Tag Archives: funk

Sanctuary – Steamworks Brewing (Blasted Church Vineyards)

by Mike

From Steamworks Brewing in Burnaby BC in collaboration with Blasted Church Vineyards in Okanagan Falls comes their “Sanctuary” a Saison with Gewurztraminer Grape Must.  The beer pours a cloudy yellow colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of citrus, yeast, spices, Gewurztraminer Grape and wheat.  The flavour is of lemony citrus, spices, wheat, yeast funk, mild Gewurztraminer Grape and pith.  The alcohol content comes in at 7.5%.  This is an absolutely delicious blend of both beer and wine.  Make sure to rush out and buy your bottles before it sells out.

Commercial Description:  Trying to decide between a glass of wine or pint of beer? Now you can have both, with the release of “SANCTUARY”; the heavenly new collaboration beer from Steamworks Brewing Co. and Blasted Church Vineyards. Sanctuary is a bottle conditioned Saison featuring Gewürztraminer grape must and is a departure from the ordinary for both producers.  The making of the beer has been a true labour of love for the brewers and vintners involved. The process started with Blasted Church pressing fresh Gewürztraminer grape must from their Okanagan Valley fall 2017 harvest. The must was then rushed to Steamworks brewery and added during fermentation within 24 hours. The beer was then bottle conditioned for over 2 months in a special facility kept at an optimal temperature.  All of this effort has led to a truly unique and spectacular flavour profile. Subtle grape and fruit notes give way to an effervescent mouthfeel and dry finish with a floral yet mildly spicy saison character.

 

 

Kriek (Fellowship 2017) – Strange Fellows Brewing

by Mike

From Strange Fellows Brewing in Vancouver comes their third of four beer of 2017 in their Fellowship Club the “Kriek” a Lambic Style Ale.  The beer pours a red colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of cherries, berries, tart funk, oak and sweetness.  The flavour is of with a dry finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 6%.  This is one great beer and possibly my favourite of the Fellowship so far.

Commercial Description:   With the Holiday season just around the corner, we are excited to announce that today the third beer in this year’s Fellowship will be ready for pick up! The beer, a Kriek-inspired ale aged in oak barrels with Okanagan cherries is a style we have always adored and this is, we feel, an homage to a tradition that has inspired us for years.  Kriek is the Flemish word for a Lambic beer made with cherries, and Lambic is a class of sour beer made using spontaneous fermentation. Just as Champagne comes from a particular region of France, Lambic comes from the Pajottenland, a valley that runs from Brussels to the South West. Because Clark Drive is not in the Pajottenland, we classify this beer “Lambic-style” in respect of a centuries-old tradition. In our opinion these are some of the coolest beers in there world.  If you are familiar with the style, you will notice that our Kriek is a touch more sour than those examples from Belgian lambic producers Cantillon or Drie Fonteinen. When opening the bottle, you will be hit with aromas of vanilla, oak, and sweet cherries. The cherries we used impart a juicy fruit character, a touch of sweetness and cinnamon. Just as with the Little Red One, we recommend drinking this beer at cellar temperature rather than cold from the fridge.

Anno 2017 – Dageraad Brewing

by Mike

From Dageraad Brewing out of Burnaby BC comes their “Anno 2017″  a Strong Golden Ale brewed with Okanagan Pear and Coriander and conditioned with Brettanomyces.  The beer pours a cloudy golden colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of pear, mild funk, yeast and floral hops.  The flavour is of pears, coriander, citrus rind, spice, yeast, mild funk and a bitterness that round it out.  The alcohol content comes in at 8.5%.  This is a great beer every year but this years addition of Brettanomyces Claussenii will ensure this beer ages amazingly well and changes over time.  This bottle conditioned beer is already tasting amazing though.

Commercial Description:  Our annual celebratory year-end beer is slightly different this year. As always, it is a strong, golden ale brewed with Okanagan pears and Indian coriander. But this year, we have added Brettanomyces claussenii, a strain of yeast that brings funky, fruity flavours to the beer and slowly develops over time in the bottle, preserving the freshness of the beer and adding layers of complexity as it ages. Anno 2017 is refermented in the bottle, so pour with care to leave the yeast sediment in the bottle.

 

The Fraser – Steel & Oak Brewing (Four Winds Brewing)

by Mike

From Steel & Oak Brewing in New Westminster in collaboration with Delta’s Four Winds Brewing across the river comes “The Fraser” a pale ale fermented with Saccharomyces Trois.  The beer pours a cloudy orange colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of light tropical fruit, yeasty, mild funk and some floral hops.  The flavour is of mango, stone fruit, tropical fruit, citrus rind, yeast, mild funk with a dry not sweet finish.  There is very little bitterness in this brew.  The alcohol content comes in at 5.2% with an IBU of 24.  This beer is not going to punch you in the face with flavour but it is an excellently executed collaboration brew from two great breweries.

Commercial Description:  Fermented with Saccharomyces Trois yeast this Pale Ale was brewed with Amchoor (Green Mango spice) and hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Azacca, as well as some fresh Cashmere for good measure. The Fraser is fruity, tropical, and funk. Not as funky as the people who brewed it but still pretty funky.

Infinity Mirror Brett IPA – Halcyon Barrel House

by Mike

From Halcyon Barrel House in Vankleek Hill, Ontario part of the Beau’s All Natural Brewing family comes their “Infinity Mirror Brett IPA” the very first release from the brewery.  This is a brett fermented barrel aged beer that was then bottle conditioned.  The beer pours a cloudy orange with a white head.  The aroma consists of tropical fruits, barnyard funk and some floral hops.  The flavour is of tropical fruits such as pineapple, citrus, citrus rind, brettanomyces funk, red wine, oak, earth and some bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.2% with an IBU of 10.  To say this beer was good is a massive understatement.  This is an amazing Brett IPA and I hope to have the chance to try more from the Halcyon Barrel House in the future!