Angry Scotch Ale

Label: Angry Scotch Ale
Type: dark ale
ABV[%]: 6.5
Packaging: 650 ml bottle
Brewery: Russell Breweries, Surrey BC

Smell: Roasted malts
Head: thick whitish brown
Color: chestnut brown
Carbonation: medium
Kick: G Force!
Rating: 9/10

Notes:
I was excited to find this bottle at the store as one of my favorite beers of the Victoria Beer Festival was from a limited batch keg of this beer. It was my hands down most memorable, and almost my favorite (I did not have a favourite since almost everything I tried I loved, and the more I drank, the more I loved that beer over the preceding one... Things just got too wanky after the first 10 glasses). I really like the staff pulling the pints (or glasses). They seemed like they gave a shit, and I had a nice chat with them about their brews. It was the most memorable spot at the festival since they were able to make a beer that tasted sharp in the beginning yet could finish with such a nice smooth taste without a heavy chocolaty aftertaste. It was awesome.

Well the beer from the bottle wasn't as fresh, but was pleasing nonetheless. It has a sophisticated dark color which could seem intimidating at first. When you first sip it, it tickles the tonsils with the scotch taste, but not so much that you gag on it. This is quickly followed with a rich malted taste that covers your tongue and then the chocolate kicks in: not heavy, but there to smooth the throat so you are ready for another swig.

Sharp .. Tinge back of throat, roasted caramelized malts, chocolate aftertaste.

I actually prefer the carbonation of the bottle over the keg, but you can tell it is not as fresh. It leaves a bit of a bitter burnt taste, likely from the roasted malts.

I love this brew, and I love this brewery. The west coast beer scene is awesome. And further mind blowing is the fact that these guys are in Surrey, where there really is not all that much to be proud of.

Just an update. Looks like i'm not the only one liking this beer. It won silver in the scotch ale's category at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards.

Fat Tug IPA

Label: Fat Tug IPA
Type: Pale Ale
ABV[%]: 7.0
Packaging: 650 ml Bottle
Brewery: Driftwood Breweries, Victoria BC

Smell: very hoppy with a tinge of citrus
Head: thin with a rich lacing
Color: golden 
Carbonation: 
Kick: Scotty, beam me up!
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
This is a sharp tasting hoppy ale from the Driftwood masters. It is very refreshing and readily quenches the thirst. It has citrusy notes and leaves a mild bitter aftertaste.  It reports an IBU of about 80, but it isn't as hoppy as some of the brews I've had... Tree's Hophead comes to mind. The malt gives it a slightly darker tinge, but it is clear as crystal. My wife said "that smells like beer", and I guess it does since the aroma is quite strong and full bodied. The aftertaste is not unpleasant and just a tad sour. It definitely leaves with some funky beer breath though. Don't expect smootchy smootchy after a few pints. 

It is very strong. It makes me think of those sailors on those long journeys, needing to fill their bellies and drown their sorrows while at sea. I only had half a beer and it hit me like a cast iron anchor. But you can't tell the ABV is that high, unlike some other beers. So it is a great beer if you want to get smashed on a few pints. Economical. My guess is that it would probably not be as great out a tap since they tend not to have the same consistency of carbonation. Any less and I think the hoppiness would be just too over-powering.

This would probably go great with some tasty west coast salmon.

I love the name. It is a tad naughty, making me giggle like a school girl.

For an out-of-body experience, try this beer with a few muscle relaxants and watch an episode of Law and Order UK. 

Or don't. 

Begbie Cream Ale

Label: Begbie Cream Ale
Type: Ale
ABV[%]: 4.7
Packaging: 650ml bottle
Brewery: Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. Revelstoke, BC

Smell: hops and citrusy
Head: starts thick and rich lacing
Color: beautifully clear amber
Carbonation: medium to high
Kick: low
Rating: 9/10

Notes:
So another night of soccer and I find out that the game is off due to the holidays. Once I found this out, I thought about how I could justify drinking this 650ml bottle that's been teasing me in the fridge. So I decided to spend an hour at the YMCA and earn myself a beer. Seeing all the bubbles in the jacuzzi made me thirsty so I darted home. Unfortunately, Aphex Twin's version of Philip Glass's version of David Bowie's song "Heroes" was on CBC2 (I gotta start listening to Signals!) and I had to check it out.

