Friday, July 5, 2013

8

A fistful of beers. Or perhaps two fistfuls. A pretty wide range here.  Avoid the Mill St. and I&G in favor of the others.  Conductor's Ale is Junction Craft Brewing's first LCBO offering and is a powerhouse American Pale Ale, full bodied with good complexity for the style.  A few Belgian's in here as well; the Nogne O Saison was a great effort, Pepe Nero something different (it's actually a black Saison with black pepper), the Derniere Volonte the first LCBO regular offering introduced by Dieu du Ciel, and the rare Hopfenstark Saison Station 55, a complex, bitter and herbal micro from Quebec.  Ommegang's Game of Thrones Iron Ale was a touch overpriced and gimmicky but well made none the less.

Nogne O Saison
500 mL bottle. Pours a cloudy yellow amber with a nice white cap of head, leaves a little lacing. Pretty aromas of fruit esters (banana and pear), mild spiciness, verbena, dough and a touch of earthy funk. Dry with a nice wheaty mouth feel and some herbal hop bite. Full carbonation and medium body, refreshing. Well made and tasty like all Nogne O products.

Junction Craft Brewing Conductor's Ale
473 mL can. Pours a clear amber with a big splotchy head and a mess of soapy lacing. Nose is crystal malt, pain d’epice, candied fennel and citrus rind. Mildly sweet and full bodied with moderate carbonation and a layered finish of contrasting bitter hop and sweet malt. Full flavored considering the ABV. Another local gem.

Goose Island Pepe Nero
750 mL bottle. Pours a very dark brown, almost black with a thick beige cap. Leaves nice lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, prune, espresso, cocoa, and pepper, both the vegetable and the spice. Surprisingly dry, medium to full carbonation with a clean mouth feel. Spicy on the finish. Different. Enjoyed.

Ommegang Game of Thrones Iron Throne Ale
750 mL bottle. Pours straw with a dense white head. Fresh cut grass, citrus, lemongrass and spice. Medium bodied and high carbonation, mildly sweet with a lingering noble hop bitterness.

Hopfenstark Saison Station 55 (Biere Amere)
750 mL bottle. Pours peach juice with a thin head and no lacing. Aromas of stone fruit (peach, nectarine), pear, lime herb, a touch of caramel malt. Incredibly complex. Moderate carbonation and medium body. Very good.

Dieu du Ciel Derniere Volonte
341 mL bottle. Pours straw yellow with a huge foamy white head. Aromas of citrus peel, pear, ginger, floral hoppiness and a touch of bubblegum. Dry with high carbonation and medium mouth feel with a lingering finish layered with spicy old world hop. Reminds me more of a hoppy Tripel than an IPA per se.

Mill St. Don Valley Bench Estate
355 mL bottle. Pours a hazy pale straw with a bit of foamy white head. Aroma is grass, lemon zest and a touch of oak, a definite chardonnay note as well. Dry with a round wheat beer mouth feel but by no means heavy bodied. Mild and a little boring. Little to no finish, just faint herbal hop. Understated.

Innis & Gunn Canadian Cherrywood Finish
330 mL bottle. Pours a rich copper amber with a patchy head. Aromas of cherry, oak, vanilla, maple and rich caramel malt. Fairly sweet with an ever so slight hop finish, medium carbonation, medium-full body and slight alcohol bite. A bit sweet for my liking, but good complexity.

As per usual:
http://www.ratebeer.com/user/169526/ratings/

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