Showing posts with label Abbey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abbey. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Drawn to Light by Driftwood

Seems to be a Driftwood trend, renaming old beers. Apparently this used to be the Spring Rite. Perhaps the same is true for the "Cry me a River" Gose and "Gose-uh"? Either way, still good beer. If it makes you feel any better, Vancouver Island Brewery hasn't released a new beer in almost two years.

Drawn to Light = 7/10


Aromas from the moth beer, remind me of a calm Raised by Wolves, slightly spicy, quite tropical of pineapple, oranges with a hint of pepper. Nothing really dominates. The graininess, honey, earthy lemons and peppery yeast all play nicely together. A light to medium mouthfeel finishes dry with a buckwheat honey linger. Quite tasty and worth a try, if there is any left.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 7%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (Great label art and good description of flavour)

Glassware: Chalice or tulip

Food Pairings: The tang of a goat cheese and arugula, would bring out the spiciness in the beer. While the residual sweetness would balance the bitterness of the arugula.

Cellar: Maybe, but not likely

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Clodhopper Dubbel (Driftwood)

I have been away for two weeks and there are so many local releases to review. Yes, I know: first world problems. So enough of my whining. The latest release by Driftwood is a locally malted dubbel abbey style ale. Local malt was produced by everyone's favourite Island maltster: Mike Doehnel. Abbey style ales were originally brewed in monasteries. "Dubbel" does not refer to double the strength of the single. Before widespread literacy, batches of beers were labeled with one, two or three crosses denoting their relative strength. Today dubbels are the dark, fruity abbey ales that hit an ABV of around 7%. When you pick up this bottle at your local CBAW store, you will most likely notice the slight premium price for an usual bomber release. I like this idea of supporting truly local products for a nominal premium; keep it up! Enough rambling commentary, how does it taste:


Clodhopper Dubbel (Driftwood) = 8/10

The nose is spot on with dark sugar and toffee aromas with no hop presence. Each sip is thick and warming, but not too much. Hints of chocolate, raisins and toast are layered upon a sherry like backbone. It had a lingering taste of salt water taffy. Hard to tell if that tongue tingling was the alcohol or hops. Either way I liked it. This one might be worth cellaring; hopefully some of that warmth might mellow out. Well done.

Glassware: chalice or goblet. The wide top helps to dissipate aroma and allows space for large head common for this style. In this case I used the Leffe abbey glass.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 7% ABV
Value +1
Appearance +1 (nice art and reasonable description of flavour)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Das Razz (Spinnakers)

Sticking with the theme of the three fruits, here is the local raspberry addition to their strong abbey style ale.

Das Razz (Spinnakers) = 5/10
Ratebeer 3.29 64th percentile
Beer Advocate

A sweet, syrupy raspberry odour jumps from the glass. The cider-like, raspberry sweetness packs a fair bit of astringency and tartness. This will certainly appeal to cider drinkers. The cooling at the end carries the berry flavours away quickly. I thought it was a little sweet, but the Mrs. quite liked it.

Taste +2
Aftertaste 0
Alcohol Content +1 8.2%
Value +1
Appearance +1

Other 'fruity' reviews
Currant Noir
Fruli Strawberry
Cherish Kriek Lambic


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Central City Tripel

This was a welcome surprise at Veneto Lounge. I was preparing for the standard offerings of draft beer, so this was a welcome surprise.

Central City Tripel = 6/10

Ratebeer
3.13 47th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

The nose was spot on for an abbey: faint apricots, passion fruit and sweet. A creamy, full-medium mouthfeel carried a good amount of alcohol tingle. With no draft list in front of me the ABV was unknown, but you could tell the beer meant business. There was more fruitiness than expected. Lots of sweet apricots, guava, tropical fruits came in a smooth but warming package. The ending was good and dry with a tongue coating of floral hops. I found it a little sweet, but still enjoyable.

Taste +2
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 9%
Value +1 (free beer always rates high)
Appearance +1

Scuttlebutt Tripel 7
GIB Jolly Abbott 2009
St. Bernardus Tripel

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Jolly Abbott 2009

Jolly Abbott 2009

Ratebeer 3.38 63rd percentile
Beer Advocate B

It is nice to try the same release next year. I was curious to see how my previous rating compared to this year.

Taste +4

With a vinous nose rich with tart apricot brandy, light fruit and rum, you know this brew will challenge your palate. There is a mild spiciness that helps the slippery malts go down.

Aftertaste +2

The alcohol warms you and the sweet pit fruits pleases you.

Alcohol Content 9.5% +1

It is a little bit stronger this year.

