I Beer: You Beer

One of the guys from I Die: You Die blogs about beer.

[ibeer-youbeer]

Mt. Begbie: Darkside (Coffee Stout)

Pours like root beer, complete with rich head. Coffee nose is medium roast, some acidity, light milk chocolate. Coffee flavour is robust and sturdy, but not overpowering. Blended well with malty body, maybe a touch of caramel or brown sugar. Very pleasant creamy chocolate malt finish.

I've always felt Mt. Begbie played things a bit too safe with their regular lineup, but now setting this alongside the masterful Bob's Your Dunkel, I may have to start paying closer attention.

Pairing: Kammarheit, "The Starwheel". Simple but classy and effective darkness.

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Moon Under Water: Shatterbier (Golden Ale with Coffee)

This received a limited run of 1500 bottles and given how long I let this sit I can't imagine that there are any bottles left for sale, but given that it's an ambitious pitch by a still new name (at least on the mainland), I thought this was worth a review even at this late date.

Nose is nice and yeasty like a golden should be, coffee is very mild. Head has just a hint of offwhite colour, and, as can be seen, I borked the pour.

Hmm! That's pretty freaking tasty! A creamier than usual golden flavour, with the coffee just enriching things the tiniest bit. I was skeptical about this (as far as European styles go MUW aced the weizenbock but flubbed the dunkel), but it's turning out quite okay.

The finish is superb, probably better than the mouth, with a lively and sparkling mix of hops and malt with the coffee taking on toffee notes in the back of the mouth.

Pairing: Ashbury Heights, "Take Cair Paramour". A rich, heady, and almost heavenly swirl of decadence from relative newcomers.

[ibeer-youbeer]

Boy howdy has it been forever since I wrote anything here. Been having lots of growler and beer sorbetto fun (thank you, P49) in the interim, but I make no apology: this thing has always come second to ID:UD, third to summer reading, and fourth to watching the Jays lose. Anyway, back to basics: quick BC beer reviews and pairings.

Phillips: Twisted Oak Rye Barrel Aged Bock (Victoria)

Pours a light cola brown with some reddish undertones. Light and short thin head. Nose is sweet but ashy, not unpleasant tobacco.

Definitely a bock with plenty of cereal flavours, but some fruity sweetness as well.  Rye flavours are subtle, really only smoothing out the edges and bringing that touch of smokiness I got on the nose. A little bit of the sawdust taste that I like rye for, with a bit of dusty cocoa further down the glass.

Not the delicious, full-bodied monster of the rum cask, but a fair bit more even than the scotch cask wee heavy.

Pairing: Minor augmentations to a plain style that don't get in the way of the core simple pleasures. Kraftwerk, "The Mix".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Steamworks: Frambozen (raspberry wheat, Vancouver)

Pours slightly cloudy reddish-brown, half finger creamy head. Nose is sweetened raspberry, somewhat nutty malt, very mild hops. Initially super sweet and rich, but flavour disappears quickly leaving acidic finish. Not especially sour, but very tart. The lack of interest this beer inspires depresses me, especially when I think of the good times I've spent in its pub of origin in years past. What changed, Steamworks or my palate? Did I leave the brewpub or did the brewpub leave me?

Pairing: Painful reminder of glory days. Ministry, "Rehab"

[ibeer-youbeer]

Russell: Summer Daze (Saison, Surrey)

Pours pale gold, half finger white head. Skunky sweet head. Grass, pickle brine. Hmm. Tastes like a mild pilsner: super light body, grass hops. And yeah, pickle brine finish which might be yeasty in origin, but calling this a saison seems a stretch. Strong recommendation to avoid. Pairing: Weak, forgettable. Code 64, "Departure".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Big Rock: Rosmarinus (traditional ale, Calgary)

Pours amber, no real head. Nose is malty, overly sweet. Smells like their regular Traditional Ale. Not getting any rosemary... Ah, there it is. Lighter body and less malty than the nose let on, rosemary pairs well with light grassy hops. Stays right in the taste from beginning to medium finish. What malt there is still feels a bit sickly and unbalanced, though. Not bad, but I'm not sure how quickly I'll work through the sixer. Good option to split with a friend.

