Justintoxicated. - Vancouver, BC

Longboat Chocolate flavoured porter - Phillips Brewing, 5.2% ABV, (Victoria, BC, Canada)

Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast, cocoa powder, and chocolate flavour. May contain milk ingredients

My notes:

My Rating: C+
Why it’s okay: authentic choco flavour but watery
Where I got it: Legacy Liquor (?)
How much: $6 (after 10%) , 650ml., Winter 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: no

Tasting notes: pours coffee black, almost no head, thin ringed retention, a couple of slow-moving CO2 streams. Cocoa powder and coffee on the nose. Disappointingly thin flavoured up front, transitions into chocolate/cocoa, super light malts, light roasted coffee, light cream, but an awfully thin and watery body and backbone. Finishes mellow roasted bitter with burpy CO2. Medium complexity, low-medium depth, good transitions, so-so carry, decent drinkability. Nose is better than the actual taste, not much oompth there.

Mr. Brown’s Mashing Pumpkin Winter Ale, 8% ABV, (Mission, BC)

Ingredients: water, malted barley, hops, yeast, pumpkin, demerara sugar, maple syrup, spices.

My notes:

My Rating: B-
Why I like: spiced pumpkin flavour with depth & carry
Where I got it: Legacy Liquor
How much: $9 (after 10%) , 650ml., 11/2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours light golden brown, decent foamy head, ultra-long thick retention, clutter active CO2 streams on one side only. Spiced pumpkin on the nose. Lots of sourness up front, flavours of pumpkin, cinnamon, maple syrup, cola, malts, sarsparilla, finishes lingering medium bitter. Medium-high complexity, medium depth, good transitions, good carry, okay drinkability. Not digging the sourness, somewhat unbalanced.

Black Butte 23rd Birthday Reserve - Deschutes, 10.8.% ABV, (Bend, Oregon)

On the front and back label:

“Black Butte XXIII: Porter brewed with cocoa nibs, orange and natural flavors added, with 25% aged in Bourbon Barrel. XXIII. So where to next? What’s 2011’s rich imperial take on Black Butte Porter? Just for kicks, you dream. Orange zest perhaps? From Spanish Oranges, Seville, to be exact. And Chocolate nibs. Pampered nibs from the artisanal alchemists at Theo’s. Maybe some chilies? Pasilla Negra only, please. That would be crazy wouldn’t it? Welcome to crazy. Get it while you can.”

My notes:

My Rating: A+
Why I like: wow amazing unique flavour
Where I got it: Brewery Creek
How much: $30 , 1pt 6 fl.oz., 10/2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: yes
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours jet black, minimal head, micro CO2, thin ringed retention. A lot of coffee, caramel and malts on the nose. This beer is an OMG beer. Bold flavours of malted caramel up front, smooth 6/10-sweetness level milk chocolate, orange oil in the background, orange peel near the finish along with a spicy peppery finish. Toffee from the bourbon barrel aging, and a bit of roast coffee as well. High complexity, high depth, excellent transitions, excellent carry, long length, excellent drinkability. The ABV is well hidden and this is a delight to drink. Try it before I buy all of the rest available.

Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne (France)

Notes: initially very active co2 streams, later slow moving delicate bubbles. Green apples in the nose. Green apple flavour, very tart, melon, 5/10 sweetness, long finish.

Hr. Frederiksens Væsel (Weasel) Brunch (Imperial Stout)- Mikkeller, 10.7% ABV, (Denmark)

My notes:

My Rating: A
Why I like: great body, texture, and flavour
Where I got it: Firefly
How much: $20 , 50cl, 3/2012
Do I love this enough to drink it again: maybe with friends
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours jet black, nice frothy foamy head, micro CO2. Massive roasted coffee nose. Right away there is a burst of roasted coffee, bitter milk chocolate, demerara sugar, figs, prunes, cocoa nibs, burnt malts, all the while with a very whipped creamy mouthfeel, and subdued alcohol even though you can detect its presence. Finish is ultra-long and a sharp bitter lingering coffee bitter. High complexity, high depth, excellent transitions, excellent carry, great drinkability. It is very similar to their beer geek brunch.

Sparkling Riesling NV - Dr. Loosen, 12% ABV, (Germany)

On the back label:

“Sparkling wine has a rich tradition in the Old World. This one is made from crisp, fruity Riesling, the grape that made Germany famous. Try it and see what it does for your world. Pop. Clink. Sparkle!”

