Showing posts with label red ale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red ale. Show all posts

Sunday, May 4, 2014

30 Year by Vancouver Island Brewing

Has it been thirty years already? It seems like an odd timeline, when you consider most of the craft beer changes have occurred within the last ten to fifteen years. Craft beer creativity and variety is certainly snowballing. The 30 Years beer from Vancouver Island pays homage to the Victoria craft beer veteran, Pipers Pale ale. I served Pipers at my wedding, but I won't tell you how long ago that was. Let's call this beer the Imperial Piper's.

Thirty Year = 7/10


The nose is a pronounced mixture of spicy (allspice) earth and boozy vapours. A little green apple appears upon warming.  Each sweet and chewy sip provides a warming sensation of prunes, toast, raisins, allspice and vodka tingle. Only the sweet earth and prunes lingered. Rather nice.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 8.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (Elegant label art and good description of how beer will taste)

Glassware: Any glass will do.

Food Pairings: The earthy flavours would resonate well with mushrooms or wild game. Something salty or sour would contract nicely with the sweetness of this beer I'm thinking a mushroom risotto with foccacia bread and balsamic vinegar would work well. Maybe you would prefer grilled duck and scalloped potatoes. 

Cellar: Nope.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Lighthouse 15th Anniversary Ale


15 years of brewing in Victoria, very impressive. With unexpected fanfare, Lighthouse brewing released their 15th Anniversary double red ale. There were newspaper articles, parties, and photos of this beer taken all over Victoria. This beer is essentially a double Race Rocks. Don't roll your beer geek eyes; often I abruptly end a bartenders tap list chant once the beer 'Race Rocks' is mentioned. It's a good beer, people in Victoria drink a lot of it. So what happens when you order a double Race Rocks?

Lighthouse 15th Anniversary Ale = 9/10


The nose doesn't really do much, it smells like Race Rocks. There is a small quantity of little grey cells whose only function is to recall this aroma. An abrupt sensory acceleration occurs when the unexpected full and chewy mouthfeel hits the tastebuds. This warm and creamy sheet delivers ample malt sweetness. Flavours of sweet vermouth, biscuits, raisins, cashews and toffee are everywhere. Once these flavours paint your mouth red, it is hard to remove the sweet linger. Very nice.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 8%ABV
Value +1
Appearance +1

Glassware: Pint glass or dimpled mug. Pictured above is a double sized stange. While the style of glass is normally reserved for Kolsch beers; I used it because it looked pretty. Sometimes I like to feel pretty.

Food Pairings: Cheese would be cheddar or Gouda. Both of these cheeses have a rich nutty flavour. Pair this with rich, wild game, sausage or a creamy pasta dish with nuts. I like the sound of a walnut ravioli with a little sage butter sauce.

Cellar: Perhaps. The alcohol warmth might fade to allow more malt richness.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Double Dragon Red Ale 2013 (Phillips)

This was one of the craft beers that really got me excited, but that was many years ago. Many people, including myself, have felt this beer has been lacking in recent years. Fortunately, this is a good year.

Double Dragon Red Ale 2013 (Phillips)  =7/10


The hop nose is very Phillips like, is that Centennial? This combines with a toasted bread and slight plum aroma. Malts follow close behind with a equal mix of plum, toasted bread and grape nuts. While this is quite a malty brew; the hop blast is not forgotten. It slowly builds with all its floral, citrus and herbal goodness. At the end, an alcohol warmth burn the esophagus but does not remove the hop linger. Finally the Double Dragon is almost as good as it used to be.

Glassware: Stemmed Pilsner. There is no really correct glassware for this. Other good options are the nonic or a snifter.

Food Pairings: Roasted and bitter items: grilled steak salad, BBQ pork, mushrooms or brussel  sprouts. 

