894, over 50 years after Pilsner Urquell was unleashed. No one said old world brewing was a dynamic industry. Helles bock still retains a thick, chewy maltiness but the hop bite is curtailed. Maibocks and helles bocks are very similar styles; maibocks are generally released in spring (May) and can be slightly hoppier and marginally darker. The food pairing for lighter bocks are similar to pilsners. Spicy foods and sea food are optimal. Our example of a helles bock was the Rogue Dead Guy; surprise it's a maibock. The Dead Guy is a tad hoppier and less malty that one would expect from a helles bock, but it is brewed for the North American palate.

Dopplebock: double up on an already strong beer? The 'dopple' part is not a literal description. But yes, the ABV of dopplebocks is raised (7-10%) and so are the malty flavours. The original dopplebock is the rich and caramelly Paulaner Salvator. There are many imitators and they use “-ator” ending names in homage. Victoria has had no shortage of these brews; we like our strong beers. Instigator (Phillips) and Navigator (Lighthouse) are local favourites, while Captivator (Tree Brewing) is imported from Kelowna. The food pairs are similar to a traditional bock. This sweeter beer can also be enjoyed with deserts. Imagine this caramel malty beverage with crème brulee.

More variations of strong bocks are always welcome. The Aventinus wheat-dopplebock is truly world class. With the inclusion of at least 50% wheat malt, you get a beer with all those wheat tastes we love. Dark, rich, raisiny with spicy cloves, caramelized bananas and cream of wheat. If you can find the eisbock version of this beer, purchase several without hesitation!

What was once an accident is intentionally enjoyed every year. The eisbock (ice/frozen bock) beer style is made using a technique called freeze distillation. Beer is frozen which causes water-ice crystals to form. This ice is removed to further concentrate the alcoholic beverage. Fort Garry Brewing in Winnipeg makes the other Canadian eisbock. There are few foods that was stand up to the thick, chocolatey maltiness of an eisbock. Grilled game, duck, caviar and rich Stroganoff are big foods that can handle a big beer. A brandy snifter of Hermannator and a caramel flan or chocolate cheesecake with ginger/plum sauce would be a decadent end to a meal.

Looking forward to the next beer school, "Pucker up Buttercup". This will be a sour beer bonanza.

Our Emily Summer Ale (Spinnakers)

2012-04-25T23:13:00.001-07:00

Relax people, this is a review from an old notebook. It is not in stores currently

Our Emily Summer Ale = 8/10

The nose was slightly lemony, with tart wheat and yeast. A flavour followed the nose with a slight sourness and barely any hops. This was a very nice summer session ale, hopefully it is released again.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 3.9% WOW
Value +1
Appearance 0 OK label

Highland Challenge (Lighthouse)

2012-04-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes reviewing a beer is hard. Beer geek bloggers love to rave about the biggest, brashest and most obscure beers. If the beer spent 16 months aging in 16 different barrels, we want to try it. If the malts were hand picked by the brewmaster, the resulting brew must taste better. Rare cat shit coffee beans always produce a better beer.
No one gives a crap about the everyday beer. The lagers, mild ales and common pints are always sneered at. This is where the Highland Challenge come in. The Highland Challenge is not a flavour powerhouse, nor is it going to make you regret not buying two six packs. You are not going to line up for your allowable allotment. Take it for what it is: an 80 shilling Scottish ale.

If you look at the style, this not an exciting category. The word 'low' appears too many times to count in the BJCP style guidelines. Please don't confuse this with the familiar strong Scottish ale - a more exciting brew. The Highland is session like at 4.4% ABV. So what did the beer prick think? I get to use my favourite phrase in this review!

Disclaimer: This was a gift from the very nice people at Lighthouse Brewing - thanks Wade. However, a favourable review cannot be bought with a six pack of beer. If a keg of Switchback IPA were included, the answer might change.

Highland Challenge = 3/10

This beer might be considered boring. It is, from a certain point of view. The nose is faint of caramel, fruits and floral. Sniff reallyyyy hard and you can pick up a slight earthly/peaty smell. If you have a cold, it might not work. Each sip is a thin with a slight slick buttery mouthfeel. This is appropriate for the style - I love that phrase! A sessionable gulp is rewarded with a light fruitiness and mild caramel flavour. Then comes the medium linger of earth, butter and toast. It is all just a little bit sticky. That being said; I have gone through three beers while doing this review. I find myself wishing I had put the whole six pack in the fridge. While this may seem like an unfavourable review, it - in fact - is not. Most likely this is the secret favourite beer of a few people, perhaps supertasters. For those who like a sessionable low hop ale, this is the one.

