Steamworks - Raspberry Frambozen

Hey everyone, it's getting close to summer time, and you know what that means? Summer seasonal brews are coming to town! Well actually, they've already arrived. I've had the chance to sample some of this year's best, and today, I have to let you know about the 2013 Steamworks Raspberry Frambozen (ABV 8.5%). I've been told about this one before, and always meant to try it. Last time I went to Steamworks, I had their Empress IPA, so I was excited to have their summer seasonal. I tried the Frambozën at the Hop and Vine in Burnaby.

I ordered this brew on tap, as it was on special that night. I thought I'd seen it before, but my buddy Danny ordered it and it looked completely different from when I was at Steamworks. This poured a deep reddish amber colour. Plus, I could smell the Raspberry from where I was sitting. When I got it, I realized it looks nothing like other fruit beers. So I took a sniff, and it smelled like a tart raspberry, mixed with a bit of a Belgian ale. If you're unfamiliar with the smell of a Belgian ale, imagine yeast-y scents. But the tart raspberry was en par with the Belgian ale smell. Deliciously tempting for that first sip.

Steamworks Raspberry Frambozën - @ Hop and Vine Neighbourhood Pub, Burnaby B.C.

As I dove into this brew, the taste was impeccable. I initially got a hit of the tart raspberry, and the Belgian ale taste, but no one flavour overpowered any other flavour. It stayed in perfect balance all through the sip. It had a long finish, as the taste lingered, but at no point was the brew too bitter, too sweet, or too anything. The alcohol content in this beer is 8.5%, and it drinks like a 5.5% beer. It's so smooth, and goes well with anything summer. It's definitely a patio beer, and I'd rank it at the top of the charts. If you're a lager person, you'll like the Helles Lager that I reviewed from Central City. If you're a fruity beer or pale ale kind of person, you'll absolutely love this as your summer beer.

I ended up drinking almost half of the brew before Danny reminded me to take a picture. It's best to sip on this one, as the high alcohol content can deliver the buzz faster than normal. The most stand-out characteristic of this beer is that it's a Belgian Triple, at 8.5%, and the taste is just perfectly balanced. There is no way you can leave this one untapped, as it's probably one of the best summer brews you'll ever have.

The Steamworks Raspberry Frambozen gets a sweet, perfectly balanced 9.5 / 10

ALTBIERE from the VCBW (Vancouver Craft Beer Week) - Parallel 49

The holy grail of the Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) is the highly anticpated Altbiere (5.8% ABV, 50 IBU). Why? Because 14 different breweries had a hand in crafting this altbier, which is supposed to top the Crooked Coast from Driftwood Brewery. That's definitely a difficult task if any.

What am I waiting for? Let's do this!

ALTBIERE from Parallel 49 (& Collaborators) for Vancouver Craft Beer Week

There's a picture of the bottle, in case you want to skip the review and go grab one right away. (Hint: You might want to do that before it sells out).

ALTBIERE from Parallel 49 (& Collaborators) for Vancouver Craft Beer Week

Okay, so I poured this baby into my glass, and it's beautiful. It's a very dark brown/amber and has excellent carbonation. I can see it in the side of the glass. There's a quarter inch of head and it doesn't just dissipate like other beers. This is a solid contender from the get-go.

On first sniff, I get hints of breads, caramel malt, and some greenery like grass or flowers or some plant stuff. I'm not the best with flowers. Gotta ask my girlfriend for that kinda stuff. Anyways, it smells incredible.

The first sip is surprisingly good. This is a true Altbier done in every possible way to keep it completely real. I don't know how to explain it in a better way. Girls: It's like buying that real $3000 bag for the price of a fake. Guys: It's like ordering a Hyundai from a dealership and getting a Lamborghini instead.

There is no overwhelming flavour; everything is well-balanced. It's like all the breweries got together and put the best of everything they have into one beer. This is remarkable. This is most definitely a sipper beer, for those who don't know a lot about altbiers.

The texture of the beer is quite dry, not overwhelming at all, and has a moderate thickness. Not too thin like a lager, and not thick like a porter.

Would I buy another? OF COURSE! This is probably one of the best beers I've ever had. It's on my top five for sure.

What are you waiting for? Go and get one before they're all gone!


The ALTBIERE from Parallel 49 (& Collaborators) gets a deliciously perfect 10 / 10

Laid Back Lager? More like Low Budget Lager.

So Danny and I went to the Hop and Vine about a month ago, just before the Canucks golfing season began. We decided to watch the game, and grab a pitcher of what was on special. I thought, "Hey, Big Surf is a B.C. brewery, we should be good." We ordered a pitcher of the Big Surf Beer Co.'s Laid Back Lager (5% ABV).

The beer came in a bright yellow, almost a neon too-many-vitamins-in-my-urine yellow. There was some head that didn't stick around too long, and it smelled like a stale Molson Canadian. Danny and I just looked at each other, and we figured "Well, it's a lager, it should go down without much of a fight."

