It’s a crazy time of year as far as new craft beer releases go. We have oodles of pumpkin and fresh-hopped ales rolling in on a weekly basis, in addition to all the other new stuff. So here you have a nearly exhaustive list of what’s arrived recently. Next week is shaping up to look the same, as far as quantity goes, so check back then!
Longwood Full Patch Pumpkin Ale 9% 650ml (Nanaimo, BC)
Loads of baking spice on the nose, hints of iodine and subtle citrus spice notes. Dense malty notes on the palate, with sweet pumpkin spice and a smack of booze. Sweeter finish with a light bitterness.
Driftwood Blackstone Porter 650ml 6% (Victoria)
Pours a dark chocolatey black colour. Notes of dark roasted malt, smoke and dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is intense and rich with bold notes of smoke, espresso and bitter chocolate. Creamy and bold.
Vancouver Island Hermannator Eis Bock 9.5% 6-pks (Victoria)
Pours a dark chestnut brown colour. Notes of roasty malt, dark fruits, brown sugar on the nose. Taste is sweet, boozy and unapologetically malty, with notes of smoke, marzipan, molasses, nuts and grapes/raisins. Rich, deep and warming.
Merridale Apple Pie Cider 7% 500ml (Cobble Hill, BC)
Loads of powdered cinnamon, caramel green apple lollipop on the nose, with sweet apple juice flavours on the palate and some soft cinnamon spice notes on the finish.
Hoyne Wolf Vine Wet Hopped Pale Ale 5.8% 650ml (Victoria)
Definite green, funky resin, vegetal notes on the nose with hints of mint, fresh cut grass and robust malt character to balance. Medium-full bodied malty and hoppy flavours of light caramel, wet hops and sticky resin.
Phillips Green Reaper Fresh Hop IPA 6.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours deep yellow colour. Hint of vegetal notes with citrusy/resiny hops on the nose. Big spicy hop notes on the palate with a good sweet/bitter balance.
Yellow Dog Alpha Dog Fresh Hop Pale Ale 5.2% 4pk tall (Port Moody, BC)
Pours an orange-yellow colour. Bright citrus, orange peel and resin notes on the nose. Juicy citrus notes up front with spicy, pine notes on the back of the palate. Pleasantly bitter finish.
Commons Fleur de Blanc 5.6% 650ml (Portland. OR)
Pours a hazy pale peach colour with a red tint. Aromas of floral rose, peppery spice and citrus on the nose. Soft on the palate with notes of sweet stone fruit, citrus funk and floral rose.
Parallel 49 Schadenfreude Pumpkin Oktoberfest 5% 6pk (Vancouver)
Pours a clear orange colour. Light buttery crust, mashed pumpkin and baking spices on the nose. On the palate you get notes of round malt, vanilla, brown sugar and pumpkin pie baking spices.
Hoyne Voltage Espresso Stout 5.2% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a dark chocolate brown colour. Chocolate and freshly pulled espresso on the nose. Roasty chocolate and black coffee notes on the palate. Light-bodied but flavourful.
Spinnakers Sooke Bitter Fresh Hopped ESB 5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a burnt copper orange colour. Rich malt notes with a hint of citrusy hops. Malty with some tart fruit and biscuity/cracker notes.
Parallel 49 Trash Panda IPA 5.5% 6pk (Vancouver)
Pours a cloudy orange colour. Dank, juicy tropical fruit and cannabis hop notes on the nose. Juicy tropical and citrus fruit notes on the palate. Low bitterness, soft mouthfeel.
Yellow Dog/Alesmith Seeking Asylum Belgian Double IPA 8% 650ml (Fernie, BC)
Pours a clear orange yellow colour. Juicy aromas of Belgian funk, spice and berries on the nose. Boozy notes of juicy fruit, funk and spice.