Wow. Yet another beautifully clear beer from this little brewery in Revelstoke BC. This water isn't from lake Erie. I love the carbonation of this beer: it isn't overbeering as, say some of the commercial brews (Labbats Blue comes to mind) where you just forget about the taste. It is, for me a great balance for a cream ale. In fact, I can beerly detect the "cream" part of this ale. It has very, very little aftertaste like the other beer I reviewed before, and so you could pound these babies back very quickly.

It is not very hoppy and there maybe a really small hint of something obscure... Maybe plums... Maybe not. It is slightly sweet (added honey) and not bitter.

I am absolutely impressed with this beer. I wouldn't call it so much a lager, but it is pretty close, so if your one of those guys who drinks the stuff you see on tv, try this beer. If you you drink this stuff and think your regular crap is better, I feel very, very sorry for you.

Powerhouse Pale Ale

Label: Powerhouse Pale Ale
Type: Ale
ABV[%]: 4.8
Packaging: 650ml bottle
Brewery: Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. Revelstoke, BC

Smell: caramelized Malt
Head: thin, and thin lacing
Color: beautifully clear dark amber
Carbonation: medium
Kick: low
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
I used to go through Revelstoke frequently when I drove from Calgary to Vancouver during university days. It is a beautiful little oasis in the thick of perhaps the best ski hills you will find in the Canadian rockies. The mountain roads are unforgiving in winter and the down right scary when the semi trucks barrel around the windy roads. It looks like a great little spot to brew beer and I guess that is what this brewery thought too.

The thing that struck me was the color. It's an amber ale but it almost looks a bit purple/brownish, and clear. It is a really beautiful sight. It has a descent nose and not very hoppy. Pretty well balanced for an ale... Not too malty. It has a smokey aftertaste that isn't all that unpleasant. After a while the aftertaste is a bit sour though.

The label has a picture of the Revelstoke Dam taken back in 1912. I'm surprised they had a freakin camera back then. And why wouldn't anyone drink a beer from a Brewery sharing the name of the most likable character in Trainspotting?

This is the kind of beer you can have maybe one or two pints, but perhaps not many more as I'd imagine the aftertaste would be a bit unbearable. Having said that, it has a low ABV so you could pound back a few of these without feeling bloated. But crap, I'd drink this stuff cuz it looks just so damn pretty.

If this beer were a car, it would be a Delorian: nice on the eyes, but probably not destined for greatness. I'd imagine this stuff would be awesome from the keg. Check it out and, as Jimi says, let your freak flag fly.

Black Death

Label: Black Death
Type: porter
ABV[%]: 6.5
Packaging: 650ml bottle
Brewery: Russell Breweries, Surrey BC

Smell: barley bit of coffee
Head: thick but dissolves quickly, little lacing
Color: dark purple
Carbonation: medium
Kick: medium
Rating: 8.5/10

Notes:
After a game of indoor soccer and a trip to my local favorite beer store, I felt it was about time that I got back on the job of reviewing beers. You see, the last time I did a review was just before the beer festival. Boy that was fun. Deliciously evil. One of the booths was from Russell breweries and I tried a limited edition brew of a scotch-infused porter (post note: I review this beer later in this blog). It blew my mind. So after seeing about six brews on the shelf of the store, I was excited.

This beer is very, very smooth. It has the right amount of carbonation and is silky on the tongue after a swig. It isn't bitter and you can't tell this is a 6.5 % ABV. I don't know how they squeezed that much fun without leaving a strong alcohol taste. There is a tinge of fruitiness if it lingers in the mouth, and the aftertaste is also mild. You can tell the ingredients are fresh. Just a great brew.

The label is devilishly red and the font is intended to scare you like the name. Which is surprising since after a swig, I can only think of fluffy kitties dancing in a meadow of daisies chasing butterflies. Oh so pretty and serene... Until the ABV catches up with you and you find yourself in the middle if a GWAR concert basking in a pool of fake blood.

