Vancouver Island Brewery: Piper’s Pale Ale

Celebrating thirty years of operation, Vancouver Island Brewery (VIB) has rebranded their Piper’s Pale Ale with a logo commemorating the 100 anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The ale is named after Canadian Piper John C. Richardson, winner of the Victoria Cross for heroism at the Battle of the Somme.

It is now fall in Vancouver, and although the weather is warm, the air is cooler as we head towards October. With the pumpkin ales already on the shelf, I am aiming for a more traditional beer. This beer, part of the VIB’s signature line, was the second beer brewed by the Victoria based brewery, starting its production run in 1986. The pale ale is advertised as a traditional English pale ale, with light, earthy malt and a slight hop character for a crisp, dry finish. I bought the beer in a six-pack for the3 341 ml format, about $12s cdn from a government store. The beer is 5% alc/vol. My expectation here is a robust pale ale, hopefully balanced, nuanced and refreshing.

On June 15, 2016, VIB founder and owner Barry Fisher sold the company to Bob MacDonald, the co-owner of Ontario’s Muskoka Brewery, with Tim Barnes of Central City Brewers (Vancouver) taking over as President. VIB’s Ralf Pittroff, Bravarian-trained Brewmaster, would continue at his post.

Left to right: Tim Barnes, Barry Fisher and Bob MacDonald.

The reviews I read rated this a middle of the road pale ale: good, but not outstanding. The beer pours a clear, pale, copper to gold, with light carbonation and a thin head. Aroma of malt and citrus on the nose. A crisp, slightly hoppy profile develops on the tongue, with refreshing malt and some bitterness for length: a balanced, pub-style ale, neither too light or too heavy. Rated 87 points by tastings.com.

Statue of Piper John C. Richardson, VC, in Chilliwack, British Columbia, by Master Sculptor John Weaver, unveiled October 11, 2003.

John Cleland Richardson, born in Chilliwack, BC, November 25 1895, was twenty years old when he was killed on the night of October 8th (or morning of the 9th) during the Battle of Ancre Heights at Regina Trench, the Somme. Fifth (Reserve) Army, Canadian Corps, had been tasked with capturing the slopes rear of Thiepval Ridge; the Schwaben, and Stuff redoubts, and Regina and Stuff trenches, over an offensive depth of half a mile. Advancing through uncut wire and in raining weather, in the face of enemy fire, piper Richardson, of the 72nd Seaforth Highlander Battalion, inspired his company of 16th Battalion Canadian Scottish (Princess Mary’s- Victoria, BC), 3rd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division, with his bagpipe playing. Richardson’s company then assaulted and captured the opposing Regina trench-line. Richardson was detailed to recover wounded and prisoners. When he went back out on the morning of the 9th to find his missing bagpipes he disappeared, his body only later recovered in 1920. For his heroism he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Richardson is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, France. Thanks to Mike Thornley for help with this section!

Doan’s Craft Brewing Co., “Kolsch” German Ale

Today I’m pouring a beer from up-coming Vancouver brewery, Doan’s Craft Brewing Co (DCBC). This particular kolsch was acquired from a private liquor store for about $8 cdn, and is rated 5% alc/vol at 20 IBUs. The kolsch is made with Bohemian pilsner, Munich malt, and a dash of hops. The label features a stylized black and white label motif.  I’m excited to try a kolsch, a style of municipal German beers I haven’t reviewed prior. I don’t know what to expect, but I am excited to try a new style of beer and the product of a first-generation lineup.

Doan’s Craft Brewing Co. opened their doors back in May 2015, and is still getting their website underway. The brewery can however be reached on social media, by facebook, and twitter. This grass-roots startup is already generating some buzz with their restrained, old-world inspired beers. Their lineup so far consists of a decidedly hoppy West Coast style Rye IPA, the Kolsch currently on my desk, and an Altbier bottled as recently as June 30th. They’re also preparing some fruit beers as summer seasonals. Evan and Mike Doan started their first brewery operation in 2011, and soon after Kevin joined the team, opened for business at their current Powell Street address.

