Alexander Keith's Saphir Hop Ale (Canada)

Alexander Keith's Saphir Hop Ale (Canada) 5.5%

Full gold with a finger of foam that settled fairly quickly. Herbal, floral, slightly citrusy (orange/tangerine) marmalade and sweet aroma. The taste is bitter but with continued citrus (more tangerine now), marmalade like sweetness. There is also some resin and a floral flavour that reminds me of some blossom, maybe honeysuckle? The aftertaste is drily, lightly bitter with more malt than hops flavour.

I am a fan of these One Hop beers because I like the opportunity to learn about one specific type of hops. This beer is also highly drinkable and pretty tasty.

Rhyme & Reason - Collective Arts Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington)

Rhyme & Reason - Collective Arts Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 5.7%

Brilliant gold in a glass with a big fluffy white head of foam. Very citrusy hops aroma of grapefruit as well as peach and mango tones with cedar and resin as well.

Fairly bitter hoppy flavour: pine, cedar and other woods tones as well as citrus flavours reminiscent of grapefruit peel and oranges. Quite bitter, still very drinkable as long as you like bitter beers. There is a toasty, biscuit malty body that, in combination with citrus hops character, reminds of range marmalade on scones.

Collective Arts Brewing does something interesting with their labels, there are different ones on nearly every bottle. There seem to be upward of 60 different labels in at least 2 serieses. It makes the completionist in me want to buy far too many bottles of beer but at least the contents are also enjoyable.

California Sunshine APA - Cameron's Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Oakville)

California Sunshine APA - Cameron's Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Oakville) 5.2%

Gold with a big head of resilient white foam. A nice resiny, cedar aroma with plenty of sap and citrus touches (orange and grapefruit) and mango.

The hops flavour is actually more of a dry herbal character than the sticky, resiny citrus tones that the aroma featured - not much sweetness comes through from the malty body so while there some woodlike hops flavours they are more like the way lumber would smell than the scent of trees or freshly cut wood with sap ooze from it.

This is a very pleasant and refreshing American Pale Ale, it is nice to find an APA that is genuinely bitter with a bunch of sugar or caramel in the flavour. This type of bitter beer would pair well with lots of food but is just dandy all on its own.

Honey IPA - Trafalgar Ales and Meads (Canada - Ontario - Oakville)

Honey IPA - Trafalgar Ales and Meads (Canada - Ontario - Oakville) 5.5%

A dark, amber colour, smoke and fire kissed - kind of like the colour of sap. Resiny, coppery aroma, with a distinct sweet honey tone and touches of lavender and clover - maybe a bit of toffee too.

A fairly mellow hops flavour actually; resiny with much of the bitterness in the aftertaste. Sweet honey adds to the malty body of crusty bread and some nearly roasty malt flavours. A bit of a toffee flavour too that is well balanced by the bitterness. Also a subtle nutty flavour like the kind you'd taste from multigrain bread.

Overall I think this beer is pretty good, it's not an really IPA, by flavour or by alcohol content, however it's a fine American Pale Ale and I like the honey twist.

Detour - Muskoka Brewery (Canada - Ontario - Bracebridge)

Detour - Muskoka Brewery (Canada - Ontario - Bracebridge) 4.3%

Mango, ruby grapefruit aroma with pine and hoppy loveliness. A darker gold in a glass with a head of foam that leaves behind some lacing.

A bitter beer first and foremost with pine hops in the forefront but the hops also combine with the malty body for a flavour that I'll describe as toasted bread topped with a sprinkle of sugar and a fresh citrus (orange as well as grapefruit) and mango salsa, or perhaps a chilled compote. Yes, I'm aware that this is a beer and not an entree at brunch but Detour has some serious depth of flavour and the most amazing thing to me it that it's only 4.3%!

I am a big fan of hoppy beers that are low in alcohol (my favourite beer in the whole world is Pump House Brewery's Special Old Bitter) but it is especially impressive that Detour has so much malt flavour as well and is still only 4.3%. I really hope that this is not just a seasonal and that instead is available year round because this beer would be the perfect accompaniment to all sorts of yard work or summer sporting events.

Boundary Ale - Moosehead (Canada - New Brunswick - Saint John)

Boundary Ale - Moosehead (Canada - New Brunswick - Saint John) 5.3%

A deep amber colour in a glass with a head of off-white foam. An earthy but also resiny and sticky hops aroma with caramelized sugars and a malty body.

A slightly sweeter flavour than I expected, caramelized sugars that are on the red side of the Maillard process and just not quite roasty. Definitely still some hop tones: resin, cedar and a dry bitterness with just a bit of citrus. This ale is nicely balanced and has an appetizingly bitter aftertaste.

In my opinion this is the best beer that Moosehead makes (as a New Brunswicker that is saying something) and it's very nice: refreshing and complex. Boundary Ale is a lot (but not exactly) like an English IPA even if its hops character is a touch resiny.