Brap on baby, brap on.

Inedit Estrella Damm

Label: Inedit
Type: lager wheat beer
ABV[%]: ?
Packaging: 650ml bottle
Brewery: Estrella Damm

Smell: yeasty sweet
Head: thick with little lacing
Color: gold clear
Carbonation: mild
Kick: naa
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
This lager has a sweet taste with a hint of citrus, yeasty taste. It has very little aftertaste, but does a great job refreshing the taste buds immediately after a swig. If Molson Canadian tasted good, it would taste like this.

The bottle looks like it's wine, making me think what's the deal. But after opening up the little booklet, er I mean bible, you are left feeling a bit uncomfortable. You see, these guys tried really hard trying to make a beer specifically for dishes... Challenging dishes, that is. You see, really rich folk who eat things like asparagus and salad need this beer to compliment their dishes. And they spent a whole lotta time on this booklet. So much time, you feel like a dolt for having this beer with a couple of tasty samosas, cuz, hey, that isn't challenging enough for this beer.

I'd like this beer better were it not for this pompous label. So, hey, try this beer, but through the freakin label in the dustbin. Sucka.

Worlds oldest beer

I often think about how cool it would be to find a bottle from eons ago, cracking it open and tasting it... maybe not.

Our Emily Summer Ale

Label: Our Emily Summer Ale
Type: pilsner...ish
ABV[%]: 3.9
Packaging: 650ml
Brewery: Spinnakers Brew Pub

Smell: lightly hopped and malt
Head: Thin, but leaves a nice lace
Color: gold...slightly cloudy
Carbonation: very low
Kick: huh?
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
This is a seasonal brew by a local brew pub, actually the oldest brew pub in Canada, but you'd never know it. It comes from the store a once a year or so, but you can get it on tap when you are at the pub. While it claims to be a summer beer, it does have a somewhat carmelly and heavy taste to it, making it richer than it looks. It is fairly sweet and lightly hopped, reminding me of some of the cream ales, but not as vanilla-ish.

What's with the name? Who's Emily? And why is she ours? As if I don't see enough coronation street at home, our kid goes and names our beer our Emily. Yew whot? Blimey.

Raspberry wheat Philips

Label: Raspberry wheat ale
Type: Fruit ale
ABV[%]: 5.0
Packaging: 650ml
Brewery: Phillips brewery, Victoria, BC

Smell: raspberries, barley
Head: thin
Color: red, clear
Carbonation: medium to high
Kick: notsomuch
Rating: 8/10

Notes:
After about 1 hour of trying to rip a 10 year old rotted tree stump, I felt I deserved a brew, and could feel justified by the snarly-beady glares from the life-partner. An hour with a sledge hammer and a long metal rod can do wonders to ones foul mood (doesn't hurt for the libido either). But I digress.

This is a seasonal brew by the gods at Philips, who managed to make a fruity beer without making it into a girly drink... Also known as a Cooler. Not very sweet, and with a distinctive hop/malt taste, making this an excellent choice for a few pints on a hot sunny day. It goes down extremely quick and is best served chilled... But it won't taste like pee water if it gets to room temperature. I don't know how these guys do it, but they (Philips) just make stinkin good ales.

The Asians are coming

China is out-drinking and out making everyone when it comes to beer...


Beer in Asia: Billions of throats | The Economist


http://www.economist.com/node/16846762?fsrc=scn%2Ftw%2Fte%2Frss%2Fpe&story_id=16846762

... I guess it was about time...

Okanagan Springs Pale Ale

Label: Pale Ale
Type: Ale
ABV[%]: ~5
Packaging: bottle/can/keg
Brewery: Okanagan Springs, Vernon BC

Smell: rich and hoppy
Head: relatively thick, a bit of lacing
Color: copper
Carbonation: mild to strong
Kick: OK
Rating: bottle= 5/10, keg= 6/10, cans = 8/10

Notes:
This is BC's most popular craft beer, and there is good reason for it. The beer in the can is excellent price value, rich tasting and satisfying in most settings: whether your having a meal, snacking or chilling. The stuff out of the tap is OK, but the stuff in cans is clearly much better, which is a bit strange, but hey, that's my opinion.