Taste +2
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content = -1 4.4%
Value +1
Appearance 0 (no fun artwork)

MacPelican's Scottish Ale

Phillips Analogue 78

2012-04-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to review this beer because it isn't that bad, but it isn't a proper representation of that style. There have been several Kolsch style ales unleashed into Victoria recently. Here is the rundown: Craig Street (bleck, very unlike Craig St. stuff), Nelson Harvest Hemp (meh), Spinnakers Swan-Lake Kolsch (depends on how long it has been in the tank) and now this Phillips thing. If you truly want to make your tastebuds happy, get them a real Kolsch. A true Kolsch is one of those hybrid beers; an ale that has been lagered for a while. This style of beer can be lagered for up to a month. Only certain breweries with the German city of Cologne can call their beers Kolsch. They even have their own glass: a 200ml cylinder called a Stange.

Phillips Analogue 78 = 1/10

Ratebeer 2.2/5 percentile

Beer Advocate No one even bothered

Let me break it down by the BJCP guidelines. Aroma should be very low and perhaps a bit of fruitiness. This Analogue stinks of sulfur, corn and wet grains, best drank cold - very cold. Sulfur in low amounts is OK, but not like this. Drink this one straight from the bottle. A true Cologne Kolsch is a delicate beverage. There are faint fruits, mild spicy noble hops and a very dry finish. On every Seattle trip, I make an effort to pick up a bottle of real Kolsch. The Analogue mouthfeel is oily and chewy. I can't quite put my finger on the flavour, perhaps a recently dry-cleaned wet blanket. Don't forget the cereal, lettuce and musty/skunky hops. I shouldn't have left this beer warm up. There is still one bottle in my fridge; if anyone wants it let me know. Call this brew a cream or blonde ale and don't taint the noble German name.

Taste 0
Aftertaste 0
Alcohol Content 0 5%
Value 0
Appearance +1 (fun Edwardian/Steampunk label)

Other Kolsch Reviews
Gaffel Kolsch
Reissdorf Kolsch
Hale's Ales Kolsch Style

Thirsty Beaver (Tree Brewing)

2012-04-18T23:32:00.000-07:00

I admit it; this was an impulse buy. Rarely do I succumb to point of purchase marketing hijinks. How bad could a $2 can of beer be? Recently more money left my hands to purchase sugar water in a phallic shaped bottle.

Thirsty Beaver = 4/10

Yup, it's an amber ale alright. The vague nose of buttered toast, caramel cubes is there. Each sip is mediocre with caramel malts, faint citrus and luckily low vegetal. Every creamy sip goes down real easy. For a $2 tall boy can, I was impressed. Sure better than those Holsten offerings.

Taste +3
Aftertaste 0
Alcohol Content 0 5%
Value +1
Appearance 0 (almost got a +1 for the beaver)

Does Beer Actually Make You Smarter?

2012-04-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have heard about this new study that says drinking beer makes you smarter. If you actually read the article it tells a slightly different story. Researchers in the Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, recruited 40 guys from Craiglist and got half of them drunk while watching the Disney movie Ratatouille. Subjects were given vodka (Smirnoff) and cranberry juice at a dose of 0.88g/kg of body weight. To put this in perspective: I'm a big guy at 106kg. This would put my dose at 93 grams of alcohol, or almost an entire six pack of 6.5%ABV Switchback IPA! All this booze was consumed in 10 minutes. This was supposed to make you smart? I doubt I could talk after this.

Boozy and sober subjects were asked a series of questions that used more creative thinking, rather that analytical problems. The creative test used was the Remote Associates Test (RAT). RAT is thought to be a more creative test which challenges subjects to find proper word pairs. You are given three words (Peach, Arm and Tar) and must find a fourth word that will pair with them. In this case, the best answer would be 'Pit'. These question were given in a rapid succession with limited time to solve them. The results were striking: drunk people solved 40% more problems than sober people. They also solved them quicker. It took the imbibers 12 seconds as opposed to the teetotalers with 15.5 seconds.