Pairing: A gimmick that somewhat carries a pedestrian offering, but not far enough. Inkubus Sukkubus, "Viva La Muerte".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Lindemans: Cassis (lambic, Vlezenbeek)

Pours pure dark blueberry, one finger pale red-purple head. Nose is lovely: a clean cool sour sour with plenty of black currant. Mouth is frothy and juicy, first bitter fruit, raspberry as well as black currant, then cleaner and sweeter, with the sour coming in strong on the swallow. That said, fruit lasts much longer than the sour on the finish, with string juicy flavour just setting up camp. Definitely not much funk (though there might have been some on the nose): this is a strictly fruity sour profile, the orchard standing well clear of the barnyard.

Pairing: Normally solid darkwave not at their best. Clan Of Xymox, "Notes From The Underground".

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Fernie Brewing Company: Rusty Tractor (weizenbock, Fernie)

Pours cloudy copper, minimal mocha head. Nose is cool, maybe some raspberry in the malt. Cola, bit of earthy yeast. Mouth is very malt forward, and yes, earthy; maybe leather, too. Lightly bitter, touch of berry (and Belgian) sweetness at the end. Good medium mouthfeel, short finish, but a bit too much alcohol warmth showing up later down the glass.

Pairing: Bit thick for its own good. Latter era Manson or KMFDM.

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Granville Island: Uncle Monty's Best Bitter (session bitter, Vancouver)

Pours rust, light froth but no real head, as you'd want from a bitter. Nose is big, lively pale malts, sweet red fruit, medium hops. Mouth: hey, not bad! Clean body, pale, bittersweet malt flavour, with tiny hints of fruit. Bit too much hops and carbonation on the end to feel properly English, but still a lot closer to the style than most get (the Old Stone's bitter in Peterborough might still be the best English bitter I've had in Canada).

Points for the Withnail & I ref, and at only 3.6% it is indeed a great session option.

Pairing: Light but lively offering from unexpected corners. Battery, "Distance"

[ibeer-youbeer]

Ninkasi: Spring Reign (blonde ale, Eugene Oregon)

Pours bright peach, one finger translucent head. Nose is fruit, mango, zesty hops, lots of barley. Not sure that they can term this a session beer in good conscience at 6%, but hey, I'm not one to judge how they do in Oregon. Mouth is light and clean, good malt; I guess it's sessionable in that regard. Balanced, not that ambitious or showy. Suitably refreshing, but not huge on character.

Pairing: Adequate seasonal fare. Iris, "Disconnect".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Lighthouse: 3 Weeds (Belgian Wit, Victoria)

Pours gold with the lightest clouding, one finger white head. Nose is yeast, spice (coriander, ginger), with very bitter, almost metallic hops. Melon, maybe cotton candy. Mouth has lots of frothy yeast flavour, but with a pretty clean mouthfeel. Lots of Belgian spice, odd mix of very yielding rich fruit (cantaloupe, mango) and metallic, though not necessarily unpleasant bitterness. Oily finish with lots of juicy, fruity bubblegum. Pairing: A wild and wacky ride which earns points for guts and flair if not balance. Steril, "Egoism".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Tofino Brewing: Dawn Patrol (Coffee porter)

Pours deep chestnut, quickly dissipating mocha froth at corners. Nose is medium roast coffee, with little to none of the sweetness I've been getting from other coffee beers. No chocolate, light malt. Mouth is wonderful: clean, crisp coffee that's not too sweet or bitter. Mild malt flavour keeps coffee from ever getting too acidic. Very light carbonation is keeping body velvety smooth. Just the faintest of chocolate hints on the finish. Quite simply the best coffee beer it's ever been my pleasure to dry, and handily amongst the best stouts and porters. Tofino never overreaches at anything they lend their hand to, and everything is in perfect form here. A beer which doesn't just delight the mouth, but also beguiles the soul and inspires ambition. (Best a bit below fridge temperature, so let it sit out for ten or so minutes before cracking it.) Pairing: Smooth, dark, lyrical perfection. Depeche Mode, "Violator". Yeah, you heard me.

