Beer Review - Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom IPA

Mad Tom IPA comes to Nova Scotia from Muskoka Brewery. Nestled in the heart of Ontario’s iconic Muskoka Region, Muskoka Brewery's founders Gary McMullen and Kirk Evans opened Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge, Ontario in 1996. Mad Tom is a healthy 6.4% ABV and 62 IBUs with Chinook and Centennial hops for dry-hopping.


Appearance - The beer is a dark gold color and hazy with a nice head on the pour that quickly dissipates. 

Aroma - Not a lot of hops on the nose but did get some nice malt.

Taste - On sipping this one I got some grapefruit, pine and slight carmel. It has a dryness that lingers .

Mouthfeel - It has a good amount carbonation with a medium mouth feel. 

Overall - This is a strong beer that is well balanced and very enjoyable.

Mad Tom is available in 6 packs at the the NSLC now.

Beer Review - Bad Apple Brewhouse Mosiac Double IPA

The Mosaic DIPA is the latest offering from Bad Apple. This beer uses the Mosaic hops to give it a unique flavor. The beer is a respectable 8% ABV. 

Appearance - The beer is amber in color and is nice and clear. It had a very slim head that mostly dissipated. 

Aroma - I could smell aromas three feet away from me. It has strong hop, fruity and piney aroma.

Taste - It is complex to say the least. There is hops, floral, resiny, fruity. It has a bit of sweetness and a nice bit of dryness the lingers.

Mouthfeel - It has a good amount carbonation with a medium mouth feel. 

Overall - This is a strong beer but very enjoyable 

Beer Review - Boxing Rock Brewing - Rive du Sud

The Rive du Sud from Boxing Rock is a bière de Garde style that originated in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. This style beer is a strong beer and staying with tradition this one is 7.5% ABV. 

Appearance - The beer is amber in color and slightly cloudy with a small white foamy head that lasts and slight lacing. 

Aroma - It has a nice sweet aroma with some spiciness.

Taste - The flavor is a wonderful combination of bready notes, sweetness and spiciness. There is a very slight driness in the finish.

Mouthfeel - It is pretty well carbonated with a medium mouth feel. 

Overall - This is a smooth warming beer and very pleasant to drink, well done Boxing Rock. 

Beer Review - Pumphouse Premium Pilsner

This time we go to my hometown of Moncton New Brunswick to the Pumphouse Brewery. I got a special gift box last Christmas and it contained the Premium Pilsner in a latch-top bottle. This one comes in at 5.7% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a light color, a straw, it is crystal clear and has lots of carbonation and a thin white head that dissipates fairly quickly

Aroma - It has has the aroma best described as sour with a little sweetness.

Taste - The taste I didn't get the malt and perhaps a small amount of hops. What I got was some spiciness almost like a peppery taste. 

Mouthfeel - It is pretty well carbonated with a light mouth feel. 

Overall - This beer is easy a drinking beer that isn't strong in flavor despite being a 5.7% ABV.

Beer Review Keith's Galaxy Hop Ale

Alexander Keiths has started a series of single hop beers. This time I try Galaxy Hop Ale. This one comes in at 5.5% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a light copper color with a thin head. 

Aroma - It has hoppy aroma with an almost sweet fruitiness.

Taste - It has a bit of sweet fruity flavor with a bit of pine taste and a nice dry finish.

Mouthfeel - It is well carbonated with a medium-light mouth feel.

Overall - This beer is pretty good and in my opinion the best of the three that are currently out.

Beer Review - Keiths Hallertauer Hop Ale

Alexander Keiths has started a series of single hop beers. This time I try Hallertauer Hop Ale. This one comes in at 5.4% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a brownish in color with a slight head that disapates quickly. It seems ever so slightly cloudy. 

Aroma - It is more sweeter smelling than I expected with only a slight hoppiness.

Taste - I get sweetness up front and when I expected the hop dryness I got a spicy peppery finish

Mouthfeel - It is pretty well carbonated with a medium mouth feel.

Overall - I found this a very interesting beer although it really doesn't have the hop flavor I expected I enjoyed the beer. 