How is this possible? There is the popular belief that substance abuse can lead to creative thinking. Many great artists were perpetually whacked: Hemingway (booze), Coleridge (opium) and Hunter S. Thompson (uummm, everything). There are a few theories about how this can be possible. Working Memory Capacity (WMC) in the brain is associated with the ability to concentrate and solve analytical problems. Think of this as left brain (logical) function. This WMC is useful for certain tasks but might be detrimental for the creative process. Creative processes often requires divergent or discontinuous thinking. The authors of this study surmised that intoxication lead to a less focused mind (suppressed WMC) and a more diffuse attention state. In other words, your logical left brain takes a break while your creative/intuitive right brain takes over. Seems logical, however after a few it may seem like a creative solution.

I also wondered why the animated movie Ratatouille was chosen. Do animated mice have a neutral effect on cognitive function. Dr. Jennifer Wiley, one of the authors of the study, said, "we actually used it because the other alcohol lab in our department used it and we were just trying to keep the procedure as similar to the "standard" as possible." Perhaps it was a better choice than Fantasia

Old Peculier (Theakston)

2012-04-12T23:24:00.000-07:00

This is one of those beers that they say you must try before you die; rather like Westvleteren and Pabst Blue Ribbon. PBR might actually hasten death.

Old Peculier (Theakston) = 7/10

Ratebeer 3.59 96th percentile
Beer Advocate 88th

An unassuming nose doesn't allude to this beers approaching greatness. There is only a faint whiff of lactose, earth and berries. The sip doesn't knock you over, but it does make you weep. It is all there in perfect balance: raisins, berries (blueberry, blackberry), sherry, caramel and Terra Firma. It is clean as a military barracks floor but a bit warmer. I wish I had bought two bottles.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.6%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (Classic English style label: a crest, bold lettering and words why this beer is awesome)

BC Craft Beer Goes Far

2012-04-11T11:31:00.001-07:00

On a recent trip to Seattle, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. Smack in the middle of my favourite Whole Foods was a display of Driftwood Singularity and Fat Tug. Upon further examination, there was Red Racer, Howe Sound and more Driftwoods in the beer cooler. The stack of Unibroue Ephemere by the green apples was appropriate, but BC craft brewers in the States?
Email is wonderful: let's go to the source and ask why our great beers are leaving the province?
"We [Driftwood] are really a result of the Cascadia craft beer renaissance that originated from Northern California, Oregon & Washington State," explains Gary Lindsay from Driftwood. "We don't consider international borders when looking at a relevant market to share our efforts."
Dave Fenn (one of the HoweSound owners) agrees, "We think it's important to compete in these markets, much like US breweries are competing with us in British Columbia. We get recognition within a huge market, and many search us out when visiting Canada."
The bigger beer market not gone unnoticed by Gary Lohin of Central City, "We look at North America as our market, and hope to build some traction when the new brewery opens." Central City can be found in Chicago, Boston, Philly, and Portland (Maine). Howe Sound sales in Washington, California, Wisconsin and Minnesota. These markets are a small percentage of overall Howe Sounds, but they are growing steadily.

Shipping product stateside is not always about sales. Gary Lindsay explains, "I think we feel we belong in the Seattle market and it and gives a bit of a 'personal' validation to be able to sell our beer in an extremely discerning market." Dave Fenn concurs, "We started our US work about 4 years ago, and participate in local festivals where our beer is sold. I believe this is one important way for our brewery to grow in terms of knowledge and new ideas."

Thankfully the local brewers are not forgetting their local markets. Gary Lohin never forgets the locals, "We in fact sell all over BC, and in Alberta and Manitoba selectively. Red Racer was just given a general listing on Ontario, which means access to 264 of their stores."
"This market in no way compromises our [Howe Sound] ability to distribute in Canada.", say Dave Fenn. Howe Sound is in 180 BCLDB stores, over 200 private stores in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and soon Ontario.

What does this mean for local beer drinkers? Who knows? Hopefully access to bigger beer markets will spill over into more seasonal releases and a greater chance for experimentation. This will only make things better for the craft beer scene in BC.

Moon Under Water Red India Ale

2012-04-01T21:21:00.005-07:00

This is a classic example of how a brewery will have it's signature flavour. If you drink enough brewpub stuff you will understand. The Bradley's at Moon Under Water quietly toil away and repeatedly produce tasty brews. Try the food too; it's dang tasty.