Autumn Hop Harvest Ale - Amsterdam Brewery (Canada - Ontario - Toronto)

Autumn Hop Harvest Ale - Amsterdam Brewery (Canada - Ontario - Toronto) 5.6%

Herbal, citrus (orange and a hint of grapefruit), a bit floral, pine and sticky resin rounds out hops character of the aroma while there is also some earthiness and biscuit and honey tones from the malty body. Clear full gold in a glass.

To go along with its moderately hoppy flavour and sweet grain tones, this beer made with fresh hops (as in added without being dried first) has a pleasant peppery earthiness. The combination of spice and earth tones feels to me a bit like autumn incarnate (distillate?) which I think is perfect for a seasonal such as Autumn Hop Harvest Ale. The aftertaste is moderately bitter hops that tastes of pine as well as a little herbal, citrus and some resin too. This is a nice American Pale Ale in its own right but I feel it also is a good example of the appeal of fresh hop beers and the variety they can bring.

The Canadian Dream - Mikkeller Brewery (Denmark - Copenhagen)

The Canadian Dream - Mikkeller Brewery (Denmark - Copenhagen) 4.6%

An orange amber colour in a glass with a big off-white head of foam. A sweet and citrusy aroma with some resin and ever-so-slightly musty wood tones.

Very hoppy taste, cedar and light resin. Some citrus and tropical fruit flavours: I pick up papaya (think of those dried orange cubes in trail mix), some grapefruit and maybe tangerine. While this beer has sweet tastes at times it is also quite bitter and leaves the tongue tingling a little as a result.

There is a bit of confusion as to the alcohol content of this beer, the label claims 4.6% but I have seen it registered at 5.5% in several places on the internet. I think it is more likely to be 5.5% because this would otherwise be the hoppiest and lowest alcohol beer I ever had by a longshot. Roughly speaking, a higher alcohol content requires more sugar for the yeast to eat. Also, for a beer to be this hoppy without being overwhelmingly bitter there has to be a fair amount of balancing sweetness, this is something that I just don't think could be accomplished in a conventional beer that is only 4.6%. Regardless of the ABV, this is a very nice American Pale Ale.

Hoptical Illusion - Flying Monkeys (Canada - Ontario - Barrie)

Hoptical Illusion - Flying Monkeys (Canada - Ontario - Barrie) 5.0%

Reddish brown gold in a glass. Nice frothy head. Hoppy cedar aroma with some sweet slightly dark and caramelized malt. Interesting deception here in the taste: not as hoppy as it smells. Cedar and resin or sap in the hops, fairly sweet and not very bitter - pretty nice and a mild man's American Pale Ale. Pretty neat concept, an illusion of strong hops in the aroma but actually having a much more mild hops flavour, and it was well executed with a clever name, a cool bottle cap and a cool label.

Naughty Neighbour - Nickel Brook Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 4.9%

 Naughty Neighbour - Nickel Brook Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Burlington) 4.9%

Gold in a glass with a fizzy white head. A nice aroma of cedar, pine and the faintest bit of resin as well as some toasted bread malt aromas. Hops continue to lead in the taste as well with further pine, floral almost melon hop notes and a bit of citrus (lemon and orange) as well. Naughty Neighbour is bitter but still light and refreshing with just enough of a sweet malty flavour for balance. The finish has hops (especially melon and pine) and a bit of grain, while the aftertaste is a pleasant pine and cedar buzz. A great American Pale Ale that is very sessionable at only 4.9%.

Underdog Pale - Broadhead Brewing Company (Canada - Ontario - Ottawa)

Underdog Pale - Broadhead Brewing Company (Canada - Ontario - Ottawa) 5.2%

Citrus as well as light resin in the hops driven aroma but balanced by malt tones that are lightly caramel. The taste is not particularly bitter, though of course that builds. The hops character is very citrusy with just a little pine.Sweetly malty but with a sticky bitter resin finish. Underdog Pale is a lightly brassy gold in a glass. A fine tasting beer and a great example of an American Pale Ale.

Beaver River I.P.Eh? - Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.6%

Beaver River I.P.Eh? - Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.6%

A glowing amber gold colour in a glass with a finger of frothy off-white resilient foam. A really resiny, cedar aroma with just a little bit of citrus (lemon) as well as sweet sticky malt backing.

The taste of Beaver River is quite bitter and hoppy. There is some lemony citrus, a green flavour and some grain; maybe even some alcohol coming through. Resin and cedar are there, and perhaps most prominent, but there is also quite a malty body, more than is suggested by the aroma. More of an American Pale Ale than an IPA (maybe that explains the '?' in the clever name) in both taste and alcohol content but pretty nice.