It is easy to find in BC liquor stores and I confess that it is my 'comfort' beer if I'm in the beer store just looking for a session beer.

I won't order this on tap, and I will refuse a bottle of this stuff, but a can? Anytime, baby, anytime.

White Bark

Label: White Bark
Type: Heffy, wheat ale
ABV[%]: feels like ~5%
Packaging: pulled pint
Brewery: Driftwood Brewery, Victoria BC

Smell: citrus, orange peel
Head: frothy and rich
Color: cloudy yellowish green
Carbonation: medium
Kick: fairly strong
Rating: 6/10

Notes: woof, woof
Interesting beer. I like heffies, and this one is pretty good. It actually has a barky, strong citrus flavor. The aftertaste lingers quite long. Nice to have with appetizers. The color looks like some peed after taking lots of vitamin supplements, and the rich froth can be, well, kinda gross looking, but if you can get over that, power to you, lumpdink. Had it with an orange peel, but not sure that was a good idea given that the orange flavor is already quite persistent in the brew.

I also bought the bottle and can say that pulled pint is better, due to the richer head and the flavor the smells bring to this beer. Problem will be finding a place where you can get a pulled pint from this beer, as I imagine it probably is difficult to find. But if your interested in trying something really, really different, this is worth it... especially on tap.

Old Towne Bavarian Lager

Label: Old Towne Bavarian Lager
Type: Lager
ABV[%]: 5.4
Packaging: 1 L Bottle
Brewery: Swans Buckerfields Brewery, Victoria BC

Smell: mild hops and malt
Head: thin, little lacing
Color: golden, yellow
Carbonation: medium
Kick: na.
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
Smooth bavarian-type beer that goes down really quick! Easy to drink alone or with a meal, could have a few of them in a sitting. If you want a replacement for your Bud/Canadian/Fosters lager, then this will work very nicely.

You don't want to drink this stuff warm... the colder the better, so smaller bottles would be great. Unfortunately, you can get these only in the larger 1 L bottles... so drink it quick, poopheads!

Hurricane IPA

Label: Hurricane
Type: IPA
ABV[%]: 6.0
Packaging: Pulled Pint
Brewery: Storm Brewing, Vancouver BC

Smell: hoppy, but of fruit
Head: thin, but leaves a nice lacing
Color: copper/brown clear
Carbonation: light
Kick: strong but subtle
Rating: 8/10

Notes: Strong hoppy with a bit of fruity tastes. Had this with a monster garden burger and salad and it was perfect. Despite its ABV, it isn't nearly as overwhelming as other beers at 6%, probably because it is a bit sweeter... well balanced and goes great with any meal.

I really enjoyed this beer and will look to any opportunity to drink it when dining in Vancouver. Too bad it isn't on the island... :(

Bitch slapped...

I guess it is a toss up between David Suzuki and Jesus. A bitch slap from ds would probAbly be followed by some kind of lecture about how I personally killed a baby seal by flushing one too many times, so I'll go with Jesus... And make it a backhand... Backhand of god, that is.

OB Lager

Label: OB  
Type: Lager 
ABV[%]: 4.4 
Packaging: bottle 
Brewery: OB

Smell: rice   
Head: medium  
Color: yellow, clear 
Carbonation: moderate 
Kick: medium 
Rating: 7/10 

Notes:
I got this beer at a really cool Korean restaurant in Philly. We placed a take-out order and I was hanging out waiting for the food to be prepared. Seeing a nice empty bar with a friendly looking bartender, I sat my ass down and had a nice chat with the Bartender.

Our nice chat quickly evolved from small talk to Philly beers. Being an American-Korean, he knew a fair bit about the Korean beer scene and how it has evolved. I asked him if he had any Korean beer on tap or bottle and he gave me this stuff.

