From Penticton BC’s Tin Whistle Brewing comes their “Extortionist Hazelnut Espresso Stout”. The beer pours a deep brown colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of espresso, chocolate, hazelnut, roasted malts and sweetness. The flavour is of big espresso notes, burnt malts, hazelnut, sweet toffee, chocolate and bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 5.5% with an IBU of 35. This is a really enjoyable Stout with a ton of flavour keep up the good work Tin Whistle Brewing.
From Beau’s All Natural Brewing in Vankleek Hill Ontario comes their “The Bottle Imp” Russian Imperial Coffee Stout. This brew is the 9th beer in Beau’s pro-am series. The beer pours an opaque black colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of coffee, ash, roasted malts and dark chocolate. The flavour is of bitter coffee, hops bitterness, earth, burnt malts, dark chocolate, hint of vanilla, ash with resin in the finish. The alcohol content comes in at 9% with an IBU of 81. If you enjoy a good bitter Russian Imperial Stout with a big coffee hit this one is definitely for you.
Commercial Description: The Bottle Imp is a strong, dark, roasty and rich creation. This rendition of a Russian Imperial Stout is also infused with a blend of Nicaraguan and Guatemalan fair-trade organic coffee. Complex and contemplative, and with well-integrated alcohol warmth, The Bottle Imp is best served in a snifter, sipped slowly and savoured. eau’s first brewed The Bottle Imp in 2013 as part of its Pro-Am Series. The recipe was co-created with David Thompson, who won the Toronto Beer Week Homebrew Contest and the prize of coming to Beau’s for a day to brew a beer. In 2014 The Bottle Imp took Bronze at the Canadian Brewing Awards, as well as first place at the National Organic Craft Beer Competition in California. The Russian Imperial Stout is brewed to weigh in high on alcohol, with the roasted, malty character typical of a stout. These imperial stouts were first brewed in England in the 18th century, and exported to Russia for the pleasure of Czarina Catherine II and her court. And the name? The Bottle Imp is a haunting turn-of-the-century tale by Robert Louis Stevenson about risking eternal damnation of the soul to have everything on earth one’s heart desires. We suggest pairing the beer and the story on a cold night by a crackling fire.
Food pairing as per the brewery: Pumpernickel bread, trifle, dark chocolate fondue, coffee cake, grilled steak, truffle-oil-infused mashed potatoes, & sharp cheddar or stilton.
From San Diego California’s AleSmith Brewing comes their “Speedway Stout”. The beer pours an opaque black colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of chocolate, molasses, toffee, coffee and ash. The flavour is of chocolate, toffee, molasses, ash, roasted coffee, burnt malts, brown sugar, earth, dark fruit and bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 12% with an IBU of 70. Well my first experience with AleSmith Brewing went really well. This beer is really tasty and I look forward to trying more beer from them. Its a good thing they are available in British Columbia now!
Commercial Description: Speedway Stout’s ominous, pitch-black appearance has become a hallmark of this modern-day classic. Chocolate and roasted malts dominate the flavor, supported by notes of dark fruit, toffee, and caramel. A healthy dose of locally-roasted coffee from Ryan Bros. Coffee, Inc. added to each batch brings out the beer’s dark chocolate flavors and enhances its drinkability. Despite its intensity, Speedway Stout’s fine carbonation and creamy mouthfeel make it very smooth and surprisingly easy to drink. This beer ages very well and will continue to mature for many years to come.
Food Pairing as per brewery: This beer’s great balance makes it a very food-friendly Imperial Stout. Pair its roasty flavors and robust mouthfeel with rich beef dishes and char-grilled foods. Both chocolate and vanilla desserts also pair well, as do salty blue cheeses like Stilton or hard nutty cheeses like aged Gouda and cloth-bound cheddars.
From Bomber Brewing in East Vancouver comes their “Absolute Horizon Cascadian Dark Ale”. The Black IPA pours a very deep brown colour with a light brown head. The aroma consists of roasted malts, earth, ash and floral hops. The flavour is of earth, ash, burnt malts, chocolate, grapefruit, citrus rind, tropical fruit, grassy hops and bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 6.5% with an IBU of 72. This is the way a CDA should be a mix of roast and fruits. So many of this style are just far to burnt and roasty.
Commercial Description: Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark, but there’s nothing to fear in this perfectly balanced Cascadian Dark Ale. the stellar mass that lies within forms a dichotomous darkness of Midnight Wheat and Chocolate Malts, punctuated by the presence of Galaxy, Horizon, Comet, and Apollo hops. This may just be the beer you’re looking for… So say we all…
From Strange Fellows Brewing Company in East Vancouver comes their “Boris Russian Imperial Stout” the first ever bottled release from the brewery. This beer was a collaboration with Brasserie Trois Dames from Switzerland brewed November 2014 and held in bourbon barrels until March 2016. This bottle I opened in January 2017 which makes it 1 year and 2 months old since its bottling date. The beer pours a black opaque colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of roasted malts, ash, chocolate, toffee, vanilla and oak. The flavour is of ash, burnt malts, roasted coffee, chocolate, toffee, vanilla, oak, bitterness and some alcohol. The alcohol content comes in at 9.5%. If you can find a bottle of this beer I would recommend picking it up as it is tasting really good right now.
Commercial Description: Swift & Silent, owl glides through the dark, his screech believed to portend death & misfortune. Some revere him as a messenger of the spirit world, an oracle of secret knowledge. Inspired by owl’s omniscience this barrel-aged stout penetrates the inky depths of the soul, illuminating unseen truths. A collaboration with Brasserie Trois Dams in Nov 2014, this was one of our very frist brews & has aged in Bourbon barrels ever since, developing a deep, dark, rich smoothness & leathery aroma.
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