Beer Review - Keiths Cascade Hop Ale

Alexander Keiths has started a series of single hop beers.The first one in the series is Cascade Hop. This one comes in at 5.5% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a golden clear color with about one finger of head.

Aroma - I get a lot of hop aroma unsurprisingly.

Taste - The is a citrusy or fruity taste and a nice dry aftertaste.


Mouthfeel - It is a medium mouth feel with a decent amount of carbonization.

Overall - I enjoyed the beer and it was a nice opportunity to highlight the cascade hop

Beer Review - Garrison Brewing Saint Peter's Belgian-style Strong Ale

Photo from Garrison Brewing

Garrison Brewing released Peter Welton's 2013 Brew-off winner recently and it is indeed a strong ale weighing in at 7.5% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a light brown and cloudy with a thin white head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma - I get mostly banana aroma coming from this but not overwhelming.

Taste - I got bananas, spices and sweetness. There is very little aftertaste and no bitterness.

Mouthfeel - It is a medium mouth feel with a decent amount of carbonization.

Overall - I enjoyed the beer, it is very easy drinking smooth beer despite the high alcohol.

Beer Review - Picaroons Maple Cream Ale

Picaroons Traditional Ales makes this seasonal and the high cost of maple syrup makes it an expensive endeavor. It is labeled a brown cream ale that is conditioned as a lager and brewed as an ale. It weighs in at 5% ABV.

Appearance - The beer is a very deep dark copper color with a thin head almost non-existience.

Aroma - I get mostly malt with maple and sweet smelling undertones.

Taste - I got a malty taste with more maple flavor than sweetness and a pleasant dry finish.

Mouthfeel - It is a light to medium mouth feel with a decent amount of carbonization.

Overall - I really enjoyed the beer, it has a lot going on there but bottom line is a good beer

Beer Review - Sea Level Brewing El Rojo Diablo Double IPA

Sea Level Brewing seems to have had a little fun naming this beer and this DIPA comes in at 7.666% ABV and 88 IBUs. 

Appearance - The beer is a dark copper color and a thin off-white head.

Aroma - I get a predominant hop smell of course and some malt and carmel undertones. 


Taste - I got a very slight sweetness in the first and a large hop taste in the middle with a nice dry finish. 

Mouthfeel - I found on the medium-light side and lightly carbonated.

Overall - This one isn't a hop bomb that you often get on DIPAs but has a nice hop flavor and although it is a higher alcohol beer I really didn't get the burn at all.

Beer Review - Sea Level High Street Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

Sea Level Brewing brewmaster makes this beer as a tribute to his grandfather who lived in Scotland. The beer comes in at a respectable 6.3% ABV.

Appearance
The ale is a dark brown in colour with a thin tan head.

Aroma
There a distinct malt aromas, there was a little something else but couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Taste
I was drinking it a little cold it had a very rich flavor. It is slightly sweet with a slight dryness. The sweetness I would almost describe as fruity.

Mouthfeel
Medium mouth feel and a good amount of carbonation. 

Overall
It is a heavy beer but nice for the winter season when it is produced. I enjoyed the beer.

Beer Review - Bad Apple Brewhouse Black & Tackle Russian Imperial Stout

Bad Apple Brewhouse is currently Nova Scotia's newest brewery. The Black & Tackle is one other their two original beers and quickly became a favorite of mine. I also got to help make a batch of this 9.0% ABV stout.


Appearance
The Black & Tackle is as the name states black with a tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.

Aroma
There is a distinct chocolate and coffee aroma with a slight berry like sweetness.

Taste
The coffee and chocolate are dominant in the beginning with a nice dry finish.

Mouthfeel
Medium mouth feel with a good amount of carbonation. There is a slight alcohol feel but not much surprisingly for this high alcohol brew.

Overall
It is a nice beer to sip for a evening or to have with food. It can be purchased at the brewery in Somerset Nova Scotia or occasionally on tap at Stillwell. I guess the bottomline on this is a great beer brewed here.

Beer Review - Propeller Irish Red Ale

Propeller recently released their new seasonal Red Ale. They wanted to develop a recipe that was unlike other Irish Ales available locally. I love the label on this 5% ABV ale too. This is what I thought of the Irish Red.

