A Flowery Song

Background: What’s nicer on a cold wet winter’s night than a nice malty Scotch Ale? Not much, to be sure, though there are things like Quelque Chose that will give it a run for its money. Bell’s is eager to cater to your every need, so here’s a seasonal release of, well, a Scotch Ale.

Nose: Malty caramel with earthy undertones.

Taste: Dextrinous and creamy, with a solid caramel malt presence and hints of appley esters.

Overall: Well, hmm. *scuff scuff*. After the build-up in the introduction, I almost hate to write my reaction. It’s decent-tasting and drinkable, but well on the light side for a Scotch Ale, while being heavier than a normal Scottish Ale. Neither fish nor fowl, it’s not quite what I was looking for to warm the cockles of my heart (or my toes). Still, it’s tasty, and as long as you aren’t looking for a strong ale you shouldn’t suffer any disappointment.

Background: Stout. Rye. Draw your own conclusions.

Nose: Black coffee, chicory, and toasted bread.

Taste: Mmm, spicy. Nice mix of rye and roasted malt character. A bit of chocolate.

Overall: A bit thin, but other than that quite nice indeed.

Background: Limited availability, brewed in a small batch, and according to the internet evidently very hard to find. None of which I knew when I bought a couple of bottles, since I rarely go out shopping for specific beers. Fortune favours the me. Anyway, it’s a Double IPA and I can’t currently convince Bell’s website to cough up information instead of PHP errors.

Nose: Candied orange peel. Other than lots of hops, the alcohol is very evident.

Taste: Piny resinous hop flavour, pithy grapefruit hop flavour, herbal leafy hop flavour, high hop bitterness, dry hoppy finish. Oh, and there’s probably some malt in there somewhere. The hoppiness does a great job masking the alcohol, as I can’t taste any of the 10+% ABV that was so evident on the nose.

Overall: This beer has never heard of the concept of ‘balance’. It’s interesting to drink in despite of that, but not something that I personally would class as great. If you love hops and don’t mind a beer that’s just hops, you should definitely grab this one if you run across it.

Hops.

Background: This IPA from Bell’s runs 7% ABV and has a fish on the bottle.

Nose: Floral hoppy goodness. Bright notes of grapefruit and pine resin, biscuity malt low notes.

Taste: Peach fruit, biscuit malt, light caramel influence. Medium to high hop bitterness, lots of grapefruit and piny hop flavour. Finish is slightly astringent, long and resinous.

Overall: Beautifully balanced and eminently drinkable.

The Mission: “What’s your favorite beer cocktail (and yes, despite the title of this post, it can be a black & tan or a shandy)? Find a recipe for that or a new one, try it, and tell us why you did or didn’t like it–even if you think beer cocktails are nothing but a good way to waste a beer. Have fun and try something new!”

Well, that’s sure to prove an interesting topic and I’m looking forward to seeing what others have to say. While I haven’t gone as far as conducting a poll, the prevailing opinion among the beer lovers I talk to seems to be that beer cocktails are a waste of a good beer, or a waste of time which could be spent drinking a good beer if made with “bad” beer.

Personally, I’ve never given the matter much thought. I’m much too busy learning about unmixed drinks to delve deeply into the mixed side of things—I follow a few cocktail blogs and occasionally play around with a spirit that I’m trying (or trying to get rid of). I’m certainly aware of the existence of such things as the Black and Tan and shandy, but I’ve never actually had one.
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Background: Brewed by the (semi) local Bell's Brewery, BeerAdvocate list this as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

Appearance: Pours a murky black with coppery brown edges and head. The minimal head quickly dissipates, leaving a ring of fine, dense bubbles around the edge of the glass. A bit of yeast sediment.

Nose: Dark, roasted malts with just a hint of spiciness.

Taste: Drying roast character in the finish to offset the initial rich, chocolaty rush. Complex interplaying flavours include figs, raisins, smoky/spicy phenols, walnuts, and caramel.

Overall: Very nice. Strikes me as a cross between a strong porter and a dubbel more than an actual Belgian style, but no matter which cubbyhole you place this beer in it's still flavourful, well-balanced, and extremely drinkable.

Background: The brewery's flagship ale, an American Amber crafted from “mainly” pale malts.

Appearance: Pours a beautiful amber with a dense off-white head. Very pretty.

Nose: Sweet, toasty malt. Any hop aroma is masked by the malt and a slight amount of esters.

Taste: Medium malt sweetness, some citrusy hops and floral notes. Malt has light toasted accents and a bit of caramel character. Medium hop bitterness to balance the malt.

Mouthfeel: Moderate body, high carbonation. Finish is oily, and the hops stick around.

Overall: Solid, middle-of-the-road example of the style. I don't particularly care for it, but then again it's not a style I particularly care for.

Appearance: Clear chestnut, fluffy tan head.

Nose: Caramel maltiness, light fruity esters.

Taste: Moderate malt sweetness expressed as caramel, light toffee, and toastiness on the high notes. Medium bitterness continues into the dry finish; mild hop character.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, light carbonation.

Overall: Nice. Easy-drinking brown ale.

Appearance: Hazy straw colour.

Smell: Clean grain aroma, grassy hops with a citrus bite.

Taste: Coarse, sweet, grainy malt dominating. A fair amount of fruitiness, and some citrusy hop flavour to go with the medium hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, peppy carbonation. Medium body.

Drinkability: Good. Nice light-feeling beer, perfect for a crisp autumn day.

Appearance: Opaque black with a long-lasting light brown head.

Smell: Rich roasted malt, yeast, and cocoa.

Taste: Sweet roasted malt in the beginning, bitter chocolate and coffee notes in the middle, and some floral hops. Long finish shows some chicory characteristics.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy medium body, medium carbonation, mild drying astringency in the finish.

Drinkability: Great; excellent example of the style.