Trent In Canada

[Trent]

Gday, and a merry chrissy from my "other" home, Canadia.
Figured that I might aswell start a thread on my next 3 weeks in Canadia (and a few days in Southern Germany). I am over here for chrissy with my (soon to be) in-laws, and my wedding on New Years Eve, in a town called Vernon, in the central interior of BC. They make some pretty good wine here, it is in the Okanagan Valley, which is very similar to the Hunter Valley, but has about 200 lakes. Gets to 45C+ sometimes in summer, and last week was -25C. This thread will be a way of keeping my brewing mates up to date with my trip, though I will keep my stories to a minimum to avoid it becoming a bit of a wank about my holiday. This thread has been put in beer reviews for the sole reason I would like to write as much as I can about as many beers as I can taste, that way anyone that ever wants to go to canada will have a reasonable idea of what beers they will want to try first. So, on top of wine, this area makes some pretty good beer too.
So, all is well, there is snow outside, I am heading up the mountain to board tomorrow (boxing day), and will make sure to try as many beers as possible. I will try and include as many pics as possible aswell, but my camera is currently not downloading onto the computer, so it may be a day or two till I can get some pics up, but they will be up.
Hope ya like the reviews, and get some info out of em for any trip ya may be planning.
All the best
Trent

 

[Trent]

Here are some pics of the first lot of beers I bought. Couple of ring ins in there (like the oud bruin), but most are canadian. First up are the beers I bought, and then there is the good old back yard fridge. Not limited to canada, I am pretty sure everywhere with a cold winter utilises this procedure, but I figured it was pretty funny, so I had to include the pics. You just have to be careful not to leave em too long, or they will get too cold, and make sure to leave the beers not in the snow, but next to the house, overnight. If it is gonna get below about -5C overnight, though we did hit a low of -15C on night and had left all the beers outside next to the house, but none of em popped, thank god.
All the best
Trent

 

[Trent]

PHILLIP'S OATMEAL STOUT
Didnt get a pic of it in the glasss, fair to say though, it was black as the ace of spades.
As far as the flavour goes, it had all the elements of a good stout, plenty of roast flavour, and plenty of mouthfeel. I dont recall any hop aroma or flavour, but it was very clean and well made (like all matt Phillip's beers). If you like stouts, then obviously hit this one up.
It was about $4.30 for a 640mL bottle

 

[Trent]

UNIBROUE'S La MAUDITE (The Damned, according to Les)
750mL bottle, all corked and caged, for $4.95. 8% alcohol, and I believe it is a dubbel (this is the brewery where Wyeast gets it Canadian-Belgian yeast from.)
Well, it is a deep, cloudy, burnished copper in colour, and the head quickly disspiates to a ring around the glass, though it's quite likely the glassware. The aroma is of fruity esters, plums(?), and spicy phenols. As a matter of fact, it smells quite similar to chimay red or any of the other belgian ales like that. There is also alcohol evident in the nose, though it is not hot. The fruitiness and phenols translate into the flavour, and the alcohol gives a good warming, without being hot. There is plenty of malt there, though the body is med-light, and the carbonation is fairly spritzy. Something you could drink a whole bottle of qiute easily, and not know it was 8% until you tried to stand up. Highly recommended, and perfect as a heart starter on xmas day. Them frenchies certainly know how to brew

 

[hockadays]

If you get to vancouver try the steamboat brewery. very cool....

hockers

 

[tipsy_mcstagger]

Try to get to Jasper, I was there xmas 05 and they have a great micro brewery. I had been in Cologne a few months before and the Kolche in Jasper was identical to colgne. They were both fantastic by the way. We tried a few other beers there and they were all great.

Tipsy

 

[Trent]

Dont have time to head to Jasper, or van, unfortunately, I am gonna be pushing to get in 6 days of boarding in the next couple of weeks! I will keep me eye out for steamboat beers in the booze shops here, and also anything from jasper. But I know there are heaps of good micro's here, so will try my best to cover em all :beerbang:
Trent

 

[Screwtop]

Great idea Trent, appreciate the updates. Have a look at 2006 Canada Cup Of Beer for some of the lesser known breweries. We need something like this here is OZ. What a holiday mate good on ya!

Even some VB in this shot Cup of beer stall

 

[Ross]

Hi Trent,

With family having recently migrated to Canada, I'm hoping to visit either this year or next, so look forward you reviews with added interest...

