AfterDark

During winter, for the past few years, I have been wintering with my family in a small ski resort called Kicking Horse. Located in British Columbia in Canada, the powder skiing is phenomenal. The biggest problem is that the alcohol is super expense because of high taxes and then it has to trucked out to the middle of nowhere.

Even so, I did manage to score a couple of beers for relaxing in the evening, and this was one of them AfterDark, by the Nelson Brewing Company. What intrigued me about this beer was that is claimed to be Organic (something I later found out is a defining characteristic of all of Nelson's brews). My big complaint about this beer was that I was tricked by it's name and colour into thinking it was a stout or a lager, when it is actually just a brown ale. Free of that prejudice, it is a decent enough beer, and if you are an organophille, it is definitely worth checking out.

Year: 2011

ABV:5.0%

From: 12oz bottle (chilled), and poured into plastic cup

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: thin, light tan, dissipated very quickly

COLOUR: very dark, black, opaque

SMELL: very sweet, slightly hoppy smell; like the foam, the smell also dissipated very quickly

TASTE:

(initial) slightly oak-ey, sweet, chocolate-ly taste

(body) medium body

(aftertaste) very little

Real Ale Brewhouse Brown Ale

I noticed beer in the fridge a parent's house when I went to visit after returning from my time abroad in the City (see NYC). The bottles (see here) have a very simple unpretentious, hand drawn pictures on their label, which I think is  definitely reflective of the company and a beer a whole. The Brewhouse Brown isn't the most complex flavour trip you are going to go on, but I don't think it has to be.

verdict: check it out.

Year: 2011

ABV: 5.4%

From: half pint poured from bottle

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: khaki coloured foam – very slight, dissipated very quickly

COLOUR: chocolate brown

SMELL: deep roasted, burnt hops, slightly nutty

TASTE:

(initial) roasted hoppy taste, dry with hints of coffee

(body) medium body

(aftertaste) slightly acidic

Brooklyn Brown Ale

Over the summer, while living in one of (if not my favourite cities: New York) I had to take a trip down to my favourite brewery, the eponymous* Brooklyn Brewery, in Williamsburg. While there I had went on their free tour, which while not really taking you through the brewery is still pretty awesome and I definitely recommend it. The history of the brewery is incredibly fascinating but that is for another post, and another time.

The reason why I bring all this up though, is because while I was there I took it upon myself to sample one their beers (even though it was just after 10:00am). Though they had a huge variety of taps available, including limited release brews only ever sold in the brewery itself such as the brewmaster's reserves, but I decided to go with the relatively conventional Brown Ale. Not much else to say actually, like all of their beers that I've sampled, it's a great brew, and if your a fan of more medium bodied beers, I definitely check it out.

*just go with me, yeah?

Year: 2011

ABV: 5.6%

From: On Draft, and poured into plastic cup

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: very small, light tan bubbles, creamy

COLOUR: warm medium brown, translucent

SMELL: light hoppy taste, hints of fruitness

TASTE:

(initial) hoppy, slightly fruity

(body) medium body

(aftertaste) sweet taste