Bia IPA

Bia IPA is a first for me: an Italian India pale ale. It's brewed by Birrificio del Ducato, Roncola Verdí di Busseto, Italy. It is sold in vivid 330mL bottles and contains 6.5% alcohol. It pours a tarnished gold colour and is quite cloudy. It is crowned with a quickly fading white head.

Bia has a bright, hoppy aroma of tart citrus. The flavour kicks off on the thin side, but builds to a tangy, bitter finish. There are notes of grapefruit and other citrus fruits present.

Judging by the brightly coloured label, I was expecting this I.P.A. to have a loud and exciting flavour. Its actual flavour was a bit more restrained than I'd anticipated. It has a nice, citrus hop vibe and a healthy alcohol content, but I feel like it would benefit from a bit more flavour and body, particularly on the front end. This is a fine beer--interesting, but not captivating. Truthfully, I felt a little bit disappointed.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.




 

Nickel Brook Naughty Neighbour

Please excuse the lousy photo.

Naughty Neighbour is a snappy and sessionable American pale ale built by the Better Bitters Brewing Co., out of Burlington, Ontario. It contains 4.9% alcohol and is sold in 341mL bottles with excellent labels that feature a red, white, and blue motif and a sexy "Aunt Sam" character. I enjoyed a bottle at a charming Hamilton, Ontario watering hole.

N.N. is a cloudy golden ale. It has a white head that fades quickly. This brew features a fairly bold citrus hops aroma. It has a hop forward flavour with an emphasis on grapefruit and orange peel notes. Accordingly, on top of some bitterness, this beer is slightly tart and has a somewhat dry mouthfeel.

Naughty Neighbour is an excellently crisp, drinkable ale with a significant hop profile. It is at once mild and flavourful. There isn't much on the malt side of the equation, but it has ample hops and a nice, citrus-y vibe. While this stuff is a bit thin bodied, since first trying it in Hamilton, six packs of the stuff have found their way into my refrigerator a number of times, and I always enjoy it.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Beau's Sleepy Time

Sleepy Time is a Belgian Imperial Stout from Vankleek Hill, Ontario's Beau's All Natural Brewing Company.  I had a pint on tap at a Hamilton beer bar.  Sleepy Time is a pretty much opaque, black brew. It contains a sizable 8% alcohol and arrived with a tan head.

The subtle aroma has notes of coffee and is fairly malty. This beer is very smooth bodied for a strong stout. The flavour is surprisingly mild, with notes of fruitcake and chocolate. It starts malty, building to a patient, bitter finish.

Sleepy Time is warm without tasting overly boozy. It's really nicely balanced for a high alcohol stout. Rich, flavourful, strong, and a tad unusual, this stuff makes for a pretty interesting pint. Buy some if you dig chewy stouts.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Hellwoods Imperial Stout

Hellwoods Imperial Stout is a badass brew from Toronto, Ontario's Bellwoods Brewery. Sold in 650mL bottles and packed with a daunting 10% alcohol, this tar black brew pours with a vibrant tan head. It has a dark malt aroma with elements of molasses, dried fruit, hops, and tobacco. The flavour is formidable. Its chief notes are fig and raisin in the front end and powerful hops at the finish. Beneath that, there are whispers of fresh tobacco and bitter molasses. It has a very thick, creamy mouthfeel--almost syrupy.

Another winner from the excellent brewers at Bellwoods. This shit is strong.  It tastes boozy and the alcoholic burn lingers after each sip.  And trust me, this stuff is for SIPPING. As a huge, full-bodied ale, Hellwoods will appeal to fans of complex, strong brews. 

A word to the wise: Don't drink this stuff on an empty stomach.  I wasn't wise ...

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Les Trois Mousquetaires Oktoberfest Lager Cuivrée

My wife and I received a bottle of Les Trois Mousquetaires Oktoberfest Lager Cuivrée as a wedding gift from a lovely couple of wonderful friends. Thanks guys! While we got married in September 2012, I didn't actually enjoy this stuff until Christmas 2013. It was probably a bit older than it should have been enjoyed, but I went for it anyway.

It's a copper lager from Les Trois Mousquetaires Microbrasseurs out of Brossard, Quebec. It comes in a corked 750mL bottle. It contains 6% alcohol and contains 20 IBUs. It's a cloudy, brownish red lager. It pours with a very thick, light tan head. The aroma is sweet, yeasty, malt focused, and vaguely metallic. It has a malt forward flavour with notes of raisin. It is sweet initially, but moves to a short, bitter finish. It is faintly smokey with some coppery notes.

There is a somewhat Belgian feel to this Quebecois brew. It is a big, flavourful lager. Pretty enjoyable stuff.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Hopwired I.P.A.

Hopwired I.P.A. comes all the way from Marlborough, New Zealand. It's brewed by the 8 Wired Brewing Co., clocks in at a vigorous 7.3% alcohol, and is sold in 500mL bottles.


