Wine, Spirits and Beer – Western Canada's Trade Magazine

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	Half Pint Brewing Little Scrapper IPA Canada +1020873 A new craft beer from Manitoba. Dark amber in colour, with lots of hops and scented soap (good) on the nose. This has a nice combination of hops (the India Pale part of the equation) and weight (the ale side). There is solid mouthfeel to the beer that makes it great for sipping. This beer is really well done and gives Half Pint brewing an excellent reputation.
	Ozujsko Pivo Croatia +668889 In two blind tastings I recently organized, Ozujsko came out as the favourite beer. The light gold colour and mild aroma are pleasing, but its taste is what really shines. Good, clean, long, very full finish, with ample weight. This beer has a lot of character. Not a “wow!” beer, but surprisingly good. Well worth seeking out.
	Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale Canada +903922 / 6 pack Ales have more complexity and flavour than lagers, and they can stand up a little more to the hops. With the Steinlager described above, where the hops are helping in the background, in this Full Moon from Alley Kat, the hops are up-front and centre. This is a pale ale making a statement! If you like your beer with flavour and a bit of bite, you’ll love the Full Moon. Almost an India Pale Ale (highly hopped) in style, this beer has a lot of weight and good length in the finish. If you want a beer to sip rather than guzzle, pick a Full Moon. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Amber’s Australian Pepper Berry +722583 Amber’s Australian Pepper Berry is an instant hit with most people who try it because the berry and pepper sneak up on you rather than being the dominant notes. Your first taste reveals a beer fuller than most lagers, and with a hint of berry. A second sip brings out the soft peppery warmth hiding in the background. The tastes are subtle indeed -- to the point where you may not realize why this beer tastes better than your usual choices. This beer comes in a 6-pack from Amber’s Brewing in Edmonton. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Big Rock Grasshopper Wheat Alberta +924266 This is a Kristallweizen style -- the beer is filtered to remove the yeast, but this also removes the wheat protein which clouds the beer. Filtering the beer results in a clear style, and the light hops and creamy texture make this a refreshing “quantity” beer to enjoy after mowing the lawn. Traditionally, Kristallweizen beers like Grasshopper are served with a slice of lemon. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Brew Dog Punk IPA India Pale Ale Scotland+730130 "This is an aggressive beer. We don't care if you don't like it." The back label says it all (and a lot more!) on this Scottish newcomer. There is no compromising with this beer. Very strong hops with emphasis on the bitterness rather than the hops’ floral characteristics make this a distinct and "love it or hate it" style of beer. Quite dry, with the bitterness becoming mild in the long finish. Check out the website on these guys: www.brewdog.com Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Coopers Original Pale Ale Australia +724760 This treat from Down Under is slightly hazy from the bottle conditioning that gives it a wonderfully soft and creamy texture. This is an easy-drinking style of pale ale (emphasis on the pale rather than the ale). It sneaks up on you as you realize there is more than just drinkability in this bottle. The aroma is mute and malty and the finish has good length. Trust the Aussies to come up with a fine beer that is as easy-going and comfortable as an old friend. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Drummond premium Lager Canada +733953 Closed for over a decade, the Drummond name is back in business. Named after the Drummond Glacier at the head of the Red Deer River, Drummond is a welcome addition to the Alberta microbrewery scene. Medium to full in mouth with a touch of bitterness in the finish, this Red Deer brew is a good beer for watching the hockey playoffs.
