Sunday 31 January 2016

January 30, 2016

17/1602) Home:  Class V India Pale Ale by Whitewater Brewing Co. of Ontario:  **1/2;   5.5%, 72 ibu;  brewed with Cascade and Centennial hops;  fresh resiny nose;  dry resiny hoppiness against a strong malt backdrop;

Whitewater Brewing is located Foresters Falls which I gather is not so far from Ottawa.

Saturday 30 January 2016

January 27, 2016

I made a point of walking by 75 Victoria Street today between skating at Toronto's Harbourfront and a visit to the beerbistro but I couldn't see much inside save for a lot of wood.  The window reads. "Local love from Creemore".

I have spent a lot of time on line and I have to concede that they are doing an admirable job of keeping details hidden.  I am tempted to drop in should they hold a third job fair just to gain some information.

It does occur to me that by going on about this to the degree that I am I may be courting disappointment.

January 26, 2016

16/1601) Home:  Blonde de Chambly by Unibroue of Quebec:  *1/2;  5%, 13 ibu;  a Belgian style saison ale;  yeasty, peppery nose;  notes of honey and musty yeast;

My wife liked this one more than I did.  This replaces the Trois Pistoles that was in last year's mixed pack, to my disappointment.

January 24, 2016

15/1600) Home:  Brakeman's Session Ale, Oak Aged by Junction Craft Brewing of Ontario:  **;  pours opaque;  nose is oaky with a dry hop presence;  the oakiness off-sets the hop dryness for a well balanced taste;

This was purchased during a recent visit to the brewery.


January 23, 2016

While I was at the Rex pondering a visit to Thirsty and Miserable last night the Thirsty and Miserable Twitter account posted this:  "It's sad to realize there are still places in town where you cannot get a single good beer. Can some brewery PLEASE sell to The Phoenix?"

As I learned this past September we can blame the "beer agreements already in place,".

A quick bit of research indicates "American stoner doom band" Sleep was playing the Phoenix last night.

January 22, 2016

13/1598) Thirsty and Miserable:  Cold Brew Coffee Porter by Kensington Brewing Company of Ontario:  4.9%;  coffee nose;  fresh coffee flavours with a mild sweetness;

14/1599) Thirsty and Miserable:  Half Bastard Stout by Nickel Brook of Ontario: 4.5%;  a toned down version of Bolshevik Bastard;  sweet, oaky, vanilla, bourbon nose;  thin mouth feel;  mocha and vanilla notes with a vanilla after taste;  

January 20, 2016

I just learned that "Batch Brewpub/Six Pints" held a job fair on the 18th at 75 Victoria Street.  Now we know what it will be called.

January 18, 2016

Great news for investors:  Brick Brewing is in such a strong position that they feel they can pay a quarterly dividend of $0.012 per share.  I am still under water on my most recent venture into this security but I found the news encouraging enough to make an exception to my rule of not averaging down.  Fact is, just owning this is an exception to my rule of holding the index and letting everyone else worry but I am having fun with it and one day I will attend a shareholders' meeting which will be even more fun.

January 17, 2016

12/1597) Home:  Éphémére Poire (Pear) by Unibroue of Quebec:  *1/2;  a 5.5%, 7 ibu ale on lees;  this is a Belgian style fruit flavoured wheat ale;  strong pear nose with yeast and wheat;  full sweet pear flavour and finish;  mildly yeasty;

This is new to the yearly six pack.  I think it was the apple flavoured ale last year but I could be wrong.

January 16, 2016

11/1596) Home:  Pale by Stonehammer of Ontario:  *;  5%, 35 ibu;  I found this one rather non-descript;  there are hints of citrus and melon to the nose but only hints;  mild musty hop edge;

January 14, 2016

10/1595) Home:  IPA by Black Swan Brewing of Ontario:  **1/2;    7.1%, 65 ibu;  an American style IPA brewed with three varieties of hops and seven malts; citrusy nose;  warm citrusy flavours;

This was purchased in Stratford by my son.  I can't wait to try their porter.

Wednesday 13 January 2016

January 11, 2016

It was reported today that business will resume in February at the former location of the Beer Academy on Victoria Street.  Very little is finalized,  not even the name of the new venture or the date of the re-opening but the story goes that Six Pints/Creemore will be opening a  brewpub.  This was the initial speculation but it was tempered about a year ago by the declaration that nothing had been decided.

Clearly, 75 Victoria Street is a tough place to keep a business going but I am hopeful that there will be fine beers brewed there soon, though it should be noted that the former head brewer, Stephen Rich is not returning.

I know I will be there to check things out once it is up and running.

Tuesday 12 January 2016

January 10, 2016

9/1594) Home:  Moose Mug Eggnog Pale Stout by Stonehammer of Ontario:  *1/2; 6.4%, 25 ibu;  what I found interesting about this beer is that it is a traditional sweet stout recipe brewed without the roasted malts;  the result is a clear, golden beer with sweet mildly spiced flavours;  something different.;

January 9, 2016

8/1593) Junction Craft Brewing:  Hopburst by Junction Craft Brewing of Ontario:  **;  4.5%, 37 ibu;  on cask;  citrusy (grapefruit) hop nose;  the boards read, "bright, fresh, fruity pale ale" and who am I to disagree;

I was really there to pick up some Hey, Porter which I have been missing.

