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

review: Widmer Brothers Drop Top Amber Ale

Today's beer adventure: Widmer Brothers Drop Top Amber Ale (Oregon, USA). 355ml bottle. 5.3% 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 yellow amber with one finger of quickly dissipating head. High carbonation in glass. Nose is sweet toasted malt, bread, fruity hops.

The flavour is right back to the malt, then honey followed up immediately by orange, slight lemon, bit of grapefruit. The fruitiness of the hops is there, but really not much of the bitterness - just enough to cut through the sweetness.  Light, sparkly mouthfeel.

Rating is 7.0/10 dogs. Good amber. Rob and I tried this at his home previously and we both very much enjoyed it. Refreshing beer without having to compromise on taste.

What other people think: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8/8917/
Brewer's website: http://widmerbrothers.com/beer/#drop-top-amber

review: Paddock Wood Bête Noire

Today's beer adventure: Paddock Wood Bête Noire Oatmeal Stout (Saskatoon, SK). 355ml bottle. 5.4% ABV. Served in pint glass. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina. Approx $3.75/bottle.

The pour is *black* with a small amount of tan head. Medium/high carbonation. Great lacing. Nose is espresso, dark chocolate, slight dark fruits, liquorice and roasty malty sweetness.

The flavour is big plum off the top, raisin, dark roasted malt, pumpernickel bread, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, walnut(?). Long, bitter, dry finish. Light/medium mouthfeel.

Rating is 8.5/10 dogs. I love this beer. I am a big fan of oatmeal stouts anyways, but this one is fantastic. Paddock Wood is a tremendous, imaginative brewery that just keeps putting out fantastic beer. 

What other people think: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/paddock-wood-bete-noire-oatmeal-stout/69188/
Brewer's website: http://www.paddockwood.com/our-beer#menu1

review: Žatec Dark Lager

Today's beer adventure: Žatec Dark Lager (Czech Republic). 500ml bottle. 5.7% ABV. Served in pint glass. Purchased Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina ~$7.00/bottle

The pour is a dark, almost black, with ruby highlights. Two fingers of tan head. Medium carbonation. Nose is sweet and malty with a bit of liquorice.

The flavour is sweet malt, then the liquorice. Not much else for me. Finish is short, a bit roasty and a slight bit bitter. I get a metallic taste through the backend as well..not sure what that is about.

Rating is 6.75/10 dogs. S'OK. Good beer. Wold buy it if I saw it on tap somewhere and there were few other options. Wouldn't run out to buy another bottle tomorrow either, but it's good. Easy to drink.

What other people think: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4106/57920/

review: Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock

Today's beer adventure: Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock (California, USA). 355ml bottle. 7.0% ABV. Served in pint glass. Purchased at during our last trip to Plentywood for "supplies". About $12.00 for 6 once you get them across the border.

The pour is reddish amber topped with a quickly dissipating white head. High carbonation. No lacing. Nose is big toffee, caramel and sweet malt with a bit of apple/pear and some spices as well.

The flavour is soft and honey-sweet, but in a very good way. The toffee works it's way in there as does a slight bit of orange and lime(?). Honey-roasted peanuts. Cloves? 

Rating is 7.5/10 dogs. This beer is what bocks are about - malty sweetness done just right. Nice bock. Very tasty. Love the mouthfeel....almost mead-like. Yummy.

What other people think: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/gordon-biersch-blonde-bock/2447/
More about the brewery: http://www.gordonbiersch.com/brewery/blondebock.html