It's a strikingly clear reddish gold brew--surprisingly clear for an India Pale Ale. It pours beneath a very thick ivory head. A tangy hop aroma plays citrus fruit against subtle caramel notes. This stuff has a very unusual flavour--it's not exactly bitter, at least not in the traditional I.P.A. sense. The beer is highly hoppy, but in a sweet, almost candied way. Audacious and unusual, there are notes of citrus and even a bit of pineapple. Some caramel notes can be found in there somewhere, too. There is a bit of conventional bitterness, but it is clustered at the back end.


This stuff fits some of the traditional I.P.A. characteristics--it's hoppy and high in alcohol. However, in other ways, it's quite a departure.  It's clear and more tangy than bitter. If you're looking for an I.P.A. that's full of surprises, you can call of the search and pour yourself a mug of Hopwired I.P.A. Personally, I was intrigued, but I'm not totally convinced that I liked it enough to buy it again anytime soon.


Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale

From the Keith's Brewery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, comes Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale. This beer was my first foray into the Alexander Keith's Hop Series, a line of hop-focused brews from Nova Scotia's premiere macro-brewer, seemingly looking to tap into the craft beer market.

Sold in 473mL cans, the Cascade Hop Ale contains a healthy 5.5%. It has a West Coast pale ale aroma of citrusy hops and evergreen. It's a clear golden brew with tonnes of carbonation and crowned with a thick, off-white head.

This was a fairly easy drinking ale. Its hoppy flavour is pretty agreeable--a much braver hop presence than the large Canadian marcro-brewers tend to risk. This stuff tastes like a fairly decent micro-brewed pale ale, though it is much fizzier than most. The mouthfeel is dry and there isn't much of an aftertaste.

This would be a stronger beer if there was a bit more balance--the underlying ale is quite plain. Still, it's as interesting a macro beer as I've tried in a long while. I say give it a shot.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Picaroons Maple Cream Ale

Picaroons Maple Cream Ale is yet another offering from a brewery near and dear to my heart, the Northampton Brewing Co., out of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It's sold in in 500mL bottles, contains 5% alcohol, and is, according to the label, brewed using pure New Brunswick maple syrup.

This is a lovely looking brown ale--clear and topped with a tan head (Regrettably, I don't seem to have taken a photo). Again, according to the label, the stuff is "conditioned as a lager and brewed as an ale." It has a malty, slightly toasted aroma that features a dollop of pleasing maple sweetness. In truth, it's a somewhat thin bodied ale. It is malt driven, but mild. It's creamy mouthfeel is smooth and easy-sipping. Maple notes are present, but not dominant. This brew is a bit watery on the bitter side of the equation--there could be a bit more hop emphasis, though the creaminess is nice. It alo has a slightly toasty quality.

Not a bad maple offering. It isn't overly sweet, but I'd like a bit more ale body.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Hop Circle IPA

From Victoria, British Columbia comes Hop Circle IPA, a product of the Phillips Brewing Company. It's a tasty India Pale Ale sold in 341mL bottles and containing a reasonable 6.5% alcohol. Its label carries the hop circle/alien theme pretty far.

Hop Circle pours an ever-so-slightly hazy golden colour and comes topped with an off-white head. It has very little carbonation. It features a brassy, no messing about citrus hop aroma. Likewise, the flavour amounts to a glorious bundle of hop bitterness, orange peel, and grapefruit. A firm "thwack" of hops hits you right out of the gate. Once passed that, there are some subtler flavours waiting in the wings--primarily a soft, fruity sweetness.

This stuff has a very dry, puckeringly bitter mouthfeel that's bound to play well with hops heads, but it's more than that. It's a warm, flavourful, and nicely crafted India Pale Ale--a fine Canadian example of the West Coast IPA style.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Bridge Burner

Bridge Burner is a top notch "special reserve ale" brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's built by the Lakefront Brewery, contains a stout 8.5% alcohol, and clocks in at a respectable 30 IBUs. BB is sold in 651mL bottles  that feature a story about the burning of a bridge which contributed to Milwaukee's foundation.

BB is a swampy, ruddy brown ale, topped with a thick tan head. Its aroma is malty with some raisin and plum notes, and a touch of hops. Sweet dark fruit notes and a big malt presence dominate the foreground, while a healthy hop bitterness brings up the rear.  This stuff tastes boozy, but not 8.5% boozy. Additionally, there's a slightly floral quality to this brew that I found quite pleasant.

Bridge Burner is a really well made and highly enjoyable beer. You'll like it.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Propeller IPA

Propeller IPA is another solid product of Halifax, Nova Scotia's John Allen Brewing Company. Sold in 341mL bottles and weighing in at 6.5% alcohol, the India Pale Ale is a lazy, hazy golden ale. It pours with a short-lived off-white head.

An aromatic brew, the Prop's IPA has a nose that features notes of swamp, hempen hops and a feather touch of fruit sweetness. The flavour starts out sweet with caramel and citrus touches before shifting to bitter. Its hop profile blends citrus, hemp, and evergreen and it has a very dry, bitter finish.

