From Chilliwack’s Old Yale Brewing comes their “Stone Fruit Hibiscus Saison”. The beer pours a cloudy orange colour with an off white head. The aroma consists of stone fruits like peach, overall fruity esters, hibiscus and some sweetness. The flavour is of stone fruit, hibiscus, citrus rind, yeast, mild spices, low bitterness and wheat. The alcohol content comes in at 6%. This is not your typical saison but it is really well crafted and full of flavour.
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.
From Torchlight Brewing in Nelson BC comes their “Noctis” a dark lavender hibiscus sour. The beer pours a deep red brown colour with a brown head. The aroma consists of floral hops, hibiscus, fruits and mild tartness. The flavour is of hibiscus, citrus, stone fruit, flowery and mild sour notes. The alcohol content comes in at 6% with an IBU of 8. This was a very interesting beer. This is a mild sour but would be a great one to try if you are just getting into sours.
Commercial Description: This dark, dry-hopped, kettle soured, lavender, hibiscus hybrid is one of the more intricate beers made here at Torchlight.
From Hearthstone Brewery in North Vancouver in collaboration with Stillwater Artisanal out of Baltimore Maryland comes their “That New Trapp” a Funky Brett IPA labeled as a Hazy New England-Style Trappist Ale. The beer pours a lightly cloudy orange with a white head. The aroma consists of brett funk, stone fruit, tropical fruit and maybe a hint of floral hops. The flavour is of brett funk, tropical fruit, stone fruit, lemon, some biscuit and mild bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 6.5% with an IBU of 35. Been a fan of Stillwater for some time and have been a big fan of Hearthstone Brewery since they opened and this beer is an amazing marriage of both breweries. Great flavours really do combine with this brew to make a North East IPA even if it is not as murky as it should be for the style.
Commercial Description: A funky brett IPA with an irresponsible amount of Citra, Mosaic & Amarillo hops fermented with a blend of reckless yeast strains, Brett B and Conan. A collaboration beer from Hearthstone and Stillwater Artisanal.
From Spencer Hill Cottage Brewery in Grand Forks comes their “Big Horn Amber Ale”. This bottle comes from batch number D0067. The beer pours a deep amber, orange colour with a tan head. The aroma consists of caramel, fruit, floral hops and a semi sweet finish. The flavour is of caramel, stone fruit, melon, citrus, pine and bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 5.2%. For a brewery that currently only makes one beer this is quite tasty. I hope the owner produces more than just this beer in the future.
Mike's Craft Beer 