Taste +3
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 8.2%
Value +1
Appearance +1 (Still one of the best labels in Victoria)

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Rum Barrel Aged Red Ale (Phillips)

You can try and knock the big guys, but they are giving beer geeks what they want: new releases. This month Phillips released two brews. The Double Dragon red ale and a similar rum barrel aged version. Previous years of DD have been great, but recent releases have been lackluster. Their last month oak aged scotch ale is still in the fridge. Extra time is needed to allow the oak tannins to mellow before sampling. This sounds better than I am lazy and plan to get around to it later. Barrel aging is a wonderful thing; the addition of spirit flavours and tannins can truly enhance a beer. Perhaps Phillips will barrel age tap water one day?

Rum Barrel Aged Red Ale = 8/10


The red ale nose is sweeter than expected; lots of black strap molasses, rum and dry toast around.  Also unexpected was the creamy, medium full mouthfeel enhanced by a slight tannic astringency. This beer on its own would be quite boring, but the wood aging added something special. Grape must, cherry cola, nuttiness and rum are a great addition to any malt forward beer. A predictable ending of creamy, barreled rum with treacle follows each sip. Food pairings should include earthy flavours. Perhaps cedar planked salmon or creamy mushroom risotto. Don't stick this one in your cellar; there are not any sharp flavours that need to be mellowed.

Taste +4
Aftertaste +1
Alcohol Content +1 (6.8%) I don't think this is right though
Value  +1 (I liked it)
Appearance +1 (As always great label art

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Siren Imperial Red Ale - Lighthouse

At first I thought this was not actually a real beer style. I was mistaken, it is according to the Brewers Associations beer style guidelines. The description does sound overly vague though. But Dean at Lighthouse was never one to dwell upon style. He once said to me, "We should embrace the inherent variation that exists within beer and discard the dogma of rigid styles and categories. Truly great beers transcend these boundaries and are as sublime as they are fleeting." This poetic quote has always stuck with me. Mostly with help from Google mail search. But I should get on with my review as the bottle is almost gone:

Siren Imperial Red Ale = 11/10

The hop smell became apparent right after the bottle cap hit the desk. Centennial, sometimes you are my only friend. Your citrus peels are almost as spicy as the label. Image the label as Old Milwaukee afterdark. Is it hoppy? Dang right it is. Is it balanced? Barely: the caramel, bready and bruised apricot malts and barely holding it together. Maintain focus, right. The subdued floral and assertive grapefruit/pomelo citrus hops floated over the toasted bready malts. It's linger was as long as a cat's tail in a room full of rocking chairs. Your only thought will be: more hops! Astringent? Oddly not. Will the beer cellar well? Absolutely! Just make sure you tweet your vacation plans so I can plan my midnight excursions. Are you sure this beer is only 8%ABV/6.4% ABW? Well done. Hopheads stock up.


Taste +6/5 You don't like my score? Get your own blog!
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 8%
Value +1 GREAT
Appearance +1 Nice and tasteful label art. Even the Misses approved. Also a flavour description that matches the beer

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Moon Under Water Red India Ale

This is a classic example of how a brewery will have it's signature flavour. If you drink enough brewpub stuff you will understand. The Bradley's at Moon Under Water quietly toil away and repeatedly produce tasty brews. Try the food too; it's dang tasty.

Moon Under Water Red India Ale = 8/10

This beer smells a lot like their IPA and their bitter. Which is good, because I quite like them both. The hop aroma is characteristic of other Moon Under Water selections but with toasted bread. It is a sweet smell of various PNW C-hops (orange, tangerine and grapefruit); not crazy but pleasant. Smooth, cooling and creamy, each sip consistently delivers toasted bread with plenty of citrus hops. A long finish is pomelo rind, dry and mildly astringent. Sadly, this red India ale will be on tap for a short period of time.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 6.5%
Value +1
Appearance +1 always looks better at the source

Other Red Reviews
Green Flash Hop Head Red
Captain Sig Northwestern Ale
Big Red Imperial Ale (Southern Tier)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Double Dragon 2012

For some unknown reason, I keep buying this beer year after year. Perhaps it was the taste in 2008 that drew me in: overabundance of hops with a great toasted malt accompaniment. 2011 was such a let down that I dumped most of the bottle down the sink. Life is too short for bad beer. How about this year? It was better than last year...