First thing I noticed was how thick the bottle is. Apparently, the thicker glass keeps the beer cooler longer. So there was some thought about making this stuff. The beer is light tasting, and reminds me of a better, much sweeter version of moose head. Too bad they used rice though. Apparently it didn't have it before the Inbev buyout. 

Either way, this is a nice light tasting lager and worth a 6 pack. If you can find it.

Thomas Jeffersons Tavern Ale

Label: Thomas Jeffersons Tavern Ale
Type: English Ale
ABV[%]: 8.0
Packaging: cask conditioned ale
Brewery: Yards Brewing Co. Philadelphia, PA

Smell: spicy   
Head: medium head... Little lacing
Color: brown
Carbonation: mild
Kick: 2 testicles
Rating: 9/10

Notes:
I had this at the Old Tavern restaurant in Philly, on the cusp of ole-town and by independence hall. It was a gloriously hot and humid day and we were looking for some lunch and this restaurant has purportedly the best kids menu in Philly. So we thought to check it out.

Perusing the menu, I was very pleased to see cask-conditioned beers offered here using recipes from dudes like Ben Franklin and Tommy J.

Cloudy. Has some spiciness to it, maybe nutmeg and cinnamon. I really enjoyed the first half of this pint, as it has nice flavor. Bit it is a tad strong as it has quite the kick. The spiciness went really well with the chicken I was eating.

I guess the dude only brewed this beer twice a year.

Beer Festival 2010

Tixs on sale in July for September.

http://www.gcbf.com/

This I will check out.

Springbock

Label: Springbock
Type: Pale bock
ABV[%]: 6.5
Packaging: 650 mL bottle
Brewery: Phillips, Victoria BC

Smell: rich, hoppy
Head: Medium, leaves a lacing
Color: Brown
Carbonation: Moderate

Kick: OK
Rating: 9/10

Notes:
Now this is precisely why I can't understand why folk drink Budweiser. This has got to be one of the tastiest beers I've ever had, and I'd have never known it if it wasn't for the fact that I'm willing to try something different. Don't get me wrong, my days of massive orgies and hedonism are well gone; but that doesn't preclude me from testing and trying a new beer. I couldn't find this on the online list of current beers on their website, so it must be pretty fresh stuff.

This has a hoppy aftertaste mixed in with some malty and fruity tastes. It isn't too hoppy to overwhelm you, and it seems like just tasty-enough to provide that perfect sense of satisfaction. This is one damn-good beer.

Dead Guy Ale

Label: Dead Guy Ale
Type: Ale (German Mailbock)
ABV[%]: unknown... guessing ~8
Packaging: 650 ml
Bottle Brewery: Rogue Ales, Newport oR

Smell: Hoppy Head: thin, little lacing
Color: amber
Carbonation: mild
Kick: only 1 testicle
Rating: 7/10

Notes: Very nice ale with a sweet and mildly sharp taste. I could see this going down great with spicy indian nuts. Malty. Reminds me a lot of Unibrue's La Fin Du Monde. The label has this skeleton on it... scary stuff! Looking forward to more stuff from Rogue Ales!

If you had to chose, you would drink a

Bud (9%) Molson Canadian (18%) Lucky (0%) Urine (9%) None of the above, I have standards (63%) So most would rather drink urine than lucky beer. Go figure. Reminds me of a scene in UKDK where a bunch of folk were drinking urine. Well, good for you.

Pothole Filler

Label: Pothole Filler
Type: Stout
ABV[%]: 9.2
Packaging: 1 Litre Cork Stopper
Brewery: Howe Sound Brewery, Squamish BC

Smell: Chocolaty and coffee
Head: Foamy, tanned ... nicely laced
Color: black
Carbonation: mild
Kick: in the nutsack
Rating: 8/10

Notes:
This is a damn good stout. Not as good as the Back Hand of God, but you can't buy that stuff in a bottle. So if you're in a fix for a damn good stout, this will do very nicely. It is a new addition to the Howe Sound brewery.

It is surprisingly mild despite its high alcohol content. How they do that? When it is fresh, it leaves a nice lacing around the pint glass. But if you re-cork the stuff, it gets flat fast (I re-opened it in 1 day). Despite this, it remains refreshing. How they do that? It is nice to care about how they do that, but it is nicer to drink beer, so I will not care how they do that and continue drinking beer.

