Hop Bot IPA Hop City Brewing Company

#201 Hop Bot IPA

Hop City Brewing Company

Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Saint John, New Brunswick
Wholly Owned Craft Beer Subsidiary of Moosehead Breweries
India Pale Ale
7.1 % ABV 473 ml Aluminium Can 
$2.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HopCityBrewing

Ok, I confess... I bought this can because I love robots. I didn't even check the label before it went into my basket at the LCBO. I was home (for at least a day or two), before I realised this was a Hop City Beer. 

Hop City Brewing Company is the former Niagara Falls Brewing Company. In 2004 they were purchased by Moosehead Breweries and re-branded as their "Craft Beer Wing." It was not an unusual event this. Around the same time Molson... now MolsonCoors bought Creemore Springs Brewery, and Granville Island Brewery which became Six Pints the Craft arm of Molson in Canada. Sleemans... before they were purchased by Sapporo, bought Unibroue from Quebec, among others. The Macro breweries have known, for at least a decade now, that the craft beer revolution was coming, and they wanted a piece of it. It was easy to see, because it started in the USA in the 1980's and was slowly working it's way North. That aside, Moosehead is the "last brewer standing" so to speak. It is the oldest continuously operating fully Canadian brewery left. (Molson is half American now, Labatt is owned by the Dutch, and Sleeman is now Japanese).

Hop City tries very hard. They have a tough row to hoe. They have large corporate expectations, small craft brew ideas, and a large audience that is unsure if they like craft beer or not. I will not lie, I used to drink their product "Barking Squirrel" a lot. (It was convenient and available at my local). It was not a horrible product, but I found it to be inconsistent in flavour. That being said, I am eager to try some of their other beers.

Everybody do the robot...

Pours a slight orange colour with a hint of cloudiness. the fluffy off-white head is made up of small to medium bubbles and is short lived. The aroma is fresh green herbs with a good strong grapefruit scent followed lightly by passion fruit and the barest hint of pine. First sip is malt forward followed by more grapefruit, orange, and guava. Bitter herbs and some pine come through for the finish which is light and clean with some black tea at the very end. The overall body of the beer is very light despite its 7.1 5 alcohol, and the mouthfeel is a little watery. The finish is a re-iteration of the malt with a touch of caramel, Aeration brings out a little extra bitterness from the hops.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6 PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:
Lovely colour, and a great aroma. However, I found it too lacking in the body department for an IPA. While the malt forward notes at the beginning made me think West coast Pale ale, they had no staying power and fell flat. The nose promised me a Fruit-Bomb IPA (a style which I am really coming to love BTW), but it also had no staying power. Sadly I think this is a beer lost between two styles, and neither the twain shall meet. Would I drink it again? Of course, it is worlds better than many beers out there, but it the flavour profile just sits a little off on me. Get out there and try it for yourself and tell me what you think.

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 200 Frost Quake Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine

Frost Quake


Wellington Brewery

Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine 
9.8 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml (Crown capped with a swing top lid for re-closing)
$11.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @WellingtonBrew

The morning was cold and crisp today. Down around -29. Perfect day for the namesake of this beer to happen. My 200th beer in fact! As you can see I spruced the place up a bit. New look, new layout, and there are a few more improvements to be coming very shortly. Stay tuned! But back to metaphor I just left dangling there for a second. Frost quake. Maybe you haven't heard of them, but they are quite real and a really weird sensation. It happens more often in areas that have a lot of rock near the surface. Water percolates down in between the cracks of the rocks and when a rapid temperature drop occurs it freezes very quickly causing a big cracking noise. More like cracking your knuckles than an earthquake, but it can still be loud and scary. We have them around Pint Jockey Headquarters at least once a year.

Tonight's beer is named for this phenomenon. A hot little barley wine wine, almost 10 % alcohol, that has spent a few months in Kentucky Bourbon barrel.

Let's get shaking...

Pours a translucent chestnut brown that is slightly hazy. Very viscous. The head is quite thin and the colour of caramel. The nose is quite smoky, earthy, woody, sweet malt brown sugar and a hint of licorice. First sip gives us oak, vanilla, bourbon whiskey, bruleed sugar, bittersweet chocolate and smoke. As the beer warms a mild nuttiness comes out as does the high alcohol content. Very warming, but not to head fogging. Aeration gives us rich oak and smoke with some light malt sugars and a hint of the caramel on the finish.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

A bit pricey for what the beer delivered. Don't get me wrong it is a good barley wine, and if you only want to drink one beer a night this one should do you nicely. Better yet sip this with some food, or a friend, or just use the swing top closure to save some for another night. Worth a try pick one up while you still can. Or maybe two... and age one for a year.