P.S. Sounds a lovely setting for a wedding, hope it turns out perfect for you both...

cheers Ross

 

[Trent]

Thanks guys
Currently sipping away on a very anticipated beer, PHILLIP'S BURLEY WINE (barley wine style, Christmas seasonal release). IMO this guy is one of the most talented brewers in Canada, and this beer certainly doesnt disappoint. It isnt the usual american style barleywine with a 100+ IBU level, and hopping to burn your nostrils, it is much more subdued, and very well balanced. The blurb on the bottle only says is is as "subtle as a brick to the face, this beer is red in colour and low on carbonation". It appears almost black or dark brown, low head, and held up the the light it is a beautiful crystal clear ruby red. The aroma is of a very subdued alcohol aroma, and a really firm malty sweetness, with hints of raisins and prunes, There are no real fruity esters, and no real hop aroma. The flavour is fairly similar to the flavour, malty and sweet, but not too sweet. Nice and chewy, yet reasonably thin bodied for a barleywine. the alsohol lends a slight warming in the belly, but is so well hidden in the beer that I dont think anybody could pick it for its 11.5% boot in the teeth. The bitterness is quite low, I couldnt even hazard a guess (oh, maybe 35?), but just enough to keep the beer from being too sweet. Everyhting comes into play and bounces off each other, making this one of the best barleywines I have had (considering what a difficualt style it really is). Doesnt have the "WOW" factor you will find in some barleywines, but extremely well crafted.
I have a few other reviews to type, but have to head to the pub now.
All the best
Trent

 

[Trent]

FAT CAT BREWING'S OLD BAD CAT (barleywine - Christmas seasonal)
12% alcohol, apparently aged in bourbon barrles for a while. Poured a deep ruby amber with a low hed, from the low carbonation, and it had a very malty smell to it. there wasnt too much hop aroma going on, but it had a fair malty smell to it. The maltiness wasnt as big as I would usually expect in a barleywine, though the bitterness is fairly low to allow it to shine through more. It is certainly a big beer, though there was a funny sharpness to the taste that I found a little off putting, as opposed to clean maltiness. Not to say it was bad, but I dont think it was quite to my tastes. The only thing I could think of after the alcohol leaked out of my brain is the oak bourbon barrels it was aged in may have added a slight tartness. I couldnt relly pick up any bourbon notes in it, but I still have another bottle up my sleeve, and will try it out again with some beer savvy friends.
Trent

 

[Trent]

CRANNOG BREWING'S BACK HAND OF GOD (stout)
After 4 hours of hurtling down the runs at silver star, lunch at the pub was in order. All the beers they had were lagers and pale's, except the one the waitress described as a "really dark stout". Maybe she had done the BJCP course Anyway, it looked exactly like a stout, pitch black, and a nice tan head. No hop aroma, just roast barley, along with other malty smells, and coffee with some hints of chocolate. Perfect. Suspected a dry stout, which was confirmed with my first sip, plenty of body, heaps of flavours dancing around in there, not too over the top roasty, kinda offset with the coffee/chocolate notes, and dry enough in the finish to make you want another mouthful. Bitterness was there in good balance, allowing the bitterness of the roasted malts to take up the slack. My first 400mL glass was gone before I knew it, and I needed to order another to have with my lunch. Excellent stout, I think, perfect to warm you up on a winters day. I couldnt really feel any alcohol, so figured it was around the 4% mark. Actually reminded me alot of Gough's dry stout offering in the xmas in July case, extremely drinkable, full of flavour and well balanced. I have since found out it is only avaialable on draught, and in certain pubs in the BC province (state). The stout is actually 5.2% alc (well hidden), only 18IBU, and all their beers are certified organic, so no-one will ever be able to tell me you cant make a great beer with organic products!. They have 3 regular beers, and a few seasonals. Well worth a drink.
Trent

 

[Trent]

OKANAGON SPRINGS IPA
OK spring is the local brewery here in Vernon, it USED to be a micro, but is now more of a macro, and makes beers accordingly (much lower in flavour, bitterness, etc... than the style demands) Anyway, their IPA isnt a bad offering, though brewed to take advantage of the widest market possible. The hop aroma is fairly subdued, so I am not quite convinced it is dry hopped. It is very pale, kinda in the way LCPA is very pale compared to most hombrewed (and alot of commercial) pales. The hop flavour is the first thing that hits you, it is quite lively and fruity, so I can only assume a large dose of hops late in the kettle. It is a hard flavour to pin down, though I would take a punt on a mix of cascade and amarillo. The bitterness just isnt there, unfortunately, it is more like a decent pale ale, but the bitterness is probably even a touch low for that. It was a very clean beer, it reminded me alot of LCPA, but with amarillo thrown in for some hop complexity. By the end of the beer, as it was warming, I found it was getting a bit "old" on my palate, so I didnt go back for another. But then again, what can I expect after starting the night out on a barleywine!
Certainly worth a crack if there isnt much else in the pub, and for mine, it is probably "spring's" best offering.
Trent

 

[Trent]

BIG ROCK'S GRASSHOPPER (wheat beer)
After my IPA, I decided to try this wheat beer, seeings as it was the only other beer on the menu in this pub that was of any real interest (except the coors light of course!). They served it with a slice of lemon, so I was expecting a hefeweizen, but I am still not too sure what it actually was! I tried it with the lemon to start with, and all I could taste was lemon, like when you squeeze lime into a corona. The beer itself is filtered and crystal clear, so it didnt even look like a hefe. I tried another bottle with no lemon, and that was better, it had a low wheat taste, reallly, it had a low bitterness (obviously) and no real hop flavour or aroma. It was a clean tasting beer, light in body and went down way to quickly. I could probably describe it as a little watery, but it would be perfect for a summers arvo. Nothing too spectacular, but quite easy to drink, something even the non beer drinking missus would be happay to share.
All the best
Trent

 

[T.D.]