I estimate that the bottle would fit nicely into Jan Brewer's ass.

Don De Deiu

Label: Don De Dieu
Type: Wheat Ale
ABV[%]: 9
Packaging: Bottle
Brewery: Unibroue, QC

Smell: Citrus
Head: Large but thin
Color: Orange and cloudy
Carbonation: moderate
Kick: Yeosa!
Rating: 8.5/10

Notes: Has a bit of spiciness to it and it goes down well. It is a sharp tasting ale and I really enjoy the hue. It has a really big kick to it... is it really 9%? Boy it must be nice living in QC! This is an awesome ale. But I wouldn't have more than 1 bottle!

La Fin Du Monde

Label: La Fin Du Monde
Type: Golden Ale
ABV[%]: 9.0
Packaging: 750 mL Bottle
Brewery: Unibroue, QC

Smell: Fruity, maybe apricots
Head: thin
Color: Cloudy Blonde
Carbonation: high
Kick: yeowsa^2
Rating: 8.5/10

Notes:
This is a strong ale with very fruity flavours. It has pretty high carbonation, but this makes the alcoholic kick not so bad... except after a few minutes when the after-taste kicks in. I can understand why this brewery is so notorious; it has a really nice taste. It seemed to go very well with my dinner of popcorn, toast, and whatever else the kids didn't eat that day. Boy, this is a nice brew. But it is strong and I wouldn't have anymore than the bottle in a sitting. I could clearly see how this would be a great beer if you're having snacky appetizers, like crackers and cheeses for a light meal.

The cork stopper is also quite nice; but it makes it difficult to save some for later. Oh well... ya just gotta finish up the bottle! Yeay!

Skookum

Label: Skookum
Type: Brown Ale
ABV[%]: 6.5
Packaging: 650 mL bottle
Brewery: Phillips, Victoria BC

Smell: malty
Head: Very rich
Color: Dark Purple
Carbonation: Moderate
Kick: OK
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
This is a nice brown ale, but maybe a bit too flavourful for my liking. The rich head is really flavourful and pleasant. The second sip is definitely better than the first, and I think this is the kind of bitter ale that could grow on you. Bits of grapefruit and Carmel. I believe this has replaced Black Toque... whats wrong with a black toque? I've got a brown one.

I like the name Skookum. Rookum Skookum Hockey.

Backhand of God

Label: Back Hand of God
Type: Stout
ABV[%]: 5.2
Packaging: Pulled Pint
Brewery: Crannog Ales, Sorrento BC

Smell: coffee, tints of chocolate
Head: Very little
Color: Black
Carbonation: Moderate
Kick: yup
Rating: 7.5/10

Notes:
Had a pulled pint from a pub. This is a very refreshing stout that goes down remarkably fast. This is very good stout with coffee and chocolate flavours . You could drink a lot of this stout as it isn't that heavy, and the flavour isn't over-powering. It is probably one of the better stouts I've had on tap.

This stout reminds me of a seasonal stout made by Granite Brewery in Toronto/Halifax, but this is a bit better. A better bitter this stout is. Apparently it has won some awards as well.

The pint was fresh and nice. Its an organic brew and I think you can (yes! you really can!) taste the difference good organic ingredients make in making a good stout. Thumbs up cola! I love this name. The name reminds me of the time when I repeatedly said 'phoody jaunda' at my dad.

Fog Fighter

Label: Fog Fighter
Type: Blonde Belgian Ale
ABV[%]: 8.0
Packaging: 650 mL
Brewery: Spinnakers

Smell: Slight fruity
Head: none... really, if you follow the pouring directions
Color: Blonde Clear
Carbonation: low
Kick: yeowsa
Rating: 6.5/10

Notes:
This is a pretty strong Belgian ale with fruity tints. It has a yeasty aftertaste that lingers quite long. It is impressive, and goes down reasonably well, but it just isn't my cup-o-tea. I'd drink it again though.

