Tag Archives: earthy

Barley Wine (2017 Vintage) – Longwood Brewery

by Mike

From Nanaimo’s Longwood Brewery comes their “Barley Wine” a barrel aged beer from the 2017 Vintage.  The beer pours a deep chestnut colour with a brown head.  The aroma consists of roasted malts, dark fruits, brown sugar, vanilla and sweetness.  The flavour is of dark fruits, roasted malts, treacle, syrupy, brown sugar, sweetness, earth and some bitterness with some alcohol in the finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 11.5% with an IBU of 45.  This was an interesting English Barley Wine and I look forward to trying it again sooner than later.

Commercial Description:  Steeped in lore and tradition, this special annual brew can be enjoyed now or cellared to futher mature.  Mahogany brown with a vast shattering attack of malt, hints of raisin, vanilla and a bitter sweet chocolate finish.  This well aged ale (8 months in oak) is a great finish to any dining experience or simply by itself.  Best enjoyed at cellar temperature.

Dark Side Russian Imperial Stout (Cellared 1 Year) – Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks

by Mike

From Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks in Richmond comes their “Dark Side Russian Imperial Stout” from the December 2016 Vintage a beer I have had in my cellar for a year.  The beer pours an opaque black with a brown head.  The aroma consists of roasted malts, chocolate, pine and some floral hops.  The flavour is of roasted malts, chocolate, earth, ash, caramel, toffee, pine, resin and alcohol with bitterness in the finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 9.9% with an IBU of 40.  I wish this was not my last bottle in my cellar as it was really tasty and had aged well loosing its almost Imperial Black IPA notes.

Holliewood Oyster Stout – Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub

by Mike

From Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub in Victoria BC comes the “Holliewood Oyster Stout”.  If you have a shellfish allergy you will want to skip this beer as it used Ocean Wise Oysters in the brewing process.  The beer pours a deep black colour with a brown head.  The aroma consists of roasted malts, chocolate, salty and some sweetness.  The flavour is of roasted malts, chocolate, toffee, earth, mild bitter, ash and some salt.  The alcohol content comes in at 7.6% with and IBU of 20.  I don’t know if this would pair well with Oysters as I do not like them but I sure as hell liked this brew.

Commercial Description:  Oysters and stout have a rich history as food for the masses.  With a creamy rich texture and briny finish from the oysters and a roast bitterness from the malt, this heavyweight stout was brewed with three additions of prime fresh oysters from our friends at Hollie Wood Oysters in Fanny Bay BC.  The world is yours.  And yes, there really are oysters in this beer!

Tombstone Piledriver Black IPA – Kettle River Brewing Co

by Mike

From Kettle River Brewing in Kelowna comes their “Tombstone Piledriver Black IPA” a Cascadian Dark Ale.  The beer pours a more or less opaque black colour with a brown head.  The aroma consists of some roasted malts, tropical fruit, citrus and a floral hops finish.  The flavour is of roasted malts, earth, resin, pine, tropical fruits, citrus and a big bitterness finish.  The beer is really balanced between the fruits and roasted malts.  The alcohol content comes in at a nice strong 8.7%.  This lands right in my wheel house for Cascadian Dark Ales as it still feels like and IPA and not a very roasty stout.

Cherry IPA – Strathcona Beer Company

by Mike

From Strathcona Beer Company in Vancouver comes their “Cherry IPA” a Cascadian Dark Ale.  The beer pours a deep black with a brown head.  The aroma consists of mild roasted malts, cherry and floral hops.  The flavour is of roasted malts, ash, earth, cherries, sweetness and medium bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 7.3%.  I was surprised this was a Black IPA as it didn’t say it on the can but I enjoyed this one for sure.