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 199 Farmhouse IPA Shacklands Brewery

Farmhouse IPA

Shacklands Brewing Company
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Future Brewery (Brews and Bottles at Junction Craft Brewery)
Farmhouse Style IPA 7.3 % ABV 20oz Pint
$6.50 (Canadian) At the Sawdust City Brewery Saloon (Guest Tap)

Twitter: @Shacklands


Shacklands is a Nano/Future Brewery that currently shares space with Junction Craft Brewery. Named for the turn of the century suburbs of Toronto of hastily built shacks and homemade shelters that sprang up around the burgeoning city, Shacklands is helmed by Jason Tremblay. Jason is an avid homebrewer... and a stay at home Dad for 10 (YES TEN! if anyone needs a drink...) He began his professional brewing career with Bar Volo and the House Ales. He then joined Shacklands in late 2012 and helps to brew their stable of Belgian Inspired beers.

Onto the farm...

Pours a hazy gold colour with a slight orange hue. The white head is subtle and made up of tiny bubbles. The nose is grapefruit, blood orange, honey, green herbs and very mild spice. First sip is bright fresh grapefruit and mandarin. Light spice and a touch of weak black tea. Finish is slightly bitter orange zest and some toasted nuts. Aeration gives us light spice...  a hint of grain  and caramel

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Cheers
A very light and fruity IPA with a touch of the belgian farmhouse beer style. Smooth drinking and delightfully crisp. I was very excited to try this and I was not disappointed. Looking forward to more Shacklands in my future.

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 198 The Bottle Imp Russian Imperial Stout

The Bottle Imp Russian Imperial Stout
Pro-am Series # 9

Beau's All Natural Brewing Company

Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Russian Imperial Stout 9.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 600 ml
$7.85 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @Beausallnatural @bridgehead

Tonight we are travelling back up to Van Kleek Hill, near our nation's capital, to Beau's All Natural Brewing Company once again. Beau's really is one of the hardest working breweries in Ontario. Their list of beers, past and present is virtually unrivalled. Their list of collaborations is stunning. Their contributions to brewing in Ontario and Canada are unprecedented. The beer we are featuring tonight on this Robbie Burns Day 2015, is a Russian imperial stout flavoured with organic fair trade coffee sourced from Mexico and Ethiopia. "Wait..." you may ask... "What has a Russian imperial stout flavoured with organic fair trade coffee sourced from Mexico and Ethiopia got to do with a dead Scottish poet?"  It's all in the name...

In 1891 Scottish storyteller Robert Louis Stevenson (see what I did there?) wrote a short story entitled"The Bottle Imp." It was a cautionary tale about a cursed bottle that granted the holder all that he desired but came with a few restrictions. Once you had bought the bottle you could not sell it for more than you paid for it. You could not throw it away or give it away. If you died holding the bottle your soul would be dragged to hell for eternity. From there it turn into a tragic love story and tales of self sacrifice in the pursuit of true love. No spoilers... if you would like to read the story you can find it here at Project Gutenberg in Robert Louis Stevenson's collection of short stories "Island Night's Entertainment."

Back to the beer. This particular Bottle Imp... is actually an IMP... or IMPerial stout so it is 9.0% ABV. Best to share this with a friend or have some snacks while you are tasting it. The Imp is part of the Pro-Am series which is a collection of beers designed by homebrewers that are produced commercially by Beau's. The particular recipe was created by David Thompson, the winner of the 2012 Toronto Beer Week Homebrew Contest. Lastly the beer is infused with some delicious roasted fair trade organic shade grown coffee from Chiapas Mexico, and Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. I love me some Ethiopian Coffee... it's my favourite coffee growing region. The coffee was provided by Bridgehead Coffee in Ottawa

Och... get on wit it... (My apologies to anyone Scottish). Onto our beer.

