Tag Archives: strawberry

Blackberry Jam (Lactose IPA) – Four Winds Brewing

by Mike

From Four Winds Brewing in Delta comes their “Blackberry Jam” an IPA with wild Blackberries, Mosaic Lupulin powder and lactose.  The beer pours a reddish orange colour with a light reddish head. The aroma consists of blackberries, lactose sweetness and some herbal notes. The flavour is of blackberries, strawberries, lactose with a low bitterness to finish it all off. The alcohol content comes in at 6.5% with an IBU of 45. This stuff is really good and I hope that Four Winds Brewing makes more of this stuff.

Commercial Description:  Blackberry Jam is an IPA brewed with handpicked wild blackberries from B.C., Mosaic lupulin powder, lactose sugar, Saccharomyces Trois yeast and a touch of vanilla.

Winter Warmer 2016 Vintage – Garrison Brewing

by Mike

From Halifax Nova Scotia’s Garrison Brewing comes their “Winter Warmer” 2016 Vintage.  The beer pours a ruby red colour colour with a beige head.  The aroma consists of cinnamon, clove, brown sugar, fruits, berry and some hops.  The flavour is of strawberry, dark fruits, cinnamon, clove, brown sugar, caramel, earth, bitterness and a dry finish.  The alcohol content comes in at 7% with an IBU of 20.  This one is not all that warming at 7% but I am quite enjoying the flavour anyways.  Its been a while since I have had a beer from Garrison Brewing and I just don’t know why its been this long.

Commercial Description: This strong dark amber beer is brewed with spices evocative of the holiday season. It’s warming character makes it a great accompaniment on cold winter nights.  Complex and inviting aromatics of strawberry jam, cinnamon, clove, brown sugar and molasses. Rich caramel avors dominate and persist through a warming nish; starts sweet with a touch of dryness followed by a snooth aftertaste of caramel and clove.

Food pairings as per brewery:  A great compliment to rich and meaty dishes.

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Gillian 2016 Release – Goose Island Beer Company

by Mike

From Goose Island Beer Company out of Chicago Illinois comes their “Gillian” a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale from the 2016 Release.  The beer pours a cloudy yellow gold colour with a white head much like a champagne.  The aroma consists of strawberries, honey, spices, pepper, sweetness and some tartness.  The flavour is of strawberry, honey, spices, pepper, wheat, honey, mild earth, tartness and a mild brett funk.  The alcohol content comes in at 9.5% with an IBU of 20.  I was really excited to give this beer a try!  It is a very good beer with an amazing mix of flavours and there might still be a chance to find it on tap in Vancouver.  Hawskworth had a keg at one time.

Commercial Description:  Inspired by an amuse bouche often prepared by the wife of one of our brewers, Gillian brings white pepper, strawberry, and honey to a harmonious blend. Partially aged in wine barrels, this Belgian style farmhouse ale is slightly tart and pleasantly sweet in a refreshingly effervescent body.

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Ten Quadruple Ale – Funkwerks

by Mike

From Funkwerks in Fort Collins Colorado comes their “Ten Quadruple Ale”.  The beer pours a chestnut brown with a small tan head.  The aroma consists of brown sugar, dark fruits but not much else to speak of.  The flavour is of brown sugar, treacle, nuts, dark fruits, strawberries and alcohol.  The alcohol content comes in at 10%.  While it may not hold up to the best of the style from Belgium this is a really tasty beer and I will be purchasing more now that it is available in Canada.

Commercial Description:  Inspired by the Dark Strong beers of Belgium, this full-bodied Quadruple Belgian-style ale pours with a deep burgundy hue and a frothy tan head. The malt-forward aromas of toffee and chocolate compliment the dark fruity aromas of raisins and plums. The aromatic qualities follow through in the flavor and combine with refreshing effervescent carbonation. A dry and balanced finish makes this strong but quaffable beer the perfect way to end a long day!  Notes of toffee, chocolate, raisins and plums.

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West Coast IPA – Doan’s Craft Brewing Company

by Mike

From Doan’s Craft Brewing Company in East Vancouver comes their “West Coast IPA”.  The beer pours a copper colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of Citrus, bready and caramel malts, floral hops and pine.  The flavour is of citrus, very mild strawberry, bready and caramel malts, bitterness, resin and pine.  The alcohol content comes in at 6.5% with an IBU of 70.  I look forward to picking up more of this beer as it was well crafted and very refreshing.

Commercial Description:  With a strong presence of pine, citrus and fruit and the body to back it up, this West Coast style satisfies all kinds of IPA drinkers.  The WC wasn’t originally going to be bottled but you asked for it, so sit back and enjoy!

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