Moon Under Water Red India Ale = 8/10

This beer smells a lot like their IPA and their bitter. Which is good, because I quite like them both. The hop aroma is characteristic of other Moon Under Water selections but with toasted bread. It is a sweet smell of various PNW C-hops (orange, tangerine and grapefruit); not crazy but pleasant. Smooth, cooling and creamy, each sip consistently delivers toasted bread with plenty of citrus hops. A long finish is pomelo rind, dry and mildly astringent. Sadly, this red India ale will be on tap for a short period of time.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 6.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1 always looks better at the source

Other Red Reviews
Green Flash Hop Head Red
Captain Sig Northwestern Ale
Big Red Imperial Ale (Southern Tier)

Double Barrel Scotch Ale (Phillips)

2012-03-31T19:53:00.002-07:00

Tasting a bomber release from Phillips is akin to opening a suspicious looking can of nuts. Either a snake will pop out and someone will snicker, or it will actually be full of tasty, roasted nuts. This brew was a pleasant surprise - no snake.
The Double Barrel was aged in both Tennessee whiskey and Cab Sauv barrels. Wood aging does fun things to a beer. In the short term, it adds hints of vanilla, smooths out the brew and imparts flavours from within the barrels.

Double Barrel Scotch Ale (2012) = 7/10

Influence from the barrels is apparent; notable peaty, oak, vanilla and nutty aromas are present. For a 7.7% ABV brew it is remarkably smooth and not warming. This is not a flavour powerhouse, nor is it cloying vanilla sweet like an Innis and Gunn. It had clement tastes of peaty malts, caramel, vanilla, cola and whiskey. The finish was slick and didn't overstay its welcome. I didn't mind it; it was better than last year. This review is in stark contrast to my compatriot's at Vancouver Beer Blog. I too would have liked to taste a more robust brew with longer contact with the barrels.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 7.7%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (nice steampunk label with good description of beer)

Other wooded reviews
Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout (2009)
Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Highland Cask Innis and Gunn

Beachcomber Summer Ale (VIB)

2012-03-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

Remember I mentioned the good news - bad news - part. This is the good news. Vancouver Island Brewery has a new release. Rarely do I get excited about beers from VIB. The newest brewer Chris said this one was a little different, "In designing Beachcomber, our aim was to make a light, summer session beer aimed at drinkers who want something more interesting than just a light lager -- something for the beer geeks to drink after mowing the lawn." Another kicker is that they used Weihenstephan ale yeast.
Chris further explains the brew," Unlike most wheat ales, however, it is fermented relatively cold to suppress the banana notes, allowing some clove spiciness, as well as some of the more tropical fruit notes to shine through."
One of the sales reps also divulged company secrets - perhaps he had too much Beachcomber. Bombers are planned for this summer, more seasonal releases and perhaps growler fills at the brewery. This will be the summer of beer!

So what did the beer prick think?

Beachcomber Summer Ale (VIB) = 7/10

Normally wheat beers/hefe are inherently boring. This is one of the best I have had in a while. The nose was crisp with lemon curds, meringue and vague spiciness. Each bright sip had ample carbonation and tasted like perfect patio beer. Lemon spread, bread, cream of wheat and whimsical tropical fruit salad with papaya literally danced on the tongue. Only a slight spicy breadiness remained. The flavours are simple but very nice. I sound like a fanboy. This is a nice beer; not a palate challenger, just nice, simple and delicious.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.3%
Value +1
Appearance +1

Other Hefty reviews
Franziskaner
Southern Tier Heavy Weizen
Edelwiess Weissbier

Son of the Morning (Driftwood)

2012-03-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

So do you want the good news, or the bad news first? Bad news it is. I tried the Son of the Morning by Driftwood last night. Perhaps the name of the beer is in homage to the greatest strong Belgian pale ale, Duvel. Duvel means 'devil' in some Flemish dialects. In case you haven't Googled it already: Son of the Morning is another name of Lucifer. Check out Isaiah 14:12-15 for reference about the dark angel's throw down. Judging by the rest of the label, I don't think they were referring to Venus. Was there truly Witchcraft used to make this beer? The pentacle in the label background hints at this fact.

What did the beer prick think?

