Tall Ship Amber Ale - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Tall Ship Amber Ale - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.6%

A reddish amber coloured drink, this ale tastes sweetly of toasted caramel malt. Its aftertaste is slightly bitter and builds as you drink but the initial flavour is of sweetness and malt. Like many ambers this would be a good place to start for someone looking to expand their palate from boring old international lagers for the first time.

Summer Ale - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Summer Ale - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.5%

Bridge Brewing's Summer Ale pours a clear, full gold in a glass with a quick fading white head. As the bottle was finished more sediment reached my glass for a cloudy and pale light gold colour. The aroma is floral, sweet and lightly spicy in such a way that reminds me of clover. Also some citrus in the aroma as well as a herbal touch and some banana.

Sweet and lighter than Bridge Brewing's other ales, the taste has herbal tones, a little bit of citrus, a bit of spice (almost peppery) and a bitter punch. The bitterness is a bit of a shock at first but this light and bitter Saison/Farmhouse Ale mellows with each subsequent sip and, like Bridge Brewing's Strong Dark Belgian, the bitterness blends much better with the rest of the flavours if you let it warm up to just about room temperature. It's fairly light on the tongue so you'll find it refreshing if you like beers more towards the bitter end of the spectrum and it will also pair well with flavourful barbecue and similar foods.

Strong Dark Belgian - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Strong Dark Belgian - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 8.0%

It pours a glowing red hued amber with an off-white head that leaves nice lacing. Sweet, candied and roasty caramelized sugar aroma with floral and clove-like nectary yeast tones. The taste is along much the same lines, plenty of floral yeast tones with roasty sweetness balanced out (or perhaps more than balanced out) by quite a bit of bitterness and a fair amount of alcohol comes through in the taste at 9 C'. There is also a little acidity adding some tartness.

This beer's balance improves as it warms: the alcohol mellows and blends a bit better, some brandy and cherry flavours come out along with roasty red/dark malt to sit nicely in the aftertaste. Additionally, and most importantly, the bitterness and acidity are now playing nicely with the malty sweetness rather than standing out all on their own. Strong Dark Belgian is at least 8.0% as I can certainly feel its effects after splitting only half of a 750 ml bottle.

So, when you try Bridge Brewing's Strong Dark Belgian be prepared for a strong, full flavoured ale and be sure to let it warm up quite a bit - I think you'll enjoy it a lot more if you do.

Citra One Hop IPA - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.5%

Citra One Hop IPA - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.5%

Brassy gold colour in a glass. Lovely citra hop aroma of mango, passionfruit and papaya with some light vegetal touches; some tones of honey. Quite a bitter taste, a malty body, some hone and still mango as well as passionfruit a bit of a slightly metallic aftertaste that mellows after a few sips but reminds me of dandelion greens.

This hops provides a really neat hops character that dresses this American IPA up in exotic tropical fruit flavours. Citra One Hop IPA is the second of the One Hop IPA series by Garrison. I have already reviewed the first and I look forward to trying their next one as soon as it is released.

Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale (Canada) 5.0%

Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale (Canada) 5.0%

Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale has lightly caramelized malt aroma with a slight sticky sweetness too, in short the aroma is quite a lot like the one a Red Ale should have. That aspect tends to fade leaving an aroma of mostly plain malt with a bit of a dry hops touch to the aroma too. A darkish red amber colour in a glass with a decent head that even leaves some lacing.

The taste has some Red Ale-like sweetness with a bit of stickiness and a caramelized touch. There are even a few red fruit esters to lend a slightly fruity and barely tart touch that make Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale even more like what I would expect from a typical Red Ale. The malt and overall body are a bit thin for a Red but otherwise Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale is surprisingly tasty.

Propeller Honey Wheat (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.0%

Propeller Honey Wheat (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.0%

A shade pale gold colour in a glass. Grainy aroma of fresh malt and sweet with a hint of the honey they use; a touch skunky also though I am drinking it on a sun drenched patio. The taste is much more strongly honey: sweet and a touch spicy. Fresh wheat tones of malt. Lightly bitter. Well balanced and best served cool. Some green hops flavours accentuate the raw freshness of the wheat flavours.