Double Dragon 2012 = 3/10
Ratebeer 3.29 81st percentile
Beer Advocate

First off, this beer smells amazing! It has all the PNW hop goodness one could ask for. Say 'hello' to floral, ruby red grapefruit rind, blood orange, the earth and a hint of toasted biscuits. After this it all went wrong. There was lots of carbonation which only enhanced a vague soapy and citrus astringency. Behind the initial glorious hop slap was a thin whimpering of toasted malts, caramel, cherries ending with spicy arugula salad. The ending was a tad soapy, tacky and sticky. It reminded me of a wilted arugula salad with grapefruit slices on top.  As it warmed up and the aromas died down, the brew became relatively flavourless. Past memories willed me to like this beer, but alas the last bits hit the drain.

Taste +2
Aftertaste -1
Alcohol Content +1 8.4% (hidden very well)
Value 0
Appearance +1 (great label art, but then I had a thing for Asian art)

Other imperial red reviews
Captain Sigs Northwest Ale
Big Red Imperial Ale (Southern Tier)
Hop Head Red Ale (Green Flash)


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Big Red Imperial Ale (Southern Tier)

I like Southern Tier, they make good beer. Enough said; I really must plow through the back log of beer reviews. Thank goodness for 33beers and my obsessive hobby tendencies.

Big Red Imperial Ale (Southern Tier) =8/10
Ratebeer 3.54 94th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

The nose was sweet like bubblegum and cotton candy, yet fruity. There was a tad bit of spicy hops but mostly floral. It was creamy on the tongue but the alcohol burn was not far behind. Once the shock and awe was over, lots of malts flavours were around: grassy, caramel and a little roast. The hops were the confusing part; is that pineapple, resin, citrus and bubblegum? This deserves another sip, there is a lot to take in.

Taste +3
Aftertaste +2
Alcohol Content +1 9%
Value +1
Appearance +1

Green Flash Hop Head Red
Captain Sigs Northwestern Ale
Phillips Double Dragon 2010

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Double Dragon 2011 (Phillips)

It is very awkward when you do not finish a beer. This was not accidental; it was intentional. Breweries always produce quality beers that everyone will enjoy, right? If the beer tastes bad, it is my palate that's flawed. I tried a beer yesterday that I thought was pretty good, but others - whose opinions I value - didn't like it. Today I tried the new Phillips Double Dragon and didn't like it at all. Yet others in the blogosphere thought it was alright. So what do I think about these differences of opinions and questioning of my palate choices: GREAT, bring it on! Being a beer geek is all about exploring and trying new styles. You can like or dislike whatever you choose, but you must give a reason. Here is mine.

Double Dragon 2011 (Phillips) = -3/10


It all started great with a faint nose of slight citrus and watery caramel. Things started to go bad when the medium-full mouthfeel delivered too much alcohol burn. It all fell apart; the dirty caramel became overwhelmed by this unfocused hop bitterness. It was all over the place: mineral, grapefruit pith, herbal and medicinal. There was no focus. Then the aftertaste of soapy bitterness and dry herbal made me question my desire to have another sip. I tried again after it warmed up. It didn't help. My wife came through with the voice of reason,"if you really don't enjoy it, don't finish it." The remaining bottle was deposited in the sink.

Taste -2
Aftertaste -1
Alcohol Content +1 8.2%
Value -1
Appearance +1 (This is my favourite label by Phillips)

I liked the Dragon last year.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Captain Sigs Northwestern Ale


Captain Sigs Northwestern Ale

Ratebeer 3.56 95th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

So Ratebeer calls it an IPA. Beer Advocate calls it an American Amber/Red Ale. Rogue calls it an India Red Ale. So what would BJCP call it, Style 14B subsection A? I love a good odd-ball beer; one that does not fit the mold. There is an idea for a new beer floating around in my head. I will enter that in a homebrew contest and rock the beer world! Perhaps I should scale my back my dreams. If I am lucky the judges will not spit it out and yell "WTF!"

