Saturday, February 21, 2009

Rochefort Trappistes 8 and the Stig

Flavius: OMFG we have finally hit the big time. A review request by a TV star - The Stig!
Meterman: I don't think that nice guy from the shire is also the anonymous BBC Top Gear star.
F: He must be. I wonder if he will take me for a ride in an Audi R8?
M: I'm sure there will be a vehicle coming to take you away, perhaps a padded wagon?
F: Nice, what should I wear?
M: They will bring a tight fitting jacket with lots of buckles. Definitely a straight cut.


Rochefort Trappistes 8

Ratebeer 4.12 100th percentile
Beer Advocate A

Taste +3

The nose is very ale like; there was only just the slightest hint of malt sweetness and pear/banana. The taste was something different; malt sweetness, fruit and pepper/cloves. At the front of the taste was a nice alcohol tingle with effervescent dark fruits. Don't get me wrong, this is a great beer. I felt the Chimay and Koningshoeven had a fuller body with more flavour.

Aftertaste +1

The flavours quickly faded and left a nice alcohol bite/warmth with apricots. A dry finish.

Alcohol content +1 9.2%

Yup, its a strong Trappistes beer.

Value 0

This was a good beer, but I would get a different style if was in the mood for a Trappist. I think it cost me about $6 for a 330ml bottle at the Cook Street CBAW.

Ingame Enhancement 0

Meh, no game tonight. I'm sure those digital zombies were breathing a sigh of relief. Are digital zombies still the undead? Are they infected with a computer virus?

Overall 5/10

This is a good beer. It was a little more spicy, but not as fruity and blander than the other Trappists.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Schneider Weisse

Schneider Weisse

Ratebeer 3.56 88th Percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Schneider is one of the largest brewers of wheat beer in the world. Beers in the class of wheat beers, or Weizens, tend to be very light and refreshing. They also share the characteristics of citrus flavours and dry finishes. Breweries often use a secondary fermentation in the bottle to add natural carbonation and further enhance the flavours. These beers are very suitable for mixing with fruit juices and herbal extracts. Another great brew by this company is the Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock, a Clan AR C favourite. Hoegaarden is a notable wheat beer from Belgium. Rickards White is wheat beer brewed closer to home. ***Please note the Rickards white is not a notable beer***


Taste +3

At first whiff you were certain this would be a good wheat beer; the vapours of sweet citrus and wheat were very apparent. It was almost floral. Check; light, sunshine yellow cloudy beer. The taste is just as expected; a very clean, bright flavour. Light malt sweetness from start to finish, with hints of banana bread. This is one refreshing beer.

Aftertaste +1

The nicest, cleanest finish I have tasted in a while. The dry finish was followed by a surprising citrus fruit flavour delay.

Alcohol Content 0 5.4%

You don't expect a heavy hitting beer from a standard wheat beer.

Value +1

This was a very nice wheat beer. There is no doubt I will regularly stock this one. It cost the Clan ARC finance department $3 for 500ml.

Ingame Enhancement -1

I must beg Nightware to bestow up me admin privlidges for the L4D server. After a 1/2 price L4D game sale, the place was full of swearing idiots that do not understand the concept of co-op.

4/10 Meh

Only a bad night of gaming could ruin the score of this good beer.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

Rate Beer 4.11 100th Percentile
Beer Advocate A

This is arguably one of the best beers in the world. This is reflected in the high scores from Rate Beer and Beer Advocate. Anything from North Coast Brewing is a good choice

Taste +4

The nose has a faint hint of chocolate and roasted malt. This is one full bodied, thick stout. It is fully loaded with bitter chocolate, coffee and malt sweetness. Thankfully it is followed, or enhanced, by a nice alcohol tingle and warmth.

Aftertaste +2

The lingering bitter sweetness of the dark chocolate is similar to chewing on a roasted coffee bean covered in dark chocolate. It is very long and never forgotten with the alcohol warmth.

Alcohol +1 9%

You can taste and feel the alcohol, but it suits this beer well.

Value +1

This is not an overly expensive beer for the flavour. It is $11 for a 4 pack from the BC Liquor stores.

Ingame Enhancement +1

There is now a critical mass of L4Ders in the shire; this naturally leads to versus games. I can think of nothing more pleasurable than vomiting all over Nightware.