The brewers’ philosophy is focused on roots-rock beers, and alongside the Rye IPA, Doan’s has old-world, German, style ales to offer. This Kolsch is a classic ale from Koln: a hybrid style of beer bringing both the lightness of a lager and the robustness of an ale. Typically light, fruit forward, and mildly hopped. The persistent heat in Vancouver has made Kolsch a popular beer, with Victoria based Spinnakers offering a Honey Kolsch, and Oregon scion Double Mountain a 40 IBU Kolsch; Doan’s contribution makes fertile grounds for comparison.

The beer pours light and golden, with a thin head. Well carbonated and fragrant on the nose, the aroma is suggestive of honey, and some pepper. Sour at first, the Kolsch develops stone fruit characters on the palate: the prevailing fruits I observed were apricot and peach, backed bysome spice. The beer is well bodied, buttery, and suggestive of caramel at length. Refreshing in this summer weather, the beer is only lightly hopped,  A unique, first-time offering from a brewery that knows its roots.

Fernie Brewing’s “What the Huck” Huckleberry Wheat Ale

The weather in Vancouver today is astonishingly warm, so I’m pouring what I hope will be a refreshing wheat ale from Fernie Brewing Company. This beer was given to me as part of a bi-weekly beer exchange, and retails for around $7 cdn. When we last encountered Fernie Brewing, it was to sample their middle of the road pumpkin ale. Unlike that seasonal beer, this huckleberry flavoured ale is a staple of the Fernie lineup and is offered at a number of craft beer pubs around BC, and is also available in store in Manitoba and Alberta.

My expectation is a light, refreshing ale, not overly complex, but flavourful enough, and importantly, refreshing on this hot summer day.

First poured in 2008, this huckleberry wheat ale is 5% alc/vol rate at 15 IBUs and contains two-row barley, wheat, Perle hops, yeast and huckleberry juice.

The reviews I read suggested a frothy, highly carbonated ale, with a light berry character, and a mild, slightly tart, finish. The beer has received, as expected, fairly average reviews, with some positive notes: the beer’s light-body and mild huckleberry profile, in particular. On the other hand, detractors noted the beer’s cloying sweetness, too light for a true fruit beer. At least one reviewer suggested that herbal tea was the best comparison for this beer!

The beer pours a pale raspberry colour, and develops a thick head with lots of carbonation. A gentle strawberry on the nose, the aroma is indicative of a soft drink or cream ale. On the palate, the beer develops more like a wheat ale, with wheat and hop overwhelming the fruit profile. Definitely light, with some slight huckleberry tartness on the finish. The sweetness is off-putting at first, but actually contributes to the tart finish. This is a difficult beer to pigeon-hole: refreshingly easy on the palate, with distinctive huckleberry coming through for a surprisingly lengthy finish. What starts off as a disguised pale ale develops into a deceptively smooth fruit beer. Not perfect, by any means: suffering from a powerful ale-backed profile that diminishes the fruit initially, but able to swing it in the end with a lengthy, huckleberry, finish. This is a decent effort from Fernie Brewing, one that convincingly displays the character of the back-country that the cross-country skier motif on the label alludes too.

 

 

Coal Harbour Brewing Company’s “Woodland” Witbier

Coal Harbour Brewing Company is a local East Vancouver brewery that I haven’t encountered in previous reviews. An up-coming brewery, Coal Harbour Brewing Company is one to watch: keep en eye on their twitter feed for updates. Their “Woodland” witbier was recommended to me by a colleague and so I’m putting it to the test. The beer was acquired from a private liquor store for about $8, and clocks in at 5.25% alc/vol and 21 IBUs (although their website claims 66 IBUs) in the 650 ml format. My expectation here is an “easy drinking” experience, hopefully a throwback to the classic Belgian witbeir style but with some local twists.

