Tuesday 17 November 2015

September 22, 2015

One can almost feel the paroxysms of conformist bloggers at the news that Bellwoods Brewery is in league with the Beer Store.  It seems some lazy hipsters had a party in Trinity Bellwoods park and left their bottles behind.  When it was revealed that Bellwoods does not ask for deposits (as if that would have prevented the situation) the twittersphere was awash with demands for a boycott.

So now you can return your Bellwoods bottles to the Beer Store just like any other bottle and there will never again be litter in Trinity Bellwoods park.  One would have thought a hashtag could have achieved a similar result.

The punchline is that I did not know that I couldn't return Bellwoods empties or more to the point since she is the one who takes my bottles back, neither did my wife.  Even more to the point, it seems that Beer Store employees were not aware of this either.  I suspect it is a case of seeing all manner of strange new bottles day after day.  In any case I did not feel guilty for long and I have since resumed walking without looking over my shoulder.

September 21, 2015

Perhaps I am spending too much time pondering the renovations at Union Station but it is my gateway to Toronto where much of my draught beer is consumed and much of my bottled beer is purchased.

What I can't help thinking is how very many people are out of work now that the Bay Street concourse is closed.  It must be more than a hundred individuals.  Not that I will feel badly for that Sushi Shop employee I observed leaving the loo in full uniform without washing his hands.

They are threatening to open a McDonald's in the York Street concourse and there is already a coffee and carbohydrates stand with prices in the Starbucks realm.

The sad reality is that in comparison to the Bay Street concourse, this is somewhat cozy and the fact that people show more courtesy to their bags than their fellow commuters by assuring that their parcels have a seat next to them does not help matters.

September 20, 2015

Believe it or don't, I saw the first pumpkin beers of the season on the 30th of August.  If you attend farmers' markets you will know that even at the end of August, pumpkins are but a fond wish which tells me that brewers can't be using fresh pumpkins.  This might be why I liked the Church Key Pumpkin beer I had in May of 2014.  There is every chance that they had fresh pumpkins available to them when this was brewed.

September 19, 2015

227/1501) Home:  Wet Hopped Ale by Black Creek Historic Brewery of Ontario:  **;  wet hopped on September 11th and purchased today at the brewery;  earthy, almost gingery hop flavours;  mild soft mouth feel which is usual for these historically brewed beers;

If you tell the parking attendant you are visiting the brewery he will let you park for free and so long as you are by yourself Black Creek Pioneer Village will let you in to purchase beer without charging admission.

September 18, 2015

I shall begin with my standard Toronto Beer Week, C'est What Fall Beer Fest disclosure:  what follows are exclusively three ounce samples, many of which were shared with my wife so it is not nearly as bad as it looks.  Indeed, I am just a little bit disappointed over how well behaved I was but, as I have said, I was being escorted this day.

217/1491) C'est What:  Guilty Conscience by Innocente Brewing Company of Ontario:  **;  on cask;  9%, 110 ibu;  strong piney nose;  very bitter after taste;  strong pine flavours;

218/1492) C'est What:  Atlas Chugged by Junction Craft Brewing of Ontario:  *1/2;  cask;  4.4%, 30 ibu;  sweet herbal, floral nose;  strong malt backbone, a bit watery and mildly floral; wins my award as the best named beer of the night but I was the tiniest bit disappointed - it could be that I have higher expectations when I see the name Junction Craft;

219/1493) C'est What:  Armed and Citra by Rainhard Brewing Co. of Ontario:  **1/2; 5.4%, 40 ibu;  powerful citrusy nose;  citrus, grapefruit notes;

220/1494) C'est What:  Refuge Double IPA by Rainhard Brewing Co. of Ontario:  **;  8% 90 ibu;  piney nose;  mild but fresh pine flavours;

221/1495) C'est What:  Root Beer Porter by Innocente Brewing Company of Ontario:  **;  5.1%, 25 ibu;  a guy sitting at the bar said, "You're in for a strange experience.";  smells like mediciney, herbal root beer;  rooty herbal flavours;

222/1496) C'est What:  Kapow by Rainhard Brewing Co. of Ontario:  **1/2;  6.5%, 60 ibu;  opaque;  strong grapefruit nose;  tropical citrus flavours and after taste;

223/1497) C'est What:  Fresh Off The Wire by Wellington County Brewery of Ontario:  **;  on cask;  6.3%, 65 ibu%;  sweet malty nose;  notes of dark sugar and sweet berries;  not what I was expecting;

224/1498) C'est What:  Chocolate IPA by Black Oak of Ontario:  **;  6.5%, 60 ibu;  sharp citrusy nose with a touch of sweetness;  like a hoppy Tootsie Roll (which I am sure is a copyrighted term);

225/1499) C'est What:  Harvest Ale with Blackberries by Muskoka Cottage Brewery of Ontario:  **;  on cask;  7%, 60 ibu;  fresh berry nose;  hoppy with a blackberry finish;  blackberries add a richness to the original;

226/1500) C'est What:  Raspberry Berliner Weisse by Nickel Brook Brewing of Ontario:  **1/2;  3.8%,  9 ibu;  malty raspberry wheat nose;  particularly strong, fresh, sharp raspberry flavours;  cidery, with the strongest raspberry flavours this side of Amsterdam's Framboise;


Thursday 5 November 2015

September 17, 2015

216/1490) Home:  Green Apple Beer by Nickel Brook of Ontario:  **;  4.0%, 10 ibu;  the usual four ingredients plus apple juice, "liquid sugar", lemon juice, citric acid, ascorbic acid;  wonderful fresh green apple nose;  tastes of green apples;  not sure it needed quite so much "liquid sugar";  quite nice just the same;