August 9, 2013

163/811) The 3 Brewers:  Chocolate Blueberry by The 3 Brewers of Ontario:  **;  or La Choco-Bluet in the original French;  5.5%, 30ibu;  berries make up much of the nose;  nothing is overpowering, it's all very subtle;  tastes of blueberries at start with some graininess;  this is a very unusual beer but it's quite nice;  it reminds me a bit of chocolate covered blueberries;  finish is mildly sweet chocolate;

164/812) Caffe Volo:  Taras Boulba by Brasserie de la Sienne of Belgium:  *1/2:  this was a 5 ounce glass poured from a bottle at their tasting bar - another  great idea from the Volo, by the way;  the nose is grainy with a touch of cider and a touch of hop;  grainy at first with a dry, bitter hop after-taste;  not as sweet as Belgians often are; 

165/813) Caffe Volo:  East India Pale by Brooklyn Brewery of New York, U.S.A.:  **;  a 7% English IPA;  astringent, bitter caffeine like finish and after taste;  the English style comes across in the sweet nose and well-balanced flavours;

166/814) Caffe Volo:  MacTavish by La Trou du Diable of Quebec:  **;  a 6.5% American Pale Ale;  nose has notes of apple;  sweet apple flavours with a mild hop presence;