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Presented by Consumer Beverages


MOMASTERS ULTRA PALE ALE

ABV: 5.0%

>by Willard Brooks

This is a WNY classic beer whose appearance on shelves around the region says “spring” in the same way that Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale said “Christmas” seemingly eons ago at the beginning of this year’s epic Six Pack Jimmy kind of winter. This beer is a shoot of life that hearkens the coming of green grass and dips in the pool. The freshness and happiness of this news is matched by the freshness and drinkability of this beer—bright gold in color and with a prodigious finger of white foam at the top—it has a faint English yeast aroma and a restrained but very definite juicy hop aroma. Very light body on the palate with some malt sweetness—just enough up front bitterness to be a pale ale with a nicely proportioned back end bitterness. It finishes fairly dry with more citrusy hops and mellow hop bitterness. The lighter body easy drinking texture makes for an extremely refreshing beer with plenty of nice carbonation. This beer demands a second. Great on cask . Perfect match to a fish fry or with a toasted cheese sandwich and a pickle. As hard as it is to imagine, when this beer appears on taps in WNY, it’s time to get your lawnmower tuned up and ready for heavy mowing followed by the major thirst quenching of this beer on tap or in bottles. Keep a six pack on hand, it will come in handy. EllicottvilleBrewing.com



BELLWOODS WIZARD WOLF

ABV: 4.8%

>by Paul Marko

The craft beer revolution was delayed when it came to occurring for our friends to the north in Canada. But it’s late arrival (largely due to the powers of Labatt and Molson) has been augmented by the eventual quality that would evolve in the burgeoning metropolis of Toronto. From beer bars to breweries to brew pubs, Hogtown is now loaded with a diverse, top-shelf level of beer talent. Bellwoods Brewery is perhaps the best leaf in the crown. Close to reaching their third anniversary, Bellwoods (named after their Trinity Bellwoods neighborhood) hit the ground running with their flagship double IPA “Witchshark” and have been producing world class beers in just about every style since—from barrel-aged stouts to an array of wild yeast beers and sours. With so many great beers it’s tough to choose just one—but since easier drinking ales seem to be fashionionable these days, Wizard Wolf, their dry hopped session ale, will be in focus here. This is one tame wolf—a 4.8% ABV pale session ale with medium body and a huge fresh floral hop aroma of citrus, pine and tropical fruit—supplied by the mix of 4 different hops (amarillo, cascade, simcoe, and chinook). Backed by three malts, (Canadian pale, caramel and oat), this “flavour-filled” amber has more balance than a Romanian gymnast. If it were easier to get it would be stocked in my fridge at all times.



GENESEE BOCK

STYLE: DUNKLER BOCK

ABV: 5.2%

>by Chris Groves, Certified Cicerone®

From the day this is published, “Spring” is only eight days away. This coming St. Patrick’s Day weekend traditionally marks a turning point from Winter to Slop Season. It’s the time when the ground turns from beautiful, crunchy white to a slurry of browns mixed with misplaced fast food containers, Christmas tree remnants and random bits of car. Where does Genny Bock fit into all of this? Well...the can is GREEN (yay!), the beer inside is a bock (traditionally a Spring beer) and oh, you might see a bunch of empty Genny Bock cans rolling down Allen St on parade Sunday. Genesee proves that you can make a really decent beer and sell 12 of them for just under $10 after tax and deposit. This dark lager clocks in at 5.2% ABV with a strong focus on a smooth, nutty caramel aroma and flavor through the finish. Bitterness is low, as to be expected for the style which makes it highly drinkable and clean. If you’re looking for that afternoon street dog (not that you’ll really be thinking about how your beer is going to pair with it) it WILL do you just fine as something flavorful to wash it down. This may not be the most highly regarded Bock on the planet but it sure scores a ton of points for value. I joined the cult of Genny Bock back in 2008 and haven’t left yet. Membership is only $8.49 annually.


Momasters Ultra Pale Ale, Bellwoods Wizard Wolf, Genesee Bock.
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