BIG ROCK'S GRASSHOPPER (wheat beer)
After my IPA, I decided to try this wheat beer, seeings as it was the only other beer on the menu in this pub that was of any real interest (except the coors light of course!). They served it with a slice of lemon, so I was expecting a hefeweizen, but I am still not too sure what it actually was! I tried it with the lemon to start with, and all I could taste was lemon, like when you squeeze lime into a corona. The beer itself is filtered and crystal clear, so it didnt even look like a hefe. I tried another bottle with no lemon, and that was better, it had a low wheat taste, reallly, it had a low bitterness (obviously) and no real hop flavour or aroma. It was a clean tasting beer, light in body and went down way to quickly. I could probably describe it as a little watery, but it would be perfect for a summers arvo. Nothing too spectacular, but quite easy to drink, something even the non beer drinking missus would be happay to share.
All the best
Trent

G'day Trent. I go to Calgary quite a bit where Big Rock is brewed. The Grasshopper is definitely not a traditional wheat beer - I find it to be more like a slightly more wheaty version of Coopers pale ale. I have been known to knock a few of these back, but I reckon the pick of the Bigrock range is good old "Traditional Ale". This is exactly the kind of beer I likened your case swap entry to (although your beer was a tad darker). Great beer for the cold Canada winters!

Also, keep your eye out for the "Hop Head IPA" by Tree Brewing - its a great American IPA!

 

[Tseay]

Amen to the Hop Head Ale. Also look out for the Alley Cat Dopplebock (Seasonal) and Barley Wine.

 

[Trent]

Gday all
Just went and picked up a new load of beers at the Kelowna store (second largest one in BC), but they were all out of Tree. I have previously preferred the regular Tree pale to the Hop Head, I think it has similar flavour and aroma levels, but is a bit more balanced. Will see soon enough though, and will definitely keep an eye out for the seasonals. T.D, I too like the Trad Ale, but for some reason, they didnt carry it, only about 30 megaswill types. Anyway, on to the next review (if you could call it that!)

CANNERY BREWING'S ANARCHIST AMBER ALE
Crystal clear light amber colour, even paler than some of the pale ale's around, funny how these 2 styles can overlap in colour. Fairly sweet and complex malt aroma, with definite notes of toffee and biscuit. Medium low hop aroma that is slightly citrusy, (but not like the traditional "C" hops) and fruity, that allows the malt aroma's to shine through, yet just adds to the overall complexity. The beer is very smoot, and has a caramelly/toffee flavour, and again, just enough fruitiness from the hops to add just a little something that goes very well. It is a fairly low bitternes, allows the malt sweetness to be at the forefront, yet balances it enough to not let it be cloying. The body is medium to full, but it doesnt give a filling sensation (in the one 650mL bottle I had), and I am left with a thirst for the next and the impression that you could happily drink this beer all night, without getting full or tiring your palate. Another excellent beer.
Brewed in Penticton, BC. 5.5%alc, 650mL bottle $4.50

Trent

 

[Trent]

UNIBROUE'S BLANCHE DE CHAMBLY (Chambly white, cause they come from Chambly, quebec)

Bready wheat malt aroma competing with dried orange and coriander seed. Pale and cloudy in appearance, slight tartness in flavour with the same components as aroma. Med-low body, moderately high carbonation, low bitterness. This is pretty much the Canadian version of Hoegaarden, and it is very bloody good, though maybe a bit sweeter and less tart than the original. Quite looking forward to an evening on this, well worth the purchase.
6 pack of 341mL bottles $11.75

 

[Trent]

UNIBROUE'S LA FIN DU MONDE (The end of the world)
I think that this beer is a belgian golden strong ale? It is slightly cloudt, possibly cause of the handling of the bottle, and a deep golden colour, with a thick white head that slowly dissipates. It smells of sweet pils malt, with honey and (possibly) light vanilla tones, along with a very faint spiciness. The flavour is of a subdued maltiness, and a very faint taste of honey and spicy phenols. There is a definite Belgian yeast taste in there, and the alcohol makes it presence known and felt, though it is not hot. The beer is very smooth, and quite highly carbonated, making it very effervescent in the mouth, and leaving some carbonic bite. the body is quite thin for a beer of this size at med-low, I guess cause of the carbonation, and the use of candi sugar? There isnt much that really sticks out about this beer except that all the flavours blend well, and it is stupidly easy to drink. And for a beer of 9.5% alc, that could be a dangerous thing :blink: Anyway, Les the Weizguy told me he loves this beer, and I can see why, especially as it warms. The word exceptional comes to mind, but maybe I am just easy to please
Anyway, bottles are 650mL and cost $5.95.
Did I mention how much I am enjoying my holiday? :beerbang: :super:
All the best (should be the last post from me for 18 hours or so..)
Trent

 

[bigfridge]

Did I mention how much I am enjoying my holiday? :beerbang: :super:

Trent,

Only once or twice !

But I must mention how much I am enjoying your descriptions - you certainly have been practising your beer vocabulary.

Makes it as good as being there ........ well almost.

Getting close to the big day !

Dave