Value +1

It was just as good this year as last year. The price did go up by almost a full dollar.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Two words: L4D2 advanced. Actually the first one is not really a word.

Overall 9/10

Last year this beer got an 8. I must like strong, fruity and sweet beers.

Jolly Abbott 2008

Scuttlebutt Triple 7
Bornem Dubbel Double

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Gulden Draak


Gulden Draak
Belgian Strong Ale/Quadrupel

Ratebeer 3.79 97th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

Taste +4

The colour is something to admire, it is dark ruby almost black. The head takes on the colour of roasted almonds. Alcohol is the predominate aroma with added sweet sherry and berries. This is a big sipful with large helpings of plums, dark sugar and bing cherries. Once the carbonation washes these flavours away, you are left with a little coffee and dark chocolate. From a beer this big it is oddly creamy and smooth despite the alcohol burn.

Aftertaste +1

After the sweet, dark cherries fade away the alcohol warms you down to your stomach.

Alcohol Content +1 10.5%

Ethanol is all over the aroma, taste and aftertaste.

Value +1

This was a big Belgian that was pleasant on the sweet side.
Ingame Enhancement +1

Today Valve announced the pre-order for Left4Dead2. I can hardly wait to do damage to virtual zombies with frying pans.

Overall 8/10

Spicy, yeasty, alcoholic with dark fruit and sugar, what else would you want in a big dark Belgian ale.

Jolly Abbot Abbey Ale (Granville Island)
La Trappe
Brother Thelonius and Blade Runner Boobs

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Bornem Dubbel Double


Bornem Dubbel
Dubbel Abbey style

Ratebeer 3.32 76th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +2

It is rather light tasting for a Belgian, but then it is only a double. The head is huge, long lasting and disperses a slightly acidic nose of digested fruits. The taste is rather subdued only the slightest of plum, raisins and sour cherry flavours peek though the malty fog.

Aftertaste +1

The lingering is rather short-lived but slightly sweet in a balsamic vinegary way.

Alcohol Content +1 8%

Oddly you can't really pick it out.

Value 0

There are better Belgians out there.

Ingame Enhancement 0

After downloading some old-school Bandai games like Ms Pac-man and Galaxian, I realized that I was using the most powerful gaming system to play 8-bit video game from the 80's.
Overall 4/10

This beer was alright, but it just lacked the super flavours of an abbey style Belgian

Petrus Dubbel

Jolly Abbot
Surly Blonde Phillips

Monday, August 31, 2009

Scuttlebutt Tripel 7

Scuttlebutt Tripel 7
Abbey Style Tripel

Ratebeer 3.11 47th percentile
Beer Advocate B-

Taste +4

You know what? After a while beer styles really start to taste the same. This makes me very happy, because this is a great beer in a great style. The nose is bready with light berry fruits; although it is a bit watery. A little bubbly hits the tongue and spreads the toffee, apricots and light peach all over the place. This is enhanced with a hearty dose of alcohol tingle.

Aftertaste +1

You would expect a medium weight taste like this to last for a while; oddly the finish is dry and lasts about 20 seconds. It is quite tart, like an apricot cider.

Alcohol Content +1 9%

Just the way it should be

Value +1

This was a good Belgian triple. I would get it again; it can be had for a domestic price.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Any night Meterman comes over and drinks beer is a good night. Yes, I did this to bump the score up.

Overall 8/10

A solid, domestic Abbey Style Triple. Sure to please the converted and will not offend the purist.

Jolly Abbott GIB
Karmeliet
St. Bernardus Triple

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Jolly Abbot Abbey Ale (Granville Island)


Jolly Abbot Abbey Ale (Granville Island)

Rate beer 3.54 no percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Taste +4

This has got a lot of complex flavours going on. The nose is similar to alcohol (rum) soared cherries or prunes. The taste is identical the nose, with some added dark fruity sweetness. The flavour starts off with the malt sweetness, then the wave of fruit flavour follows.

Aftertaste +1

It finishes clean and leaves a nice residue of dark fruit and malt.

Alcohol Content +1 9%

Quite impressive alcohol content for a local seasonal brew, you can taste the alcohol just enough.

Value +1

This brew is a great value and flavour at $4.90 for 650ml. Get them quick before they are all gone, or you will have to wait until next year.

Ingame Enhancement +1

I tried to play CSS on the shire, but none of the regulars were around. Decided to make zombies run in fear instead. Nightware helped a little bit too.

Overall 8/10

This is another great beer from Granville Island. Sadly this one is only seasonal, so look for it next year.