Beerfection

Tag: Beerfection

  • Classe Typhoon | Nano Cinco

    Classe Typhoon | Nano Cinco

    Score: 75/100 – Average

    Appearance 5/6

    The beer pours a clear, very dark brown with a moderately tall, puffy, tan head. Decent foam retention. A good looking brew.

    Aroma 16/24

    Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is layered, robust, and pungent.

    The combination of moderate dark malts, low earthy hops, and a splash of alcohol is nice. Fruity esters add another pleasant layer. There’s a moderate vegetal tone that gets in the way of enjoyment – kind of an oxidized stout vibe.

    Flavour 32/40

    Strong intensity with good balance and pronounced perceived bitterness. The flavour is driven by a mix of dark malts, esters, mild alcohol, and low hop character with the malt claiming the most amount of space. Mild oxidation with no major off-flavours.

    Mouthfeel 9/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is quite smooth with some slickness, restrained alcohol warming, and a medium-sweet finish. No major astringency or any harshness on the palate. Excellent.

    Overall 13/20

    Nano Cinco’s Classe Typhoon is an average beer.

    Nice appearance with somewhat lacking on the bubble tightness and foam retention – but those are small things. The aroma is the right intensity and it has many layers – most of them pleasant, but it also has unpleasant notes and doesn’t quite entice me to take a sip. On the palate, the flavour is pretty good with nice layers but it doesn’t come together as a unit. I don’t love the flavour combination. The malt doesn’t harmonize with the rest of the profile, including hops, esters, and alcohol. The mouthfeel is great, well suited for the weight of the beer.

    Overall, this is still a beer that might be worth trying if you like stronger dark beers with a bit of oxidation and fruity tones. LTM’s baltic porter is definitely more fine-tuned and worth the search, one that I’m happy to drink over and over again. I can’t say the same for this. With some tweaks to the flavour profile/balance and potentially improving execution, this could be well on its way to be a very good brew.

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  • Arctic Ale 2025 | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    Arctic Ale 2025 | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    Score: 80/100 – Good

    Appearance 5/6

    The beer pours a clear dark brown with a low, thin, tan head. Poor foam retention. A good looking brew.

    Aroma 19/24

    Strong aroma with good balance. The aroma is musty, deep, and unique. There’s a distinct wild yeast character which is deeply earthy. Fruity esters and alcohol notes blend smoothly, complementing the yeast-driven profile. A moderate presence of dark and specialty malts adds depth without overwhelming. Noticeable oxidation contributes positively to the complexity. No apparent hop character.

    Flavour 34/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and assertive perceived bitterness. The musty flavour is driven by a blend of fruity esters, wild yeast, and alcohol. Dark and specialty malts follow, supported by pleasant oxidation which adds depth and complexity. No apparent hop character. The flavour is very good and notably unique, with a vinous quality that stands out. As with the aroma, the elements occasionally feel a bit disjointed.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium body with lively carbonation. The mouthfeel is prickly and slightly chewy with noticeable alcohol warming and a sweet finish. No astringency or harshness of any kind. Quite pleasant considering the strength.

    Overall 14/20

    Albion’s Arctic Ale is a good beer. The appearance is enticing, though slightly better head formation and retention would elevate it further. The aroma is complex and intriguing, but the components struggle to harmonize, creating a tension that detracts from the experience. The flavour follows suit – distinct and characterful, yet lacking cohesion. There is much to appreciate, but it falls short in finesse. The mouthfeel is pleasant and unobtrusive, though it lacks the weight expected at this strength. The alcohol is well hidden, but this is clearly a sipper.

    Overall, the sipping experience is enjoyable and Albion’s Arctic Ale is certainly worth trying, though it leaves a sense of something unresolved. The profile is layered and engaging, but the elements do not always align seamlessly.

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  • Blackburne Bourbon Barrel-Aged 2024 | Left Field Brewery

    Blackburne Bourbon Barrel-Aged 2024 | Left Field Brewery

    Score: 87/100 – Great

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear black with a moderately tall, frothy, creamy, brown head. Great foam retention considering the very high ABV. A great looking brew!

    Aroma 22/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is rich, deep, and inviting.

    A strong barrel character leads the way, complemented by prominent dark and specialty malt notes. The alcohol is noticeable, but in a positive way, and the oxidation adds a pleasant complexity. Mild esters are present with no discernible hop character. Outstanding!

    Flavour 37/40

    Strong intensity with good balance and aggressive perceived bitterness.