In some ways, this beer has an atypical flavour for an I.P.A. It's a bit swampy and muddled. At first, I wasn't wild about this beer, but as I worked my way through my six pack, I came to appreciate what this ale brings to the table--it's hoppy, layered, and enticing. I wouldn't mild a jolt more malt in the early going, but I commend you to enjoy a bottle or two if you come across this stuff.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager

First Lager review of 2014!

Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager is brewed in Burlington, Ontario by the Better Bitters Brewing Company. It's sold in 473mL cans and contains 5% alcohol.

According to the can, these suds are certified organic and "[b]rewed to the strict standards of the Bavarian Purity Act of 1516". It's a clear, honey-coloured lager topped with a white head. There isn't a whole lot of carbonation to speak of. It has a nice, mild aroma that blends gentle pilsner hops with fresh grainy notes. Sweet flavour notes of grain and homey characterize the foreground, while backstage, there is a faint twist of hoppiness.

This is a very easy-drinking pale lager with a soft, refined flavour. I generally like my pale lagers to be a bit crisper that this one, but I kinda dig its laid back vibe. This is a lager better suited to spring or fall than the heat of summer. For those of you who would rather quaff a European lager than a hop monster IPA or a dark-as-sin stout, this is a nice Ontario-brewed option.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Propeller London Style Porter

Propeller London Style Porter comes from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It's brewed by the John Allen Brewing Company and comes in 341mL bottles. It has a standard 5% alcohol.

The London Style Porter is a very dark amber ale, topped with a tan head--it looks pretty convincingly like a mug of root beer. It has a rich nose of malt and molasses. Flavour notes are roasted malts and nuttiness in the front end; molasses and decent hop bitterness at the finish. It's a reasonably dense, hefty brew, but not as heavy as many of its contemporaries in the porter category.

This beer is smooth and creamy, but with enough hops to keep you awake. I'd like a touch more boozy and a touch more body, but the result is a porter that can be enjoyed multiple times in a single session without suffering from the bloat.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Tree Hop Head Double India Pale Ale

So far in 2014, I've been focusing on (and really enjoying) strong beers--no reason to stop that trend. Tree Hop Head Double India Pale Ale clocks in at a potent 8.5% alcohol. It is brewed in Kelowna, British Columbia by the Tree Brewing Co. and sold in 650mL bottles.

Tree's Double I.P.A. pours a gently cloudy copper colour topped with a lusty cream head. It has an amble hop aroma that features notes of caramel and evergreen, alongside a whiff of citrus rind. This bitter brew has a very dry mouthfeel and some notes of orange peel. There is just enough mild caramel sweetness to keep things balanced.

Like its eponymous cousin, Hop Head India Pale Ale, the Double I.P.A. comes with hops to spare. It's a flavourful and nicely balanced option from Tree. I have very little to complain about. It's not the best double I.P.A. out there, but it's certainly a good one.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

He'Brew: The Chosen Beer--Jewbilation Sweet 16

He'Brew: The Chosen Beer--Jewbilation Sweet 16 is a wildly strong beer brewed in Saratoga Springs, New York by the Schmaltz Brewing Company. The "16" theme is heavily represented on the 650mL bottle and in the beer itself. It is brewed using 16 varieties of malt, matched against 16 of hops. It contains a massive 16% alcohol. Plus, the bottle features a number of quotes, facts, and miscellany involving the number 16. It's even certified kosher.

Jewbilation Sweet 16 is very dark, almost black, opaque, and topped with a thick, brown head. It leaves behind tonnes of lace in the glass. Sweet aromatics of fig and raisin complement a strong malt presence.

This stuff drinks like a very malty imperial stout. There is a very complex nest of flavours, including:

• sweet, dark fruit;
• cocoa;
• tobacco;
• coffee;
• port; and, not surprisingly;
• booze.

The finish is surprisingly bitter and lingers for quite a while.

Jewbilation Sweet 16 is great to warm you up on a cold day. I washed it down with a cheap cigar, which was quite pleasant. This stuff is unapologetically bold--at 16%, it's possibly the strongest beer that I have ever sampled.

This stuff is highly recommended. It's a really robust and fascinating beer, though it's definitely too strong to buy and consume more than occasionally.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

Grizzly Beer

Happy New Years from the Stout Man!

Grizzly Beer is a raunchy American Brown Ale brewed by my local brewery, the Bellwoods Brewery, located around the corner from my apartment in Toronto, Ontario. This saucy ale is sold in 650mL bottles and clocks in at a respectable 6.2% alcohol.

Murky and amber brown in colour, Grizzly Beer comes topped with a thick brown head. Its aroma is hoppy, hemp, and a little bit nutty. There's also a dollop of molasses somewhere in there. This is a brown ale with I.P.A. sensibilities. It's wonderfully hoppy, with a touch of spiciness, balanced against a stable malt foundation. There is a whisper of sweetness, but no more than that--molasses and brown sugar in miniscule doses.

Seemingly, everything that Bellwoods creates is a winner. Their Grizzly Beer, a charming ale, is certainly no exception. It's amply hopped, well fortified, and extremely tasty. I count it as one of my favourites in B.B.'s ever-expanding stable of brews.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.