[ibeer-youbeer]

Okay, here we go! The newly minted "Best Beer in Canada". How does it measure up?

Powell Street: Old Jalopy (Pale ale, Vancouver)

Pours copper/amber, one finger mocha head, strong lacing. Nose is...wow, that's promising. Hops at first, pine and soap, but some sweeter pale malt rising underneath. Light orange, coriander, but also very earthy.

Mouth meets the nose's promise. Tingly and fruity hops jump out in front (with a hint of lemon pepper?) before the pale malt comes swooping in, its sweetness countering the hop attack. Medium body with a slightly creamy feel, but refreshing the whole way through.

Piney hops return for a medium-long finish, but with some of the orange from the nose mellowing things out, along with...salted caramel, maybe? Either way, the balance between strong citrus flavours and the malt profile alone earns this hosannas.

Is it the Best Beer In Canada? I'm certainly not qualified to make any such claims, but it is Damn Good Beer. Buy some. Now.

Pairing: Legend, "Fearless". Newcomers add subtle touches to classic style, but also meet core criteria head on in an indisputably strong fashion. A powerful statement of arrival that simply can't be ignored.

[ibeer-youbeer]

Vancouver Island: Musicfest Festival Ale (Blonde ale [or so we're told], Victoria)

Pours ridiculously light and clear. Not sure that I've ever seen anything this light which didn't advertise itself as a lager. No head. Nose is...lagerish. Lightly pungent, some sweet malt, hint of cinnamon and clove, no real hop profile. *sip* Yep, that's pretty much a lager. A hint more of a stronger malt finish than most lagers give, but none of the weight or flavour I'd demand from anything claiming to be an ale. Okay, so if this was bottled as a "Festival Lager" how would it hold up? Not bad. Not too sweet, pretty crisp, mild finish with the tiniest touch of hops, bit of skunk. That said, this feels like a light and indistinct offering which is being pitched towards the craft beer crowd under a false flag.

Pairing: A false bill of goods. Pretty much any of Cleopatra's execrable Christian Death compilations purporting to be best-ofs.

[ibeer-youbeer]

Ninkasi: Total Domination (IPA, Eugene OR)

Pours peach, no real head. Nose is medium hopped, more fruit (mango) than pine, doesn't smell too resinous, either. More pine on the mouth, then a quick dash of fruit, but the flavour vanishes almost instantly. Not a great finish: pencil shavings, maybe a bit of tobacco. Very light body and mouthfeel, watery. Pairing: Not terrible, but almost instantly forgettable. Pulse Legion, "One Thing"

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Powell Streer: Ginger & Cardamom Belgian Witbier (Vancouver)

Pours a clouded lemon, one and a half fingers of thick, pure white head. Nose is classic Belgian wit, sweet and yeasty with lemon zest. Not much in the way of the advertised spices. Hooo! Yep, there's the ginger, ready to jump all over yr tongue as soon as it touches down. I'm a but of a wimp when it comes to ginger, and this is a little more than I like, but ginger fiends are gonna have a field day. Cardamom is present, but playing second fiddle. Body itself is wonderfully done, with a clean and tart finish and lots of refreshment. Like I said, my personal problems with ginger are holding me back, but if you have no such worries, get on board.

Pairing: Well-executed and distinct, but someone else's cup of tea. Sol Invictus, "Trees In Winter".

[ibeer-youbeer]

Russell: Hop Therapy (Double IPA, Victoria)

Pours cloudy cider amber, just a titch of soapy froth. Nose is relatively mild, some tropical fruit, bit of piney hops, some caramel malt. Body is light and oily, almost juicy flavour (light pineapple or apple). Fair bit of malt, the hops don't come through until the middle, and leave a very long, very bitter finish which just sets up shop and ignores pleas for mercy. This isn't the most lively IPA, but they aren't pulling yr leg with the 100 IBU claim. Pairing: Slightly mean workrate. Ministry, "Rio Grande Blood".