Half Pints Humulus Ludicrous Imperial IPA

Lets get this out of the way.  Why did you put a thin cheap wax seal over the cap.  This just crumbles and get into the beer while you pour it.  Spend the money and use a thicker wax so I don't have to constantly pick pieces of wax out of my mouth while drinking your beer.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest I really liked this beer. It poured a nice caramel color, with a very white head that dissipates quickly.  It tastes a lot of a caramel & melon a bit of a different IPA flavor.  It packs a punch of 8% ABV with a IBU of over 100 even though I didn't register this beer to be that high.  They did a great job of hiding the bitterness with a higher than normal malt background.   I would love to give this beer another try just hold the wax.

Skookum Cascadian Brown Ale

I'll get this out of the way right off the top.  This beer is a rock star in my personal opinion.  I first had this during last years Stanley Cup Playoffs as my Flyers went on a magical run losing in game six of the finals, as they were winning I had to keep drinking this beer (superstitious fans).  This is a relatively new style developed in the past few years that is sort of a cross between an IPA and a dark ale and it's a match made in a hop lovers heaven.   This one pours a dark almost black brown with a nice thick khaki head that hangs out nicely.  It has a really nice mouth  feel with a nice juniper  sage fresh hop taste.  It has a relatively low ABV of  6.5% for this style that seem to be a little more beefy in the alcohol content.  It has remained a constant in my fridge and hop that it will continue to be a regular in Phillips rotation.

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale

As a beer drinker who has held a serious dislike for all but a couple of fruit / vegetable infused beers I was quite surprised to find how much I have enjoyed pumpkin beers.  They were all the rage this fall and this was the best of the three I tried. This one comes in a nice copper brown with a nice off white head that holds it's head nicely.  It has very subtle hints of the spices used.  They have added cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves & ginger during fermentation, while adding roasted  and raw pumpkin seeds and pumpkin flesh in the mash tin.  The spice and pumpkin are not overwhelming in any way they just add to the depth of flavor.  This beer is perfect for a cool evening in the fall, it is also a great food pairing beer and would go great with a turkey dinner or bowl of squash soup.  I can't wait till next fall to get a few more of these.

Moose Drool

I tried this beer a few years ago while at my favorite restaurant in Vegas and I really liked it then even though I felt it was way over priced for the amount received.  Well one of my colleagues brought me one into work a few weeks back to give a try so here you go.  This one pours a little thin on the head front which is surprising as I found it a little heavy on the carbonation.  It comes in a nice dark brown with a decent hop to mellow out the sweetness. I really like this beer a lot, I have since seen it on a few trips down to the states for golf so I'll be sure to pick some more up in the future.

While double checking some stats on this beer it reminded me of a debate about alcohol content and that American beers are weaker than Canadian beers.  They are generally both the same but have different numbers on the label that would lead you to believe one is weaker than the other.  They are just measured in different ways.  As an example this beer is a  4.2% by weight (American way) or a 5.2% by volume (Canadian way) . So as you can see this sorta blows the myth that you are not getting as much alcohol in your Bud in the states.

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.