Monthly Archives: December 2017

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Winter Warmer, Young Master Brewery

Young Master Celebration Ale

Leave a comment

Brewery: Young Master Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 6.6%
Style: Winter Warmer
Other Notes: 30 IBUs. Porter. Spicy, warming, roasty. Malts – All Malt (blend of 5 varieties). Spices – Vanilla, 2 types of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Black Pepper, Clove, etc…

Brewer Description: (from website) Decadent Porter with notes of chocolate and coffee layered with a holiday spice blend featuring cinnamon, vanilla beans, nutmeg, cloves and all spice. It’s an aromatic brew perfect for holiday season festivities.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.21
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 946ml crowler, filled on 11th December 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: Dark brown and near black in colour with a big three finger dark tanned head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Lots of Christmas related spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread mixed in with milk chocolate and creamy vanilla.
Taste: Gingerbread cookies, milk chocolate and vanilla stand out with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice popping up in the background.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to light bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Very enjoyable as the creaminess of the chocolate and vanilla combined well with the holiday spices which were not overpowering.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Young Master Brewery

Young Master Another One

Leave a comment

Brewery: Young Master Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 3.3%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 10 IBUs. All Day Session Ale. Crushable, juicy, refreshing. Malts – All barley malt (four variety blend). Hops – American hops in the boil and flameout; Dry-hopped with a blend of American and Southern Hemisphere hops

Brewer Description: (from website) Crushable, juicy and refreshing, you will always want another one of this delightful session ale.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 946ml crowler, filled on 11th December 2017. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy, grapefruit pith and rind, pineapple, mango with hints of grass and pine.
Taste: Light bready malt, sweet mandarin orange, orange rind, light bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice and refreshing session ale.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Pale Wheat Ale, Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Young Master Brewery

Young Master My Blueberry Days

Leave a comment

Brewery: Young Master Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 3%
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
Other Notes: 10 IBUs. Blueberry Wheat Beer. Fruity, creamy, refreshing

Brewer Description: (from website) Inspired by Wong Kar-wai’s movie, “My Blueberry Nights”, My Blueberry Days is a session wheat beer fermented with fresh blueberry purée and lightly sweetened with milk sugar. A subtle, grainy note from a light malt base brings out the ripened blueberry flavor nuance. Combination of juicy fruit sweetness and a creamy texture makes this beer as tasty as a piece of blueberry pie, ‘Wait! I want a piece.’

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.37
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.2

Intro: A 946ml crowler, filled on 11th December 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy, moderately dark, watery reddish purple colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quickly to nothing and left no lacing.
Aroma: Blueberry muffin and those blueberry hard candies.
Taste: Sweet, blueberry candy flavours, maybe a bit artificial, with a hint of milky vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light to medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: I really enjoyed the aromas in this one as ‘blueberry muffin’ was as accurate a description as I could get. The flavours on the other hand though were a little artificial for my liking and perhaps a little too sweet.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Finback Brewery x Alefarm Brewing, USA

Finback x Alefarm Whale Farm

Leave a comment

Brewery: Finback Brewery x Alefarm Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Hops – Citra, Mosaic and Enigma

Brewer Description: (from can) Double IPA dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic and Enigma. Brewed with our friends Alefarm Brewing.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.31
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 1 pint can with no canned on or best before date printed on it. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy bright golden orange colour with a two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some lacing.
Aroma: Very tropical beginning and citrusy finish with lots of mango, peach, apricot, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit and pine.
Taste: Mango, peach, apricot, sweet mandarin orange, citrus pith and light pine with a touch of booze.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Very nice juiciness in both the aroma and taste. It would have been even better if it could completely hide the slight booze I got in the taste every now and then. But otherwise, it was great DIPA.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., USA

Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA

Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 7.3%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 57 IBUs. Hops – Herkules, Mosaic, Loral and Mandarina Bavaria. Special Ingredients – Pineapple and Mandarin orange

Brewer Description: (from can) We’ve often been inspired to brew beers on a theme. In 2007 it was black IPAs. 2008 saw Belgian-influenced IPAs and more than once it’s been Triple IPAs. It’s been fun to dive deep, and you’ve ridden those waves right along with us, But like you, we also crave new breaks to surf. Right now, it’s tropically-inspired IPAs as represented both by this flavoured ale, Stone Tangerine Express IPA and others we’ve got waiting in the wings… With Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA we employ a bit of tropical mythology to pay homage to our ever present gargoyle. Since 1996 he’s had our backs, and yours, by representing an aggressive intolerance for commoditized beer. He constantly inspires us to forge ahead with resolve-even with the omnipresent forces of forceful evil. Vengeful spirits can be awesome when they’re on your side.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. can, canned on 22nd September 2017, and an enjoy by date of 22nd September 2018 (which seems a bit long for an IPA from Stone… I thought it was supposed to be 3 months or something). Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical and citrusy with mandarin, citrus pith, mango and pineapple along with a good dose of nice biscuit malt.
Taste: Quite similar to the aroma with mandarin, orange rind and pineapple. Sweet malt and fruitiness to begin while there is some light bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and easy to drink with good fruit flavours and a nice balance between sweet and bitter.