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 Love Shack Libations in Qualicum Beach comes their “Crafty Cream Ale”. The beer pours a straw yellow colour with a white head. The aroma consists of fruity notes, malts and some sweetness. The flavour is of stone fruit, peach, bready malts, spice, herbal hops and low bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 5.5% with an IBU of 18. While this strayed from the standard cream ale flavours for sure I did enjoy it.
Commercial Description: This tricksy little number is constructed for easy drinking. A smooth, slightly sweeter ale with a rounded mouth feel. This is a gateway beer to the craft world.
From Squamish BC’s Howe Sound Brewing comes their new beer in the Sea To Sky Series of beers a “Double IPA”. I am a little confused as this bottle states its the 8th release in the series but the Baltic Porter With Red Grape was also numbered 8. The beer poured a golden colour with an off white head. The aroma consists of some maltiness, juicy fruit notes including pineapple, tropical fruit, oranges and floral hops. The flavour is of passion fruit, mandarine oranges, stone fruit, candied mango, caramel, honey, resin, pine, bitterness and alcohol. The alcohol content comes in at 8.5% with an IBU of 55. Howe Sound definitely delivered with this new release and its nice to see that they are doing more of the Double IPA style now.
Commercial Description: A juicy, full flavoured and delicious Double IPA. Hop notes of candied orange peel, watermelon, nectarine, ripe berry, passion fruit, rose petal, and resin are forefront on top of a clean malt profile. This beer is big balanced and simply beautiful.
From Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks in Richmond comes their “Super 8-Bit IPA” 2017 edition the latest in their Experimental IPA Series. This IPA uses 8 different hops including Caliente, Ariana, Lemondrop, Azacca, Nelson Sauvin, Cashmere, Vic Secret and Falconer’s Flight. The beer pours an amber colour with an off white head. The aroma consists tropical fruit, citrus, caramel, herbal and floral hops. The flavour is of caramel, toffee, tropical fruit, citrus, grapefruit, stone fruit, grape, herbal, resin and hops bitterness. The alcohol content comes in at 7% with an IBU of 68. Like every year this beer is a massive flavour bomb. It is a great IPA with tons of flavour and a good hops bitterness.
Commercial Description: It’s back! Version 2017. This year we are using all new hops for our Super 8-Bit! This year’s 8 Legendary hops features Caliente, Ariana, Lemondrop, Azacca, Nelson Sauvin, Cashmere, Vic Secret and Falconer’s Flight Hops!
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. 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 beer pours a deep amber colour with a tan head. The aroma consists of dark fruits, brown sugar, toffee and sweetness. The flavour is of brown sugar, dark fruits, stone fruits, toffee, honey, oak, rye whiskey, sweetness, mild bitterness and some alcohol in the finish. The alcohol content comes in at 11.8% with an IBU of 25. Not having access to Last Best Brewing and having only tried their two barrel aged beers so far I have a very high opinion of this brewery so far. This beer was very well crafted and amazingly full of flavour.
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.
Mike's Craft Beer 