Tag Archives: imperial

Cannon Fodder Barley Wine – Fort Garry Brewing Co

by Mike

From Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Fort Garry Brewing Co comes their “Cannon Fodder Barley Wine” brewed with smoked malt.  The beer pours a deep reddish colour with a brown head.  The aroma consists of mild smoke, roasted malts, caramel and dark fruits.  The flavour is of smoked malts, brown sugar, roasted malts, dark fruits, resin, bitterness, caramel and Belgian yeast.  The alcohol content comes in at 11% with an IBU of 60.  I am not a fan of smoked malts usually but this light smoke is great in this Barley Wine and if you can find it make sure to pick up a few bottles.

Commercial Description:  At a whopping 11% abv, cannon fodder barley wine is best enjoyed one sip at a time. Intense caramel sweetness and the use of smoked malt make for a nicely balanced strong ale. Fermented with Belgian yeast, there is a uniqueness and complexity not often found in traditional barley wines.

A.E. Cross Barley Wine Barrel Aged – Last Best Brewing & Distilling

by Mike

From Last Best Brewing & Distilling in Calgary Alberta comes their second ever bottled beer the “A.E. Cross Barley Wine Barrel Aged” the second of their Lineage Series.  This is a 2016 Vintage and has been cellared by the brewery itself until 2018.  The beer pours a deep orange brown colour with an off white head.  For the second release they split the beer into two versions one unoaked and then this one that was barrel aged for 10 Months in Alberta Rye Whiskey Barrels.  The aroma consists of mild oak, dark fruits, stone fruit, brown sugar, caramel, toffee and rye.  The flavour is of oak, dark fruits, cherry, toffee, caramel, grapefruit rind, honey, resin, rye spice, rye whiskey, bitterness and alcohol.  The alcohol content comes in at 11.8% with an IBU of 45.  This is a borderline American Barelywine and really enjoyable.  I hope they make more of this in the future.

Commercial Description:  With our 2nd lineage release, we pay homage to a prairie legend with our riff on a classic style. The Alfred Ernest Goss Barley Wine uses locally sourced barley wheat, and rye as a fitting tribute to the founder of Calgary Brewing & Malting and the embodiment of the Last Best West.  We split this release into two: one unoaked and one aged for 10 months in 100% Alberta rye whiskey barrels Layered with subtle, integrated oak and a developing rye spiciness, this beer is characterized by its sweet caramel and barley malt base alcohol warmth, hints of dark fruit and a touch of light malted wheat Serve it at cellar temperature and age for years to come.

Three Kings Tripel – Fernie Brewing

by Mike

From Fernie BC’s Fernie Brewing comes their “Three Kings Tripel” a new limited release.  The beer pours an orange colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of orange, candi sugar, Belgian yeast, grainy, bready malts and an overall sweetness.  The flavour is of orange, citrus, Belgian yeast, candi sugar, sweetness, caramel, grain, mild bitterness and some low alcohol burn.  The alcohol content comes in at 8% with and IBU of 29.  Belgian style Tripel’s can border on to sweet but this one dances that line and makes for a tasty brew well worth picking up.

Commercial Description:  Three Kings Belgian-Style Tripel is named after one of Fernie’s most extreme, stunt-filled downhill bike trails, making it the perfect name for this spicy, strong Trappist Ale. A beer fit for a King.  A pale, somewhat spicy, dry, strong Trappist Ale with a pleasant rounded malt flavor and firm bitterness. Quite aromatic, with spicy, fruity, and light alcohol notes combining with the supportive clean malt character. High alcohol, yet very approachable to many a palate.

At 17 (Tap 13) – Torchlight Brewing

by Mike

From Torchlight Brewing in Nelson BC comes their “At 17 “(Tap 13).  This beer is a Belgian style Tripel brewed with apples that resided on their Tap 13 an unlabeled tap in the brewery.  The series of beers are named like the periodic table of elements with a big letter then a small letter and then a number.  Very few bottles are packaged of these beers  and I was absolutely lucky to get a bottle in trade from the owners.  The beer poured a copper colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of Belgian yeast, apples, lots of fruit and a sweet finish.  The flavour is of Belgian yeast, bubble gum, apples, fruity notes, candi sugar, hint of spices, very mild bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 9.1%.  This Belgian Tripel is really tasty and does not suffer from the overly sweet notes that many do for me.  I’m sad to say you will likely never be able to try this but I hope you will consider heading out to Nelson to check out the brewery and maybe get lucky enough to try something from Tap 13.

 

Legend Extra Old Ale – Bench Creek Brewing

by Mike

From Bench Creek Brewing out of very rural Alberta (Yellowhead Country) near Edson comes their “Legend Extra Old Ale”.  The beer stated to Enjoy after Dec 24, 2017.  The beer pours a reddish orange colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of The aroma consists of dark fruits, toffee, caramel, floral hops and sweetness.  The flavour is of dark fruits, tropical fruits, vanilla, candy sugar, toffee, caramel, sweetness, bitterness with some minor alcohol notes.  The alcohol content comes in at 11.8% with an IBU of 45.  This is a tasty Old Ale and well made.  If you can find a bottle of this in Alberta make sure to pick it up!

Commercial Description:  It was believed a town like Legend, AB, would be around forever — until its sudden yet inevitable demise early last century. The last grain elevators came down decades later, nearly wiping out any and all remnants of the place. Visitors to the ghost town only rarely ask about the townspeople. Did they die with the town? The truth is lost to time but most choose to believe they packed up and left, attempting to preserve the best traits of the place, to savour the legacy, and moved on to bigger, and dare we say, better things.