Pours a very dark brown with a fluffy tan head made up of small bubbles. The aroma is coffee with some dark malt sugars and caramels in the background. Some light floral notes with some nuttiness and fruit are also present. First sip is rich chocolate and espresso light fruity tones with some coffee ground bitterness underneath. As the beer warms figs and dried fruit come out on the palette as does some black licorice. Mouthfeel is very creamy, soft and supple. Alcohol is noticeable but not overwhelming. Aeration brings out a deeper creaminess, and the darker aspects of the coffee and malt. Finish is slightly astringent like black coffee and dark chocolate.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Very, very good Russian imperial stout. Roasty, toasty, smooth, I could imagine myself whiling away the hours in the Russian Imperial court drinking this beer. The coffee is a lovely, and well balanced addition. The floral, fruity, chocolate notes really ground the beer, and balance out the higher alcohol. A great beer inspired by a great Scotsman's story, wrapping up a good Robbie Burns Day. What more could a simple farm boy ask for?
well... maybe another... and a bottle with that wishing imp in it...

Cheers

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 197 Lion Grass Highlander Brew Co

Lion Grass Blonde Ale

Highlander Brew Company

South River, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Blonde Ale 5.4 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$5.00 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HighlanderBrew

Highlander Brew Company is up there on my list of favourite new breweries. I have done their three core beers a while back Here, Here, and Here, and I was thrilled to find this one in the local LCBO, just recently.

Tonight's beer is a blonde ale that has been flavoured with organic lemongrass and dandelion leaves.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a cheery gold colour with a fluffy off-white head made up of tiny bubbles. Nose is very green and herbaceous with a distinct lemon scent and a hint of lemon bread.First sip gives us sweet lemon and lemon curd, with a chicory/coffee note from the dandelions. There is a slight herbal bitterness, that tastes similar to a frisee salad with a citrus dressing. Finish brings out a touch of barley and bread before going into a tangy lemon zest aftertaste. The beer tastes very green, lots of leafiness to it fresh and bright  ( a nice change from all of the heavy stouts and ales I have been tasting lately). There is also a very wine-like feel to it I get a nice grapey taste with the citrus and there are moments I feel like I am tasting a sauvignon blanc or a light riesling. Aeration brings out a good hit of malt, tangy sweet and dark malt sugars and a hint of caramel right at the back.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS



Final Thoughts:

Well that is a different, interesting, and very refreshing beer. It has a lot going on in the flavour department while still being light. You definitely need to get one of these in you. If only to say you have had a beer made with dandelions.


CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 196 Aporkalypse Now

Aporkalypse Now

HogsBack Brewing Company

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Oatmeal Stout 5.4% ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 660 ml.
$8.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @HogsBackBrewing

Finally. I have found a pork infused beer. I had been hoping to get my hands on one long before this, but at last, here it is. HogsBack Brewing and it's flagship beer the Vintage Lager were conceived (as most good ideas are) in a brew pub in Ottawa. The name was an off-handed suggestion but it was well received and as the friends looked into the history of their area HogsBack took on special meaning as it had ties to one of the founding settlers of Ottawa. Philemon Wright, who was Ottawa's first brewer and a builder who constructed a dam that aided in the building of the Rideau Canal, and the dam created what is now know as the HogsBack Falls.


Tonight's beer, one I have been waiting to try, is Aporkalypse Now. Of course you will immediately get the reference to the great Francis Ford Coppola epic war drama starring Marlon (STELLLLLA!) Brando and Ramon Estevez... (Better known as Martin Sheen... Charlie (Tiger-blood) Sheen's Dad). It also stars Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, A young Laurence Fishburne, and fresh off of the Millennium Falcon... Harrison Ford. The label also bears a striking reference to that of the Miss Saigon musicals poster. As you can see, they both depict helicopters that appear to be painted with a brush and ink. However, on further examination... you can see that the helicopter on the beer label has been made to resemble a pig's head, with a snub nose, arching brow and one floppy ear.

Enough art appreciation... onto the beer.... I love the smell of bacon in the morning.



Pours a very dark brown with an off tan head made of of tiny bubbles. Nose is smoky, with notes of bacon and oats sweet malt and a bit of molasses. first sip is crispy bacon, rich oat malt some molasses and caramel some smoke and wood. As the beer warms the bacon flavour is enhanced. Very effervescent with a slight cola note. Aeration brings out tangy citrus and caramel along with the meaty goodness.



 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

This is just what I expected in a bacon flavoured beer... Yet another reason to drink in the morning. Great flavour, well rounded, smoky, meaty, filling. Just fantastic by itself, or even better with some food... if you can work a way to get some nice maple syrup in there... better still.

