We regularly post tasting notes from our Friday Staff Tasting, providing you with our take on all the latest craft beer arrivals. After an almost nonstop flow of sour beers into the shop over the last several weeks, we suddenly got a bunch of amazing hoppy beers from Powell Street, Category 12, Twin Sails, Ballast Point and Sixpoint. Our craft beer selection continues to grow as new BC breweries open and iconic US breweries find their way into the province.
And speaking of great craft beer, do you know about our Beer Mail program? Every two weeks we put together a new and different selection of 12 large-format beers (2 bottles each of 6 different beers), which we can send to any city in BC. So, if you’re reading this from someplace that doesn’t have good access to a killer selection of craft beer like we offer, think about ordering a case from us. Or maybe you live here in Victoria, but you want to send a gift or a beery care package. Ordering is easy, safe & secure and your beer arrives well-packed and in great shape. Just click here for details: BEER MAIL.
And without further ado, here’s what’s new:
Faustino Apple Cherry Cider 6.8% 750ml (Okanagan)
Pours ruby red with incredibly fine and lively bubbles. Stewed, candied and fresh cherries and green apple on the nose. The palate is loaded with dry, tart tree fruit with light cherry notes, finishing mostly dry with a touch of sweet cherry on the finish.
Scenic Road Nearly Dry Cider 7% 500ml (Okanagan)
Pours a very pale lemon yellow colour. Notes of sweet hard candy and ripe apple on the nose. A bit of sweetness up front with pleasant apple notes on the palate. Nicely carbonated.
Sixpoint The Crisp Pilz 5.4% 6pk cans (Brooklyn, NY)
Pours clear golden yellow, with classic lager notes of clean, bright citrus aromas. Flavours of grapefruit pith and lemon peel finishing clean and dry with a long, refreshing bitterness.
Sixpoint Bengali IPA 6.5% 6pk cans (Brooklyn, NY)
Pours golden orange. Funky, resinous hop aromas with hints of fresh citrus fruit. Lively hop character on the palate with flavours of hop oil, mandarin orange, grapefruit and caramel. Finishes nicely dry with a long bitter finish.
Sixpoint Puff Cloudy Imperial IPA 9% 4pk cans (Brooklyn, NY)
Pours deep golden orange. Sweet tropical fruit with notes of guava, pineapple, papaya and mango on the nose. Zesty, rich palate of similar tropical fruits with a perfectly balanced bittersweet finish. Delicious!
Bomber Dan Small’s Strathcona Pale Ale 5% 650ml (Vancouver)
Pours clear light orange. Aromas of orange and earthy sweet malt, with similar flavours of sweet malt and orange peel. Finishing dry with a smooth, mellow finish.
Twin Sails Day Blink Simcoe Pale Ale 5% 4pk tall cans (Port Moody)
Pours cloudy gold. Aromas of freshly squeezed lemon juice, pronounced cannabis, light caramel sweetness. Flavours of light toffee, loaded with tropical fruit, pineapple and cannabis. Super smooth finish with a very refreshing and balanced bitterness.
Powell Street Right Kind of Crazy Double IPA 8.5% (Vancouver)
Pours clear gold. Intensely sweet citrus, pineapple and cotton candy on the nose. Palate is creamy, full of tropical fruit flavours and an astringent bitterness – boozy finish giving it a great bitter/sweet balance. Hop Bomb!
Category 12 Subversion Imperial IPA 8.8% 650ml (Saanich)
Pours golden orange. Funky tropical fruit aromas and a hit of booze on the nose. Palate is similar with pineapple, mango and a hint of boozy sweetness – followed by a zesty, bitter finish.
Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin IPA 7% 6pk (San Diego)
Pours orangey red. Hot, freshly cut habanero pepper on the nose, with hints of tropical fruit – hard to fight the heat. Palate starts fruity and light, then a smack of habanero heat hides the fruit flavours. Finish is bitter, but HOT.