Red Truck Beer Company has launched a mixed 12 case since the opening of their new brewery in Vancouver.  The mixed case is called the Craftmaster 12 and includes 3x IPA, 3x ISA, 3x Ale and 3x lager.

Going with the truck theme of the brewery the box has a pretty workman like look and really resembles a toolbox.  The mix of beer is pretty darn good with two beers that feature more hops an ale that would probably come in as an amber ale and a easy drinking lager.

Red Truck India Session Ale (Currently Mixer exclusive for bottles)

The India Session Ale or ISA pours a golden colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of citrus, floral and grassy hops and a mild malt note or two.  The flavour is of some earthiness, citrus, grassy, mild malts and a decent bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 4.2%.  If you are looking for an IPA with lower alcohol content then this might just be your answer.

Commercial Description:  A lovely light Session ale with a ton of Australian Galaxy hops. Perfect for the Outback…or even better, any local patio.

Food pairing as per brewery:  Thai, Vietnamese, Indian Cuisine (cream or coconut based curries go really well…and Vietnamese food is just awesome!)
Mexican Cuisine (grilled meats, and herbal, citrus flavours do really well)
Grilled or roasted meats such as beef, pork, or lamb (fattier, the better; IPA bitterness cuts the fat really well) Burgers (but that’s a bit too easy tho…isn’t it) Sandwiches, especially with cold cuts Pizza (but what beer doesn’t go well with pizza?) Stronger flavoured cheeses
Note: Vinegar (acidic) hot sauces will exponentially bring out an astringent bitterness in this beer; avoid!

Red Truck India Pale Ale

The Red Truck India Pale Ale pours a golden colour with a white head.  The aroma consists of lemony citrus, tropical, grassy hops and a malty finish.  The flavour is of citrus, orange, tropical, sweetness, mild pine, earth, caramel and hops bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.3% with an IBU of 69.  If you are looking for a good day to day IPA then this could be a good option for you.  It won’t stand up to the special release IPA’s but that is not what the aim is with this beer.  This is a great IPA if you just want to sit down to a few in a sitting.

Commercial Description:  A bright IPA filled with lovely floral, pine, and citrus aromas and flavours. A soft sweetness followed with a lingering bitterness makes this beer an easy drinking friend suitable for all occasions.

Red Truck Ale

The Red Truck Ale pours an amber colour with an off white head.  The fact that it pours amber is fitting as I would assume this is actually an amber ale.  The aroma consists of caramel, fruity notes and a mild bite from hops in the end.  The flavour comes in with fruit, caramel malts, earth and a small but noticeable hops bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 5.2%.  I would not kick this beer out of my pint glass.  Again this is an easy drinking beer that may not knock your socks off but it will do exactly what it sets out to do.  It will be refreshing and taste good!

Commercial Description:  A blend of premium Belgian malts, plus German and Pacific Northwest hop varieties gives this luscious, copper-hued ale a wonderful complex aroma, a rich depth of flavour, and smooth drinkability.

Red Truck Lager

The Red Truck Lager pours a straw yellow with a white head.  The aroma consists of biscuit malts, citrus, sweetness and a grassy finish.  The flavour is of biscuit malts, citrus, sweetness and a grassy hops finish and an ever so slight hops bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 5.0%.  If you know me well then you know this is not a style I gravitate to at all.  I will say though that this lager does have much more flavour than any macro brewery and does go down very easily.

Commercial Description:  Made with Canadian Prairie two-row malted barley and hops imported from Germany and the Czech Republic. Red Truck Lager is a beer with world-class credential.