 The beer is made from pilsner and wheat malt, flaked wheat and oats, Magnum, Cascade and Meridian hops, sweet and bitter orange, coriander, and Szechuan pepper. A complex mix of elements: hopefully the orange and coriander complement the fruit character of the cascade and meridian hops. The wit was first released in December 2013.

Coal Harbour Brewing, founded in 2011, is a recent addition to the Vancouver craft beer market, offering a lineup of regular and seasonal beers tailored for West-Coast tastes, but without bowing to the dominance of the IPA market. Owner Ken Boparai and Chief brewer Ethan Allured represent the new generation of craft brewers in the Pacific North-West: keenly aware of their customer’s desires for quality and originality. First to market in 2012, the brewery produced a three beer lineup. Expanded over the next three years to include an IPA, Imperial Ale and the witbier currently on my desk, the company is generating plenty of buzz in the Vancouver craft scene. In September 2014 they redesigned their labels to match their expanding popularity.

Brewer Kevin Emms demonstrates his scientific approach. Emms is responsible for the company’s core beers (Munich lager, Rye Ale and Vienna lager).

Full page spread from the Province newspaper for 11 December 2014, profiling the brewery.

So how does this witbier perform? The reviews I read were favourable. The beer is described as a unique witbier with a robust flavour profile that manages to be simultaneously bold yet balanced. Reviewers noted the beer’s decent carbonation, big hop citrus profile, and spicy finish.

The beer poured pale-gold in colour and developed a dangerous head. In the glass the beer showed itself cloudy to the point of opaque. Malt and coriander on the noise, but with a hint of soapiness.

On the palate the beer is complex: first impression is of a classic witbier-  little hop, strong fruit flavour profile and refreshing mouthfeel. Zesty and bone-dry, the beer does develop a robust hop character, strong but not overpowering. Then the spice kicks in, giving the beer length and depth; a startling experience. What impressed me most about this wit is how it continued to develop on the palate. The spice provides a strong accent to the initial impression but the hop profile actually finishes the beer, leaving a pleasant bitterness and traces of cut cedar. The hop profile might be too strong for old-world purists, however, the hops do deliver an undeniable West Coast charm. This is an ambitious effort, bringing together old and new world tastes but without going overboard. A unique approach from a promising brewery.

Sandhill’s 2012 Syrah

Today’s offering is Sandhill’s 2012 Syrah. This BC VQA wine is rated 13.5% alc/vol and was purchased from a public liquor store for about $17. My expectation is a robust red, good quality for money, showing both vintage and local characteristics. The bottle describes a “powerful” Syrah with a profile of dark fruit: blackberry, plum, boysenberry, cherry, and spice.

According to the Sandhill website, this vintage was released to the public in May 2014 and received a Silver Medal at the 2014 National Wine Awards. The Syrah was aged for 14 months in French and American oak, and sourced from grapes grown on Sandhill’s 174 acre Estate Vineyard located in the southern Okanagan. 2,268 cases were made.

The warm temperature and plentiful sunlight of the estate vineyard represents a microclimate in the greater scheme of Okanagan wine production. The vines of the estate vineyard were first planted in 1997, the same year Howard Soon became Sandhill’s chief winemaker. Soon has established himself as a specialist in single-vineyard winemaking. Sandhill achieved major celebrity in 2009 when Soon’s efforts led Sandhill to capture the top three spots at the Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards.

Howard Soon in 2013

Sandhill is composed of six vineyards dotted around the Okanagan valley. The Estate Vineyard itself, the largest of Sandhill’s vineyard holdings, is to be found on Black Sage Road, located south of Oliver, BC.

The vineyard is situated near Burrowing Owl’s winery, buttressed by the Haynes’ Lease Ecological reserve. The Estate Vineyard is therefore part of the significant Black Sage Bench region of the Okanagan valley, responsible for producing over half of the grapes in the region. The vineyard is operated by Richard Cleave (currently responsible for Sandhill’s Phantom Creek vineyard) and Robert Goltz.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, located adjacent the Sandhill Estate Vineyard.

