All posts by Taylor

Beer, IPA, Review, Wouldn't Drink Again

Garrison Imperial IPA

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As you can see from the Garrison Brewing site itself, this IPA has won Beer of the Year twice at the Canadian Brewing Awards. If you check other beer review sites, you’ll see some decent ratings. All of this leads up to a really nice review here. Or at least it should. Besides, shouldn’t I be pro Canadian beer?

I fancy myself an IPA lover. I’m always eager to try a new one. The Garrison Imperial just didn’t measure up for me. I didn’t even find it overly hoppy. While some great IPAs come across as complex, this just came across as confused.

My advice would be to check out something from Brew Dog like their Hardcore IPA, or even track down the Jockamo we reviewed here in October 2011.

As for the Garrison Imperial IPA, I probably won’t drink it again. Especially with so many great IPA’s popping up all over the place these days.

Review, Tequila, Would Drink Again

1800 Tequila Reserva

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The Reserva from 1800 is made from Agave harvested in Jalisco, Mexico, and then aged in French Oak barrels for 3 years which qualifies it as an Añejo or aged tequila. The first thing that struck me was the colour. This tequila is a coppery brown and I was told that this is a whisky drinker’s tequila, which suits me just fine.

It smells and tastes really clean, with Agave present but not overwhelming either sense. I also picked up flavours of vanilla and cinnamon, which resolved to pepper at the end. It never got overly sweet or hot, which I really appreciated.

This is probably the best balanced tequila I have ever tasted and I will certainly drink this again.

Beer, Review, Wouldn't Drink Again

Mill St. Barley Wine, 2008

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I’ve had this bottle kicking around for a few months. Not being familiar with Barley wines, I bought it in the summer before learning it would be best enjoyed in colder times. So I waited. And it got colder. I cracked it open the other day, trying not to let months of anticipation blind me to simply tasting this beer.

I’ll keep it short. It wasn’t bad. I don’t, however, need to drink it again. The jury is still out on whether my dislike is for Barley Wine in general, or this particular Barley Wine. Further research is probably necessary.

Beer, Review, Would Drink Again

Beer + Brunch, with Malheur Biere Brut

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I’m certainly not the first to suggest you add beer to your next brunch menu, but I’m happy to jump on the bandwagon. More and more you’ll see suggestions for pairings, recommending beers that will cut through the often salt laden food or balancing the richness of eggs benedict.

Me, I’ll keep it simple, and suggest that you take a walk into champagne beer with Malheur Biere Brut. I’ve brunched with it twice now, and I’m sure I’ll track down another bottle for a another future brunch.

Ale, Review, Would Drink Again

Fresh Hop Full Moon Pale Ale

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I haven’t always been a big fan of Alley Kat brewery. There are definitely some positives. They’re local, and try to source their ingredients locally as much as possible. They make a pretty good effort to keep waste to a minimum. They’re also Edmonton’s longest running Microbrewery, which is a pretty big deal. Another of our author’s here (Blaine, for those paying attention) had a chance to hear Neil Herbst speak at a Beer Geek’s Anonymous event and touched on it in this post. For my money, Alley Kat’s offerings have always tasted a bit too much home brew and not quite enough craft brew.

I’m happy to report that my opinion is changing.

Alley Kat has started producing their Big Bottle series, which are limited runs released in 650mL bottles. The current offering is Fresh Hop Full Moon pale ale, which isn’t to be confused with their Full Moon pale ale. The fresh hops make all the difference.

This ale pours with nice clarity and a good head. The hops are nicely present up front, beginning a bit piney but ending up with a bit of citrus. The flavour leans towards bitter, but not as much as in an IPA. In that sense it might be a nice gateway beer for those interested in exploring the hoppy side of beer.

I think the difference in this beer can be tied right back to the title. Freshness. The fresh hops lend flavour and depth, which make for a much more interesting beer.

I’ll close this post up by telling you that I love this beer. I will gladly drink it again. In a limited edition sense. To combat that, I already have a few more bottles in the fridge.

Ale, IPA, Review, Would Drink Again

Abita Jockamo IPA

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Let me begin with a general note about beer. I came by this beer under the best circumstances possible. It was gifted me by a good friend who brought it back from lands far south of us. The only proper thing to do at that point is to share it, which I didn’t do then so that I could share this with you now.

This is a pretty clean and well balanced IPA. It pours smoothly with very little head,  and the colour is an impressive copper.

I taste both the malt and the hops here, the former presenting with some caramel and coffee leaning towards a roasted flavor while the later lends some spice and a bit of resin. The are some subtle fruit tones that I really appreciate as well. It finished with slight bitterness that I like in an IPA. Again, I need to mention how well balanced this beer is.

I would gladly drink this again, given the opportunity. It’s not often I get my hands on a craft beer from Louisiana up here in Canada.

Ale, Beer, Saison, Would Drink Again

Sorachi Ace–Brooklyn Brewery

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Sorachi Ace is described as a farmhouse ale or saison by its makers, The Brooklyn Brewery. It features and is named for the rare Japanese Sorachi Ace hop. Pour this cloudy gold beer slowly, as it’s rather sudsy. I enjoyed both the hop and the lemon flavor right away. I tasted wheat and a bit of spice through the middle before it finished dry and sweet. Overall a very light, bright beer with a nice range of flavour.

Beyond the uniqueness brought by the sorachi ace hop, I enjoyed the little reminders of two of my other favorite types of beer: Czech pilsners and Belgian ales.

But would I drink it again? Absolutely. In fact, I already have.