Category Archives: Style

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Burley Oak Brewing Company, Sour Ale, USA

Burley Oak Strawberry Watermelon J.R.E.A.M.

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Brewery: Burley Oak Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4.8%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: Due to the use of natural fruit this beer must be kept cold

Brewer Description: (from can) Sour Ale brewed with strawberry, watermelon, and lactose.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.44
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 1 pint can, canned on 18th September 2020. ‘You’re so jreamy’. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy darkish orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: You get the strawberry and watermelon, but the mix seems to come together as some strange band-aid and leathery mess that I didn’t really enjoy.
Taste: Tart, but not really sour, and there’s fruity sweetness. Strawberry, watermelon, peach gummy rings, and some light citrus notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: The aroma didn’t work for me, while the flavours at first, did not appeal to me. Over time though, I think I grew to appreciate the flavours a bit more. It was ok, but not my favourite in the J.R.E.A.M. line.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Sang Noir

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 9.9%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest sour ale. Ale aged in bourbon and wine barrels with cherries. 2015 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) House of Sour. Sang Noir is a blend of select red ales aged in bourbon and wine barrels with Bing cherries for up to two years.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark maroon colour with a one finger tanned head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Cherry, mixed berries, acetone, oak, wood, with slight balsamic notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, caramel, oak, wood, mixed berries, grape-y vinous, with very light notes of bourbon.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Not getting much bourbon, but there was an enjoyable complexity about this beer with a good blend of fruit and wood. At 9.9% abv, the alcohol was well hidden. This was definitely one of the better Cascade beers I’ve tried.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Casey Brewing & Blending, USA, Wild Ale

Casey Funky Blender Raspberry + Cherry

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Brewery: Casey Brewing & Blending
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Heritage / 4 Cherry blend

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Ale aged in oak barrels with raspberries + cherries.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.33
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, Heritage raspberries and 4 cherry blend, bottled in 5th May 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice slightly hazy ruby red colour with a two finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly but eventually settled to a thin replenishing cap, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet candy like raspberry and cherry, oak, with a hint of funk and acetone.
Taste: Sour, tart, raspberry, cherry, oak, acidic, with slight notes of lemon and funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Loved the look and the aroma. Flavours were good, but perhaps slightly too acidic towards the finish, but still, it was enjoyable.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Olde Hickory Brewery, Stout - Imperial, USA

Olde Hickory The Event Horizon

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Brewery: Olde Hickory Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Ale brewed with honey & aged in bourbon barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The Event Horizon is the point of no return. Once you have entered the realm of this supermassive imperial stout you are there for good. The cosmically heavy body sucks you in. It’s unfathomably deep and black, tasting of rich coffee and chocolate. The faint twinkle of honey is the last sensation you experience before the taste of bourbon washes over you with notes of cracked nuts and vanilla bean. Prepare to have your tongue spaghettified.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, bottled on 28th September 2016. Poured into a snifter.
Appearance: Black in colour with minimal brown head, with some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Bourbon, dark fruit, raisin, prunes, light roast, chocolate, and vanilla.
Taste: Similar to the aroma, it’s bourbon forward, prunes, raisin, followed by a roasty finish that includes chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla, and bitterish coffee.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, medium bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: Body is lighter than I prefer, but then the ABV is also pretty low for a BA Imperial Stout. All that is just a minor hiccup in what is still a great and enjoyable Imperial Stout with big bold flavours.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, France, La Franche

La Franche Saison + Brett’

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Brewery: La Franche
Country: France
ABV: 7%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: 2020 BXL BeerFest beer pack

Brewer Description: (from bottle in French) 10 hl de saison + 2 de Brett’ barriques.

(translated to English) 10 hl of Saison + 2 barrels of Brett’.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle from the 2020 BXL beer pack, with a best before date of May 2040. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with an almost three finger white head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Citrus zest, lemon peel, floral, funky, brett.
Taste: Bitter, lemon zest and peel, light funk, brett, banana and clove notes, peppery spice, grass, and maybe a touch herbal.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A refreshing and enjoyable Saison.