First leased from Burrowing Owl, the vineyard’s 174 acres were purchased by Sandhill in 2002. Part of this deal included uncultivated land, originally envisioned as the site for the future estate winery. The estate winery never materialized due to financial limitations of Sandhill’s parent company, Andrew Peller Limited (TSE: ADW.A).

The Winery itself is part of the larger Calona winery located in downtown Kelowna, owned and operated by Andrew Peller, formally Andres Wines, Ltd. Peller controls wineries located in BC, Ontario and Nova Scotia, including the aforementioned Calona- the original BC winery established in 1932– and the notable Wayne Gretsky brand. In addition to these premium brands Peller produces popular lines, Copper Moon, XOXO, and Skinnygrape.com

So how does this small-vineyard concept and oenological philosophy translate into practice? Reviews noted the wine’s subtle notes of spice, pepper and oak, atop a fruit forward palate: cherry, plum, blackberries. At least one reviewer described chocolate. Others noted a flourish of spices such as vanilla, sage, coffee. Hints of cedar and liquorice are noted as asides. The 2011 and 2008 offerings reflected similar appraisals.

The wine has the colour and consistency of a pinot noir: a hazy maroon extending to bright burgundy. Heavy and distinct tears run along the glass. On the nose the wine develops intense heat, big spice aromas, suggestive of pronounced oak and cedarbox. A heady combination of vanilla and lavender simmers beneath the surface.

On the palate the wine is acidic, full bodied and a herb-box of spice. Initial dark fruit forwards the robust spice finish: slight bitterness representative of chocolate and sage. The fruit profile is muted and overwhelmed by the wine’s intense oak character. This is a wine that delivers on the spiciness associated with Syrah, but would also profit from bottle aging to temper the oak-aging and bring forward the varietal’s red fruit character: the blackberry and cherry that sinks beneath the wine’s heat and spice.

Phillips’ “Polaris” Milk Stout

Today I’m pouring Phillips’ latest seasonal release, the “Polaris” milk stout. I acquired this beer from a private store for about $7. The beer is rated 5.5% alc/vol and made with barley, hops, yeast and lactose. As with any Phillips’ seasonal, my expectation is good value with lots of nuance. It’s also a definite change of pace from the big barrel-aged pumpkin ale sampled in my last Phillips review.

Phillips released this seasonal on November 24, followed shortly by the yearly Black Jackal coffee stout release (I reviewed last year’s batch). This is the first year Phillips’ has offered the “Polaris”, although not the first milk stout produced by the brewer: the “Leviathan” milk stout was a benefit brew winner from 2012.

Milk stouts, also known as cream stouts, have traditionally slipped between the cracks of the porter and sweet stout taxonomy. Although the milk stout is in essence a stout with more sugar (lactose), I’ve found myself growing fond of the style’s unassuming qualities. Stouts (and their sweet varieties) were originally devised as an antidote to the dominance of IPAs and porters in the English beer market of the 19th century; a means of differentiating from the flooded ale market. The first milk stouts were created at the beginning of the 20th century to appeal to the proletarian demographic as a, supposedly, more nutritious form of beer. Today, milk stouts enjoy a niche market, acting in some fashion as an introductory beer for those too timid to dive into the deep end of big Imperial stouts and their associates. At least one brewer explains the appeal of the milk stout by likening it to Guinness, minus the bitterness.

A quick aside on design: the label, derived from the classic astro-photography timelapse starfield exposure (more on that here) continues Phillips’ tradition of engaging marketing. I’m especially interested in how this beer compares with the brewery’s previous milk stout offering. The “Leviathan” although described as appealing and to the point, was unfortunately considered forgettable. Somewhat surprising is Phillips’ late entry into the BC milk stout market: Parallel 49 brewing has offered a comparable stout for some time now, and even expanded on the line to include a nitro-generated version.