Taste +4

Sigh..Yet another big citrus (tangerine), floral nose and a huge meringue like head. The medium astringency and slick caramel malts has now captured my attention. Before I can beg for more, the citrus and resin hops kicks you in the back and says, "Welcome to my Castle!" I love that song by the Evaporators; it is a little ironic that the Youtube file name contains the letters "u, c, f and k." This all mixes well with the accessorized roasted, pine and full mouthfeel,

Aftertaste +2

Both the song and the beer leave a long taste in your mouth. The song is all bad; the beer is nice with caramel and citrus/pine hops.

Alcohol Content +1 6.2%

It gives that 14.5 Plato number again. I do not want to be reaching for my calculator while sampling a beer!

Value +1

This beer must be F'in good, look at all the numbers on the side:80 IBU, 77AA, 36oL. WOW.

Ingame Enhancement +1

I have to substitute a current experience for the ingame enhancement. Tonight was the M60 unlimited ammo mod for L4D2. Never has there been so many zombie bits fly!!

Overall 9/10

This is a good beer. Ignore the stupid, self indulgent review. Buy this PNW hoppy beer, drink it and start your own beer blog to review it. I will link to you. Is it coincidental that the homebrew I drank cave a Three Beavers Red Ale bottle - I think NOT!

Three Beaver (Howe Sound)
Double Dragon (Phillips)
Hop Head Red Ale (Green Flash)

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale


Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale

Ratebeer 3.73 98th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

Taste +5

I have never met a Green Flash that I didn't like; no, make that love. The dry hopping of Amarillo gives a big citrus, sweet and slightly fruity nose. This brew wastes no time and instantly delivers the hop punch: astringent, floral, resins, citrus and tangy. Normally all these hops flavour mix together and get lost. Not with this brew; they all line up and present themselves in an orderly fashion. The malts are a true caramel but barely peek through the hop smack. For those keeping score there were 45IBU's.

Aftertaste +2

The alcohol warmth nicely supported the long lingering floral hops. It was not an astringent lingering but it was a tongue coater.

Alcohol Content +1 6.4%

Value +1

Definitely hop head approved. It was very much like the Three Beavers, but slightly better.

Ingame Enhancement +1

This is going for a perfect 10, so why stand in its way. Lets see... I drank this glorious beer after saving a kitten from a burning building while it was snowing.

Overall 10/10

This is a hophead delight. The big hop nose and tastes are off the charts, yet not intimidating. If you care about the malts, the caramel goodness will surely please. I look forward to getting this one again.

Three Beavers
Phillips Double Dragon

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Phillips Double Dragon Imperial Red Ale 2010



Ratebeer 3.34 69th percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Taste +3

The nose is mostly hops: cascades, citrus, fresh and crisp with some light biscuit malts. The taste is a medium mouthfeel and juicy. There is soem caramel/toffee, cinnamon, biscuits and fruits. Quite well balanced despite the bigish hop nose. The end had a little spicy and alcohol ting.

Aftertaste +2

The after effects were slightly carbonic/minerally with an earthy yeast coating. Very similar to a fresh toffee scone.

Alcohol Content +1 8.2%

It only provided a warmth, not a burn.

Value +1

I picked this up for $6 for a bomber; a very good value for flavour. The label art is also very cool.

Ingame Enhancement +1

It was Monday so that meant Zombie Night in Canada. I managed to get a crazy 50% accuracy. Do they still count friendly fire as accurate?

Overall 8/10

A well done red ale. It was toffee juicy with biscuity yeast and a big citrus hop presence. I'm glad I bought two bottles; might cellar the other one.

Double Dragon 2008
Arrogant Bastard Ale
Fat Tire Amber