We regularly post tasting notes from our Friday Staff Tasting, providing you with our take on all the latest craft beer arrivals. Though we didn’t post any notes last week, plenty of brews arrived. This week we’re getting caught up on two week’s worth of tasting notes featuring a tonne of new BC brews and a sprinkling of other NW offerings. Style-wise things are lightening up as we head toward the sunnier spring weather that’s just (hopefully) around the corner. And, not surprisingly, more sours showed up.
Steel + Oak Royal City Ale 5% 4-pk tall cans (Vancouver)
Pours a slightly hazy lemon yellow colour. Dank hops and grainy malt notes on the nose. Grainy malt, spicy hops and a dry bitter finish on the palate. Refreshing & crushable.
Hoyne Hard Rain Double IPA, 7.6%
Aromas of huge citrus fruit, grapefruit, blood orange and a hint of mango. Rich, malty flavours with a hint of sweetness followed by bright citrus flavours of grapefruit pith & orange peel. Long, refreshingly bitter finish.
Worthy IPA 6.9% 650ml (Bend, OR)
Pours a clear orange-yellow colour. Ripe notes of melon, funk, citrus and spice on the nose. Piney and spicy on the palate with grainy malt notes for body. Solid.
Swans Sucker Punch CItra Sour 5.5% 650ml (Victoria)
Pours a hazy orange-yellow colour. Dank citrus, melon, funk and floral notes on the nose. Lemon, grainy malt and tart peach on the palate. Great acidity.
Driftwood Entangled Hopfenweisse 7% (Victoria)
Pours a hazy, peachy orange colour. Strong notes of funk, clove, bubblegum and citrus on the nose. Dominated by spicy hop notes on the palate with a hint of bubblegum/clove hefe yeast on the palate. Like a hefeweizen IPA.
Laurelwood Organic Espresso Stout (Portland)
Pours a deep black-brown colour. The nose smells like a fresh espresso pull with a hint of smoke. Coffee, smoke and dark chocolate on the palate.
Breakside Salted Caramel Stout 6.7% 650ml (Portland)
Pours a deep chocolate brown/black colour. Notes of caramel, toffee and molasses on the nose. On the palate it’s not so much “salty” as it is a bit briny, with rich chocolate notes. A tasty dessert beer.
Powell St. Witbier with Ginger & Cardamom 4.8% 650ml (Vancouver)
Big notes of ginger, sweet pie spice and white peach on the nose, palate is spice-forward with ginger, pie spice and a slight herbal quality, light bodied with a clean, lingering spice on the finish
Parallel 49 Bodhisattva Dry-Hopped Sour 7% 650ml (Vancouver)
Bright and funky on the nose with notes of lemon peel, sour citrus candy and pineapple. Palate is full of funky, tart fruit, orange and pineapple with a balanced soft/sour finish.
Moon Copper Kettle Mandarin Bavaria 6% 650ml (Victoria)
Incredibly funky with huge notes of mandarin orange, barnyard and hints of banana on the nose. Flavours of juicy mandarin orange and sweet citrus fruit with a bright, tart finish. Delicious.
Phillips Sax in the Dark Sour w/ Grape Must 5% 650ml (Victoria)
Notes of red Twizzlers, candied grapefruit and brown sugar on the nose, flavours of milk chocolate, dates and red Twizzlers finishing round and medium bodied with a light tart snap.
Moody Honey Red Ale 5.9% 650ml (Port Moody, BC)
Toasted bread, hints of honey and pine on the nose, similar on the palate with a honeyed, toasty, dry finish.