	Efes Dark Turkey +75705 This is a rice beer, with the rice giving a grainy aroma and just a hint of bitterness. The mouthfeel is very lacy and makes this beer easy to quaff. There is a clover and coffee character to the aroma and a sweet finish – both characteristics that make this an instantly likeable beer. I’d never tried Turkish beer before and was pleasantly surprised by this one. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Estrella Damm Spain +726693 Not ready for the ales of fall and winter? Try this Spanish beer from Barcelona! A Pilsner-style lager, much fuller in weight and flavour than North American lagers. Damm Good! Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Floris Ninkeberry Belgium +479154 This fruit beer may be a rediscovery for some, because it has appeared on the market periodically over the years. I personally wasn't intending to taste another fruit beer when I had some interesting lagers to try. However, it was the first time I have had a chance to try it and it crept into my tasting line-up. It was up against the world-class Lindeman's Peche fruit beer, considered by many to be the varsity of fruit beers. While the Lindeman's is definitely world-class, I was extremely pleased by the flavours of the Floris. With its combination of peach, apricot, mango, and passion fruit: Wow! While this beer doesn't have the intensity of the Lindeman's, it has a milder, sweeter, softer fruit and just a touch more complexity. Some people find the fruit beers to be too much of a good thing; this beer tones the intensity and increases the complexity. I think it will appeal to a wider audience, without forgoing quality. Floris Ninkeberry uses a Belgian wheat ale as its base and the combination of wheat and fruit works very well. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Flying Dog “Snake Dog” IPA +717077 Available in six packs. The American IPA release from the Flying Dog brewery has a light golden colour, with strong aromas of citrus (almost grapefruit) and a floral hoppiness that carries over to the palate. Although the palate is bitter, it has a nice, light liveliness, and beautifully balanced maltiness. Dry, clean bitter finish -- what a beer! Reviewed by Stacey-Jo Strombecky
	Fort Garry Dark Ale +539825 Manitoba This brewery has a long tradition beginning with the Hoeschen family’s purchase of the Winnipeg Fort Garry brewery in 1930. This Fort Garry “resurrection” represents a very light and crisp style of dark beer. The colour is reminiscent of root beer. It’s a light and easy-to-drink beer, with flavours of malt and a little honey-like sweetness, plus a hint of fruit that follows through to the finish. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Edinburgh Ale Scotland +715953 Although this ale has been around for over a year, many people still don’t know it. How can you not know the best beer in the world? In 2004, Innis & Gunn hands-down won the International Beer Challenge Supreme Champion Award with this benchmark beer. Aged in oak barrels, the beer picks up a caramel/toffee character in the flavour as well as in the mouth-feel. As soon as this beauty touches the lips, you know you have something that is a class above all others. Some people might not like the oak, but for most people, this beer is an eye opener. It is simply the best introduction to cask-aged ales. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout Alberta +736230 Amber's has really hit its stride with its flavoured beers and this is one of their best. The dark brown colour and mild aroma are fairly typical, but it is in the mouth that this beer really shines. This stout is rich, with chocolate and bitter notes, the texture is smooth, and it rolls around your mouth without you realizing how much you are savouring the character.The texture is great and ample, without being heavy or leaving a bitter finish. This is a good beer for relaxing with friends, simply enjoying the company of both without thinking about it. Another winner from the brewery that brought you Australian Mountain Pepper Berry and Sap Vampire. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	König Ludwig Weissbier Bavaria +710028 For 700 years, the Bavarian Royal Family has set the standards for great beer – they were instrumental in establishing the German Purity Law of 1516. They held the European monopoly on Weissbier until the 18th century, and Oktoberfest was first a celebration to mark the birthday of King Ludwig I. Today, his descendent, Prince Regent Luitpold, has the world’s only royal residence with a working brewery. Grain and citrus notes in the nose, fresh and effervescent on the tongue, with an apple-crisp tang. A real thirst quencher. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Krusovice Imperial Czech Republic +422656 Czech beers have always been highly rated, but unless you try them blind against a selection of other beers, you may not realize how good they truly are. Krusovice falls into the Bohemian Lager category with its slightly dark colour, soft, smooth mouth-feel and relatively clean flavour. There is just a touch of bitterness in the finish to give it a very nice edge. Despite the clean flavour, however, our tasters found this beer to be the most interesting and complex of the group and it was the unanimous favourite. "A great summer beer" and "I enjoyed it!” seems to sum up the consensus on this surprise winner. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Lindeman's Cassis Belgium +731705 Not everyone is going to like a fruit beer, but Lindeman's makes some of the world's best. This is delicious, a wonderfully bright combination of blackcurrant fruit, tartness, sweet and flavour. Lindeman's fruit lambics are beer benchmarks and worth seeking out. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Macewan’s Scotch Ale Scotland +8912 This is a “wee heavy” and represents one of the extreme styles of brewing. Legend holds that when the English wouldn’t sell hops to the Scots, the brewers made their beers without it. The result is a rich, malty, sweet style without the bitterness or fragrant flower character of the hops. This ale also packs a punch with 8% alcohol. It’s big, mouth-filling and very tasty. For those who like to match beers with food, this is one for steak served with mushrooms and sautéed onions. Mmmm. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Flying Dog Woody Belgian Style Wite Beer Maryland, U.S.A This is a beautifully balanced and mouth-filling white beer. The texture is creamy on the palate with coriander and bitter almond coming out nicely in the finish. The coriander and citrus (from bitter orange peel) character won’t be for everybody, but if you like Hoegaarden, this is a very good summer beer. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	Miller Chill Light Beer Wisconsin, U.S.A. This 100-calorie beer is very light in the taste department, which allows the lime character to come through. Miller Chill was a hit with the tasters in my group because of its ‘hot day’ virtues: simple, refreshing, and bright. Its 100 calories was also seen as an advantage when out in the sun. Nothing complex, but it sure hit the spot. Reviewed by Tom Cox
	La Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout Quebec, Canada +737146 For those who don’t want light beer at any time of year, Microbrasserie Charlevoix makes this massive stout. Big, big flavour with bitter coffee and a good dollop of chocolate. The flavour is creamy, round and long with a touch of sweetness at the end. The lactose adds both to the texture and the chocolate character of this strong beer. Reviewed by Tom Cox

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