Oh no... The bottle is empty... the horror... the horror.
Cheers


CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 195 Lake of Bays Crazy Eyes Darcy Tucker Winter Bock

Crazy Eyes Darcy Tucker Winter Bock
NHL Alumni Signature Series

Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Baysville, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Bock Lager 8.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$11.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @LB_brewing @NHLAlumni

I am a little behind on this one, I have had it lingering in the fridge of fame for almost a month. I first had to finish the 2-4 beers of Christmas, and then new beers kept popping into my possession, so poor Darcy Tucker kept getting shoved into the boards. Anyway... If you haven't guessed we are talking about one of my favourite Leafs of All Time: Crazy Eyes Darcy Tucker. 

Born in Castor, Alberta (Castor is French for beaver...) on March 15th 1975, Darcy Tucker started out in the Western Hockey League playing for the Kamloops Blazers, helping them to win the Memorial cup in 1992, 94, and 95. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1993,151st overall. He went on to play first with the Montreal farm team the Fredericton Canadiens in 1996; where he won the AHL Top Rookie of the year award (Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award). He then played in three seasons with the Habs... but we won't hold that against him... and in three more with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Then in 1999 Darcy Tucker became a Toronto Maple Leaf; traded from Tampa for Mike Johnson. For the next 8 seasons Darcy brought his drive and heart to a team that sorely needed it and he helped them through some of their best seasons (of late) and sadly, some of their less than best. If you look up Grit and Determination in the dictionary it will say: "See: Darcy Tucker." He was a fan favourite, always good for a solid check or a wicked goal when you least expected it. Of his 15 years in the league he spent more than half in the blue and white. A stellar winger, a gentleman, a damn good hockey player. Fans in Toronto were shattered when he was traded to Colorado in 2008, and in 2010, Darcy hung up # 16 for good. I still think to this day that we should have given you the "C." Maybe if we had you would have given us the cup. However, we are still proud to call you one of the greats that ever wore a Maple Leaf.

Now before I start crying in it... Let's taste the beer...

Pours a dark chestnut brown with a light tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is robust and nutty with some sweet malt, espresso, chocolate and a hint of caramel. First sip is smooth and creamy, lightly sweet with lingering hints of caramel and licorice. Some woodiness, light smoke and the mildest hint of vanilla. Aeration brings of the coffee notes and some oak and maple woods.

 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS 
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Yet another great beer from Lake of Bays. I do so look forward to the signature series. I am glad they had decided to extend it past the Masked Men Series. (May I suggest a Sittler ESB?) Like it's namesake, this beer is a solid producer, good flavour, well rounded, not afraid to take you into the boards... The alcohol is noticeable, but muted. Flavour dominates. Sip this one slowly or share with a friend.

Cheers


CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 194 The Chocolate Manifesto Flying Monkeys

The Chocolate Manifesto Triple Chocolate Milk Stout

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Milk Stout 10.0% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml.
$10.40 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @FlyingMonkeys

Ever entertaining, The Flying Monkeys are always good for some quirky humour especially when it comes to their packaging. Sadly it will be hard to read in the above pictures (Dammit Jim I'm a farm boy... not a photographer...) But suffice it to say there is some interesting reading on the box. Chock full of sage advice, off-beat humour, good tasting notes and a pretty intensive description of the making of this beer, the box has a lot to offer... And we haven't even made it into the beer yet! 

The chocolate for this beer was provided by Chocosol Traders Twitter here. They are a fascinating chocolate trader and purveyor who just made my list of places to visit on my next trip to Toronto. The chocolate that went into this brew was shade grown cocoa nibs, whole roasted cocoa powder, and chocolate malt. Hence the triple chocolate. What we are left with is an intense celebration of chocolate and beer.

Well I'm excited... Let's taste...

Pours very dark brown almost black with a good sized chocolate brown head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is chocolate liquor, sweetness, and a hint of cocoa powder. First sip makes me think I'm drinking an alcoholic chocolate bar. When they said triple chocolate they were not joking. Sweet and creamy gives way to dark chocolate, a roasty, toasty, boozy, chocolate sauce. Finish is very milky with that lingering sweetness of a cold glass of chocolate milk. Aeration gives us dark bitter chocolate and tobacco.

 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

This is the best example of a chocolate milk stout I have tried. Period. The Chocolate flavour is well rounded and all encompassing. Strong but supple. The alcohol is very present... I was aware of the full 10 % but it seemed to be mitigated by the creamy chocolate deliciousness. At points in the beer I felt like it was a chocolate cocktail, reminiscent of creme de cocoa. There are a few of these left around... if you can find them grab them and drink them. I do believe they have stopped production of this beer. Hopefully not for long...