    The flavor mirrors the richness and depth of the aroma, with significant barrel character and dark/specialty malt notes. The alcohol is noticeable but doesn’t have a fusel-like quality. Pleasant oxidation adds an umami component. There are no prominent hop notes or esters, and no apparent off-flavors for the style.

    Mouthfeel 5/10

    Full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is viscous, heavy, and sharp with harsh alcohol warming and a luscious finish. No noticeable astringency but the beer is somewhat harsh on the palate due to the intensity of the warming sensation.

    Overall 17/20

    Left Field Brewery’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Blackburne is an excellent beer.

    Fantastic appearance for the style – the foam attributes are impressive, which can be a challenge for beers of this strength. The aroma is intense, immediately grabbing your attention. The same can be said for the flavor as it delivers a bold punch in your mouth. The mouthfeel is rich and complements the rest of the beer nicely. However, the alcohol heat is a bit overpowering, diminishing the overall drinking experience.

    Overall, this is a beer worth trying, and I would happily drink it again. While it doesn’t quite stand out due to its sweetness and the strong alcohol warmth, they work together as the heat cuts through the sugar. Great flavour, this is a delicious beer.

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  • Presqu’ile | Tête d’Allumette

    Presqu’ile | Tête d’Allumette

    Score: 81/100 – Very Good

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear deep gold with a moderately tall, frothy, creamy, off-white head. Good foam retention – great considering the very high ABV.

    Aroma 20/24

    Strong intensity with balance towards smoked malt. The aroma is rustic and reminiscent of a campfire. Massive smoke upfront with mild apple-like esters, low grainy malt, and a splash of alcohol. No apparent hop character or any significant off-notes.

    Flavour 32/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity and balance towards smoked malt with pronounced perceived bitterness. The smoked character dominates the flavour. A hint of apple-like esters and noticeable alcohol note work well with the smoked character. The flavour lacks complexity and I’m getting a butyric acid-like note at the front. Still, the flavour is good.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is rather crisp yet mouth-coating with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. No apparent astringency and no actual harshness on the palate. Very good.

    Overall 15/20

    Tête d’Allumette’s Presqu’ile is a very good beer. It’s one of the most unique barleywines I’ve had. Blindfolded, it’s hard to peg this as a barleywine – a reflection of the brewery’s approach to bending classic styles. While the smoke doesn’t clash with the other ingredients, it leaves little room for a complex interplay between different ingredients. At such a high ABV, this is a beer to savour, however, I’d rather opt in for a few pints of Grodziskie which would deliver better drinkability while maintaining a rustic flavour experience. Still, this is an interesting brew and definitely worth trying.

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  • L’Impériale Gasket de Tête | Tête d’Allumette

    L’Impériale Gasket de Tête | Tête d’Allumette

    Score: 90/100 – Excellent

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear black (opaque in glass) with a moderately tall, dense, creamy, deep tan head. Great foam retention for the high ABV. A good-looking brew!

    Aroma 20/24

    Strong intensity with balance towards dark malts. The aroma is robust, edgy, and quite complex. Significant dark malts take the lead and are followed by dark fruit esters, alcohol, and moderate woody-herbaceous hops. Mild oxidation and no apparent off-notes.

    Flavour 38/40

    Strong intensity, balance towards dark malts, and aggressive perceived bitterness. The flavour is intense with a complex mix of dark malts, dark fruit esters, woody-herbaceous hops, and alcohol. No off-flavours. Delicious and pleasantly muscular flavour.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is slightly thin and mildly fizzy with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-dry finish. No significant astringency and no actual harshness on the palate. Very good.

    Overall 18/20

    Tête d’Allumette’s L’Imperiale Gasket de Tete is an excellent russian imperial stout. Beautiful appearance and a bold, complex flavour with no apparent off-notes. This delivers exactly what’s expected and then some. At the same time the beer is a little bit thin – it’s missing that wonderful weight a 10% stout can have on the palate. I think this would stand out if the mouthfeel fully matched the flavour intensity in texture. It’s also not a cheap thrill but I think it’s absolutely worth a try if you can find a bottle.

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  • Dragon Sap | Labrosse Brewery

    Dragon Sap | Labrosse Brewery

    Score: 67/100 – Not Recommended

    Appearance 3/6

    The beer pours an opaque pale gold with a moderately tall, thin-ish, off-white head. Decent foam retention. A decent looking brew.

