The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2019 Day: 2 Blackstone Porter, Driftwood Brewery

Beer #502 Blackstone Porter

Brewery: Driftwood Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2008

Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Beer Style: Porter

ABV: 6.0 %      IBU: 25

Format: Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 650 ml

Cost: $4.80 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

driftwoodbrewery

    @driftwoodbeer

Our second beer for the #2-4beersofchristmas comes to us from Vancouver Island. Specifically the capital of B.C.: Victoria. Driftwood Brewery has been around since 2008 and brews a nice line up of tasty beers. Also, I would encourage you to check out their website. They have a cool, interactive 3D Walk-through of their brewery on their contacts page. Tonight's offering is Driftwood's porter, and without further ado, we should hop right into it.

Onto our beer... 

Pours a deep dark brown/black with a light tan head made up of small bubbles. The aroma is roasted malt chocolate nuts and coffee. The first sip gives us a light-bodied fruity beer, with notes of molasses brown sugar dried fruit with background hints of vanilla and caramel. builds into an earthy woody finish with a hint of smoke and ash near the end.

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
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts: It always amazes me how such dark beers can taste so light and fruity in the mouth. This almost black beer has an airy mouthfeel. Certainly a great beer to sip by the fire or under the Christmas tree.



Cheers
CJT

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Beer # 298 Fat Tug India Pale Ale Driftwood Brewery

#298 Fat Tug India Pale Ale

Driftwood Brewery

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Independent Microbrewery Established: 2008
India Pale Ale
7.0 % ABV IBU: 80
650 ml Brown Glass Bottle
$6.00 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @Driftwoodbeer

It has been a while since I did a BC brewery and I feel bad about that. Not only are we doing amazing things with beer here in Ontario, The same is happening in BC. They have undergone the same rapid expansion of craft breweries, just like us. Maybe they started even sooner. Being as they are, close to Oregon where the feel for the West Coast Style of Beer seemingly originated. Driftwood Brewery is certainly one of the great breweries nestled in the middle of that rapid expansion. Founded in 2008 and delivering their first kegs in October of that year, owners Kevin and Jason have not looked back. They boast a stable of six core beers a few seasonals and over 20 speciality brews.

Tonight's beer is a flavourful India Pale ale rich in hoppy goodness, and tons of fruit.

Let's hop on the tug...

Pours a medium cloudy gold with an off white head, very fluffy made of small bubbles and a slight golden tinge.Aroma is very are with notes of rose water, lychee and other florals. First sip is warm and malty hints of caramel and spice touches of bitter greens spark through the middle while a mellow fruitiness takes over on the finish. Slightly sweet with deep malty profiles. Flashes of turbinado sugar and molasses entwined with a little licorice. Ripe melon and mango round out the flavours with some nutty hints and a touch of black tea. There is a definite roundness, and almost creaminess from being unfiltered that gives this beer a nice depth. Aeration warms up the nutty aromas with some vanilla, caramel, and macerated fruit.


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:

A warm, fruity, and malty West Coast IPA with a good backbone and a nice alcohol level. I can imagine sitting down to one of these after a rough day at sea. Let out your inner sea captain to run down to your local and pick yourself out one of these.

Cheers

CJT

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