Cheers


CJT

P.S. I feel like I need to say chocolate a few more times... 


chocolate chocolate chocolate...

Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 193 Mackeson Milk Stout

Mackeson XXX Milk Stout

Carib Brewery

Champs Fleurs, Trinidad and Tobago
Licensed by Carib Brewery
Milk Stout 4.9% Brown Glass Bottle 330ml.
$2.22 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @MackesonStout


Mackeson has a long history. It has its origins at a brewery in Hythe, Kent... well I can't say it any better than Wikipeadia...

The beer was originally brewed in Hythe, Kent, by Mackeson's Brewery in 1907. Whitbread acquired the brand in the 1929 and gave it national distribution, eventually turning it into the market leader for milk stout.[2] Brewing discontinued after 1968 at the Hythe plant.[3] The beer was then brewed at the Exchange Brewery in Sheffield. When that was closed in 1993, Whitbread moved production to their Castle Eden and Samlesbury plants. From May 1999, production was contracted out to Young's Brewery of Wandsworth.[2] Whitbread was purchased in 2001 by InBev. Production was then moved toCameron's Brewery of Hartlepool before moving to Hydes Brewery in Manchester until March 2012.

-- Wikipeadia : Mackeson Stout

So you can see the beer has got around a bit. And actually a bit more. The version I'm tasting tonight... is brewed in Trinidad. There it is brewed by the Carib Brewery and is quite popular. They also export it to Hong Kong and the USA. Their slogan there is "Take it to the max."

So let's take it to the max... Onto the tasting...


Pours a deep dark black/brown With a large fluffy milk chocolate coloured head made up of small bubbles. Sweet malted grain and molasses are on the nose with a light hint of coffee, yeast and spent grain. First sip is sweet and creamy, heady malts, turbinado sugar and some light molasses. There is a light nuttiness to the beer as well as a creaminess that coats the lips and tongue. Slight burnt coffee bitterness to the finish with some bruleed sugars. Aeration brings out some of the milk flavours and accentuates the bitter finish.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS 
Beer Style: 4/6 PASS 
Re-Order:  4/6 PASS 
Experience:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

An average milk stout, good  enough to try for yourself. Just not a stand out in my books.


Cheers


CJT



Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 192 Sorachi Ace Brooklyn Brewery

Sorachi Ace

Brooklyn Brewery


Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
Independent
Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale 7.6% Brown Glass Bottle 750ml.
$9.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @BrooklynBrewery

It has been some time since I strolled down to Brooklyn Brewery and had one of their many delicious beers. Brooklyn Brewery is, of course, home to Brewmaster extraordinaire Garrett Oliver "The Wizard of Hops." Garrett is certainly a driving force in the rapidly evolving craft beer scene in the USA, and he is generous with his wisdom. Many, many craft brewers around the world have stories of inspiration from Garrett Oliver. Me, I'm just happy anytime I get to drink one of his beers.

Sorachi Ace is a very rare hop. Previously, it was used almost exclusively by the Sapporo Brewery in Japan. It has since become sporadically available in the US. Giving off a distinctive lemon/citrus flavour it is slightly more subtle than the heavy duty grapefruit flavoured hops favoured by the IPA-APA makers of today. This beer has been "blowing up," so to speak (in the current vernacular) the craft beer blogosphere lately. It sells out rapidly wherever it shows up. Heaps of praise and accolades are piled on it... Let's see what all the fuss is about... Shall we?

Onto the tasting...

Pours a hazy light gold colour with an ample fluffy white head made up of small to medium bubbles. Nose is citrusy sweet with bready yeast aromas. First sip is lemon and Seville orange, with some mandarin and marmalade notes. Lightly spicy, some allspice, or mace. Honey and lychee make an appearance. Aeration brings out the tangy citrus, A slight bitterness like the pith of an orange, and a very warming bready yeasty note. Beer is very dry, crisp, and clean. finish is short, and mellow with a hint of grapefruit.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL 


Final Thoughts:


A near perfect score for an absolutely exceptional beer. Lively fruit flavours, crisp dry taste, every sip left me wanting more. I can see why so many people have been raving about this beer. I was ecstatic to find this beer... all too often I have to read about stellar beers from the Craft scene in the US and never get to try them... I'm looking at you Sriracha Beer, Chile Beer, and Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout...


Cheers


CJT



Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.