How has the “Polaris” been received by critiques since its release? The advertising blurb on their website suggests mocha, chocolate, and a distinct sweetness on the palate. The beer is already generating controversial reviews, with reviewers noting the somewhat bland style and high carbonation. What the beer seems to have going for it- besides “easy drinking”- is its big malt and chocolate character, combined with lactose for a rich mouthfeel. The beer has received a few reviews describing it as an option for aperitif, or even baking.

So how does the beer perform? I poured the beer chilled, and it quickly developed a foamy head atop a root-beer opaque body. Slightly sour on the nose, with strong aroma of roasted malt, the head quickly dissolved, revealing a dense mass of pitch-black too intense to derive any insight regarding carbonation. The beer developed nicely on the palate: an initial sour, vanilla, nutmeg and cream mouthfeel lending itself to malt and coffee flavours; almost like a doppelbock was my first thought. The beer shows good length, the frothy carbonation revealed on the tongue definitely contributes to the ground coffee texture, similar to the Black Jackal, but muted: confined to the finish. A decent companion release for the Black Jackal, lighter on the finish and with an endearing smoothness that’s difficult to fault, but not, perhaps, different enough to really gain traction. If it is true that both beers are sampled in the Phillips’ “snowcase” advent calender, this beer should lend itself to comparison.

Double Mountain’s “Cluster” IPA

Double Mountain’s “Cluster” IPA.

It’s started to snow on the mountains and we’re entering the season of beer-advent and winter seasonals. However, today I’m reviewing somewhat of a summer throwback: Double Mountains’ June 2014 “Cluster” single-hop IPA. I’ve sampled some of Double Mountain’s beers at prior events and was impressed with their efforts and uncompromising selection. This particular IPA, like other Double Mountain beers, is delivered in 500 ml format, and rated 7.3% alc/vol at 85 IBUs. I acquired this IPA from a private store for $7 cdn. My expectation is a big, nuanced IPA that delivers a robust hop profile.

Sun shining in Vancouver, 23 November 2014.

Double Mountain Brewery is located in Hood River, Oregon. The brew-pub specializes in high octane seasonals, hops and domestic as well as international style beers. According to the media kit conveniently located on their website, the brewery embodies the new era in beer production wherein international style fruit beers and massive domestic IPAs are the norm. Double Mountain brewing was founded in 2007 as a joint venture between brewers Matt Swihart and Charles Devereux. By 2012 the brewery was pouring 250,000 gallons a year. As the brewery expanded, Swihart assumed sole responsibility and in June 2013 Deveruex transitioned to a new project in Portland.

The Brewery and Taphouse located in Hood River.

The brewery produces a large line of beer backed by the taproom favourites. There are also more eclectic items such as the Lulu Saison bottled in Champagne bottles, released in May 2014 to celebrate the birthday of head brewer Karl Larsen’s daughter. Already distributed along the Pacific coast of the United States, in the summer of 2014 Double Mountain began looking north, importing two-row pilsner malt sourced from BC, and expanding delivery in the Vancouver area. This particular bottle was bottled on June 4 2014 and released in the US and Canada on June 16. Otherwise known as the “Clusterf#ck”, the beer is an export rebranding of Double Mountain’s standard single-hop IPA line tailored for Canadian consumption. Other idiosyncrasies include the mobile “beer truck” part of the burgeoning “mobility brewing” operations around Oregon.

Double Mountain pantheon of beers.

Cluster hops are an ancient strain of North American hops, transplanted to the North American colonies by protestant immigrants from Holland and England. Today many clones are derived for use in the US brewing industry. Cluster hops were the industry standard in the 1950s and 1960s and are renowned for their robust aroma and muted bitterness. First sampled by Double Mountain brewer Anneke Ayers in 2009, this batch was brewed by Matt Coughlin. The single-hop cluster ale has received positive reviews. Citrus, pine, malt; a west-coast temperate rainforest experience.