Appearance
It is a dark copper color with a thin white or beige head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma
Has a malty aroma with a sweetness almost a fruity sweetness.

Taste
The taste is a sweet malty start with perhaps a bit of carmelness  and a dry finish. Quite well balanced.

Mouthfeel
Medium to light bodied and decent amount of carbonation 

Overall
It is a drinkable beer with malty sweetness and a dry finish. Enjoyable to drink.

Beer Review - PEI Brewing Co Sydney Street Premium Stout

This beer is made under the Gahan brand and comes in at 5.2% ABV. It is dark brown and a fairly good head on it. The aroma is chocolate and fruitiness. It is a medium beer with a good amount of carbonization. It is a bit sweet to start with a coffee and chocolate after-taste.It is a very good stout. As always, enjoy responsibly

Beer Review - Boxing Rock Brewing U-889 Russian Imperial Stout

I am trying U-889 Russian Imperial Stout, it is a limited release from Boxing Rock Brewing  in Shelburne NS. It comes in at 8.89% ABV and is brewed with with locally roasted Just Us! Coffee and Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. It is extremely dark in color, almost black, with a light carbonation and thin head. The aroma is chocolate, coffee and sweetness. The taste is sweetness initially with a chocolate, coffee dryness in the finish. Very nice beer

Beer Review - Bad Apple Brewhouse American Pale Ale

I am trying my beer from Nova Scotia's newest brewery, Bad Apple Brewhouse. The American Pale Ale is a strong ale coming in at 5.7% ABV. I really like the labelling it is well thought out and I love the saying on the side "It is what it is but a cold beer will help". It is a clear copper colour with a decent amount of carbonation and a nice hop aroma and a hint of floral sweetness. It has a medium mouth feel with a good amount of carbonation. The ale gives the hoppy taste up front with a almost a sweetness before you get the dry finish. I really enjoy this beer as you know I like hoppy beers. I have been watching Greg Nash up there brewing with the owner Jeff so I knew it would be special. It is currently only available at the brewery in Somerset NS. A big thanks to Lori for picking the beer up for me and until next time, enjoy responsibly.

Beer Review - Boxing Rock Brewing Co Temptation Red Ale

This red ale comes in at 6.0% ABV with a copper color and a thin head.  It has a hoppy floral aroma and it has a lot of aroma. It is light in carbonation with a medium to light body. It is a very hoppy beer with a floral taste. It is a dry beer, not excessively, but dry and hoppy. It is my favorite red ale in Nova Scotia. Until next time enjoy responsibly. 

Beer Review - Picaroons Traditional Ales Simeon Jones Amber Ale

This is my brother-in-laws favorite beer. Simeon Jones Amber Ale coming in at 4.5% ABV. This beer is an homage to Simeon Jones, a brewer and mayor of Saint John whose beer became well known throughout the Maritimes in the 1800's. The beer is copper color with a slight head. There is a malty aroma with a little yeast perhaps. It is light in carbonation and in mouth feel. It has a malty and bread flavour with minimal aftertaste and a very slight dryness, I enjoyed this beer, I could see this as a good warm weather beer. Enjoy responsibly.

Beer Review - Garrison Brewing East Kent Golding One Hop IPA

The third in a series of "One-Hop" beers, the EKG comes in at 6.5% ABV . It is a light copper color that pours with a thin head. The aroma is a nice hoppy floral smell. It has a decent amount of carbonation with a medium body and nice mouth feel. he taste is floral and sweet with a nice hoppy dry finish. A very nice beer and a great way to try different hops. In limited release .

Beer Review - Hell Bay Brewing Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

The is a seasonal from Hell Bay Brewing in Liverpool Nova Scotia, a scotch ale coming in at 8% ABV. It is a dark copper colour with a thin foamy head. Getting a malty aroma from this. The ale has a medium body and light carbonation. On the taste I definitely get smoke right away, it is a sweet nice beer with some smoke and a bit of a malty aftertaste. Very nice beer for this time of the year. Definitely like this beer, try to find it.