Thick and chewy buttered malt creaminess differentiates Warthog from most crisp, clean, lighter-bodied Canadian brews. Smooth brown-sugared grain-toasted chocolate nuttiness lasts for the duration, gaining dry barleywine illusion along the way. Will appeal to less discriminating brown ale and light porter fans.
Monthly Archives: January 2009
(BIG ROCK) MC NALLY’S IRISH STYLE ALE
Fantastic Irish-styled pure malt ale is thicker, creamier, and cloudier than nearly all its Great White North competition. Caramelized molasses richness retains blood-thick yeast sinew, milk chocolate sweetness, and idyllic sour mocha bitterness, settling to resplendent maple sugar finish. Citric hop scurry relegated to backdrop. Moderate mocha warmth comparable to excellent Mc Ewan’s or Mac Andrew’s Scotch Ales.
(BIG ROCK) MAGPIE ALE BREWED WITH RYE
Fine amber-toned dry rye brew flaunts beautiful honeyed yeast aroma, sweet butterscotch-caramel malt entry, and subtle citric frisk countering pungent hop-roasted bitterness. Maple-sapped mocha-soaked barley-wheat base sweetens dry rye breading. Pleasant Canadian brew similar in style to St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout and unlike most typical water-based Canucks.
(BIG ROCK) BUZZARD BREATH ALE
Sweet-spiced penny-coppered medium body secures candied sugar caress and sinewy caramel malt splendor to butterscotch finish. Soft floral tea-like serenade stays somber.
BIG ROCK BLACK AMBER ALE
Extremely thick molasses-coated amber ale with wonderful chocolate vigor. As black as Guinness in appearance, and almost as incredible. Though not water-based like most Canadian brews, Black Amber retains clean crispness despite such dark auspices. Blackened caramel malts, powdery cocoa bittering and ashen dried fruited backdrop compatible to light porter styling. Lengthier creamy finish would suffice, but no one is arguing.
(HELMAR) BIG LEAGUE BREW
Famous baseball legends sport labels-caps of these inconspicuous lagers. Sour malts fade to muted orange-peeled apricot midst before phenol nature gets best of dreary finish.
BIG HOLE MYTHICAL WHITE GRAND CRU
Billowy foam-headed white ale retains overall lemon-soured tartness and rangy ginger-coriander-mint seasoning. Tongue-tingling hop carbonation clouds any noticeable wheat-backed clove sweetness but pepper-corned orange peel misting moderates mild midst.
BIG HOLE HEADSTRONG PALE ALE
Unusual dried-out orange tartness and puckering grapefruit peel sourness make for a strange brew. Bland malt rigidity and mouth puckering sour-fruited divergence atypical for pale ale.
BIG HOLE WISDOM CREAM ALE
Aromatic green apple tartness and mouth-puckering citric souring provide eye-squinting bitterness, leading to heartburn-inducing vinous acidity. Intrusive carbolic fluff overwhelms miniscule butterscotch malt creaminess. Lacking necessary cereal-grained sweetness to counter dismal one-dimensional yellow-fruited sourness. Too similar to Big Hole’s lackluster Pale Ale.
BIG HOLE HEADSMASHEDIN (ALE)
At 7.5% alcohol range, this fine spiced-up raisin-kissed barleywine-styled elixir serenades syrupy Scotch malt sweetness with buttery port nuances to sticky medicinal finish.
BIG HOLE DIABLO DARK ALE
Aromatic dark roasted coffee bittering enhances dry cocoa souring and roasted nuttiness promptly countering rich chocolate malt creaminess. Lactose-aided blood-thickened mocha intensity overwhelms acidic dried-fruited latency.
(BIG CITY) YARDY LAGER
Innocuous clear golden light body maintains unspecific citric whiff to match fizzy lemony sugar zip. Dull bread-y bottom drops out.