review: Harviestoun Schiehallion Lager

Today's beer adventure: Harviestoun Schiehallion Lager (Scotland). 500ml bottle. 4.8% ABV. Served in a pint glass. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina.

The pour is yellow honey with 2 fingers of white head. Good retention. Medium carbonation. Nose is lightly toasted cereals, bread, light malt sweetness.

The flavour is sweet honey malt with a caramelly toasted malt backbone. Slight grassy hop bitterness near the finish. Finish is long and bittersweet. Medium mouthfeel.

Rating is 7.5 dogs. This lager has something I wasn't expecting - taste. The beer is enjoyable from the first pull until the last. Solid offering from the brewery that brought us Old Engine Oil Porter.

What other people think: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/harviestoun-schiehallion-bottle/11692/
Fun video review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emiz1u-SZkw
Brewer's website: http://www.harviestoun.com/

review: Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

Today's beer adventure: Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout (Yorkshire, UK). 550ml bottle. 5.0% ABV. Served in a goblet. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina. Can't remember how much it was...maybe $6.00?

The pour is dark brown with 3 fingers of thick, creamy, tan-coloured head. Low carbonation. Nose is bread, coffee, chocolate, toasted cereals.

The flavour is fan-freaking-tastic. The chocolate-covered coffee beans hit first, then a bit of raisin and date. Fig. Bitter, fruity hops on the finish. Smooth drinking, creamy mouthfeel.

Rating is 8.75/10 dogs. Holy crap this stuff is incredible. I've stated before that I am a fan of oatmeal stouts, but this one *might* be my favourite. Wow. Easy drinking and full of flavour. The glass begs you to come back for another pull. Yummy!

What other people think: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/113/571/
Brewer's website: http://www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/oatmealstout.html

review: Rogue Brutal IPA

Today's beer adventure: Rogue Brutal IPA (Oregon, USA). 650ml bottle. 5.8% ABV. Served in pint glass. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits. About $8.00/bottle

The pour is medium yellow/amber with three fingers of white head. High carbonation in glass. Nose is BIG pine, grapefruit, lemon, bread, slight orange, bit of caramel(?).

The flavour is pine sap/resin, grass, lemony hop...really bitter. The middle is the big bitterness. I was expecting to get kicked right out of the gate, but it builds to the bitter middle. The citrus is a bit cloying. Finish dies down quickly but lingers....and lingers. Medium mouthfeel.

Rating is 7.25/10 dogs. Good, bitter IPA, could use a little bit more citrus for me instead of hinting at it, but still solid.

What other people think: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/361/
Brewer's website: http://www.rogue.com/beers/brutal-bitter.php

review: Anderson Valley Brewing Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale

Today's beer adventure: Anderson Valley Brewing Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale (California, USA). 650ml bottle. 10.0% ABV(!). Served in tulip glass. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina. Can't remember how much $$.

The pour is dark amber red topped with a small amount of white head. High carbonation in the glass. Nose is sweet honey - almost mead-like, candied cherries, a bit grassy, biscuit.

The flavour is sweet malt with tangy fruitiness. Alcohol. Apples. Spiciness that I can't put my finger on - a bit like caribbean rum? Musty(?) Finish is shortish, dry, a bit boozy. Mouthfeel is very light, almost watery.

Rating is 8.0/10 dogs. Definitely not the type of Tripel that I am used to, with less of the dark fruit and bananas and more of the snappy crispness of apples and the sweetness of candy. The alcohol, while present, is not overpowering at all. That said, it does creep up on you. :) How YOU doin'? 

What other people think: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/anderson-valley-brother-davids-triple/34081/
Brewer's website: http://www.avbc.com/main/our-beers/brother-davids-triple-abbey-style-ale/

review: Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale

Today's beer adventure: Deschutes Green Lakes Organic Ale (Oregon, USA). 355ml bottle. 5.2% ABV. Served in pint glass. This bottle was given to me by my beer-loving co-worker Rob who purchased it during his driving holiday to Portland.

The pour is dark amber with a towering fluffy white head. Great lacing. Medium high carbonation in the glass. Nose is pine, a bit of grapefruit, some sweet malt.

The flavour is light piney, fruity hop with a solid malt backend. This brew is "west coast pale ale lite".  Some honey sweetness and a bit of pepper round it out. Relatively short and slightly bitter finish.

Rating is 7.0/10 dogs. Neat beer. It really doesn't lack in anything one would expect in a west coast IPA style beer, but it is just a little less. VERY sessionable. I do wish I had more as this would be a fantastic hot day deck beer.

What other people think: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/deschutes-green-lakes-organic-ale/78127/
Brewer's website: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/green-lakes-organic-ale