The label shows a serious looking viking who looks like he lost his mother to a herd of man-eating goats. At first, I thought the label said 'Foo Fighter' and I thought, what the *uck is that Grohl guy doing now?

Three Beavers

Label: Three Beavers
Type: Imperial Red Ale
ABV[%]: 7.5
Packaging: 1 L
Brewery: Howe Sound

Smell: hops, bit of barley
Head: Rich, but lasts about 20 seconds
Color: Red, slightly cloudy
Carbonation: mild to low
Kick: whoa
Rating: 8/10

Notes:
This is a sharp-tasting beer that has a hoppy after-taste. I can't put the finger on the fruity smell, but there is a bit of one. I like this beer, but it does have a nasty kick to it. The beavers on the label are cute, yet mischievous. Kinda like my classroom picture when I was in the 10th grade.

After having a pint, I went back to ridiculing my kids. But then it got nasty as I started to slur my words and start throwing used tea-bags at my wife. This was shortly followed by empty stares at the fridge and dancing to Beck's "Summer Girl". Now, the pavement is freezing my anus and, for whatever reason, my pants are very went.

Devil's Elbow

Label: Devil's Elbow
Type: Pale Ale
ABV[%]: 6.0
Packaging: 1 Litre stopper
Brewery: Howe Sound

Smell: very hoppy
Head: thick and creamy for a pale ale
Color: pale amber, slightly cloudy
Carbonation: mild
Kick: yup
Rating: 8.5/10

Notes: Boy I love this stopper bottle, just perfect. Sometimes all you want is a pint, sometimes 2, and you can cork up the rest for later.

Very strong hoppy aftertaste, but not over-powering. Generally I'm not a very hoppy guy, but if I had to die drinking a really hoppy beer, this would do it.

Take that, debil!

Blackstone Porter

Label: Blackstone
Type: Porter
ABV[%]: 5.1
Packaging: 650 ml bottle
Brewery: Driftwood , Victoria BC

Smell: Nice ... barley
Head: thin
Color: blackish brown
Carbonation: Medium... but quite a bit for a porter
Kick: yup
Rating: 8/10

Notes: boy this goes down good.. I thought maybe I was tired from some yardwork and just thirsty, but nope, it is just good. Tad o chocolate, and caramel?
It goes down well.

Yum

Crooked Coast

Label: Crooked Coast
Type: amber ale
ABV[%]: 5.1
Packaging: 650 ml bottle
Brewery: Driftwood , Victoria BC

Smell: not bad.. Barley
Head: ok, thin
Color: amber.. Duh
Carbonation: medium
Kick: not much
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
Maybe it was the Chinese food I ate it with...
Or maybe not, but the second sip was better than the first
This one is better cold(er)... Avoid it at room temp

Double Dragon

Label: Double Dragon
Type: Imperial Red Ale
ABV[%]: 8.2
Packaging: 650 ml bottle
Brewery: Phillips Brewery, Victoria BC

Smell: bits of barley and hops
Head: nice but not long lasting
Color: red as a dragons breath
Carbonation: medium
Kick: just 1 testicle
Rating: 7/10

Goes down smooth and leaves the tongue dry. Lotsa middle ground.
The label image reminds me of Mortal Kombat. You don't taste the hoppiness until much after. Enjoyable and hope to see this seasonal brew again.

Naughty Hildegard

Label: Naughty Hildegard
Type: Extra Special Bitter
ABV[%]: 6.5
Packaging: 650 ml bottle
Brewery: Driftwood brewery, Victoria BC

Smell: hoppy and yeast.. Bit of citrus
Head: nice and refreshing
Color: reddish brown
Carbonation: medium
Kick: medium
Rating: 7/10

Notes:
Not normally a big-time hops fan, but this one goes down smooth. A tad good-sour.

I wish all beers had names like this.

This is my beer blog.

Something that is for me. Not for you. But you can read it. If your not drunk. Enjoy my beer blog.

This site will:
- review and rank beers i have tasted
- review and rank beers others -whose buds I trust- tasted

It will be a simple blog. But an informative one.

Cheers.