#91 Acme California India Pale Ale

The bright red label on this and the name ACME just caught my eye. Thought to myself if the Wile E. Coyote was to drink a beer, this would probably be it!

This IPA is brewed by North Coast Brewing Company. It pours a hazy light amber colour with a small white head that stays for quite some time. The aroma is hints of hops, caramel and orange citrus. The taste following close behind with orange mixed with a hint of toffee typed flavour and a nice hoppy but not so bitter finish, a decent of dry hops and sweet malts. For an IPA this was quite mild in bitterness, which is ok if your not one for in-your-face type hops, but I prefer my beer hoppy. For a 6.50% ABV Am IPA this was about average for me.
3 out of 5

#90 Dieu Du Ciel - Blanche du Paradis (White Paradise)

As promised the 2nd beer from Dieu Du Ciel; Blache du Paradis.

It pours a cloudy pale banana yellow with a medium white head. The smell is lightly yeasty with fruity notes of banana, citrus and orange. I really enjoyed the taste of this witbier with all of its Belgian wheat, fruity flavours and a bit of a zest-y kick of spices and good carbonation to finish. It is a nicely refreshing type beer, perfectly suited for a warm summer day. Highly drinkable, rocking a pretty standard 5.0% ABV this is worth a try if you get the chance.

4 out of 5



Stay tuned next update coming Wednesday August 24th (or sooner)!

Seaport Beer Fest!

I survived the Beer on The Pier / Halifax Beer Fest or whatever name you want to give it and what a good time it was trying out all the different kinds of beer I could in the 2 hours we were there. Now unfortunately I can't get an in depth review of all the beers I got to try but I did scribble them down and gave them a rating as I went along as well as some side notes. This also proved to be a difficult task however as the taste buds got tired the further along we got.

Here's the official list:

1. Picaroon's - Irish Red - 3/5
2. Schnitzer Brau Organic -  This was a gluton-free beer but in my opinion this beer's aroma and taste were just off. Not to mention the beer was quite warm when pored for me. - 1.5/5
3. Flying Monkeys Brewry - Smashbomb Atomic IPA - Very good IPA as I love my IPA's - 4.5/5
4. HARP Lager - Very light and refreshing, crisp - 3.5/5
5. Krombacher Pils - 4/5
6. Stutz Cider - n/a - I felt like giving this local cider a try, it was nice, light and refreshing as you'd assume in the warm summer heat.
7. Acadie-broue Brune - As an Acadian myself I was excited to see this here. Was a dark beer with a mixture of Grapefruit and Choclate, not bad. - 3.5/5
8. Spearhead Brewing - Hawaiian style pale ale - Infused with pineapples - 4/5
9. Pumphouse - Thai wheat - 2/5
10. Pumphouse - S.O.B. - 3.5/5
11. Brouweri Huyghe - Fruli Strawberry Ale - This one is running a fine line between hard juice and beer but very tasty nonetheless, if you like fruit flavored beer this is a must try - 4/5
12. Gahan House Pub & Brewery - Island Red Amber - 3/5
13. L'abrie de la Tempete - Corps Mort - This one was a smokey barleywine that was unamously dubbed "Bacon Beer" by a lot of the people who tried it and I'l have to agree. Who doesn't like Bacon? 4/5
14. Picaroon's Summer Ale - 3/5

Halifax Beer Fest!

Halifax's Beer Festival - Beer on the Pier - is happening today and tomorrow! I will be joining in on the fun tomorrow afternoon to try out some fine craft beers. Hope to see you there and il definitely be reporting back on the beers I get to try! Also follow me on twitter as I will be posting through the event! @BeerReviewDotCa

For more info visit: http://www.seaportbeerfest.com/


The Halifax Seaport Beerfest continues to grow and expand, encompassng two days - Friday August 5th & Saturday August 6th, 2011. The festival is a true celebration of all things brewed and is a great opportunity to sample, experience and learn about beer and cider in a relaxed and fun setting!

The spectacular Halifax Seaport will once again host the mostly outdoor site. Tented booths and pavilions as well as inside the spacious Pavilion 20, all near Pier 21. Armed with souvenir sample cup and guide, we urge you to explore the incredible range in styles and countries on offer. Employ your senses, ask questions and keep an open mind - you will be surprised.

