Brew Mastery

The Fourth and Final (for now)

From O.K. Spring that is...

5%/vol

The Beer:  Brewmaster's Black

The Brewery: Okanagan Spring

This Brew is the first of it's kind on this blog. It is a Dark Lager  and I thought that this would be a great finish for my O.K. Spring spotlight.

Dark Lagers are a wonderful style of lager that predates it's more popular sibling the Pilsner and other golden coloured lagers (introduced to germany around 1894). In fact this type of brew is an old style indeed. These beers are also known as "Dunkel", which means dark.

Look: very dark, when held to light walnut wood colour. Darker than most Dunkel style beer, which the name summarizes very well: Black. Thick head as well, big and sturdy.

Smell: as soon as it’s poured, can smell a toasty/brewed coffee/yeasty from a distance. after a few minutes that dissipates. when you get your nose right up in it: caramels. swish it in the glass a bit and out comes: coffee!

Mouthfeel: smooth, full bodied, almost un-carbonated

Taste: incredibly smooth, mild bitter taste throughout. similar to a cappuccino (on the tongue), with enough hoppy flavour to balance it out on the palate.

Thoughts: I must say this is already one of my favourite beers... and consumed many times before hand. what I like the most is that it’s subtle, but most of all consistent. once it’s released from the bottle and let breathe for a minute or so, each taste/gulp is the same.

I understand consistency is something a brewmaster strives for; mission accomplished.

Another thing that is good about a  a dark lager: it goes down lighter than you may think, so have a few ;)

Bye for now!

- The Parched Paige

The 11th Tasting

Hi again,

A stated in the title, this brew will be the 11th tasted for this blog o'mine.

The specimen this week is going to be a:

PALE ALE

by Okanagan Spring Brewery

Alright so this week the vessel my beer will be flowing from is once again a bottle. I don't know if this has been mentioned by me before but the OK Spring labels are very informative. They let you know what colour the beer is, where the beer lies on a numbered light to dark scale, and at what temperature it is intended to be consumed; along with all the stuff they have to put on there due to legal reasons such as: the volume of alcohol and...the amount in the bottle yadda yadda.

shall we?

Look: Somewhat flat... now the glass I used may have contributed slightly to the lack of head on this guy. It's an open taper at the top, plus it had been sitting in my cupboard for a while and not washed immediately before use. Lesson learned.

regardless, I don't think this is a very lively (fizz wise) brew. Nice colour though, very clear classic amber colour. On the paler side of a red ale, but darker for sure than a white. I find this to be appealing because it's easily defined. Other brewers who do a "pale ale" perhaps let the colour go either way; dark and light.

Aromatics: Quite "bready" and "toasty". Actually not like a typical toasted malt scent, what you get out of this is actually smells similar to a toasted slice of bread (of the exact same golden brown colour). It also has a mild hop aroma, just enough to come through on it's own.

Mouthfeel: full bodied, along with a surprising carbonated feel as well. It's by no means a bottle conditioned sparkling ale, but it does have more punch than you'd think just by eyeing it up.

Taste: up front on the tongue i'm getting a little acidity mixed with a very lightly toasted malt.

a leafy bitterness on the tail end 

Final thoughts: It won't blow you off your feet with flavour, but it isn't going to curl your toes either. I like this brew very much. Pale Ales are one of the more common ales to be brewed, and I feel that because of this they are a very good indicator of how well the brewery is in general. It is also a favoured style of mine and I admit that this is one of the better PA's I've tasted. It's really not bitter, actually this one is characterized more by the acidity with happy malt flavours and a very light hop aroma than others which are more loaded with more complex malt flavouring. This is my idea of a very consistent "go-to" brew. Session all the way

speaking of which... i've got a few more bottles of this to get through.

until next time!

- Parched Paige

Back In Action

Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it?

I'm just going to get straight down to it because today I'm kicking off the first of several beers from one of my favourite Breweries: Okanagan Spring!