So how does the beer perform? Cluster single-hop IPAs can vary in colour and taste, from darker amber to gold, with a rich hop foundation. The beer has a distinctive malty aroma, and what hints at a really dry profile. The beer pours a lovely cloudy straw colour with decent carbonation and a medium head. Tangy on the nose, like fresh grass, pine needles or apricot. A refreshing grapefruit flavour and subdued bitterness give the beer its charm. A remarkably straight-forward beer, the mouthwateringly dry finish leaves a charming orange peel bitterness. A fairly acidic beer, the advocate will no doubt appreciate both the traditional nature of the ale keeping in line with what the American market has come to expect from west-coast IPAs.

Phillips’ “Crookeder Tooth” Barrel Aged Pumpkin Ale

After last week’s Fernie Brewing Pumpkin Ale review, I thought I’d provide some context by sampling one of the competitor offerings in the Pumpkin Ale category. So this week, I’m looking at one of Phillips’ two seasonal Pumpkin Ales: the “Crookeder Tooth”, barrel aged version of the Crooked Tooth pumpkin ale. I acquired this beer from a private store for about 8 dollars. This strong beer clocks in at 7.3% alc/vol in the 650 ml format. Both of these pumpkin seasonals were released on September 10, 2014.

Described by one reviewer as an Imperial Pumpkin Ale, my expectation here is a pumpkin beer with enough depth to survive the initial novelty. Phillips’ has put their usual spin on this seasonal by aging the release in whiskey barrels. The beer includes a cocktail of spices in addition to pumpkin. Like the Crooked Tooth, the flavour profile is derived from ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Matt Phillips presides over his craft beer empire.

The beer has received strong reviews, with reviewers noting the beer’s nuance, flavour and depth. One potential drawback was raised by reviewers critical of the beer’s overwhelming palette. Recurring flavour descriptions included clove, vanilla, caramel and of course pumpkin. At least one reviewer warned that the beer develops a better profile when cold: advice I’ve taken to heart.

 

Scary Pumpkins!

The beer pours smooth, with a light, amber colour and almost no head. On the nose the background spice is nicely accentuated by the whiskey barrel aging. On the palette there’s a strong nutmeg and clove character with a powerful cinnamon finish. Deceptively sweet, the beer is packed with flavour, the elements sorting themselves out slowly as the beer develops in the glass. The barrel age adds another layer to the beer’s profile, however, it does somewhat underwhelm the pumpkin in this pumpkin ale. Not a beer you’re likely to forget anytime soon, the Crookeder Tooth provides a welcome option for those still skeptical regarding the legitimacy of the pumpkin ale style.

Fernie Brewing’s “Pumpkin Head” Brown Ale

When we last encountered the Fernie Brewing Company we examined an up-coming brewery with a somewhat generic, but competent style, looking to expand its west-coast distribution.

To wit: advertisement showcasing Fernie’s new labels from the July – August issue of Craft Beer News. Fernie continues to make a name for themselves as a regular supplier of seasonal beers from BC’s interior. Fernie just finished with their summer seasonals, a honey kolsch beer and a fruit forward IPA (“Crafting the Interior,” Kim Lawton, Craft Beer News, July-August, p. 5). These sorts of seasonals, sourced from local and organic produce, netted Fernie three silver medals at the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards, which includes the Pumpkin Head offering currently sitting on my desk.

Now that we’re well into fall in Vancouver, I figured it was time to peak at this years cornucopia of pumpkin ales. Each year seems to deliver historically unprecedented multitudes of these harvest-style beers. A quintessentially American twist on the classic English Brown, the pumpkin ale provides a robust and spicy companion to the thick malt of the brown ale. A style with wide variation between brewers, in my experience, pumpkin ale can too easily underwhelm and come off as little more than a repackaged ale. Hopefully Fernie has taken the style to heart: the complex spice assortment listed in the ingredients certainly bodes well.

The beer is flavoured by pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, clove and allspice, and clocks in at 5% alc/vol in the 650ml format, rated 13 IBUs. According to their website, the beer’s profile is based on the Fernie regular, First Trax Brown Ale. First brewed in 2010, the Pumpkin Head utilizes pumpkins sources from Osoyoos farms. I acquired the beer for about $8 from a private liquor store.

