We regularly post tasting notes from our Friday Staff Tasting, providing you with our take on all the latest craft beer arrivals. All we can say at this point is, where did June go? We’re a little behind with our tasting notes due to so much going on here at Cook St Liquor.
Speaking of which, 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!
Driftwood Cry Me a River Gose 5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a hazy lemon yellow colour. Herbal and savoury aromas with a hint of lemon. Malty on the palate with notes of lemon tea, a slight tartness and a savoury brininess.
Brekeriet Vanilj 5.2% 750ml (Sweden)
Pours a hazy orange-yellow colour. Notes of vanilla bean, buttered popcorn and marshmallow jelly belly on the nose. Huge hit of acidity up front that is softened by the rich vanilla bean notes. Deliciously exotic.
Also pictured: Brekeriet Sour Brown, Zuur & Scanium
Le Castor Le Moine Feral 8% 500ml (Quebec)
Pours a rich golden yellow colour. Incredible notes of ripe orchard fruit, citrus and apple cider on the nose. Quite complex on the palate with notes of barnyard funk and dried fruit and a little booziness.
Le Castor Houblon Farmhouse 6.3% 500ml (Quebec)
Pours a rich yellow colour. Very funky and horsey on the nose with notes of straw, citrus and barn. Even funkier on the palate with dry notes of stone fruit, minerals, hay and a bitter finish. Soft mouthfeel.
Le Castor Dark Farmhouse 6% 500ml (Quebec)
Pours a deep mahogany colour. Muted barnyard funk notes on the nose with notes citrus and dark malts. Notes of chocolate, tart funk and spicy grain on the palate.
Gigantic/Half Acre Grimalkin Amorphotron Imperial Ale 10.5% 650ml (Portland/Chicago)
Pours dark black-brown colour. Complex notes of rich caramel, chocolate, nuts and citrus fruit on the nose. Balanced sweet fruit and chocolate notes on the palate with a good hit of bitterness. Surprisingly balanced. Like an imperial CDA.
Faustino Apple Quince Cider 6.8% 750ml (Okanagan)
Pours a pale straw yellow colour. Notes of floral orchard, ripe fruit and apple skin on the nose. Tart apple skin, cooked quince and Granny Smith flesh notes on the palate with a good balance of sweetness & acidity. Wine-like.
Faustino Apple Peach 6.8% 750ml (Okanagan)
Pours a pale peach flesh colour. Notes of peach skin and a tart juicy apple on the nose. A touch of sweetness up front with tart stone fruit notes and a dry finish. Good balanced acidity, fine mousse.
Left Field Pear Cider 6% 500ml (Logan Lake, BC)
Pours a very pale straw yellow colour. Notes of dirty socks and cat box on the nose—funky! Dry, tannic unripe pear notes on the palate with good minerality and a touch of sweetness.
Freigeist Geisterzug Quince Gose 5.2% 500ml (Germany)
Pours a lemon yellow colour. Interesting notes of fresh herbs, dried fruit and and spice on the nose. Dry and tart on the palate with refreshing notes of tart dried fruit and ginger spice and big carbonation.
Howe Sound Sea to Sky Belgian Blonde 5.3% 650ml (Squamish, BC)
Pours a pale lemon yellow colour. Tropical banana, pineapple and vanilla notes on the nose. Dry and crackers on the palate with light stone fruit notes and a hint of spice. Light bodied, small and quaffable.
Moon Under Water This Is Hefeweizen 5.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a hazy golden yellow colour. Typical traditional Bavarian hefewerizen notes of fruit, clove, spice and citrus on the nose. The palate is a bit light-bodied with flavors of spice/clove, tart fruit, bubblegum and a nice dry finish. Very drinkable and pleasant.
Persephone Multigrain Saison 6% 650ml (Gibsons, BC)
Pours a rich yellow-orange colour. Notes of orange peel, spice and bready Belgian yeast on the nose. On the palate it offers rich grain notes with spice and citrus as well. Hint of sweetness.
Dunham Assemblage No. 1 5.5% 750ml (Quebec)
Pours a hazy yellow colour. Notes of fruit cocktail, tropical fruit and citrus on the nose. Funky on the palate with notes of barnyard hay/straw, citrus fruit and minerals. Dry and bitter.
Dunham No Tahoma Pale Wild Ale 5.9% 750ml (Quebec)
Pours a hazy pale yellow colour. Notes of candied pineapple, cannabis and spice on the nose. Funky, spicy and juicy lemon on the palate with notes of mandarin and pineapple.
Driftwood Naughty Hildegard ESB 6.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a coppery orange colour. Assertive Mosaic hop notes of tropical fruit and resin on the nose. Similar exotic fruit and resin notes on the palate. Drinks like an IPA.
Trou du Diable Four Horseman of the Apocalypso 6.5% 600ml (Quebec)
Pours a bright, rich yellow colour. Strong notes of fresh pine, pineapple, resin and grapefruit on the nose. Big hop notes show up immediately on the palate. Bitterness and hop spice are right up front, with some pale malt notes supporting it all. Very tasty, with hints of the Belgian yeast influence.
Merridale Cheeky Peach 7% 500ml (Cobble Hill, BC)
Pours a very pale yellow colour. Notes of boozy peach brandy, Rockets and a little funk on the nose. Big “drunken peach” and apple cider notes on the palate, with a touch of sweetness. Addictive.
Woodland Empire Set ’Em Wild Set ’Em Free Carrot Berliner Weisse 4% 650ml (Boise, ID)
Pours a cloudy carrot orange colour. Earthy aromas of freshly shredded carrot and zesty citrus. Bracing acidity on the palate with earthy, nutty carrot notes. Beguiling.
Dunham Saison Rustique (Brett Drei variant) 6% 750ml (Quebec)
Pours a hazy pale lemon yellow colour. Floral notes of Fruit Loops, fresh ginger and lemon on the nose with a hint of funk. Dry and spicy on the palate with hay/barnyard, lemon and spice notes and bitter finish.
Strange Fellows Reynard Oud Bruin 6.5% 650ml (Vancouver)
Pours a hazy deep chestnut colour. Notes of balsamic vinegar, sour cherries and woody oak on the nose. Great oak spice compliments the sweet balsamic acidity. Notes of sour cherries with a bitter finish. Complex.
Lighthouse Broadside NW Pale Ale 4.3% 6pk cans (Victoria)
Pours a rich lemon yellow colour. Bright, fresh citrus notes of lemon/lime on the nose. Big bitterness up front, with exotic notes of Fruit Loops, citrus and spice on the palate.
Steamworks Heroica Red Ale 5.6% 4pk tall cans (Vancouver)
Pours a chestnut orange colour. Notes of dank cannabis, fruit and malt with a little floral hint. Palate is round and slightly sweet, with notes of spice, malt and tropical fruit.