Since this is the first beer from OK Spring I'll be blogging about, I will start with the first beer I ever drank that was brewed by them. That beer is 1516 Bavarian Lager. Plus, there haven't been many lagers so far on this blog. Or ales really since I've been a bit of a slacker so far. So anyway, here it goes!

A little bit about the place: Okanagan Spring brewery is actually larger than what you would call a "Micro Brewery" since they have a brewing capacity of around 350,000hl. What sets them apart is that, though they are brewing a large quantity, it's still a very high quality product with very high standards. it's allegedly an all natural product as well!
OK Spring mainly brews according to the Bavarian Purity Law (or Reinheitsgebot ) of 1516, excluding certain brews like their Hefeweizen. Basically this Purity law states that the only ingredients allowed in beers brewed in Munich are Water, Barley, Hops (after having read a translation...yeast is left out. I don't know why, it's essential isn't it?). I suppose that this beer (Bavarian 1516) is what they feel represents that tradition most accurately.

also available in bottles! (sorry the pic is so dark)

The Pour: doesn't appear to be too fizzy, if you're pouring into a glass and you are in a bit of a hurry...you'll probably be alright, I don't think this one's going to get out of control on you.
The head initially swells to a nice height, but it's not the type to wear out it's welcome and dissipates fast.  I should be said that I'm drinking out of a standard pint glass (not the photo), and it really doesn't help things if you are looking to have a long lasting head on your beer.
It's also a light brass colour, nothing out of the ordinary.

what the nose says: again, not the best glass to be sampling from (i'm working on getting a standard tasting glass); but this one doesn't send my schnoz reeling with a complex equation to decipher. Nice and simple. the malt doesn't stand out alot but you can tell it's there. I also get a touch of a flowery hop; but again, not very strong.

Said the tongue: a very smooth mouthfeel. A very smooth subtle lager with a mild finish. I think the malt and the hops are really in balance on this one, it works quite nicely. from the moment you take it in to the      after taste you get an equal portion or malt and hops.

Ponderings: Everything about this lager suggests the word session. A term often used to describe and ale that you can sit and drink plenty of and enjoy from the first to the last. I think it could apply perhaps even more when speaking of lagers since they are typically less complex than some ales. This lager is a great brew, it's very consistent and it's flavour doesn't vary too much whether it's a fresh pour or if you are downing the dregs (so long as you haven't let it sit for a long time).
A good reliable standby lager.


that's it for this week! I hope to return soon!
Don't forget that I wold love to hear your suggestions on brews, or your thoughts on the brews i've tried!

-The Parched Paige

The Fourth Tree, Felled; and a happy birthday to you, Kim!

Folks, this is the fourth and final beer from Tree Brewing that I have selected for the blog.

It is the Limited Edition Hefeweizen (Wheat Ale)! ABV 5.0%

NOTICE! This post is dedicated to my brother in-law Kim; devourer of all things meaty and delicious! Happy birthday, Kim! I know that you don't particularly enjoy beer, and that you are also quite allergic to it; so I'm going to enjoy this nice tall Hefeweizen in your honour!

Appearance: This is a very cloudy brew, and a great example of an unfiltered Hefe. Light shines through it like it would through a fog, or a frosted glass; except it's a wonderful yellow gold colour!

Aroma: Lots going on in this one! immediately I'm getting some cloves, and yeast..with a little bit of a sour tinge to it. Pretty interesting all around, I'd say.

Initial Taste: what can I say...initially it tastes like beer. It doesn't have a lot of flavour up front, a little bitterness and some clove flavour which is mostly what you are getting from the aroma. Not much else.

After Taste: This may sound like an odd combination to you, but here it is: BANANAS! I know that bananas all in caps, probably drew your eyes to the word and spoiled the surprised I'd hoped for but what else could I do?) there are faint banana flavours at the tail end of each sip, very pleasant! Not over powering at all though, very slight.

Thoughts/Conclusions: This is what I would call a Subtle and enjoyable beer. Since it's a wheat ale it is much less overt than a traditional brew that uses a toasted barley malt, and hopps. What it's lacking up front though is welcome when enjoying this beer with a meal, and does not distract from the food; but is also nice on it's own because of it's subtle yet unusual combination of clean finishing wheat malt, clove, and banana flavours.