My notes:

My Rating: C-
Why I don’t like: overly sweet and cloying
Where I got it: BC Liquor stores
How much: $18 , 750ml, 2012
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to Champagne aficionados: no way

Tasting notes: pours clear light yellow, a multitude of super-active CO2 streams, large CO2 bubbles. Sugary white table grape and green apple on the nose. Sugar hits you right away, 8/10-level sweetness (03 on the BCL scale), much too sweet and unbalanced, tastes of white grape, candied green apple, but fights with the alcohol for presence on the palate. Sugar and alcohol flood the palate all at once. Not that enjoyable.

Gose - Upright Brewing, 5.2% ABV

“A wheat beer brewed with coriander and salt”

My notes:

My Rating: B+
Why I like: good body for low ABV
Where I got it: Brewery Creek (?)
How much: ~$12 , 1 pt. 9.4 fl.oz., 2010
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours clear amber yellow with a sizable thick foamy head, some retention, lots of active CO2 streams, sticky lacing. Bright sweet wheaty malts and apricot on the nose. 7/10-level sweetness fruity banana, apricot up front, great fullness, medium malts, yeast, coriander in the background, creamy mouthfeel, and the salt kicks in near the finish, which is clean, crisp, and leaves only a hint of roughness on the tongue. Medium complexity, medium depth, great transitions, great carry, great drinkability. Great balance of flavours and texture.

Crooked Tooth - Phillips Brewing , 5% ABV, (Victoria, BC, Canada)

“brewed with pumpkin and spices”

My notes:

My Rating: C+
Why I like: nice spices
Where I got it: BC Liquor Stores
How much: $6 , 650ml, Halloween, 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours clear orange with a shade of brown, almost zero head, a few slow-moving CO2 streams. Baked pumpkin pie on the nose. Tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, light caramel up front, tingly-creamy mouthfeel, but body fizzles in the mids to the finish. Finishes watery, malty, and leaves a roughness on the tongue. Medium complexity, medium depth, good transitions, okay carry, good drinkability. A decent pumpkin ale, not the best, but worthy of trying once.

Con-Fusion 2009 - Stag’s Hollow, 13.2% ABV, (Okanagan, BC, Canada)

On the back label:

“A heady nose of lycee [sic], melons and the perfume of Spring blossoms, leads to a delightful palate of ripe melons, grapefruit, Asian pears and Turkish Delight candy. Best enjoyed well chilled on the patio with sunshine and good friends. Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Muscat.”

My notes:

My Rating: C+
Why it’s okay: fruity sweet but cloying
Where I got it: VQA Kensington
How much: ~$20 , 750ml, 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to wine aficionados: nah

Tasting notes: pours clear light golden yellow. Alcohol and bright green melon on the nose. Drinks very fruity up front, notes of lychee, stone fruit, melon, all the while mixed with the alcoholic backdrop. Medium-cloying sugars in the mid and finishes slightly salty. Can’t say it’s super-refreshing but at least it is quite drinkable.

Chouffe, (Belgium)

Verdict : 1st Place - La Chouffe, 2nd) Houblon 3rd) Mc Chouffe

1) Mc Chouffe, 8% ABV

My notes:

My Rating: B
Why I love it: malty rich
Where I got it: Legacy Liquor
How much: $4 , 330ml, 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours dark root beer brown, small head ,sticky lacing, micro CO2, lots of active CO2 streams. Medium malts on the nose. Tastes of malted caramel, alcohol kicks in the mids, 8/10-level heavy sweetness, a bit of roastedness, mild cinnamon/nutmeg spices, cola, silky creamy mouthfeel, finishes rich deep bitter but also alcoholic. Medium complexity, med-high depth, good transitions, good carry, good drinkability. No wow-factor here; I prefer the La Chouffe or the Houblon.

2) La Chouffe, 8% ABV

My notes:

My Rating: B+
Why I love it: super smooth and crisp
Where I got it: Legacy Liquor
How much: $4 , 330ml, 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours clear dark amber, almost no head, micro CO2. Minor malts on the nose. 7/10-level sweetness, alcoholic backdrop, sweet malts, honey, chamomile, orange, cinnamon, coriander, creamy mouthfeel, tingly CO2, clean finish with only traces of bitterness. Medium complexity, medium depth, great transitions, good carry, great drinkability. Like the Houblon but without the long lingering bitter finish.

3) Houblon Chouffe - Dobbelen IPA tripel, 9% ABV

My notes:

My Rating: B+
Why I love it: smoothly crisp
Where I got it: Legacy Liquor
How much: $4 , 330ml, 2011
Do I love this enough to drink it again: no
Would I recommend this to beer aficionados: yes

Tasting notes: pours bright amber yellow, small head, micro CO2. Medium malts on the nose. Burst of 8/10-level sweetness up front, alcoholic malts, orange citrus, dry hops, pine, ends with a long lingering bitter finish. Medium complexity, medium depth, good transitions, good carry, good drinkability. All-around solid tripel.