April 2017 - 3 New beers, two great ones and one for the 'don't buy again' list! an interesting beer, but not suited to any of our palettes.

A Lager, an ESB and a Gruit which is made without hops.

Spring Fever Gruit Ancient Ale

 Passed down in families or jealously guarded by monasteries, Gruit Ale recipes come from an era when beer was flavoured with a variety of herbs & spices. Developed with the help of Salt Spring’s ‘Wild Seed School of Herbal Studies’, our Spring Fever Gruit is made without hops – using wildcrafted herbs and a little ‘lunar magik’. It was brewed on the full moon – said to maximize botanical essences. Bright, cider-like flavours, a floral/clover nose and a slight sweetness make our Spring Gruit uniquely different & refreshing. Spring limited release.

Saltspring Island Ales - Saltspring BC
 http://www.saltspringislandales.com/our-brews/

This Guit rates a do not buy again.. almost tasted like an apple cider gone bad..:)

 Blood Alley ESB


 Blood Alley Bitter is an Extra Special Bitter named after a notorious cobblestone laneway in Vancouver's Gastown district. At 50 IBU's this beer is slightly higher in bitterness than the average ESB but it is well-balanced by the rich, roasted malt flavours.

Stylistically, the malt side is very English, but the hops are all floral US varieties. Brewed with only the best including: 2-row Pilsner malt, Flaked Barley, UK Crystal Malt, and a touch of UK Chocolate Malt. We use Columbus hops in the brew kettle, and dry hop with Cascade and Willamette.

PART OF THE RUSSELL BREWMASTER SERIES - a succession of small batch beers crafted for an unconventional beer drinker.

 Russel Brewing Company - Surrey BC
 http://www.russellbeer.com/blood_alley.html

Vienna Lager
 This finely made Vienna red lager is exquisite in taste, with Noble German Tettnang hops and smooth creamy maltiness. A dark, rich beer with with rich, complex ready notes and chocolate-like flavors. Perfect for your trip into the wild.

Hoyne Brewing Company - Victoria, BC
Hoynebrewing.ca

March 2017 - Another 3 new beers to taste. All three are winners this time.. from grapefruit flavored ale to super chocolate porter!

 Piggy Pale Ale.

Cowichan Rugby Football Club and the Red Arrow Brewing Company are proud to announce a most exciting venture – the Piggy Pale Ale!  

“We have a long history of rugby here in the Cowichan Valley and a close connection with it among employees at Red Arrow Brewing Company. We wanted to embrace the camaraderie and spirit found on the rugby pitch with a unique brew.”  ~ Lance Stewart, Red Arrow Brewery

 

A rather civilized beer. Our storied club has a rich history of fantastic rugger and countless shenanigans. It represents an impressive list of characters past & present, who define the playfulness & honour required to be part of the Cowichan RFC family. When opposing teams come to town, players know that win or lose, it is going to be a hard game. They also know that every drop of blood and sweat left on the field will be replenished back in the clubhouse with the tip of a pint of some fine ale. 

We took our love of the game and pitched it into this Pale Ale. Pouring a light golden orange this PIGGY has a medium hop aroma, balanced maltiness and just enough gumption to bring home the game. 

We hope that you love the beer. We love the name and it’s connection to the sport and the way the Cowichan boys and girls play. There is relevance to the rural setting that is the Cowichan farming backdrop, and sure as hell, there is history and honour in donning the Cowichan Green and Black. We hope that you can attend the launch on the 26th and continue to support your local brewery and rugby club. Here’s mud in your eye!

Red Arrow Brewing Company - Duncan BC

 https://redarrowbeer.ca/

 Cactus Grapefruit IPA
A middle weight body with smooth, airy creaminess. If you like fresh grapefruit and you are not an IPA purist then then you’ll love this brew! Easy to drink, nice and crisp and quite refreshing on a hot summer day.
Four Mile Brewing Company, Victoria BC
http://www.4milebrewingco.com/our-beers/seasonal-beers/

Bomber Choqlette
Great taste is more than the beer in this bottle. It’s classy and quirky and vibrant and subtle. It’s chaos and balance, inately in sync. It’s not something you learn, it’s a second instinct.
It’s old worldly charm with a modern day spin. Rich roasted malts with chocolate a l’ancienne. London and Paris at home in one drink. It’s just a few of our favourite things.

STATS

Style: Chocolate Porter
ABV: 5.5%
Bitterness: 18 IBU

TASTING NOTES

3 chocolate additions are done to build flavour and aroma, with French Aramis hops giving it a mild floral aroma beneath the roastiness and chocolate.
Light-medium body with medium high carbonation.
Colour is dark brown with hints of red and purple.
Bomber Brewing, Vancouver BC
http://www.bomberbrewing.com/beers#brewery-210