Vancouver Island Brewing & Ucluelet Brewing Collab- Wave Walker Helles Bock
Overview
- Brewery: Ucluelet Brewing Co., Vancouver Island Brewing Co.
- Beer Style: Helles Bock, Maibock
- ABV: 6.8%
- Format Reviewed: Can 473 ml
- Brewery Web Page: More info
Vancouver Island Brewing & Ucluelet Brewing Collab- Wave Walker Helles Bock Review
For the second time, Vancouver Island Brewing has collaborated with four much smaller and younger craft breweries from the Island to create the pod pack. This mixed pack has four unique beers each named after a different Southern Resident Orca. One dollar from each pack goes to support the preservation of wild BC Salmon stocks, the primary food source of the Residents.
This year’s pack includes the Wave Walker, named after a member of L-pod who was so named after he was first seen riding a wave behind his mother. His namesake beer is a Helles Bock, which is also sometimes called a Maibock, brewed with newcomers Ucluelet Brewing.
In appearance Wave Walker has good carbonation and clarity with a good white head that lingers. It has a lightly toasted aroma with fruity and floral hops with mild fruit esters. It’s medium-bodied with a smooth creamy mouthfeel. There is a mild caramel flavour with toasted almonds and a shy bitterness. There is also a low hop flavour, again fruity and floral. Wave Walker finishes medium-long with notes of soft bitterness and a fresh-baked cake maltiness and more caramel.
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Appearance(4)
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Aroma(3.75)
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Palate(4.25)
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Flavour(4)
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Overall Enjoyment(4.25)
About This Beverage
- Colour: Gold
- Head Size & Retention: Normal head + retention
- Carbonation: Well Carbonated
- Clarity: Clear
- Balance: More Malty
- Drinkability: Goes Down Slower
- Enjoyment: I would definitely seek this beer out again
- Malt Characteristics: Biscuity/Bready, Caramel, Nutty, Toasty/Roasty
- Hop Characteristics: Fruity, Floral
- Palate: Creamy, Soft or Silky
Summary
Nicely toasty and malty, Wave Walker is a lovely Helles Bock that will help the Southern Resident Killer Whales while you drink it.
Pros
A great cause helping the protect the food source of the Southern Resident Killer Whales.
A tasty Helles Bock with good toasty notes and balancing hops and bitterness.
Cons
A limited release that might never be seen again.