#75 Dieu Du Ciel - Péché Mortel (Canada)

Next up I have 2 beer from one of the less known but top rated microbreweries in Canada; Dieu Du Ciel. I picked these up Premier Wine and Spirits on Dresden row located in downtown Halifax. A great shop I love to check out when looking for something new!

Péché Mortel is an Imperial Stout. Taken from the website: "Péché Mortel (French for "Mortal Sin") is an intensely black and dense beer with very pronounced roasted flavors." I poured this into a tulip glass and shared with a friend for the occasion. Intensely black is an understatement here, it poured a thick pitch black color with a great aroma of dark chocolate, caramels and coffee. Which is not surprising given the beer is literally infused with coffee during the brewing process. There is a small light brown head that lingers for a while. The taste is strongly of coffee, dark chocolate again giving it a sort of mocha but quite bitter taste. This is not your everyday beer at 9.5% ABV. I think my problem with this one is that I am not normally a coffee drinker and dark chocolates are not my favorite either. This beer is raved about in the craft beer community but I would suggest staying clear if this is your first craft beer, otherwise its worth the experience. Overall; despite my negative comments and it not being quite my style I will give this one a 3 out of 5 .


NEXT UP -  Dieu Du Ciel - Blanche du Paradis (Paradise white)

#74 Keith's Tartan Ale

How's everyone been? Its been a while... Took a few month's off to do a little more of the drinking beer and a little less of the reviewing beer but I'm back! Ive also been scoping out new designs for the site but more on that at a later time... Time to review!

Now Ive been slammed a couple time's on my Keith's reviews by some unnamed critics but truth is as far as macro brews go I do like my Keith's. When I was first made aware that they had a new limited release brew master's special Keith's tartan ale I was excited to give it a try.

This beer is a Scottish style ale that has a golden brown copper color to it with a small white head to it. The aroma is not very strong but is sweet in nature. The taste is actually one of the best for a macro brew, a little bit sweet caramel, touch of smokiness and a little malty and very smooth. It is quite carbonated but that is my preference. At 6.1% ABV and a high drinkability with a light, smooth taste this was one of my favorite go-to beers for the last little while.

Rating: 4 out of 5

#73 Affligem Tripel

The third and final rendition of the Affligem pack is the Affligem Tripel. This is extremely similar to the Affligem blond but this time coming in at a crisp 9.5% ABV. I wish I had both this and the blond side by side to compare but it pours a hazy golden color with a fair head, decent retention and lots of lace. The aroma is again of fruity and a little less musty. Taste is fruity this time picking out more of a peachy taste but still spicy and sticking with the heavy carbonation. The alcohol is a little more present here but only slightly. Again it finishes with a nice dry kick and light crisp taste making this very drinkable. Affligem really kicked it up a notch and fit its great 6.8% blond into a classier 9.5% ABV beer! Excellent... 4.75 out of 5

#72 Affligem Dubbel

The second Itteration of the Affligem family of beer the Affligem Dubbel is a nice, light brown, somewhat cloudy color when poured. It has a small tan head with medium to short retention. The aroma is of oak wood and malty. The taste is malty, with some caramel and a little bit of spice and maybe a touch of cinnamon. This beer is quite light for a darker beer but is the first Ive tried of this particular style so I was not sure what to expect. I enjoyed this one. 4 out of 5

#71 Affligem Blond (Belgium)

Another great one pack I received was a 4 pack of Affligem (2xBlond, 1xDubbel, 1xTriple) + a great Affligem labeled goblet. I dove head first into the Blond...

The Affligem blond is labeled a strong Belgian Ale; it poured a deep golden yellow with thick head, great retention and lots of lace. The smell was musty, hoppy and a little fruity. The taste was pepper-like spice mixed with a fruity banana sweetness and finishing with a moderate bitterness. It is heavily carbonated giving it a nice dry kick. This Blond is masks the 6.8% ABV well and is extremely light making it easy to drink. Will drink again - 4.25 out of 5

#70 Hobgoblin Ale (UK)

Happy holidays everyone! This Christmas I was grateful to find a plentiful variety of beer under the tree and decided it would be a great time to start blogging more frequently again.

First up is an interesting English Ale, Hobgoblin by Wychwood Brewery. I received this in a gift pack as seen in the picture which came with its own branded glass. This is a dark red-ish brown ale with a light tan head with an aroma of dark chocolate and roasted malts. The taste was of rich malts, chocolate, hints of caramel making it sweet but with a perfect mix of bitterness. I enjoyed it but not sure if I could drink more then 2-3 of these in a sittings despite the average 5.2% ABV.