Son of the Morning = 3/10

Perhaps I judge the beers from Driftwood a little harsher because most of their releases are awesome. I felt this one of was lackluster. Lets compare it with BCJP guidelines for a strong Belgian Ale. The aroma was heavy with the alcohols and earthy spices/hops. These esters became apparent as soon as the cap popped. Lots of fruit alcohols, fermenting pear and apricot baby food, and light Christmas cake. A little too burning perhaps. The earthy coriander spice was a nice touch. No luck in finding the long-lasting fluffy-white head. Strong Belgian ales should hide their alcohol well. Alcohol burns for the first few sips; luckily it numbs that tongue and you can pick out the flavours. Fermented pit fruits (apricots, pears), Rogers golden syrup, coriander and miscellaneous spices can be coaxed out of the golden elixir. At the end, a long burning alcohol washed away everything for a dry, mouthwash like finish. Maybe I am being a bit harsh, this is not a bad beer. It does have many outstanding benchmark brews. If you don't believe me, pick up a Duvel or a Delirium Tremens. Duvel should be at every BC Government liquor store. Rumour has it that Delirium is on tap at Vis a Vis in Oak Bay.

Taste +2
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 10%
Value 0
Appearance -1 (found the label undescriptive and offensive. Had to hide it from my daughter)

Other strong reviews
Delirium Tremens
Batch 666 Swan's
Rayon Vert (Green Flash)

Dark Chocolate Porter (Lighthouse)

2012-03-21T23:20:00.002-07:00

So, it begins. The great Victoria beer battle started with a new deployment. This week Lighthouse has released a dark chocolate porter suitable named "Dark Chocolate Porter". It doesn't take a genius - certainly not with my low IQ - to figure out that this is a direct market challenger to Phillips Longboat Double Chocolate Porter. Apparently Phillips sells a crapboat load of this beer; I can't confirm this but supposedly it is one of the best selling bombers in BC.
"The base beer was a solid robust porter and it was pretty chocolatey itself from good malt selection. We then soaked it for two weeks on dark cocoa nibs from Ghana and then bottled it." says Dean Mcleod, the newest brewer at Lighthouse, "Nothing fancy, no tricks or gimmicks, just a good ol' beer if you like that sort of thing."
So which porter is better? "We'll let chocolate porter drinkers discover that for themselves", muses Dean.
What does the beer prick think?

Dark Chocolate Porter (Lighthouse) = 5/10

It starts out with the standard porter aromas: dusty cocoa, bittersweet chocolate with a bit of smoke. Stick your nose in a can of Fry's cocoa for a similar sensation. The mouthfeel is chewy with lowish carbonation. Add to this a fullness enhanced by mild roasted astringency. Chocolate is the name of the game here; of which there is ample. A dusty cocoa anaconda wraps around a 65% bittersweet chocolate backbone and squeezes out a hint of alcohol warmth mixed with dark berries (blackberries and elderberries). The finish is long, dry and cooling. This is not powerhouse porter action, but it is very tasty. A must for the chocolate beer lover. Is it better than Longboat? I have my thoughts, what are yours?

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.5%
Value +1
Appearance 0 (no description of taste or brewing techniques)

Other portly reviews
New World Porter (Avery)
Swan's Double Shot Porter
Spirit Chaser Coffee Porter (R&B)

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

2012-03-19T23:41:00.002-07:00

Until recently the foreign extra stout was only a myth. Ya whatever, a strong version of Guinness. This beer is probably exported elsewhere because it tastes boring. It recently became available in the US; hopefully Canada will follow soon.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout= 9/10

Holy Crap! This is an unexpected surprise. The nose eludes to something special: treacle, muddled berries and milk chocolate. It's thick: thick like my inbred cousin from the bayou. And whoa, even Keanu was not this rich. Massive washes of potent crushed berries, dark chocolate and whole fat milk never cease their onslaught. You might need a toothbrush to remove the lingering of chocolate coated coffee beans. Try this beer; you will not be disappointed.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 7.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1

BlackHeart Oatmeal Stout
Obsidian Stout and Self Improvement
Drake's Imperial Stout and executive class guilt

Hoyne Dark Matter

2012-03-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

This is the fifth release by Hoyne. It is perfect timing that they released a dark ale around St. Patrick's Day. It is too dark and roasted to be called a nut brown and there is not enough hops to be called a English bitter. Let's call is a dry style stout.

Hoyne Dark Matter = 7/10

This is not a powerhouse of flavour, but it is very nice. The nose is heavy on the roasted coffee beans and dry, toasted grains. From the smell you can predict the flavour. At the start a roasted astringency tingles the mouth and sets up the stout like follow through. The predictable burnt toast, dry cocoa and hidden dark berries are a welcome wash for the tongue. A dusty ash and bittersweet chocolate are an afterthought and don't last long. Sadly this brew didn't last long in my glass; perhaps this is the sign of a good beer.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content 0 5.3%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (Are those the some people in the Down Easy Pale ale camping?)

