A Flowery Song

Background: It’s beer.

Nose: Black walnut, peanut, and mild fruity esters.

Taste: Green apple tartness on a nutty roast background. Peanuts again on the finish.

Overall: Very solid beer. Good balance of sourness and roastiness.

Nose: Hop influence is immediately evident. Resinous pine, then the honey starts coming through with floral aromas and sweetness. Citrus and herb notes.

Taste: Sweet honey hits immediately, very floral and citrusy again. Not much hop flavour evident at first, mainly getting some herbal notes and a faint bitterness. As I get used to the sticky sweetness more hops are coming through, with a citrusy American IPA flavour and slight vegetal notes.

Overall: I don’t regret drinking it, but it’s too sweet to really recommend.

Background: Pale ale made with Nelson Sauvin and Calypso hops.

Nose: Very floral, with hints of citrus and tropical fruit.

Taste: Sweet red apple, melon, and passion fruit. Still a familiar floral influence that I can’t place. Thin body, slightly harsh hop bitterness (particularly in the finish).

Overall: A very interesting and highly drinkable beer.

Background: Another beer from Ike, this one fermented solely by Brettanomyces Claussenii.

Nose: Sweet and fruity, with minor funk.

Taste: Not notably sour. Esters hit first, with tropical fruit and a hint of bubblegum. Solid malt background. Medium brett influence, mainly coming through as horsy phenols. Very dry finish.

Overall: It’s interesting, but the dryness gets a bit much after a while. A glass is about my limit. I’d drink it occasionally.

Background: “Imperial” mild from a homebrewer in Texas. 7.7% ABV.

Nose: Mild alcohol presence, fruitiness. A hint of brown sugar.

Taste: Rounded malt with molasses hints. Mild bitterness, no appreciable hop flavour. Moderate fruity esters. An odd funk in the finish, like a touch of barnyard brettiness.

Overall: Punched-up version of a classic mild. Very drinkable.

Background: The world’s second-best-selling gin brand. Has a bit of colour to remind you that it’s lightly aged in oak barrels.

Nose: Juniper, gingery spice, and orange peel.

Taste: Mellow and vanilla-influenced, with a fair amount of citrus that doesn’t overpower the juniper. Also a distinct impression of coriander.

Overall: Better than I expected. For the price this is going to be a hard one to beat; while the flavour is a bit flat it’s still pleasant and gin-like.

Background: From a different manufacturer than the famous rum, but still Australian. Has a fancy pull tab top and is made with real ginger.

Nose: Strong ginger, sweet florals.

Taste: Pleasantly sweet, very mild bite. Despite the nearly nonexistent bite, the ginger flavour is in full force, backed up by sugary sweetness and a bit of fruitiness.

Overall: Very pleasant.

Background: Small-batch pot still whisky, lightly aged in toasted French oak. 85% oats in the mash, with the balance in barley malt.

Nose: Rich vanilla, walnut, banana, and coconut.

Taste: Silky oats and sugar, with soft fruitiness and a lingering finish.

Overall: It’s okay. It doesn’t sing on the tongue, but it’s an interesting occasional change of pace.

Background: Yatsushika are mainly a sake producer, but they also do a few varieties of shōchū, including this 100% barley specimen clocking in at 20% ABV.

Nose: Soft and fruity.

Taste: Oily and soft, lightly sweet with a lingering fruity finish.

Overall: Very enjoyable. Smooth and light.

Background: This lightly sparkling Australian white is predominately riesling, with 17% muscat gordo rounding out the blend.

Nose: Sugary green apple and pear.

Taste: Lightly sweet candied apple, with a nicely acidic backbone. Hints of tropical fruit.

Overall: Slightly offbeat, very drinkable. Drinking with chipotle hummus and whole wheat pitas.