3.75 out of 5

Rudder's

So the holiday season has started and its been a long time since I posted anything... I took a short time off to just kick back and enjoy some of my favorites before coming back strong in 2011! But this doesn't mean I haven't had a chance to try anything new...

On a recent trip home I ended up at a family gathering at a local brew pub known as Rudder's, in good old Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Ive had good word that they had some fine brews here so I was excited to get started on them! Conveniently they had a sampler pack which was 3 7oz glasses of any of their brewed beer. I opted for the Yarmouth Town Brown, Rudder's Red and one that was not on the menu which we will call the Rudder's Irish Ale.

First up I had the Irish Ale, it was a somewhat cloudy, pale brownish color and with little head (which seemed to be caused by the small portions) and had a small aroma of dry malt. The taste was sub par for what I expected and again of just dry malt, a fair alcoholic taste and not much else, very simple. It did however go down eays and wa snot very heavy. 2.5 out of 5

Secondly I had the Rudder's Red which was a nice deep red color as expected with a retaining head. The aroma was gentle yet distinguished. The taste was surpassed expectations, I expected this to be your average amber ale, and I was wrong. It had a nice complex and smooth taste with just the right amount of bite from the hops. It had been a while since I had an amber ale of this quality 4.5 out of 5!

Lastly was the Yarmouth town brown. Now i'll tell you what, I love the name, it just has a great ring to it. The beer itself unfortunetly did not carry the same ring... The beer was a brown almost oak-like color and had a heavy aroma to it. My first sip was not where I thought this beer was going. It was fairly heavy, with an earthy taste to it and was missing some hops to add complexity. I see where this beer was trying to go but It needs a little more "umph" to it. Overall tho it could have also been much worse. 3.5 out of 5

For simplicity's sake these will be going up as 67, 68 and 69 but I have had others in between... More to come on those at a later time ;)

#66 Greene King IPA (England)

I picked this one up last weekend. At pours a clear golden/brown color and has a fair head with retention. The aroma is floral, spicy and a bit fruity. It was quite light and crisp tasting, a little hoppy, slightly yeasty and had some sweet malts with a bit of what seemed to be a hint of apples. This is a very modest IPA, not very bitter as I normally like them; very plain but also has a low ABV. This beer is probably best with a meal but does not live up to other beers. 3/5

#65 Rogue's XS Imperial India Pale Ale (Oregon, USA)

I made my first trip out to Premier Wine and Spirits on a fine Friday evening after work to take a look at their wide variety of beer and boy to they have a nice selection! I was like a kid in a candy store, I just couldn't decide what I wanted. I picked up one that was previously requested as well as another from a brewer I had heard a lot (more to come on those another time) but then I set eyes on exactly what I was looking for... Rogue's XS Imperial India Pale Ale. $20.02 for a 750ml Ceramic bottle @ 9.5% ABV this beer is no joke. A highly rated beer already, winning 2007 Beer world championship as world champ, I knew I was in for a treat.

It poured a fairly thick, cloudy orange color with a large white head that retained for a quite a long time and thick lace. The aroma was very hoppy and extremely citricy landing somewhere between peaches and oranges with light smell of alcohol in the background. The taste was like nothing ive ever had before; instantly I was hit with a punch of hoppy bitterness for just a split second which quickly turned into a nice smooth almost fruit juice-like peachy sweet taste and finished off with a ever so elegant alcoholic aftertaste like that of a vodka. Now I can't say that I usually like a vodka like taste in my beer but this seemed to fit, leaving your mouth wanting another smooth refreshing journey. The texture was fairly creamy with moderately heavy body. This beer is not for the faint of heart; its on the extreme side of beers so if you're looking to try this out, be prepared. Overall I give it 4.5 out of 5!

More Fun Facts:

Tasting Notes:
Above and beyond an India Pale Ale—I2PA is radically hopped with an intense aroma and hop bitterness.

6 Ingredients:
Malts: Two-row Pipkin Pale.
Hops: Saaz, Cascade & Northwest Golding.
Yeast & Water: Rogue's Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water.