    Aroma 19/24

    Strong intensity with balance towards hops. The aroma is fragrant, sharp, and pungent.

    An American hop character dominates the aroma. Moderate fruity esters, low pale malt, and a mild alcohol note. No significant off-notes. Good aroma.

    Flavour 28/40

    Strong intensity, balance towards hops, and pronounced perceived bitterness.

    The flavour is edgy with significant American hop character and hefty minerality. I taste salt and crushed aspirin. Low pale malt and no mentionable esters. Mild alcohol note. The flavour is lacking.

    Mouthfeel 6/10

    Medium body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp, sharp, and somewhat thin with restrained alcohol warming and a dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency with some harshness on the palate.

    Overall 11/20

    Microbrasserie Labrosse’s Dragon Sap is an average hazy IPA.

    The aroma is punchy but the beer doesn’t deliver on the palate. It’s quite sharp both in flavour and mouthfeel, leading to mediocre drinkability. Perceived bitterness is rather high for a hazy IPA and the minerals take away from the overall flavour. Lots of hop-forward character but the beer is simply middle-of-the-road.

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  • Boombox | 5e Baron

    Boombox | 5e Baron

    Score: 77/100 – Good

    Appearance 4/6

    The beer pours a hazy gold with a moderately tall, frothy, off-white head. Good foam retention. A good looking hazyboi even if the end of the pour introduces visible particles in the glass.

    Aroma 17/24

    Medium-strong intensity with balance towards hops. The aroma is fragrant, fruity, and somewhat sharp.

    American hop character dominates with some fresh yeast (almost cheesy but not quite) popping up here and there. Some signs of yeast stress. Low pale malt at the back and a splash of alcohol. Overall good aroma.

    Flavour 33/40

    Strong intensity with good balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

    The flavour highlights American hop notes with a splash of alcohol, supportive pale malt, and mild esters. Some saltiness comes through as well.

    Mouthfeel 9/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp yet mouth-coating with restrained alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate even if the impact is heavy. Excellent.

    Overall 14/20

    Overall, 5e Baron’s Boombox is a good DIPA with plenty of flavour and decent drinkability.

    There are issues across the board with visible particles making it into the glass, the aroma having a fresh yeast character, and the flavour featuring too much salt. With so much competition in the category, I’d likely pick another DIPA to quench my thirst for hops.

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  • Hypa X | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    Hypa X | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    Score: 83/100 – Very Good

    From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 25.08.2022 – making this around 4 weeks old.

    I picked up the beer over a week ago from a local specialty store along with many other Bas-Canada IPAs. Recently I’ve had a few misses with the brewery so I’m curious if my expectations for the brewery are met this time around. It’s been a long time since I had a rendition of HYPA so let’s get to it.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours an opaque pale gold with 5cm of frothy, creamy, off-white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Exceptional lacing with good head retention.

    Aroma 23/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. Exceptional nose; aromatic and characterful.

    Pungent, ripe tropical fruit (mango + papaya) pairs well with zesty citrus (grapefruit + lime + tangerines). Moderate woody pine and mild anise-like spice add layers while low crackery malt ties everything together.

    The dry nose is strong and citrusy with mild grainy-tropical sweetness at the back.

    Flavour 34/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, decent balance, and moderate perceived bitterness.

    The somewhat sharp palate opens up with juicy tones as well as salted citrus (grapefruit + tangerines), pine, and grass making way for an edgy center featuring notes of citrus, pine, grass, and spice along with a hint of crackery malt.

    The long finish is strong and sharp with notes of pine, citrus, grass, minerals, spice (anise), and mild crackery malt.

    Mouthfeel 6/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp, slightly chalky, and mouth-coating with restrained warming sensation and a dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency – too much – the beer is harsh.

    Overall 14/20

    Brasserie du Bas-Canada’s HYPA X is a very good beer.

    Nice looks for a hazyboi; good head attributes and juice-like appearance with no chunks in the glass. Outstanding aroma featuring classic New World hop characteristics – only missing a wow-factor that defines a true world-class example. On the palate, however, the beer lacks the balance and beauty of the aroma. The flavour is rather edgy and coloured by acrid hop-characteristics typical of DDH IPAs. Which brings me to the most problematic part of this beer: the mouthfeel. The hop-derived astringency (hop-burn) is simply too much. That, combined with marked minerally saltiness and a chalky quality diminishes the overall drinking experience. A classic issue with the style which is quickly becoming my main reason for not picking up these cans.