My first sip into this beer, and wow. Laid Back Lager should be changed to Cat Pee. The taste of this beer reminds me of the smell of cat pee, mixed with the smell of Molson 67. I'm sorry, Big Surf, but there is no way in hell I'm going to order anything from you guys without a taste test first.

Big Surf Beer Co. Laid Back Lager @ Hop and Vine, Burnaby B.C.

Maybe it was old, near the end of the keg. Maybe it was a bad batch, maybe. There are a lot of possibilities, but the one I'm sticking with is that this beer is just plain garbage.

If you're looking for a North American-style lager that actually has some merit and would knock this one out of the park (faster than San Jose knocked the Canucks out of the first round), then try the Mt. Begbie "High Country Kolsch" -- it's a far superior beer.

The picture above might look okay, but I'd say look elsewhere, pretend you never drank this one, and move on.

The Big Surf Laid Back Lager gets a disappointing "who-mixed-my-Molson-with-cat-pee" 1.5 / 10

Perfect Patio Beer! Helles Lager from Red Racer.

I have discovered the beer of the summer! It's the perfect patio beer, goes down smooth, and has just enough flavour to satisfy your taste buds. Serve this baby ice cold, or head down to Central City Brew Pub in Surrey to grab one on tap! Okay okay, I won't spoil it. I went to White Rock with my girlfriend, and decided to stop over on our way home at the Central City Brew Pub for a beer. I hadn't seen the Helles Lager (ABV and IBU unavailable) there before, so I decided to give it a try.

I received my beer, and it looked pretty standard to me. Honestly, when I smelled it, it kind of just smelled like a normal lager, so I wasn't too excited to dive into it. Then I took my first sip. I looked up at my girlfriend and said "This is one you'll actually like."

She took a sip and was quite pleased with the taste. This, my friends, is my Summer 2013 patio beer of choice. It has lower carbonation, and a slightly different taste to it. By different, I mean it has an almost indescribable difference. The words that come to mind are "crustiness" and "rough". Not in a bad way, though. Serve this baby ice cold, sit on a patio in that perfect lawn chair, and enjoy the company of friends!

Red Racer Helles Lager @ Central City Brew Pub, Surrey B.C.

As you can see in the picture, it looks just like a normal lager. However, taste the difference and you'll be surprised just how enjoyable this brew really is.

What's the difference between a Helles Lager and a normal lager? Well, there was a point in time where German brewers were worried that new lagers that were being brewed by other countries of Europe (like the Czechs), would lure their German customers to drink the new brews. So they came up with the Munich Helles Lager, and saved themselves! Bet you didn't know that. Thank goodness they came up with this beer! Now we can all enjoy it. I hope this stays on tap for the rest of the summer.

The Red Racer Helles Lager gets a refreshing, "get-out-the-lawn-chairs" 8.5 / 10

Lost Lake Unfiltered IPA

Now I've never made a post about an IPA for people that are new to IPAs. But this one deserves the crown. I've been asked by a few people which IPA they want to get into, as their significant other, or some friends are getting into the beer scene. Keep in mind, a true IPA is usually packed with flavour. Keith's "IPA" is not an IPA.

If you think you really like the Alexander Keith's IPA, well, that's actually a lager. I don't know how they got away with it, but the Keith's IPA is just another macro-brew econo-lager. Keep in mind though, that the Keith's Red, White, and Dark are all worthy of a taste.

ANYWAY, I was at my local pub the other day, and decided to sit down and try the Whistler Brewing Lost Lake Unfiltered IPA (6.8%, 75 IBU). The beer itself, at 6.8% is stronger than your average brew, and packs some solid taste, while at the same time, not overpowering your taste buds.

The reason I say this is a great IPA for people that are wanting to try an IPA without being overwhelmed with nasty, bitter, undrinkable characteristics, is because this beer packs flavour. I mean, you'll get the bittnerness of the IPA, but at the same time, you'll get well-rounded characteristics which don't overpower each other. This is a true IPA, which means it's a sipper beer.

Whistler Lost Lake Unfiltered IPA (6.8%, 75 IBU)
Blame my iPhone 4 for the picture quality.

On first sniff (always make sure to sniff test...mmm hops), I get a nose of hops, citrus peels, and maybe a slight undertone of caramel malt. It's pretty much your standard west coast IPA smell.

On taking the first sip, it comes out strong at first. The bitterness is the first taste you get, followed by a mellowing out of the bitterness, being replaced by the citrus and malty flavours of the brew. The mellowing out of the flavours is the key to having this be a transition into liking IPAs. It still packs IPA flavour, but allows the taste buds to enjoy all of the flavours without packing too much punch.