Big Mouth Pale Ale - Hop City Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Brampton)

Big Mouth Pale Ale - Hop City Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Brampton) 5.0%

A brassy gold colour in a glass with a finger of white foam. The aroma is resiny but also has touches of mango and citrus. The taste is bitter but with less of a pronounced hops character than the aroma. Cedar and resin (without much sticky sweetness until the beer warms a little) are the primary flavours while the mango that I found to be fairly prominent in the nose, especially immediately after pouring, is more subdued. The malty body is toasty and pleasant but this American Pale Ale is mostly about the hops and the refreshing bitter bite.

Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale (Canada)

Alexander Keith's Hallertauer Hop Ale (Canada) 5.4%

Full gold, nearly brass coloured, in a glass. Not much of a head. The aroma is resiny with a bit of pine and grain; lightly spicy and vegatal. The taste is characterized by a dry vegetal and lightly spicy herbal hops character. There is also a little pine and resin as well. The finish is not very bitter at all but instead and dry with touches of that same herbal tone, but now even more mild, and some light grain. This is a pretty nice American Pale Ale. As I have written before I quite like the idea of this series of beers by Alexander Keith's, although they're not the first to do such a thing.

Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale (Canada) 5.5%

Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale (Canada) 5.5%

A clear brass colour in a glass with a fluffy white head. The aroma is roasty and very sweet with the distinct Cascade notes of resin and citrus (tangerine): it is a aromatic combination that is quite appealing. The taste is not quite as hoppy as the aroma but the hops are clearly there: resiny and green with notes of cedar and light citrus (orange). Alexander Keith's Cascade Hop Ale is fairly sweet, moderately bitter and the malt body is there (and roasty) but really only as a stage for the hops character to play upon. All in all this beer drinks as a pretty good American Pale Ale which is honestly a bit of a surprise since it is an Alexander Keith's product. It could do a better job of portraying the Cascade hop flavour if it had a bit of a stronger hop flavour but that is getting nit-picky. Worth trying though and actually sessionable.

Yona Yona Ale - Yo-Ho Brewery (Japan - Nagano) 5.5%

Yona Yona Ale - Yo-Ho Brewery (Japan - Nagano) 5.5%

A deep orangey gold colour in a glass with a big off-white head that leaves nice lacing. A pleasantly malty aroma with more than a little roast and some resiny hops.

Quite a sweet taste with nice citrus notes (orange and lemon), a little papaya and a bit of resin all from the hops. This is a very tasty American Pale Ale. Very drinkable with moderate hop bitterness and some light spiciness while the malt gives the ale a bit of a light caramel flavour. Yona Yona Ale is very tasty and would make a great session beer. It would also pair well with many types of food with its pleasant flavour and well balanced bitterness. Not a surprise that Yona Yona Ale has won craft beer awards in Japan.

Paradise Pale Ale - Mill Street (Canada - Toronto) 7.5%

Paradise Pale Ale - Mill Street Brewery (Canada - Ontario - Toronto) 7.5%

A hops forward aroma of resin and cedar. Coppery in a glass and a touch hazy with a nice head and great lacing. The hops character is resiny, with dark green vegetable hints, bitter. The malt character is well suited to this beer: caramel sweetness with a slight smoky, coffee, bitter dark malt flavour brings an excellent level of balance to this hoppy American Pale Ale. Paradise Pale Ale is a very refreshing beer and a delicious choice for hop heads. It reminds me of a hoppier version of their Tankhouse Ale.

Headstrong Pale Ale - Big Hole Brewing (USA - New York - Utica)

Headstrong Pale Ale - Big Hole Brewing (USA - New York - Utica) 5.5%

This ale is well balanced and easy drinking with some interesting features that make it worthy of tasting as well as quaffing. The taste and aroma are sweet and malty with a hint of orange zest; there is more than a hint of hops but it fades before any strong bitterness kicks it. The is also a herbal touch of something like coriander. A different take on a pale ale that is both drinkable and interesting.

Two from Geary's (USA - Maine - Portland)

Geary's Pale Ale (Portland - Maine - USA) 4.5%

Bitter and moderately hoppy. Amber in a glass. Tangy with a little caramel malt taste. A metallic tang to the hoppiness. A floral sweetness that reminds me a bit of clover. The hops of this American Pale Ale makes it a nice beer to pair with food.

Geary's Summer Ale (USA - Maine - Portland)

Smells like roasty caramel and clover with some wooden tones. Tastes quite bitter and hoppy with floral hints. This beer is complex and full bodied; again the strong hops lends it to food pairings.

A Pair From Sierra Nevada (USA - California - Chico)

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (USA - California - Chico) 5.6%

Deep gold. Quite hoppy but also malty and sweet. Nicely balanced. With a quite bitter aftertaste of sprucy hops - leaves tones of the forest lingering for some time afterwards. Aroma of caramel and hops. A great American Pale Ale.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest 2011 (USA - California - Chico) 5.0%

Tastes quite hoppy: bitter with pronounced melon tones. A nice malty sweetness rounds out the body followed by a somewhat spicy finish. Quite an interesting beer, it looks and smells like just another yellow and fizzy beer but has a unique and enjoyable flavour.