Category Archives: Style

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Elderberry

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest sour ale. Ale aged in oak barrels with elderberries and spices. 2015 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) House of Sour. This Northwest sour ale is a blend of red ales aged in red wine barrels for up to 25 months with elderberries and spices.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.74
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy amber dark brown colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, plum, prunes, mixed dark berries, cherry, raisin, with light vinous and cinnamon notes.
Taste: Sour, moderately sharp, tart, vinous, mixed dark berries, blackcurrant, grape skin, blueberry, oak, raisin, with notes of vinegar, and other spices.
Mouthfeel: Moderately sharp acidity, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Flavours are nice, but the feel may have been slightly too sharp with a lack of balance, which didn’t make it as easy to drink as it could have been.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, H.K. Lovecraft, Hong Kong, International Pale Lager

H.K. Lovecraft Adventure Pepper Lager

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Brewery: H.K. Lovecraft
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 5.2%
Style: International Pale Lager
Other Notes: 20 IBUs. Aroma 3.5/5, Thickness 2.5/5, Adjunct – kampot pepper

Brewer Description: (from can) Fine maltiness, gently spicy. Far continent to lands broken by flood, two years journey from the old world to domains of strange gods. The Preserver and his god-kings reigned, black giant stones lined avenues of gold. Few had mourned when all was swallowed. Cities of gods are built by slaves.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.81
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 18th November 2021. Poured into an Anderson Valley beer can glass.
Appearance: A clear golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated quickly and left sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Smoky, smoked malt, sweet, light citrus zest, with spicy pepper notes.
Taste: Smoky and slightly bready from the smoked malts. Some light sweetness, followed by floral and citrus zesty notes which I think are from the kampot pepper, and I’m getting a mild but lasting spiciness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This has some interesting flavours in it. The smoke was probably a bit strong and may have overwhelmed some of the floral and citrus zesty notes that I think came from the kampot pepper, although I’ve not tried kampot pepper before, so I can’t be sure. The mild and lasting spicy finish was a nice touch though.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Carbon Brews, Hong Kong, IPA - New England / Hazy

Carbon Brews Little Rich Lupulins v.7

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Brewery: Carbon Brews
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 6%
Style: New England / Hazy IPA
Other Notes: 22 IBUs. Malts – Pilsner, Oats, Vienna and Carahell. Hops – HBC 630, Talus and Motueka. Yeast – London III. Experience – Fresh, juicy

Brewer Description: (from FB page) We release a new version of our Little Rich Lupulins every three months. In our recent release of v.7, we dry hopped it with Talus, HBC 630, and Motueka. It pours with light gold colour and exhibits pineapple, mango, candied berry and grapefruit aromas. Drinks smooth, juicy, and dank.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 26th May 2021. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a just over one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Mango, peachy, pineapple, orange, citrus zest and rind.
Taste: Fruity, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, citrus zest and rind, grape hi-chew candy.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice, juicy and easy drinking. I preferred v.7 over v.6, but overall still felt that the original was the best so far.

4 - Good (buy), American Milkshake IPA, Beer Reviews, Heroes Beer Co., Hong Kong

Heroes Grow Up Lemonade Milkshake IPA

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Brewery: Heroes Beer Co.
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 5%
Style: American Milkshake IPA
Other Notes: 25 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from can) You win, here is your milkshake. You guys just absolutely need a milkshake to go with your burger don’t you? So we made a milkshake, with hops and fresh lemons, just for you. Using peels and pulps from local lemons produced by Siu Chak Farm in Yuen Long, this zesty, smooth lemonade milkshake IPA is our answer for all you overaged kids.

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

Intro: A 330ml can, canned on 22nd October 2020, and with a best before date of 22nd July 2021. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A nice hazy golden straw orange colour with an almost two finger white head that had pretty good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Lemon, lemon zest, lemon cake, vanilla.
Taste: Lightly sweet and lightly sour, lemonade, lemon zest, lactose, vanilla, lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very enjoyable and extremely easy to drink. It’s as it says, a lemonade milkshake. I wish I got to try a can earlier as it’s about 7 weeks old now.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, England, Pomona Island Brew Co., Sour Ale

Pomona Island I Did Indeed… Very Much So

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Brewery: Pomona Island Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: Lemon Sour

Brewer Description: (from can) Did you say a Lemon Sour? Rounded out with milk sugar and a touch of vanilla, lending a little sweetness to the sharp, zingy lemon? I did indeed… very much so.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 2nd October 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy straw golden colour with a two finger white head that had decent retention, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, tart, candy, lemon cake, lemon, vanilla.
Taste: Sour, tart, sweet, lemon sour candies, sharp, acidic, lemon, vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Sharp sour acidic, light bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I loved the aroma as it was like dessert, and the taste was fine, but the mouthfeel didn’t quite match up. The sharp sour acidity was too much and reduced what could have been a nice easy drinking sour, to something that could only be sipped.