Every week we post tasting notes from our Friday Staff Tasting, providing you with our take on all the latest craft beer arrivals. We’re excited to have one heck of a hoppy gluten-free Double IPA in stock now from Glutenberg. This will satisfy a serious hop craving for those who can’t tolerate gluten. Speaking of hoppy beers, two new seasonals from Phillips—Apteryx and White Unicorn White IPA—have plenty of hops. We also have a delicious new sour from Belgium;s 3 Fonteinen and a beautiful, very quaffable oak-aged ale from St-Ambroise.
BTW, it’s worth noting that if you purchase Phillips’ new Apteryx Dry Hopped IPA, Electric Unicorn White IPA, or any Phillips product, you can enter to win tickets to this year’s Rock the Shores.
Honesty Box Select Apple Cider 7% 4-packs (New Zealand)
Pours a pale yellow colour. Enticing floral apple and orchard fruit notes on the nose—spicy and juicy. The palate offers sweet ripe apple notes and apple candy flavours with a perfect hit of tart acidity on the finish.
3 Fonteinen Golden Doesjel Lambic 6% 375ml (Belgium)
Pours a deep, rich orange-yellow colour. Notes of tart hard cider and oak on the nose. On the palate there’s a nice hit of honey up front followed by tart grapefruit notes an unripe stone fruit. Low carbonation.
St.-Ambroise Oak Aged Pale Ale 6% 6-packs (Quebec)
Pours a copper orange colour. Grainy malt notes with hints of vanilla, coconut and a touch of chocolate on the nose. On the palate it has sweet malt notes of vanilla and coconut with a perfectly balanced bitter finish.
Phillips Electric Unicorn White IPA 6.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a light orangey-yellow colour. Exotic lemon, spice and citrus notes on the nose. Palate is a funky melange of clove, tropical fruit and spice. A little sweet but nicely balanced.
Phillips Apteryx Dry-Hopped IPA 6.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a deep yellow-orange colour. Exotic, savoury notes of over-ripe tropical fruits on the nose. On the palate there are savoury herbal/vegetal notes with hints of white wine and a pleasantly dry finish.
Vancouver Island Brewing Sabotage ISA 5% 6-packs (Victoria)
Pours a rich yellow colour. Assertive notes of cannabis and pine on the nose. Smells great! Well-balanced on the palate with tasty lemon and pine notes and just the right amount of malty sweetness. A very satisfying, easy drinking and sessionable ISA.
Glutenberg Gluten-free Double IPA 8% 4-pack tall cans (Vancouver)
Pours a burnt orange/copper colour. Sweet notes of candied orange, blueberries and spicy grains on the nose. Strong hop presence of resin and tropical fruit with hints of spicy ginger. A bit boozy and sweet.
Maui Lorenzini Double IPA 7.6% 4-packs (Maui)
Pours a deep burnt orange/amber colour. Sweet, floral citrus notes notes on the nose. Big dose of orange notes up front on the palate with dark malt notes toward the back and a substantial bitterness on the finish.
Gigantic Saboteur Baltic Porter 8% 650ml (Portland)
Pours a dark black-brown colour. Robust notes of chocolate, coffee and soy sauce on the nose. On the palate there are big umami/soy sauce notes with a hint of sweet chocolate. Creamy head and surprisingly light bodied for the style and ABV.