The Bar Towel

Useful updates, thanks. I tried the Rock Cut last week and found it thoroughly uninteresting and meh. Guess I'll have to try the Prison Break - at least sounds like there might be something slightly unique about it.

Hasseroder draft (Finn McCool). A very fresh-tasting draft helles from a German brewery I don't know (I am sure there are many). Stylish, well-balanced stuff with a gathering bitterness, and no hint of the sulphur volatiles that characterize some German lager brewings.

Hop Head Black India Pale Ale. This must be a recent brewing because it seems different from the first one we saw here. There is little or no "Pacific Northwest" hop character, but rather a more neutral, almost cinnamon-like bitterness - more English in style, like a good Imperial Stout. Chocolatey and rich, nicely done.

Kirin Ichiban 100% Malt (canned beer made under license in U.S.). Thin, disappointing.

Gary

Smashbomb Atomic IPA - someone left a bottle at my house on the weekend. Bottling date was mid April, so 6 weeks old or so. Had a mild, but good hop nose. Picked up the usual metallic finish. Harsh lingering bitterness. Not much else going on. My wife confirmed these thoughts, I had one more sip, and down the drain it went.

Mt Begbie Nasty Habit IPA - another leftover beer. Don't think I have ever tried this one. Smells like nothing, tastes like nothing. An extremely bland pale ale. Wife confirmed the same, had one more sip, and down the drain it went.

Orkney Dark Island - Guess what, another leftover beer! Really good nose, could smell it as I was pouring it. Nice mild roast finish in the taste, but the rest of the flavour was just watery and non-descript. Finished about half the bottle, hoping more flavour would come out as it warmed, but it never happened, so... down the drain it went!

Not much of a Monday night sampling.

Pickey pickey

Lone Pine IPA - really great nose, reminded me of some Michigan brewed American style IPAs...unfortunately a very watery and minimal flavour. let down by the taste, didnt hold up. and then theres the bomber format...another disappointment. not a big fan of those for IPAs.

a nice try but wont revist

Parallel 49 Old Boy (Pale Ale) and Gypsy Tears (Amber Ale). Both are pleasant entry-level craft beers, the Gypsy showing some C-hop sass and the Brown has subtle nuances that grow on you & keep you wanting to session another one. Don't expect to be blown away or anything LOL.

Renaissance India Pale Ale 6%: excellent-tasting beer, good melded flavours of English/New World-citric hops and rich English malt. Drink half-chilled.

Spaten Helles: the current canned import. Fresh-tasting, good barley malt notes, no "stinky can", no sulphur notes. I'd add more hops in the aftertaste, but it's very good beer.

Black Oak 10 Bitter Years (bomber bottle): Sweet malt sets off the bitter-but-flavouful American hops, well-balanced.

Gary

toweringpine wrote:Schnitzer Brau Organic and Gluten Free

An acquaintance who is getting into a beer and wine importing business is bringing This one to us. I was told it will at select The Beer Store locations soon. It's a different sort of beer, made from millet rather than sorghum like many gluten free beers. It has an interesting enough flavor. With some nice German hops and a touch of banana and clove there is some aroma too. The head was pretty decent and clung to the sides a bit as it dissipated. The body of the beer is too thin and leaves the beer with no backbone. I don't think I'd get t as an everyday brew unless gluten free was the main criteria. As far as gluten free beers go, it's much better than most.

I drank four of the six bottles I was given and gave the others to my sister who has decided that wheat and gluten are terrible and should be avoided at all costs. I haven't heard back et if she has tried them and what her thoughts are but I am regretting my decision to part with them. I am sort of missing the light body and fruity / spicy flavour of this beer. I was told that it available for private order and will soon be available at some TBS locations. If I see it at TBS I will grab a few more. Nice on the hot days while working the BBQ. My friend who is the I porter for Schnitzer said this morning that he is going to sign up on Bartowel, maybe he will chime in with more info and ordering details.

Was at a music club last night, awful beer selection and bottles only, but figured it was a chance to try some beers I normally wouldn't:

Big Rock Saaz Republic Pils - What a surprise, it has the same disgusting house ale yeast character that all of their ales and so called lagers exhibit. Had an offensive sharp bitterness to it, but fortunately it was extremely mild.

Keith's Hallertauer - Had me wishing I ordered another Big Rock. Mild dirty floral taste, with something approximating an unpleasant bitterness in the finish. Got slightly better as it warmed, but couldn't finish it.

Good thing the music was excellent.

^^^you're turning into a Boomtown Rats song, Mark

Torontoblue wrote:^^^you're turning into a Boomtown Rats song, Mark

Nice reference

Bottle of Green Flash West Coast IPA - had this last night at the Bushwakker. Bottled on Jan 21, so 4.5 months old. This is what an IPA should taste like, most others are just imitators. Extremely satisfying.

Further to the discussion above, Double Trouble Prison Break Pilsner. MUCH better than I was expecting, to be honest. Nice and dry, good building noble hop bitterness (though i might like just a touch more). No cloying flavours at all. Very drinkable.

What he said. An excellent, drinkable lager.

Gary

Renaissance Marlborough Pale Ale (IIPA) - Great fresh piney and delectable pale-fruit aroma does not warn of the big bitterness, piney and resinous with grapefruit pith and citrus fruit. Hops overwhelm a bit, hiding the big caramelly base. Bitterness carries long, and for me this is not the ideal IIPA but some do like it this bitter, and the quality is definitely here. Points for unusual hop variety, Rakau and the sheer aggressiveness.