The flavours are well balanced, and there is no disappointment in the craftsmanship put into this beer. It pours a great amber colour, exactly the right amount of head, and goes down smooth. I highly recommend this beer to both new IPA drinkers, and to seasoned beer geeks like myself.

The Whistler Brewing Lost Lake Unfiltered IPA gets a well rounded, give-me-another-one 8.5 / 10

I'm back! GIB Irish Red!

So I'm back from the hiatus I was temporarily on...coming back strong with the Irish Red (ABV 5.6%), released by Granville Island Brewing Co. en lieu of St. Patrick's Day 2013. I picked it up from the liquor store and was really excited to try it, seeing as I like most brews from GIB.

I let it chill in the fridge and got it down to about 5 degrees Celsius, popped the top and poured it in my glass. I noticed right away I could smell notes of an IPA, which kind of threw me off as to what I might get in terms of taste. There were a lot of hoppy notes and I couldn't really tell what I was smelling because of the confusion in my head. I swear I thought I smelled IPA...maybe it was my lack of beer and perhaps my sense of smell is just rusty.

The brew poured well, with a smidge of head that dissipated away.

Granville Island Brewing Co.'s "Irish Red" (ABV 5.6%)

I took the first sip of the Irish Red and was kind of disappointed actually. It tasted like someone mixed a little bit of their Brockton IPA into a red ale. After a few more sips, the tastes began to grow on me. There are some other grains in the taste, and some fermented fruit. Obviously there will be some fermented fruit, but this doesn't taste too citrusy. Perhaps apricot? It's a complicated taste, and I think that's why it took so long to grow on me.

Nonetheless, if you take your first sip and aren't immediately impressed, I wasn't either. However, the taste does grow on you and you won't be too depressed afterwards. This would go great at a bar if you're sitting down with some friends and enjoying sip after sip in a long conversation. This is a sipping beer (in case you didn't already get that).

It wouldn't be my first choice at a bar, but definitely wouldn't be my last. I think I would prefer to stick with the Granville Island pale ale or IPA instead of this, but it's definitely an interesting brew for this time of year.

Brew-lovers, pick one up, it's the least you can do in order to try something that actually stands out from the rest!

My personal rating might not reflect others' ratings, because a lot of my friends have liked this much more than me.

The Granville Island Brewing Co. Irish Red Ale gets an actually-unique-tasting 7.5 / 10

St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

Highly debated as the best oatmeal stout in Canada, the St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (ABV 5.0%; IBU 45) from Brasserie McAuslan Brewery in Quebec is something I've had before, but have yet to review on Brewji.

The story of the first time I had this stout is part of the reason why I needed to give it another go. I was at a friend's birthday party one summer, woke up hungover after too many jello shots that were made in muffin trays (don't ask...), and my friend, being part Irish and part German, had no hangover.

He handed me a beer, told me it was "like a Guinness, but tastier and feels like breakfast". He wasn't wrong. If you are new to stouts, as I was at the time, you will realize how this trumps a Guinness any day of the week. I opened the bottle, poured myself a glass, and it tasted like a coffee-hinted stout with a feeling of "Hey, no more hangover!"

St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout by Brasserie McAuslan Brewery

Let's get to the most recent events with this brew, shall we? Seeing as I've had this before, I snapped the picture before I opened the bottle because I didn't know if I would remember to take a picture while drinking it.

I sniffed the brew and got hints of roasted cocoa malts, coffee, and even a slight hint of what I think is oatmeal...maybe it's just because the name of brew is oatmeal stout, but I swear I smell it. There's a little bit of something else too, can't quite put my finger on it though.

On first sip, I immediately could taste cocoa flavours, with roasted malts and coffee hints. It is so well crafted, it's undoubtedly the best oatmeal stout I've ever had -- and stouts are my forte.

The taste goes through stages for sure. The first taste feels like a smooth cocoa-oat taste under a solid stout top. The second taste flows into a coffee hinted flavouring, and thirdly finishes with a caramel malt-y taste. This then flows into a lingering aftertaste of malts and coffee. The taste factor alone is enough to win this beer an award!

The "mouthfeel" as beer people call it, feels like a thicker than normal beer (obviously, it's a stout), but it's creamy and smooth at the same time. It lacks a lot of carbonation that other types of beer have, but as is the case with most stouts.

Now, this may actually be a beginner (stout) brew; if you're going to get someone into stouts, let them compare this brew vs. a Guinness. Tell them that most people drink Guinness and ask them which one they think is better. Something tells me that the majority will pick this oatmeal stout.

Also something to note -- don't serve this beer at ice cold temperatures! It's best served a little warmer than normal to allow the flavours to work their way over your taste buds.

The bottom line on this brew: It's cheaper than most stouts, it tastes better than most stouts, and it comes in a 6-pack of bottles. What do you have to lose? Grab some and enjoy!

The St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout gets an exceptionally well-crafted 9.5 / 10