The Brew Review

May 8, 2014—As it’s Convocation Weekend and all, we figured we do you a solid and review all eight new taps at Ducky’s. Party on.

Coles Cream Ale (Gahan Brewery, PEI)

Alex Bates: A great cream ale with little after taste. A great summer beer.

Richard Kent: Light body and flavour, and loads of smooth carbonation. Not particularly creamy, but not a bad beer to have six of in an afternoon.

Daniel Marcotte: Not a true cream ale, but crisp and refreshing nonetheless. Light wheat and citrus flavours make this one ideal for the patio.

Beach Chair Lager (Gahan)

AB: Beach Chair lager is exactly that. Perfect for the beach. A little bit more of a bite to it.

RK: Similar to the Coles Cream Ale: a little more carbonation, but a little less bitter. There’s a bit of a salt flavour, too. A bit like a grown up Moosehead Green.

DM: Summery and fresh, but a bit bland and skunky. Could easily be mistaken for a Moose Green.

Not Joe Average Pale Ale (Celtic Knot Brewery, NB)

AB: Perfect pale ale. I love this beer. It has a great taste and the colour is that of a harvest moon.

RK: A little hoppy, a little malty. Good, but unremarkable.

DM: Absolutely delicious pale ale with hints of caramel and vanilla. A slightly hoppy brew that treats all of your taste buds: salty, sweet, sour, bitter.

St. Peter’s Belgian Ale (Garrison Brewery, NS)

RK: Almost a beer liqueur, it’s well-carbonated without losing any creaminess. Clovey and very sweet, the banana flavour is almost overwhelming. Great if you’re a fan of Belgian wheat ales or Unibroue, but it’d be hard to have more than one in a sitting.

DM: Spicy and sickly sweet; reminiscent of overripe fruit and brown sugar. Smooth and creamy. You’ll be happy you tried it, but a bit too rich to drink in large volumes.

Test Batch IPA #3459 (Garrison)

AB: Transparent in colour. Citrus is definitely present in the taste.

RK: This beer is hoppy, but not particularly hoppy for an IPA. The grapefruit notes are a nice touch, and it’s not overly carbonated. This would be a good starter IPA for those looking to try the style.

DM: This oaken-coloured ale is rich and flavourful, with citrus and floral notes. Great for newcomers to the bitter side of the spectrum.

Hop Flash (Hammond River, NB)

AB: A great dark beer. Leaves your mouth with a great aftertaste of a signature India Pale Ale.

RK: A classic IPA. It’s aggressively hopped, but not as bitter as the aroma suggests. It’s got a very sudsy feel and a touch of citrus, which make for a pleasant drinking experience. One of my favourites of the new taps.

DM: This IPA left me pleasantly surprised. Deliciously frothy and smooth, this beer’s hoppy flavour and smoky aftertaste will have you coming back for more.

Tall Ship Amber Ale (Garrison)

AB: A great contrast to the previous IPA. Garrison always does a good job of adding the right amount of hops.

DM: Not as complex as the other brews, but easy to drink with its crisp mouthfeel. Not too memorable, but would be great after a day at work.

Dubh Loki Black IPA (Celtic Knot)

AB: A very dark beer. Not transparent whatsoever. The Dubh Loki Black IPA is a must for dark IPA lovers.

RK: Is it a porter with hops, or an IPA with a dark malt? This beer is comfortable with ambiguity. The treacle and hops flavours make a surprisingly good match. Have one, if only for the novelty factor.

DM: A unique and glorious combination of bitter hops and sweet treacle flavours. Sticky sweet with coffee undertones, this rich beer could easily be mistaken for a porter.

Originally published May 8, 2014.

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