st. augustine's

tasting notes back from my july 14th visit to st. augustine's...
odds aren't good that all of these will still be on the menu...

quote of the evening is that we "came for the basil, stayed for the huckleberry"

in my sampler were:
fernie brewing's what the huck huckleberry wheat
storm brewing's basil ipa
old yale brewing co pale ale
swans brew pub arctic ale

the huckleberry wheat was cloudy, but not overly yeasty.
there were but a touch of huckleberries blended with the wheat - smooth, creamy, crisp finish.
most delightful

the basil ipa was phenomenal
not a session beer, but omg it would pair with so many foods!
amazing basil nose, in an ipa
freaking delightful
i want this all year long
i am not happy that it is a limited edition dammit!

the old yale pale ale is very much a pale ale
would be a great session beer
crisp finish
i like it!  i can see why it got voted canada's best pale ale.

the arctic ale is a "mild-tasting, cold, canadian-style light ale"
very drinkable
seems non-descript next to the flavoury beers i put it next to, but i think there's substance there

amanda had a fruity sampler (natch)
she went with the huckleberry and the basil
tin whistle peaches n cream okanagan fruit ale
lost coast tangerine wheat ale

she liked the basil ipa and the huckleberry wheat
which is not surprising for the huckleberry, but she liked an ipa!! an ipa!
she found the peaches and cream had a very peach nose, only a little cloudy, a bit cidery, crisp and refreshing
(and found that going from the peaches and cream to the tangerine was like going from fruit to candy... but not in a sweet way necessarily, more like fuzzy peach gummies)
the tangerine was delightful as aways and is her current favourite

shockingly, bridget had a backhand of god
but i also convinced her to try the bear republic hop rod rye
which she enjoyed
it was really quite sedimenty (with hops not yeast), nice dark caramel head
well balanced and delicious
oh, and the label is fabulous!