How to impress when pouring a true Hefeweizen:

First of all the "hefe" in hefeweizen is German for "yeast. In fact yeast is added to the bottle of many true German wheat beers. Here are a few tips to show off a great hefeweizen when pouring at home for your friends!

- Pour the hefe into the glass as you normally would any beer, but stop when there is enough left in the bottle to lay it on it's side without spilling.

- rest the bottle on the table or counter on it's side, then roll the bottle back and fourth a few times to wash the yeast from the sides of the bottle into the dregs of the beer.

- pour those last few millilitres in the bottle in a circular fashion over the foamy head of the beer to bring that yeasty flavour to the forefront!

Here we have a fine example of a Weissbier "Vase"


How do you know when a style of beer is popular? When it has it's very own style of serving vessel, of course! The narrow inward taper that makes up the bottom half of the glass shows off the pale colour of the beer. It also concentrates the carbonation and supports the big foamy head that is held in that bulbous upper half.

That's all from me! Have a great long weekend, everyone. I hope you enjoy the holiday and any beer you may consume.

- The Parched Paige

P.S: Kim's birthday is actually september 5th...I posted a day later than I intended.

Beer #8, Tree #3

Hi All!
On the menu for today is Tree Brewing Co's "Thirsty Beaver" Amber Ale, ABV 5.0%.

Appearance: Since it's an amber ale, this ale is amber coloured! Having compared this brew to some real amber, I'd say it's spot on.


Aroma: A little toasty, and it smells a little bit sweet too. I assume that would be the malt.


Initial Taste/mouth feel: A very smooth ale, with a bit of fizz to keep things interesting. along with the light carbonation it's also mildly sweet on the tongue to begin with.

After Taste: This ale has a nice clear bitter finish. Not much else to say really, pretty straightforward!


Thoughts/Conclusions: Is it possible for things to be bitter and sweet at the same time? I suppose semi-sweet chocolate falls into that category. Another one I'd stick in there would be a Thirsty Beaver, though maybe it isn't quite as obvious ans the aforementioned chocolate (and in no way does this ale taste like chocolate, don't let this confuse you). What I like about this brew is that although it's flavours aren't complex or numerous, it's still a great session beer because it's both slightly sweet on the intake and mildly bitter yet fairly full bodied on the finish. Nice one, Tree ;)



That's all for now, next week will be my 4th and final Tree brew (at least for a while). Since I am actively searching for my absolute favourite brews and beers, Once I have found one I would like to signify it by awarding that particular brew some type of symbol. Have any of you got some ideas about what I could use? If you do, please comment and let me know. Also, this will not be a rating system. Just a way to let everyone know I love said beer in a special way.

thanks for reading!

- The Parched Paige

B No. 7

Greetings! Today I have the second of four brews By Tree Brewing from Kelowna B.C.!

I am Happy to say: Welcome Pilsner, you are the first Lager in the blog!
officially this brew is called Kelowna Pilsner. Winner of the Silver Medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards in 2007, this Brew is weighing in at a spritely 4.8% ABV!



Pilsner being one of 4/5 styles of Lager. Also it is the most widely brewed and consumed style on Earth! Most mega breweries feature several versions of the pilsner style and...nothing else, haha.

You may get confused at this point since Indian Pale ales, Pale ales, Pilsners can all look virtually the same at times. Also, there are lagers that are black as the night and as heavy as a dark ale. Here is the predominant difference: Lagers are "bottom fermenting" beers, and are brewed in colder temperatures for a longer period of time than most ales.The reason they are called bottom fermenting is, because of the colder temperatures(usually around 6 degrees Celsius compared to temperatures as high at 20 degrees at times for ales), the type of yeast used to ferment the beer does do at the bottom of the fermentation tank. simple!

Whats it lookin' like?: Like a pilsner should! Super Clear, very pale and with a little head of foam. This pilsner is nearly the colour of straw, or even a yummy glass of apple juice. But don't fool yourself when staring down a glass of "pil". When this baby hits your tongue, you will NOT be tasting apples.