Propeller IPA (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.5%

Propeller IPA (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.5%

A lovely brass colour in a glass. Very hoppy and bitter as the style demands, this award winning beer is also strongly malty and quite sweet as well. The hops character is green but also resiny and reminds me of sap from a spruce tree. Very nice, very balanced and, like all really good IPAs, it would pair well with pretty much any type of flavourful food.

Propeller Pilsener (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

Propeller Pilsener (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

A sweet malty but also light tasting Pilsner with a pronounced hop finish that is dry - true to the Pilsner style.

What is neat about this Pilsner is the flavour is mild yet intricate: a malty grain flavour with a hint of nuttiness washes over you before the hops and accompanying bitterness come in late and just to the edge of being very bitter before receding in a pleasant Pilsner-ey aftertaste. The beer is gold in a glass [and ever so slightly cloudy (may just be a chill haze)] and has a lovely aroma that brings through for me all the facets I described in the flavour. A must try for anyone who swears by a Pilsner.

Propeller Double IPA (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 8.2%

Propeller Double IPA (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 8.2%

Very strong hoppy pine aroma with a bright citrus (mix of lemon and orange) element. A dark brass colour in a glass.

Very bitter with plenty of wooden, earthy tones mixed in with the strong hops flavour. A sweet and toasty, nearly caramelized, malt flavour mixes with the bitterness of hops to remind me of a tart unripe dark cherry in a very, very good way.

Propeller's Double IPA is a great way to beat the heat and a good beer to share to unwind after a day at the office. Just like the label says this is a "TRUE hop bomb, for TRUE hop heads". It's hops character is nicely accentuated by the malt to make a beer that is more than just really hoppy. A can't miss for you hopheads out there.

Propeller Extra Special Bitter (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.0%

 Propeller Extra Special Bitter (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.0%

Roasty aroma of crusty brown bread and more than a touch of hops. A very dark brown in a glass; a good head with some lacing. Nice taste, sweet in a caramelized sort of way - tones you'd find in a Red. Some faint floral hops tastes and a satisfyingly bitter finish. Plenty of roast and bitterness in the body too; dark bread tones with hints of molasses and a touch umami. Some mild wood tones and a light smokiness is there too as a result of a mixture of the bitterness of the hops and the dark roasted malt. A nice bitter, emphasis on the bitter, no surprise it is one of Propeller's best sellers. The bitterness and the robust roasted malt flavour make Propeller's Extra Special Bitter an ideal ale to pair with hearty stews or roasted dishes.

Farmhouse Ale - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 7.5%

Farmhouse Ale - Bridge Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 7.5%

This ale pours a cloudy amber colour in a glass with a big frothy head that leaves lovely lacing. The nose is led by Belgian yeast aromas: floral and herbal tones as well as sweetness. Bridge Brewing describes the aroma as candied fruit and I have to say I agree, a little bit of something gingery in there too. There is a lot of stuff going on in the aroma (I expect everybody will get something a little bit different) and it is really quite nice.

The yeast notes continue in the taste, herbal, nectar, maybe a hint of banana and something like not-quite-ripe mango, but rounded out by a sweet and roasty malt body. There is a bit of pine tasting hops, a bitter bite to the finish as well as a tart touch from the mix of yeast flavours. Also, the aftertaste has a bit of a resiny hops taste to it. You can feel the alcohol warming your chest and as a tingling in your mouth but it barely comes through in the flavour except to accentuate the bitterness. As regular readers of the blog can probably guess I like this ale even more as it warms: the roasty flavours come out more and also the tart yeast flavours, the bitterness as well as the alcohol all blend better in my opinion.

For those of you not aware, Bridge Brewing is an interesting new brewery and project based out of Halifax, their website and this copy printed on the back of their reusable 750 ml ceramic bottles tell their story.