Overall 9/10 BOOMER ALL OVER NIGHTWARE

This is a classic example of how an imperial stout should taste. A nice bitterness, balanced with a malt sweetness and lots of ethanol to go around.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Kells Irish Style Lager (Rogue)


Kells Irish Style Lager - Rogue

Ratebeer 3.01 44th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +3

The nose is all lager with sweet grains, grass and bread. The flavour is very smooth with hints of honey/light malt, light hops and dry bread. This is a very drinkable beer.
Aftertaste +2

A nice, long lingering of sweet grains. Almost like leaving a piece of dry bread in your mouth until the sweetness comes out.

Alcohol Content 0 5.2%

Value +1

This was a nice lager; priced in the $6 range for 650ml. I would buy it again.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Not exactely sure what happened this night. I'm sure it involved myself and Nightware terrorizing zombies.

Overall 7/10

I liked this lager; it was not overly complicated but more flavourful than expected. If you have a friend who is stuck in the lager rut, this might give him a little lift.

Koningshoeven Quadrupel (La Trappe)


Koningshoeven Quadrupel Trappist Ale

Ratebeer 3.81 96th percentile
Beer Advocate A-

This is the only Trappist Ale produced in The Netherlands.

Taste +4

The nose is very sweet with raisins, dark cherries, malt and alcohol. The taste is all trappist style; effervescent alcohol backed with malt sweetness, plums, dark fruit and cherries. You can almost equate this to tasting a strong rum cake that has been put through a blender.

Aftertaste +1

There is the strong alcohol presence balanced with the raisin/cassis sweetness.

Alcohol Content +1 10%

Ouch, you can sure taste it. Oddly it does not seem out of place.

Value +1

This was not cheap. I picked it up at the CBAW in Cook Street Village for about $8 for 230ish ml.

Ingame Enhancement +1

Molson, Nightware, Matrix and myself tried to finish the blood harvest map on expert. The key word here is "tried".
Overall 8/10 BOOM ZOMBIESHOT

If you like strong Trappist Ales, this one will not disappoint.

Farmhand Ale (Driftwood)

Farmhand Ale (Driftwood)

Ratebeer 3.1 no percentile
Beer Advocate B+

Taste +2

This is nice saison style brew. You are greeted with the standard yeasty malt nose with hints of citrus. The flavour is above average for a beer in the saison style. You can pick out pepper, citrus fruits and just the slightest of hops. It gives a little spicey mouth burn/tingle, but not too much.

Aftertaste +1

You are left with a pleasant yeast/malt sweetness that coats the mouth but fades quickly

Alcohol Content 0 5.5%

Value 0

It was nice but I wouldn't buy it again. It costs about $5 for 650ml.

Ingame Enhancement+1

There was much carnage thanks the Payback, Molson and Nightware. Perhaps I should find another leisure time activity.. Nah making zombie soup is still fun.

Overall 4/10

This beer was alright. It would be perfect for a summer time beer with a little spicey twist.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Granville Island Porter and Real Life

Meterman: So lets try again. How did the real life shire meet go?
Flavius: I never know; I always get nervous around new people and do stupid things.
M:Can't imagine that. Did you tell your personal alien abduction story?
F: Only to one person.
M: You restrained yourself from repeatedly smelling your wallet.
F: Only when someone was looking.
M: Good, no one wanted to really look at you anyways.
F: I also complimented someone on their appearance.
M: Great, that is a perfect way to break the ice and make people feel comfortable.
F: I said that he had nice legs and too bad he only had two of them. I like to collect wooden legs.

Granville Island Porter
(2009)

This is the monthly limited release from Granville Island. You can check out their yearly limited edition release list.

Ratebeer 3.6
Beer Advocate B

Taste +3

Very nice nose of bitter chocolate and roasted malt. The taste is just like the nose, no surprises here. There is a slight tongue tingle from the bitter chocolate, that is balanced nicely by the roasted malt sweetness. You can also pick out a slight espresso bite.

Aftertaste +2

You are left with a lovely bitter chocolate tingling on the tongue and in your mouth.

Alcohol +1 6%

There is just enough to give the tongue tingle and stomach warmth.

Value +1

This comes in the standard 650ml format for $5. I would certainly buy this one again and recommend it to anyone who likes a good porter.

Ingame Enhancement 0

No L4D tonight, boo hoo. Perhaps I need therapy; in RL I often set off car alarms in hopes that hoards of zombies will come running.

Overall 7/10

This is a great porter. Sadly it will only be available for a short period of time.