    Most trendy IPAs are expensive and they simply don’t deliver enough value for me. That’s the case with HYPA X – it stands out in some aspects, yet fails to meet my expectations for Bas-Canada as one of the best in the domain of Canadian hazy IPAs. It seems like the circle is complete again – I think I need to step away from the trendy stuff and start focusing on the classics as well as the less known beers/breweries.

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  • HYPA VII | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    HYPA VII | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    Score: 81/100 – Very Good

    From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 06/10/20 – making this three weeks old.

    The beer comes straight from the brewery and was acquired through a friend. The heavy Quebec IPA breview streak continues with relatively high expectations for HYPA VII.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours an opaque pale gold with 4.5cm of moderately dense, creamy, white head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Great lacing with good head retention. Solid looks.

    Aroma 20/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is deep – almost perfumy – and hoppy with an American hop character.

    Bold citrus notes (grapefruit + tangerines) lead the way while mild woody character and herbaceous spice take a backseat. Moderate tropical fruit (pineapple + papaya) provides sweetness. A hint of toasted cereal grain at the back.

    The dry nose is grainy-crackery with a hint of citrus.

    Flavour 32/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, sharp-ish balance, and pronounced perceived bitterness.

    The palate opens up with significant minerality and bright citrus fruit making way for a zestful center featuring vibrant citrus, mild pine, soft tropical fruit, and high minerals.

    The medium-length finish is strong and sharp-ish with notes of marked citrus, moderate salt, mild grass, and low grainy-crackery malt.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium body with lively carbonation. The mouthfeel is quite creamy yet crisp with a slightly drying aspect to it. Restrained alcohol warming with a dry finish. Moderate hop-derived astringency creates an edge.

    Overall 15/20

    Brasserie du Bas-Canada’s HYPA VII is an above average brew.

    A worthy appearance connects to a fabulous hop aroma which doesn’t quite come through on the palate. The high minerality provides a salty edge which takes away from the enjoyment of this beer. It’s apparent in the mouthfeel as well where noticeable astringency from the hops paired with the salt leaves my palate exhausted.

    Still, HYPA VII is a very good beer, but it can certainly be better. I think the world of beer has lost its sense for brewing salts in a race to create the juiciest, haziest IPA in town. What’s next? – you ask, more hazy IPA’s!

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  • HYPA VIII | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    HYPA VIII | Brasserie du Bas-Canada

    Score: 85/100 – Very Good

    From a 473ml can served cool at 9 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 06/10/20 – making this just short of three weeks old.

    The beer comes straight from the brewery and was acquired through a friend. I’m continuing on a heavy Quebec IPA breview streak with high expectations for HYPA VIII.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours an opaque pale gold with 4.5cm of moderately dense, creamy, white head which dissipates into a solid cap within 3+ minutes. Exceptional lacing with good head retention. Looks like juice.

    Aroma 21/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is decidedly hoppy with an American hop character.

    Pronounced citrus (blood orange) pairs with lemongrass and milder tropical (ripe pineapple) notes. Low spicy, herbaceous character at the back with a touch of toasted cereal grain.

    The dry nose is very citrusy with an underlying grainy-crackery malt.

    Flavour 33/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and moderate perceived bitterness.

    The palate opens up bright with notes of tangerines, lemongrass, and minerals making way for a flavourful center where the citrus and grass keep dominating while a sweet tropical fruit character rounds out the saltiness of the minerals. A dash of herbs and spice for complexity.

    The long finish is strong and bitter-ish with notes of lemongrass, tangerines, minerals, and low crackery malt.

    Mouthfeel 9/10

    Medium body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is quite creamy and round with mild tingling on the palate. Restrained alcohol warming and an off-dry finish. Mild hop-derived astringency with no major harshness on the palate.

    Overall 16/20

    Brasserie du Bas-Canada’s HYPA VIII is an above average beer.

    Solid appearance and punchy, inviting aroma set the flavour expectations high. The palate is quite gratifying, but I find the minerals are adjusted too high for my taste and I’m left yearning for less of a salty edge. The mouthfeel is pleasant but some hop burn is introduced as the beer warms.

    Having said that, the overall drinking experience is great and I’d gladly drink this again. I casually recommend HYPA VIII to any hop lovers as it really is a very good beer. My expectations for the brewery are very high and I feel like this didn’t quite reach the status of Neron. Next up? More Quebec hazy IPA’s.

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