Terrible

This self-depreciating name comes from Quebec-based brewery, Unibroue. When in Canada, I tasted another one of Unibroue's creation's, their Maudite, an amber ale, and so when I saw that, especially given it's fantastic name, i just had to try it.

On to the brass tacks, though it's name is Terrible, the beer itself is not. A bit too hoppy for me, but none the less a good beer, especially if you like your beers a bit more complex. Final decision, come for the bottle, return for the beer.

Year: 2011

ABV: 10.5%

From: Form a 750ml bottle, and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: creamy, beige head, medium size

COLOUR: black, with a dark brown tint, opaque

SMELL: dark roasted hops, slight berry smell

TASTE:

(initial) comples, sweet roasted hops

(body) medium body

(aftertaste) slightly sweet taste

Bow Bugger Amber Ale

On my last full day in Canada this year, I ended up heading to this great new craft beer hotspot in Calgary called Beer Revolution. With fantastic specials like $2 bavarian pretzels on Tuesdays, and $4 truffle fries on Wednesday as well as tapping a cask every Friday! In addition their food (though it is a bit pricey and pretty limited) it is really phenomenal and if I live in Calgary, I would definitely be here at least once a week.

I went on a Wednesday, so in addition to getting cheap truffle fries, their home brews were $1 off, and so I grabbed me a 12 oz pour of Beer Revolution Bow Bugger Amber Ale. As a beer, it wasn't anything fantastic but, since I knew that it was made less then 30ft away from me and because I was having such a great time, I would definitely drink it again.

Year: 2011

ABV: 5.4%

From: On Draft, and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: creamy, beige head, medium size

COLOUR: dark amber, translucent

SMELL: hoppy

TASTE:

(initial) initally hoppy

(body) good body, hops mellows out into a sweet rich taste

(aftertaste) slightly bitter

Grizzly Paw sampler (9 beer reviews in one!)

Today I headed back from Kicking Horse in BC, back to Calgary in Alberta. Along the way, we stopped for Lunch at the Grizzly Paw, a great little brewery and restaurant that we have eaten at before on this route. Usually I just get a pint of one of the local brews, but since I was feeling especially adventurous (and I am very conscious of how far under my 52 beer review goal I am at this late stage in the game) I decided to go for the all-inclusive sampler and decided to review 'em all.

Given that these were all draft pours into 3oz glasses, in addition to my standard of skipping how the "foam" section, these reviews are going to pretty short and sweet, ending with a thumbs up, down or middling from me.

Powder Hound Pilsner

Colour: Pale yellow, transparent

Taste: Light Body, tastes like a traditional pilsner, aftertaste of corn

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: Some people like really watery light bodies beers, this is for you, not me.

Grumpy Bear Honey Wheat

Colour: Pale amber, transparent

Taste: Light Body, slightly sweet, slight taste of grains, slightly aftertaste of sour

Verdict: thumbs middling

Beaver Tail Raspberry Ale

Colour: Pale amber, cloudy

Taste: Light Body, bitter, RASPBERRY!, aftertaste of raspberry lingers

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: I dislike raspberry, if you do, you'll love this beer

Rutting Elk Red

Colour: Brown-deep red, transparent

Taste: Medium body, note very hoppy, a good standard red ale

Verdict: thumbs up

Big Head Nut Brown

Colour: Dark brown, transparent

Taste: Medium Body, sweet, but not cloying (slightly dry), slightly sour aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs down

Mooseknuckle Coffee Stout

Colour: Black-deep red,

Taste: Rich medium body, slightly chocolately, coffee with a strong espresso aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs up

Indra Island IPA

Colour: Dark amber, cloudy

Taste: Medium body, bitter, VERY hoppy, bitter aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: If you like hops, like a lot, a whole lot, you will love this, other wise, you've been warned

Unity Brew

Colour: Light amber, transparent

Taste: Medium Body, hoppy, bitter, dry,

Verdict: thumbs middling

NOTE: Though I wasn't the biggest fan of this brew, others at my table really loved it. Also it is worth noting that the name for this beer came from the fact that it a collaboration from 9 craft brewers in Alberta. This is the third year this special seasonal is being produced, and its proceeds go towards funding a great charities, all reasons enough on their own for you to give it a try

Mocha Porter

Colour: Black-deep brown,

Taste: Full Body, rich, very chocolate-y, sweet coffee, slightly bitter aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs up

NOTE: This beer is definitely not for quaffing down. From anywhere in its vicinity you can smell its intense chocolate-yness. It is a desert beer, clear and simple, and definitely a treat if you can find it.

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

Bourbon Barrel Stout

At my university, there is one bar on campus. Even though, the can only sell beer, they have a pretty awesome selection (about 30-40 different bottles) and that is where this week's selection comes from.

It is a Bourbon Barrel Stout from the Clay Street Series by Bluegrass Brewery Company. Try as I might though, I cannot find anything about this beer on the internet, besides the fact it was aged in a barrel formerly used in the bourbon manufacturing process—something immediately evident upon opening the bottle.

Year: 2010

ABV: 8.6%

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

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: brown chocolately colour (very big foam) *pour very slowly it still foams

COLOUR: very dark brown, almost black

SMELL: very roasted, charred wood

TASTE:

(initial) roasted taste, leads into a hoppiness

(body) medium body, hints of coffee, charred taste of the barrel

(aftertaste) very hoppy, hint of bourbon, slightly sour

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