Blue Buck
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.

Blue BuckBlue Buck
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From:
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
English Pale Ale
Ranked #66
ABV:
5%
Score:
82
Ranked #24,779
Avg:
3.62 | pDev: 12.15%
Reviews:
57
Ratings:
215
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 24, 2024
Added:
May 13, 2009
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  59
The Blue Buck is a legendary beast known to grant those that see him good fortune and safe travels! A deep amber coloured beer, the Blue Buck has a crisp finish featuring a delicate hop aroma. Certainly seeing the Blue Buck on bottle grants the drinker a great experience! Worth searching for.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MikeeeHo:
Photo of MikeeeHo
Rated by MikeeeHo from Canada (BC)

4/5  rDev +10.5%

Apr 03, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of waudozer
Reviewed by waudozer from Canada (BC)

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Excellent and easy drinking
Faint Floral note, but clean
Taste bright and sweet, very malt forward, some toffee, ends with citrus note and bitter hop
Medium bodied, nice and sticky

Its kind of a middle between west coast and English pale ale, drinkable as heck
Feb 24, 2024
 
Rated: 3.5 by QuintusHorace from California

Dec 20, 2023
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I am trying a can of this beer at the Marriott Courtyard in Nanaimo, BC. It poured a clear copper with thin white ring head that is not leaving any lace. The scent had malt and bittering hop notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bright malt base with grain and bitter hop finish. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.
Oct 21, 2023
Photo of NeilSilber1
Reviewed by NeilSilber1 from California

4.03/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours golden copper with slight fading white head. Malty notes that tickle the tongue with tiny bubble carbonation and strong bready notes on the nose. Decent easy drinking English pale ale on draught at Tap & Barrel Bridges in Vancouver on Granville Island HH. Decent local micro ale at 5% ABV.
Jul 13, 2023
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can at fridge temp. Really nice and refreshing. Slight toffee, some grains, and a nice thick layer of malts. Super smooth aftertaste - mostly malts. Would definitely buy again.
Jun 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.72 by wildvanisle from Canada (BC)

Feb 01, 2023
Photo of charleskimmle
Reviewed by charleskimmle from Canada (BC)

2.5/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Full flavoured and full bodied beer, but not what I look for in an "ale". Really seems to be more like a westcoast pale ale. Significant hop expression, fairly astringent, not what I'd consider easy drinking. Would go well with spicy food. definitely not what I seek in a plain "ale", it's definitely not mild and nutty like an english brown ale. At ~20cad for 15 it's an interesting bargain, but at the price a six pack or one goes for, i'd just choose an IPA over it in most scenarios. If I consider it a pale ale, it's a solid pale ale.
Jan 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.2 by Tadhg67 from Canada (AB)

Aug 30, 2022
Photo of Tony787
Reviewed by Tony787 from Canada (ON)

3.47/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
I bought a can at the beerstore in Ontario 473ml at 5%.
poured a 2finger head into glass.
caramel taste with a medium bitterness.
sweet and light lager beer .
overall a very refreshing and crispy beer.
cheers
Sep 18, 2021
Photo of BPVandenbroek
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)

3.28/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Blue Buck pours into my glass clear and the color of polished copper. Thin streams of CO2 support a dense, off white head with decent retention.
Up front, Blue Buck's aroma starts out malty; sort of a combination of caramel and crushed grain. Aromas of bread dough come out in the center, smoothing out those initial aromas somewhat. The doughy character combines with something smelling of fondant, of all things. These combine together well enough before moving into a finish that is peppery European hops.
My first sip reveals up front graininess, leading into barely present flavors of caramel. After the caramel, graininess becomes a more pleasant flavor of toasted grain. The caramel flavor intensifies a bit, cutting through the overall graininess before moving into a lasting bitter finish. Somehow there's a hint of sweetness providing a subtle through note as well.
All things considered, Blue Buck is not bad. I find there could be room for improvement on one main front with this beer. Mainly, the flavors could have less graininess, more malt, and maybe some fruit esters. All things being equal, maybe a little more hop presence wouldn't hurt either.
Jan 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.62 by Roejogan from Canada (BC)

Jan 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.58 by DaPan from Canada (ON)

Feb 03, 2020
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.46/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Da Boss enjoyed an imperial pint which i finished the last 1/3rd of it in Victoria BC for a happy hour price of $5.50 CD.

Beer was served dark orange with a nice white head with the original service.

Nose was pretty mellow with some light citrus but not much else.

Taste was very well balanced but lacking some popping caramel malt and citrus i would expect for the style. Bitterness was 2/10.

Mouthfeel was medium bodied and pretty refreshing.

Overall not a bad beer but nothing special. But it was enjoyed with a wonderful late glorious spring day in Victoria so it is all good!
May 24, 2019
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.74/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
From a flight at Rogue kitchen and Wet Bar.
Blue Buck isa decently balanced pale with a dry finish; but not too hoppy, just subtle... like brewed in the Mother Country.
I went on Phillips website and apparently it was founded on credit cards in 2001... So many things are possible with persistence.... including good beer.
Nov 12, 2018
 
Rated: 3.78 by DNFriesen from Canada (AB)

Jun 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by kwjd from Canada (ON)

Mar 14, 2018
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Amber orange and filtered with lots of fast rising, small bubbled carbonation. Topped with a finger of off white head.

Smells of toasted malts, and light caramel.

Tastes of caramel and toasted malts. Slightly sweet, with a very light hop note.

Smooth, light weight body and lots of carbonation.

Really good brew. Exceeded my expectations as I was mostly purchasing it based on the cool can I found in The Beer Store. Drinking by the frozen lake, Dec 18th, 2017.
Dec 18, 2017
 
Rated: 4.39 by dustin6185 from Canada (BC)

Dec 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.16 by csmrx7 from Canada (AB)

Sep 13, 2017
Blue Buck from Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 215 ratings