Hoppelganer Double IPA - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Hoppelganer Double IPA - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 8.0%

The powerfully hoppy aroma is strongly citrus, floral (maybe even apricot) with pine and some melon that, in combination, have some touches of pineapple. Apricot-orange and cloudy in a glass. The taste is very bitter and pumped full of pine. Malty sweetness tries to get through but gets deliciously stomped on by spicy hops loaded with citrus tones. An awesome Double IPA from my favourite brewpub in Halifax.

Pils - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

Pils - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

Full gold in a glass, nay beyond full gold. More like a brass colour. Sweet caramel aroma with some malty grain undertones.

Label from Garrison website

Quite a bitter taste, full of that dry European hops flavour I expect from a pilsner. A barely metallic finish preceded by some nice malty sweetness, a bit of roast flavour with a fresh grain taste. This is a solid Pilsner and just so much fresher than anything you can get from Europe that you gotta love it. While it's not make the kind of dynamic food pairings that some stronger tasting ales will form, Garrison's Pils pairs easily and casually with just about any food, like any good Pilsner. If only it wasn't February and I could suggest picking up a growler to serve it at your next BBQ; do it anyway!

Double Chocolate Stout - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.5%

Double Chocolate Stout - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.5%

This Double Chocolate Stout pours a very dark brown in a glass. The aroma has a surprising amount of melon hops in it along with milk chocolate and a bit of something like Earl Grey Tea. The mouthfeel is creamy just like a stout should be. The taste is again surprisingly hoppy, though mellow melon rather than cedar or pine tones; sweet milk chocolate flavours with some yummy caramel. Quite an interesting stout, not quite as chocolatey as I expected but it has a very nice. Only available until the end of February so go, go out and get some.

Martello Stout - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

Martello Stout - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 4.8%

A delectable aroma that is bitter and dark, full of coffee and chocolate tones with hints of sweetness and a touch over something that makes me think of black olives. Opaque and black in a glass with a tan head of foam that leaved behind nice lacing. The taste is also dark and delicious. Garrison's Martello Stout has a strong coffee flavours and a pleasantly creamy mouthfeel. A few mild touches of hops come through at different point balancing the malt nicely. A bitter almost smoky long lingering aftertaste makes sure you won't forget what you're drinking. This thick (nearly meal replacing), malty yet refreshing and low alcohol beauty of a stout should be a pub staple.

Comet One Hop IPA - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Comet One Hop IPA - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.5%

A full gold/amber colour in a glass, just the colour of sap, with a nice off-white head. An aroma chock full of melon, a little celery and fresh cut grass, as well as some resin. Much more of the resin in the flavour as well as some citrus but still lots of melon. A hearty and sweet malt body balances this bitter and delightful hops forward beer. There is some grounding earthiness to the taste as well which is quite nice.

I first enjoyed and reviewed Comet IPA at the Seaport Beerfest in Halifax in August, 2012. The version there was billed as a Double IPA and did taste a little different and had a higher ABV. Plus it was delicious then so I thought a separate review of the bottled product was definitely worth it.

Not only is the taste enjoyable but it's the concept behind this limited release that I am most excited about. In my opinion, Garrison Brewing is practically providing a public service to the craft beer community by making a series of One Hop IPAs (this is the first). By using only one kind of hops drinkers can gain a familiarity with exactly how each varietal expresses itself. I, for one, am looking forward to the next one in this series. Stay tuned as I intend to review them all as they are released.

15th Anniversary Malt: Vanilla and Cocoa - Garrision Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 9.0%

15th Anniversary Malt: Vanilla and Cocoa - Garrision Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 9.0%

Opaque, dark chocolate black/brown in a glass with a thick beige head. Bitter dark chocolate aroma with a mix of faint dark fruit and some doughy rye bread tones with some subtle hops aromids too. Some light sediment at the bottom of the bottle that adds some grain and fairly prominent oatmeal flavours. The sediment really adds an interesting dimension to the beer so I'd strongly suggest pouring the whole bottle into one glass (or into a pitcher and then into glasses if you are really intent on sharing).

Strong tasting: roasty, a little smoky, slightly tart dark fruit and dried red fruit tones, alcohol with the bitter flavour of the darkest of chocolates.  This mixing of light sweet malts with touches of caramel (crystal and caramel malt) with a smorgasbord of dark (and very dark) malts and then coupled with the high alcohol tastes like an alcoholic fruitcake made with brandy (maybe a splash of whiskey - if anyone actually makes fruitcake with whiskey) and absolutely loaded with dried fruits.