Aroma: Some yeast, right away and a little bit of the flowery smell of hopps. Even further down on that ladder of aromas, I smell a faint toasty malt. Having this sit on my desk while I type and smell, I notice that the longer it sits the less yeast you can smell and the more the hopps come through.

Initial Taste/mouthfeel: It is indeed very light. The first thing I notice is that it really feels like i'm drinking water. Not it doesn't taste like water, I must be very clear on this haha; but it does feel as light and ...free and a cool glass of water, it's very refreshing. other tastes and flavours are again mild hops but the malt is more in the drivers seat here.

After Tastes: Since this is such a clean drinking lager there isn't a whole lot to speak of other than the nice simple flavors of the hops, you get a soft bitterness and a faint taste of yeast as it fades from your pallet.


Thoughts and conclusions: I do like a pilsner, and I do like this pilsner. What sets this apart from others I have tried, is the aroma. Though this is a European style pil (meaning it's just water/hops/malt...a touch of yeast. No "adjunct malts" such as rice or wheat or rye for filler), you don't get the little bit of funk attributed to long bouts on the shelf and in a shipping container and UV pollution through those popular green bottles. It doesn't sock you in the face with hopps, it blossoms with them. Also, it really isn't overly bitter which is something I don't really care for in Pilsners either. I'll be havin' this one again.


thanks for readin'!



- The Parched Paige

Beer#6 : presenting TREE BREWING

Hiya Reader(s),

As Promised, today I will be starting a new trend for my blog. I am now blogging my beers per brewery instead of hitting random beers from all over the shop. I hope this will help me keep things more organized and a little more focused. Now, since some breweries around here (B.C.) don't bottle everything they brew so to speak, I will be doing a sampling of beer from each brewery hopefully around 4 beers, but absolutely more than that if I can get my hands on a bottle/can/pint; then moving on to the next brewery (exceptions are: finding a seasonal beer form an already visited brewery or a discovery of a new brew that peaks my interest). Also, since discovering CAMRA Vancouver I have found that there are "Cask Nights" at some brew pubs and tap houses 'round here that I would really like to try. This "real ale" thing i've heard of sounds marvelous!


Onto Tree Brewing Co.'s...Brews
Today from tree brewing I have for my own consumption is: Cutthroat Pale Ale - "A classic pale ale, perfectly balanced". so says the bottle. This beer' is a standard 5% ABV by the way.
Let's have at it!

I know it looks cloudy, but that is because of the temperatures of my apt/beer. I assure you, you could read a book while looking through it, it is so crystal clear.

Appearance: Looks a tiny bit darker than most pale ales that i've seen/had (though i'm no expert) It didn't have much of a head either. HOWEVER, it is VERY hot in my apartment and I cooled the ale a little too much in order to compensate...at the expense of the head, I suppose.


Aroma: A hint of hops, and an almost "woodsy" smell. It is enchanting...there's a some citrus as well.


Initial Taste: Really Light, and smooth on the tongue!



After Taste: A soft, bitter finish. Not too bitter, still crisp and clean.


Thoughts and Conclusions: This is honestly the best pale ale I have ever tasted. I know that I really didn't write paragraphs of text up there in my tasting categories. This may make the ale seem too simple or unremarkable; but it isn't! The flavours are there whether subtle or not. Whats great about this ale is that it's light enough for lager lovers, and has enough body for those amber and dark enthusiasts. I think the bottle had it right. though, it said "perfectly"...I can't say at this juncture whether something is perfect, but this is a very very well balanced ale. As I said before, by far my favorite to date!
I recommend this to everyone!



A Note about the brewery: Tree Brewing says they take brewing very seriously. Using no preservatives (other than some hops, perhaps). Their beer is also unpasteurized, and brewed as they say on a "small scale"...which is one of the main characteristics of a microbrewery. Tree Brewing Co. has a 20,000hl capacity, though I don't know if they are actually brewing to that scale.
They are located at 1083 Richter Street, Kelowna, B.C. 


- The Parched Paige