Howe Sound Brewing Devil's Elbow IPA

This was the first product I tried from these guys a few years ago when I stopped by the brewery on my way back from Whistler.  It's still my favorite.  It pours a little hazy caramel color with a thick white head that hangs out for a while.  One smell and your reeled in with it's great fruity west coast IPA nose.  It keeps going with a great sweet citrus flavor that comes with a wonderful balance between the hops and malt.  It has a relatively low ABV of 6% and IBU of 68.  This is a beer that keeps you wanting more it comes in a big package a whopping 1L bottle with a resealable cap so you can enjoy over a couple of days. 

Driftwood Fat Tug IPA

A new product from this upstart brewery that I was introduced to last year.  This is the second IPA I have tried from them and I liked them both but this one was the best of the two.  I first tried their Wet Hopped Satori Harvest Ale before I started this blog.  This one pours a golden straw colour that is surprisingly clear.  it has a wonderful hop aroma that doesn't transfer to the flavor as expected.  I felt that the first sip had a nice west coast IPA start but this one has a little more malt making it a refreshing change from the typical in your face IPA's.  It packs a relatively mild ABV of 7% and a IBU of 80 so it has a mild punch.  This would be a good beer to introduce a newcomer to the IPA genres of beers.  As this will be a permanent addition to there rotation It will be a regular in my fridge.

Russell A Wee Angry Scotch Ale

This product is a take off an old Scottish Ale made in the 19th century.  Scotland is an area that hops struggle to grow so they tend to use more malts to develop the rich flavor associated with this style.   This beer is a mild 6.5% ABV  with a relatively low 30 IBU  so its quite drinkable by most.  It is best enjoyed at a bit warmer temperature than your standard fridge, so let it sit for twenty minutes or so before starting it up. It pours a rich dark brown with a surprisingly white head that dissipates quickly.  It has a nice smooth nose and a rich caramel finish. I feel that this beer would show a little better on draught with a nitrogen boost to keep the carbonation finer and more like a Guinness or Kilkenny. But overall I really like this product and would be happy to try it again.

Vancouver Island Brewing Hermannator Ice Bock

I wait every year for this beer to be released in late October.  I unfortunately missed this one for a couple of years as it sells out quickly so I was happy to see it in the store a couple of weeks ago.  This one isn't for the faint of heart, a high ABV of 9.5%.  It pours a molasses dark brown almost black with a khaki head that dissipates quickly.  This beer has a distinctive sweetness from the brewing process. Ice Bocks or Eisbock's  brewed the same way all others are brewed except after they age the beer for a few months they freeze the beer and remove the ice crystals leaving a stronger & sweeter beer.  I hope you leave some for me next year.

Skagit River Brewery Skuller's IPA

Sometimes a label is a warning and this one is a huge warning. This beer is almost too bitter to drink.  At first smell and taste I was like wow this should be great.  But seconds after the first sip my tongue got twisted sideways with a bitterness I have never encountered in a beer before almost every sip had the same reaction and made for a unpleasant experience. Not my favorite and would shy away next time I have a chance.

Maredous Abbaye Brune

I love small packages that pack a big punch.  This style of beer was only brewed around Christmas time for the monks but over centuries it's has become the most popular version of the Abby Ale.  This particular beer is has a subtle sweetness and has a very effervescent mouth feel due to the bottle conditioning.  It pours a dark ruby brown with a thick head that hangs on till the end of the glass.  You get a nice warm glow after a few sips of this product . With very subtle sweetness and a high ABV of 8% this is a well balanced product that everybody should give a swirll sometime.  This one will have a home in my cooler every time I see it in the fall.

Howe Sound Total Eclipse of the Hop Imperial IPA

Howe Sound Brewing is one of my favorite local brewery's that is willing to take some risks good or bad.  While I generally like most of there products this one was just average and well below the high standards I have come to associate with the many diffrent products I have tried. 

It pours a nice thick whitish head and smells quite fruity and satisfying.  This beer comes with a ABV of 8% and a high IBU of 90 which is quite high for a IPA.  This is where this beer falls flat, it is just missing balance between the 6 different variety's of hops used and they seem to fight each other affecting the overall flavor.  Maybe I have been spoiled by the recent IPA's I tried in Oregon but this one just doesn't crank my turn.  

Kev's Brew Review is going on the road.

I am finally making a pilgrimage to the place I have always wanted to visit.  I'm going to Philly in March.  While I'm mainly going to see my beloved Flyers play I'm also looking for some great beer.  Any suggestions?  I only have three nights with two games to attend so it will be a bit rushed.  Philly is on the leading edge when it comes to the east coast craft beer scene & I want to try as many as possible.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

This year the en vogue beer seems to be the Pumpkin beer.  Everybody is brewing one so I had to give a couple a shot.  This is the first one I have tried and as a person who has a dislike for fruit beers I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this particular product.  I had my first one on the last day of my Oregon vacation after a night where I had been to 3 different brewpubs and needed a night cap.  Turns out I was beered out by the time I had back at the hotel.  So when I saw this at the local store I picked up a four pack. 

I t pours a yellowy brown color with a off white head that dissipates quickly. It has a warm spicy aroma that smells of mulling spice and malts.  It packs a wonderful taste of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg that warms you with thoughts of a cold afternoon having a cider or mulled wine except chilled.  This will be a staple in my cooler next fall.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.