Alcohol Consumption, Beer and Women Surviving a Heart Attack

2012-03-07T11:31:00.001-08:00

I never miss an issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. This title caught my eye, "Alcohol consumption patterns, beverage type, and long-term mortality among women survivors of acute myocardial infarction." Researchers at Harvard Medical School sifted through the records of women who survived a heart attack and asked about their drinking habits. Luckily they found good news: moderate consumption of alcohol decrease mortality after a heart attack. It did not matter what you drank (wine, beer to spirits), you still lived longer. There was one odd finding, women that reported binge drinking tended to be far healthier compared to other pattern drinkers. This is in sharp contrast to men. One study found that binge drinking men had a two-fold risk of dying after a heart attack compared to moderate drinkers. The reasons for this are not clear. One theory is that women have lower amounts of alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomachs; this allows longer exposure to the effects of alcohol. Alcohol dehydrogenase is responsible for the breakdown of alcohol in the body. Don't take this as validation that benders are OK, the amount of binge drinking women in the study were low. The low number of binge drinkers might not make the findings valid. As found in most other alcohol consumption studies, women that drank the most tended to be: younger, have a higher socioeconomic status, more physically active and more edumacated than abstainers.

Union Jack IPA (Firestone)

2012-03-05T22:56:00.003-08:00

Life is hard as a beer blogger. Oh ya.. boh fricken hoo. Any excuse to try awesome beers.. spout off your mouth and get the occasional brewery freebie.. ya right life is rough. But it is! Let's try this scenario: a room full of people are tasting a beer. The stealthy beer geek defers judgement by stating, "It's complex and I'm not sure of the flavours." This is equivalent to a "pass" in poker. Now all eyes fall on the beer blogging geek; you are not allowed to say it is OK. All eyes are pointed at you with daggers on their tongues, waiting to cut about your opinion. You must think quick: what BJCP style is it, grab a few normal flavours and one oddball one. Everyone nods..crisis averted.

Union Jack IPA (Firestone) = 8/10
Ratebeer 3.86 99th percentile
Beer Advocate 94%

Blah..Blah..Blah. Super awesome and sweet IPA. Tons of C-Hops and ace in the hole Amarillo tickling the nose. Each sip is cooling with alcohol followed by the hop payload of cotton candy, multiplier citrus and resins. What you say? Malts.. forget about them. It is all about the long lingering sweet grapefruit hops. If you see it, try it; world class.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 7.5%
Value +1
Appearance 0

Matilda (Goose Island)

2012-03-04T23:52:00.000-08:00

This rating is chalked up to poor keg stewardship. I was on vacation in Las Vegas and happened upon Yardhouse. Perhaps it was the glowing neon signs that drew me in. The Yardhouse's claim to fame is the many, many draft beer options, there were almost 100 to choose from. Before you get excited, it does not sound as good as you might think. Once you deduct the macros, imports, promiscuous crafts the selection thins out. It is a beer tickers dream, but a geek's nightmare. I chose the only seasonal: Goose Islands Matilda.

Matilda (Goose Island) =2/10
Ratebeer 3.62 96th percentile
Beer Advocate 89%

Despite the RB and BA love, I could not see the glory. The nose was light with sweet apricots, peaches and moonshine. The other needed bits were there: silky mouthfeel, warming but it was all a tad boring. The taste was a little flat of baby food apricots, honey and vaguely spicy hops/yeast. It all ended with a slick, slippery slide of apricots, peaches and re-swallowed vomit. Perhaps this keg had been sitting around for a while. Or maybe I should not benchmark it to Delirium.

Taste +2
Aftertaste 0
Alcohol Content +1 7%
Value 0
Appearance 0

Other Belgian Strong Ale
Delirium Tremens
Piraat
Augistijn

Naramata Nut Brown Ale (Cannery)

2012-03-04T22:00:00.001-08:00

Recently, a discussion came up about under appreciated beers. The first style mentioned was the nut brown ale. It is true beer geeks will not acknowledge this beer on a tap list. Perhaps we assume all nut brown ales taste like Newcastle. Luckily this is not true.