The Pumpkin Head has traditionally received mixed reviews, with tasters noting the molasses flavour, decent body but thin finish. This reviewer has tasted enough under-performing pumpkin ale to have set my expectations fairly high: this years pumpkin ale is an excellent chance for Fernie to break away from its somewhat commercial taste and deliver a distinctive seasonal beer really unique for the style as represented by local brewers. With competition ranging from Howe Sound, Phillips, and Steamworks breweries, I feel that Fernie needs to offer a really strong taste to differentiate themselves from the aforementioned craft beer giants in this category.

So how does the beer actually perform? The beer pours dark and thick with a thin tan head. Big banana bread aroma on the nose, with hints of clove and cinnamon overflowing from the glass. Medium carbonation mouth-feel, the beer comes off deceptively light on the palette. Unfortunately frothy, the beer’s charm dissolves amidst its cola-like profile. A thin, light, brown ale with some spice on the finish, the beer does not deliver on the flavour promised in the initial pour. A similar experience to the formerly reviewed Wit, Fernie continues to display a worrying predilection for watery beers that won’t stand up against its more audacious west-coast competition. Easy drinking, but forgettable.

Phillips’ “Schottleweizen”

“Perhaps the most remarkable brewing story in Victoria is the Legend of Matt Phillips. After working at other breweries, including Spinnakers, Phillips decided to start up his own brewery in 2001. When the banks and credit unions turned down his loan applications, he maxed out every credit card he could get to buy some used equipment and even slept in the brewery to save on rent. Since then, Phillips Brewing has grown into one of BC’s most popular and successful operations, renowned for inventiveness and creativity.”

— Joe Wiebe, Taste magazine, Spring 2014, p. 91

When we left our story, Phillips had just released its seasonal charity Blood Orange Wit. It’s now been four months, and with summer just around the corner, Phillips has released a seasonal dunkelweizen, under the cryptic nom de guerre of Schottleweizen after Phillips’ brewer Ben Schottle.

This beer was released on April 7, and is already on the shelves. The 7.5% alc/vol weizen offers a twist on the traditional German wheat beer format: “dark malt… hops… with Belgian-inspired saison yeast.” This beer is essentially a dunkel, the dark style flavour of hefeweizen. My expectations are very high with this particular beer, offering not only the malt beloved by fans of Phillips’ “Blue Buck”, but also the banana bread and vanilla depth of a hefeweizen- with hops to boot. There’s more here than you can ask for in a seasonal, and I think Phillips’ aficionados will feel spoiled for choice.

Is this the Instigator in disguise, or the Wheatking undercover?

Renowned as one of world’s most complex beer styles, the dunkelweizen is at heart a German weissbier, topped with the kind of malt one expects from a bock. The line between styles is blurry to say the least, with dunkelweizen usually treading on the softer side in terms of lower alcohol content. At 7.5% and brewed with Saison yeast, however, I’m not sure what to make of this Phillips’ brew. Saisons are traditionally Belgian yeast beers of high alcohol content, and it is rare indeed to see a dark format Saison. We’re definitely in hybrid beer territory here. There’s very little to go on in terms of intersubjectivity: I picked this beer from the shelf before reviews have gone to press. You’ll have to take my word for it.

So what is there to this so-called Schottleweizen?

The beer pours very dark with a thin head and strong aroma of malt and hops. Decent carbonation, but a smooth pour. The fresh-rising banana-bread one expects from a weizen comes through powerfully on the nose. Very muted heat considering the alcohol content. The richness, creaminess and sweetness one expects from a milk-stout is the immediate impression: very beguiling and subtle flavour of vanilla and plenty of spice: cloves, nutmeg, allspice. There’s a little tartness in the background from the hops, but again, I’m impressed by how muted this aspect is. Another exercise in restraint from Phillips. There’s more than enough complexity to keep the beer interesting. This is a niche beer, cutting an extremely fine line between Phillips’ bock and wheat beer offerings, but retaining what is clearly a unique and original style.