Fat Tire Amber Ale and Mistaken Identity

Meterman: So how did the Shire real life meet go?
Flavius: I have never met a bigger group of dysfunctional, whining pukes in my entire life.
M: I can't believe that.
F: All they did was whine about how they lost their jobs, homes, families and lives. They all kept saying their names even though they were wearing nametags. They also got really offended when I asked where the bar was.
M: You idiot, show some empathy and read the sign on the door. You walked into an AA meeting!
F: That explains why they never talked about cars or vacation packages.
M: That's AAA you dipshit. Triple A.


Fat Tire Amber Ale - New Belgium Brewing

Ratebeer 3.07 49th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +3

A very peculiar nose of green apples and vomit acidity. One can also pick up sweet malts, floral and yeast. This is a very drinkable pint; you can taste a nice bread/malt at the start. Soon after it is balanced with a slight hoppiness and bing cherries.

Aftertaste +1

It quickly fades away with a dry finish; similar to apple cider.

Alcohol 0 5.2%

Value +1

This is nice beer; I pick up a six-pack whenever I see it. I always order a pint if it is on tap.

Ingame Enhancement 0

Thanks to Shifty at the shire for pointing out my enhancement omission on original post. Obviously I spend the night alone in a darkened room without playing L4D this night.

Overall 5/10

This is above average beer, not superb. It has reached cult status in many areas of the world. Check out the company's website. They are doing great things with sustainability and the environment. I prefer their Mothership Belgian Wit.

Green Flash Trippel and Friends From Afar

Meterman: I find myself saying this far too often, Flavius that the @#$# are you doing!
Flavius: I am getting ready ..OWW.. for the big Shire meet...OWW..
Meterman: Right, all our regular on-line gamers are meeting in RL for a few pints. I don' think they will care if your eyebrows are not plucked.
Flavius: So a back waxing will also be unnecessary?
Meterman: That might be nice for the Missess, but not needed for us.


Green Flash Trippel

Ratebeer 3.45 82th percentile
Beer Advocate B

Taste +4

This is a great Belgian style abbey ale. The nose is sweet with hints of prunes, raisin and malt. At first taste it is a very good and drinkable Belgian. You can pick up a mild spice (coriander, pepper) which sits on a firm bed of sweet citrus fruits and malt. This brew gave a full mouth, effervescent feel.

Aftertaste +1

There was a nice alcohol warmth that complimented the lingering fruit flavours. It was certainly a dry finish.

Alcohol +1 9.5%

The alcohol was hidden very nicely and only showed up as a warmth.

Value +1

I picked this 750ml bottle up at Brewery Creek. I will definitely buy this one again; it was in the $7-8 range.

Ingame Enhancement +1

You need to consume a lot of strong beer while trying to finish the blood harvest map on expert. It helps to calm the nerves. I have found that if you don't drink enough, you tend to call for your Mommy too often. Over 3000 zombies were harmed in the reviewing of the article.

Overall 8/10 BOOM ZOMBIESHOT

If you like your Belgians, this one is a little brighter in flavour than the Trappists.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Shaftebury Four Twenty Brilliant Lager and zombie crows

Flavius:This was an impulse buy at a lower end CBAW. I also bought a Canadian Cold Shots; a new personal low for myself. The best part was both beers cost me under $5.
Meterman: I can not believe you bought beer in a Red Bull can.
F: I'm a sucker for fun flashing packaging
M: You are just like a @#$@#$ crow! You know that!
F: I prefer to say easily visually enticed.
M: Hey, let me drop this flashing red LED on the floor..
F: OH OH OH, what is this ..soo cool, must have it..
M: great a zombie crow.


Shaftebury Four Twenty Brilliant Lager

Ratebeer 2.43 15th percentile
Beer Advocate B- WTF?? B-


Taste 0

The nose was very faint, maybe cream corn, grass and maraschino cherry sweetness. The taste was very hollow but much like the nose. There were hints of honey, grains and grass. A very tasteless beer.

Aftertaste -1

It was very dry and clean, but left a residual bitter aftertaste. I enjoy a bitter aftertaste when there is initial flavour to warrant it.

Alcohol Content 0 5%

Value 0

Although it was $3 for 473ml, I still wouldn't buy it again.

Ingame Enhancement +1

It does provide ethanol that is unobtrusive to gameplay. It says 'no preservatives' on the can; perhaps they should have added some to give it flavour.

Overall 0/10 BLECK

Maybe a summer beer. Only if they are sold out of Corona and every other kind of beer, including Old English!