So I was on a fly fishing trip at Roche Lake with the boys in mid-October (yes it was very cold), and a run into town was needed to grab a few supplies. Fortunately, Kamloops, the trout fishing center of the world, is only a 40 minute jaunt and they also happen to be the home of some pretty decent craft breweries.

This worked out well for us since Jim “The Silver Haired Fox” had already run out of Steamworks Pale Ale and was scrounging off us – that’s what happens when you only bring a 6 pack. Since he had no plans on going into town by himself, I dragged him along so he could buy some beer.

We located a store which had a sparse craft section (better than nothing I guess), and since Jim isn’t particularly fussy about what he drinks (although he is getting better) this place would do the trick. It did have a few local products, which included a Sessional Pale Ale from Red Collar Brewing. Not being too familiar with the brewery or its offerings I thought an English Style Pale Ale would be a fair starting point.

The Prequel

Having had an exceptional morning slamming some impressive trout specimens on a scud pattern, I headed back to the cabin for some lunch and a beverage. Hovering around freezing it had been snowing all morning, and with no signs of letting up, it was the perfect time to get inside near a warm fire and try out a local product.

Now I know that a snowy October afternoon is not the stereotypical time to crack open an SPA but a nice light beverage was in order to start a day of beer indulgence.

The Brew

The Brewery: Located in Kamloops, BC they specialize in small batch beers catering to the local marketplace, with a bit of outside distribution. They also have an 80 seat tasting room attached to the brewery.

The Details: English Style Pale Ale • Seasonal • Unfiltered • 4.25% ABV • 43 IBU

The Pour: Cracking open the bomber I poured the liquid gold into a glass revealing a mildly hazy light amber beverage with a big bubbly head, eventually fizzling down to a mild froth topping.

The Scent: Fruity hoppy scent.

The Swig: Lightly hopped with a bready essence that went down easy. Nothing too eventful or interesting, actually a bit boring.

The Mouthfeel: A bit fizzy, with very little lingering flavours.

WIBTA?: Nope. Not that it was offensive, it just doesn’t really fit any need. Even for summer beers I look for some character, maybe even a particular taste. This beer really didn’t do it for me in any category.

The Closing Notes

I would love to give them another shot with one of their other brews, perhaps I’ll stumble across them another time or maybe I’ll drop by the tasting room on a road trip to “The Loop”. They do provide a list of retailers on their website which is something I very much appreciate of a craft brewer.

Well that’s it for now, gonna go quench that panda sized thirst… Cheers!

*WIBTA is where I ask myself “Would I Buy This Again?”