74 IBU

#64 Kronenbourg 1664 (France)

So far, despite my French descendants, I have not had much luck finding a good French brew. I cracked open a can of Kronenbourg 1664 hoping to change that. It poured a nice light golden somewhat amber color. The aroma was very calm, not much to distinguish itself here, a little hoppy which was a good sign but that about it. The taste was still quite faint but had a nice light bitter taste to it mixing with a bit spice and some sweet notes. Nothing spectacular about this beer but very drinkable. 3 out of 5

#63 Alexander Keith's Harvest Ale (Halifax, NS)

I was surprised to see this one from Keith's as I had heard nothing about it. Now in the past Ive always been a Keith's fan, Ive since out grown that taste as Keith's IPA taste like water with a some specs of flavors in it. Nonetheless I am loyal to my long time friend.

This ale poured a nice dark brown color with a clean head on it. The aroma was chocolaty and a little nutty. The taste was of roasted nuts, malts, and sweet chocolate with an accentuation bitterness of hops. Overall I was quite impressed with this new product and would drink it again; 4 out of 5

#62 Propeller Pumpkin Ale (Halifax, NS)

I recently took a trip down home and my Mom had conveniently picked up some beers for us to try, one of which was the Propeller Pumpkin Ale I had heard so much about. Brewed with Howard Dill's world famous atlantic giant pumpkins this fall special is a local hit.

It pours a golden/orange lightly clouded color with a small but present and lasting head. The smell is of that of a pumpkin pie with some spicy notes. The taste is light pumpkin, medium spices, light malt, pretty light all around really and a low-medium carbonation. Overall I liked this one, and being my first pumpkin ale I was quite happy with it and can see why it appeal to such a wide crowd. 3.5 out of 5

#61 Garrison Oktoberfest Brau (Halifax, NS)

Ah fall... a great time for great beer and this fine Garrison Oktoberfest Brau is no exception to that. This marzen style brew pours a rather dark brown color yet light enough to still be quite translucent this Garrison special has a medium white head. The aroma is mild and malty with hints of caramel. The texture is creamier then expected yet still pretty light in taste. I found the taste to be very similar to the propeller hefeweizen actually, tasting of toasty malts with a fair amount of sweet notes and again hints of what seems to be caramel. I think it may be a little lacking on the hops for my particular taste but still a good brew nonetheless. 4 out 5

Time for a post!

Ive been busy of late... drinking new beers that is! The bad news is I havent had the time to write up full reviews on some of these but I figured it was time to update you all on what Ive had the honors of trying as well as my rating of them:

1. Löwenbräu (Germany) - 2.5 out of 5
2. Propeller Kristall Weizen (Halifax, NS) - 4 out of  5
3. Newcastle Brown Ale (England) - 3 out of 5
4. Big rock traditional Ale (Alberta, Canada) - 2.5 out of  5
5. Garrison Raspberry wheat ale (Halifax, NS) - 3 out of 5
6. Murphy's Irish Stout (UK) - 1.5 out of 5
7. Clancy's Red Amber Ale (New Brunswick, Canada) - 3 out of 5
8. St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (Montreal, QC) - 3.5 out of 5
9. Garrison Porter's Ale (Halifax, NS) - 2 out of 5
10. Chimay Blue Grande Réserve (Belgium) - I plan on doing a full review on this one once I can get my hands on it again so you'll have to wait and see!
11. Hoegaarden (Belgium) - Unique and very drinkable 4 out of 5

So there we have it, I believe that brings me up to #60 and I have some new beer in the fridge waiting for a review so keep your head up for my next post soon! 

#49 Old Milwaukee (USA)

Straight from Wisconsin this an American style lager. It pour a light yellow/golden color with a thin white head that dissipates fairly quickly. The aroma is very subtle and composed of very little of anything noticable except a little corn. The taste is watery, very crisp, light and a little grainy with a bit of corn as most american lager's do. There is very little after taste to this one, it is far from heavy and not bitter at all. Overall its just your everyday average lager. 3 out of 5

#48 Foster's Lager (Australia)

Ive wanted to try this one for a long time now, the big 750ml Jumbo cans have been staring me in the face long enough. Upon cracking this brew open it had a nice familiar aroma too it, not too fruity, not too heavy, very well balanced. It poured out a light golden color with a bone white head that retained itself very well. Taste was what I had hoped for, a nice light and crisp, refreshing blend with a great finish of bitterness, leaving your mouth wanting more. texture was slightly creamy and was very carbonated. 4 out of 5