Naramata Nut Brown Ale (Cannery) = 7/10
Ratebeer 3.06 50th percentile
Beer Advocate 84%

An appreciable roasted pecan, hazelnut and milk chocolate nose was remarkable for a style perceived to be bland. Things just got better with a creamy, medium mouthfeel. It almost could have been on nitro. Hey that's an idea! Try this beer on nitro. Each sip is a pleasant mix of almond butter, caramel, nutella and earthy hops. Smooth is the name of the game here; but not lacking in flavour. I have forgotten how much I liked this beer. Very unassuming, but it always draws you in for another sip.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content 0 5.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1

Other Nutty Reviews
Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale

SwitchBack IPA (Lighthouse)

2012-03-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

I must admit to feeling a little bit of pressure. This has been the most talked, and tweeted, about release in Victoria's beer scene. Maybe just my scene. There is also more pressure because a six-pack was delivered by magical beer fairies today (thanks Wade). A review must be done and an opinion must be given. So here we go:

This beer is clearly going for the throat in the fierce BC IPA battle. It must take on Phillips Hop Circle, Red Racer, Tree's Hop Head and the current reigning champion Driftwood's Fat Tug. The choice of the six pack means it is going for the regular drinker and not the beer geek bomber crowd. What I found interesting about beer was the clearly displayed hop choices: Citra, Zythos and Falconer’s Flight. Don't go start flipping through your homebrewing books for information on these hops because two of them are proprietary blends. Falconer's Flight is a blend by HopUnion and named after brewing guru Glen Hay Falconer. It's a blend of 14 different hops, including Citra, Simcoe and Sorachi Ace. Zythos is another PNW IPA hop blend by HopUnion. This is akin to an uber-meritage of hop IPA goodness. How does it taste? Three words: fricken awesome stupid.

Switchback IPA (Lighthouse) = 9/10

The nose is all Citra goodness: tropical fruits, jet fuel and nail polish. Added to the nasal punch is passion fruit, minor pine, and mixed citrus. Each sip delivers these flavours with a memorable bitter astringency. This is not an overly sweet IPA. Malts be damned. But if they must mentioned, then call it earthly with a wisp of caramel. Then ending is tongue scraping and long lasting of lemons and pomelos.

I plan to adapt this as my go-to six pack IPA when I visit friends. It strikes me as a Brockton IPA turned up to 11; drinkable but extremely flavourful. Bias be added; yes I am friends with Dean (and now Dave) from Lighthouse. Sometimes your loudest critic is also your biggest fan. Well done. This will be the summer of Victoria beer supremacy shakeup.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 6.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1 nice art

Other IPA reviews
Fat Tug
Grow Hop Centennial
Southern Hemisphere Harvest

Beer and Chocolate Pairing Night

2012-02-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Beer school is rarely this well attended; perhaps every event should involve chocolate. Chocolate and beer pairing is a little different from food pairing. It is important to match the sweetness of the chocolate with your beer choice. With food, this is not an issue. Another possibility is to match flavours within the chocolate with your chosen beer. This is getting easier with brewers experimenting with adjuncts and flavours enhancers. Here is a summary of the treats beer school attendees enjoyed. Thanks to Rod Phillips at Liquor Plus for helping me track down these great craft beers.

Handmade Bernard Callebaut white chocolate with Rice Krispies and dried cranberries

Paired with Hoyner Pilsner

I have always wanted to try a pairing with white chocolate and beer. People thought this was the beer pairing of the evening. The sweetness and creaminess of white chocolate meshed well with similar characteristics of the Bohemian Hoyner Pilsner. The Hoyner was not overly hoppy, but the hoppiness was comparable to the tartness provided by the dried cranberries. Thank you Hoyne Brewing for participating in our event and furthering the fact that craft beer is not just for dinner anymore.

Purdy's milk chocolate hedgehog

Paired with Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

This was everyone's least favourite pairing of the evening. The hazelnut in each beer was fun, but that was about it.

Purdy's dark cashew caramel

Paired with Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale

Those who liked caramel, loved these two together. Russells Wee Angry had mild caramel notes which was mirrored in the Purdy's chocolate. The cashews in the chocolate brought out the light roasted/peatiness in the Russells. A match made in beer heaven.

Purdy's ice wine truffle

Paired with Driftwood Old Cellar Dweller

This was the bold choice: two very strong tasting delicacies. Both the Old Cellar Dwellar and the ice wine truffle can be hard to enjoy by themselves. They worked perfectly as a pair. The vineous richness of the truffle was almost equal to the warmth provided by the OCD. Conversely the intense, citrus, piney and resin from the OCD only made the luscious dark chocolate better.