Not entirely unexpectedly, this beer gets better as it warms: the fruit esters and touches of high alcohol are still decidedly there but mix more deliciously with the deep malt flavours and the vanilla really starts to come out. It is still very bitter, and there are still chocolate flavours, but rather than striking me as a mostly dark chocolate flavoured beer I'd almost say molasses and maple with some smoke sum up the flavours better (with the aforementioned fruit esters and tastes of alcohol). The hops flavours also come out more as it warms but this brew is still a celebration of malt rather than hops. Obviously there's a lot of depth to this malty beauty: try it cool, try it warmer and enjoy it all round.

Saison Harvest Ale - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Saison Harvest Ale - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 5.0%

A touch sour, spicy and floral with quite a bit of green and bitter hops. Quite a bitter finish. A brownish amber in a glass that reminds me of tanned leather. This mix of flavours is entirely consistent with hoppy version of the style. Saison beers typically have a touch of that sour taste and the way Rockbottom incorporated wet hops fresh from the harvest is really nice. Interestingly, the yeast used in this beer is from the same colony that has been used for three years now by the brewmaster Greg Nash.

Rockbottom's Saison Harvest Ale is an example of a rash of new beers from the Maritime Provinces that use fresh or "wet" hops (to indicate that they haven't been dried). Brewers in the Maritimes have the opportunity to use wet hops during harvest time now that numerous hop farms big and small have sprung up all across the region.

3 Fields Harvest - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

3 Fields Harvest - Garrison Brewing (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.3%

A full orange-hued gold in a glass; slightly cloudy though I saw no sediment. Good frothy head with lacing. A coppery, honeyed, hoppy aroma with hints of grape juice. Quite sweet but with a balancing bitter taste. The source of the aroma I had likened to grape juice has divided in the taste into floral and resiny hops with nectar tones and almost citrus, as well as a malt character that faintly borders on raw along some toasty bread tastes. There is a suggestion in the flavour and aroma that reminds me of fallen leaves in the fall which is actually quite nice and certainly seems to suit the season.

Garrison 3 Fields Harvest is an example of a rash of new beers from the Maritime Provinces that use fresh or "wet" hops (to indicate that they haven't been dried). Brewers in the Maritimes have the opportunity to use wet hops during harvest time now that numerous hop farms big and small have sprung up all across the region.

Two Delicious but Temporary Offerings from Rockbottom (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax)

Wreckoning - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 10.0%

Yikes, this Russian Imperial Stout is not messing around! On account of its strength, I wouldn't mind if they sold a 8oz version rather than only the 12. On account of its taste, I wouldn't mind getting a barrel to take home with me; but more on that later.

Wreckington smells punishingly high in alcohol with lots of dark fruit and bourbon tones: delightful and dangerous. Nitrogenated by a sparkler faucet this stout has a velvety smooth, creamy head. Black and more or less opaque in a glass.

The taste is just, wow. Bursting with flavour: dark and milk chocolate, molasses, fruit esters, vanilla as well as oaky wood tones, dark fruit and bourbon-like tones. So good and, as I have already mentioned, not messing about. As a result, beer geeks will flip for this one while many others will turn up their noses at a beer so strongly (and awesomely) flavoured.

Blackened IPA - Rockbottom Brewpub (Canada - Nova Scotia - Halifax) 6.8%

A strongly green spruce aroma with a hefty dose of sweetness. A shade more brown that black but just about opaque in a glass with just a touch of sediment. Lots of that same spruce flavour in the taste with plenty of wooden tones and a green cut grass taste that comes through with an astringent quality and a chest warming feeling that conveys its high ABV. This cask ale was of normal carbonation but pleasantly just on the cool side of room temperature having been sitting on the bar in a kirkin sized thermos for about three hours before I got my pint. A lovely cask ale, makes me wish I was in Halifax for every Firkin Saturday at Rockbottom.