January 8, 2016

7/1592) The 3 Brewers, Adelaide Street:  Radiateur or Radiator by the 3 Brewers of Ontario:  *;  9%, 68 ibu;  the barmaid said, "This will knock you on your ass.";  it certainly is strong, harsh even;  smokey toasted malt nose;  harsh, smokey, toasty with bitter notes of tobacco;

I wasn't sure I wanted to finish this one - bring on the Winter Warmer, please.

January 5, 2016

6/1591) Home:  Double Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing of California, U.S.A.:  **;  11%;  strong, piney nose;  piney resiny flavours;

It was quite the expensive four pack but I would order any one of these if I had the opportunity.

January 4, 2016

4/1589) Home:  Holiday Vienna Lager by Railway City Brewing of Ontario:  *1/2;  4.7%, 20 ibu;  toasty malt, I thought I caught a hint of spice, a touch of tartness at the finish;

Another great Christmas present from my youngest brother.


5/1590) Home:  Double Depth-Charged Bastard by Stone Brewing of California, U.S.A.:  **;  11%;  it's Double Bastard Ale, brewed with espresso beans;  bold espresso nose;  strong espresso flavours, coffee finish, bitter hop aftertaste;

Monday 11 January 2016

January 3, 2016

2/1587) Home:  Dunkel by Stonehammer Brewing of Ontario:  **;  a 5.3% dark German lager;  sweet malty nose, mildly roasty;  sweet, malty, caramel notes;

This was purchased at the brewery in Guelph.


3/1588) Home:  Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing of California, U.S.A.:  **;  7.2%;  the bottle indicates this is from the Arrogant Bastard Brewing Co. but I suspect this is a bit of puffery;  brewed with American oak wood chips;  the nose is oaky, aggressive hops and vanilla;  bitter resiny flavours;  much like someone familiar with the original Arrogant Bastard Ale might have expected;

From a four-pack which I would have had trouble finding if my eldest son did not work at Spadina and King in Toronto.


Perhaps because the sticker with the barcode was where the holes to carry the case were, this scanned as three items for a total in excess of $100.00.  Luckily, I had supplied my son with the LCBO item number.  This was a common occurrence.  A wag at one forum suggested we buy this box at stores where it scanned correctly and return it at a store where it scanned the way it did for us.

January 2, 2016

1/1586) C'est What:  Disturber DIPA by Big Rig of Ontario:  **;  8.5%, 100 ibu;  sharp citrusy nose;  citrusy flavours with notes of orange zest;

January 1, 2016

I came just about as close as I have come since year one at achieving 365 new beers.  This is a task that becomes more difficult each year as I continue to add new beers.  Still, had I attended a couple more festivals I might have made it.  My problem is I find it hard to pay a huge admission price and then too much for drink tokens when C'est What's festivals are free to get in to and samples are between one and three dollars.

Onward to 2016!

December 31, 2015

307/1581) Caffe Volo:  Verdi Imperial Stout  by Birrificio del Ducato of Italy:  **; 8.2%;   bottle pour;  brewed with chili peppers;  red wine nose;  flavours of coffee, wine, cider with mild heat;  said heat is more prominent during the finish and after taste;

308/1582) Caffe Volo:  Baron Noir by Le Trou du Diable of Quebec:  **;  7%;  dark coffee and alcohol nose;  cidery mouth feel;  dark, dark coffee flavours;

309/1583) Caffe Volo:  Westvleteren 8 by Abdig Sixtus of Belgium:  **;  sharp, tart cidery nose;  bubbly mouth feel;  complex, tart and cidery with a sweet fruity finish;

This was a bottle pour courtesy a Volo acquaintance named Doug.  Familiar faces Roger and Peter also got in on this.

310/1584)  Caffe Volo:  3 Minutes To Midnight by Bellwoods Brewery of Ontario:  **1/2;  a 10% barrel aged imperial stout brewed with cherries - in fact the barrels involved are on their third time around:  these cognac barrels were previously used to age Bring Out Your Dead;  nose is cherries, coffee, espresso, oak;  flavours of cherry, coder, red wine, cherry features strongly in the finish and after taste;

311/1585) Caffe Volo:  Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus by Brasserie Cantillon of Belgium:  **;  a 5%  lambic with raspberries;  beautiful red colour;  tart, cidery nose;  sharp tart dry cidery;  a bottle pour;

Doug also bought a bottle of Achel Brun and he poured two glasses for me but someone else drank each one before I could get to it.

Another terrific NYE at the Volo.  Bottles came out from the cellar on the hour, announced with the ringing of a bell.  It looks bad but I didn't have a full pint of anything tonight.  It is just as well that the next two New Year's Eves will be on a weekend.  I don't think I can manage another for a couple of years.

Come 2016, there will be a second Volo location in Little Italy.  The space looks a lot roomier which will be helpful in case a NYE party of seven, one of whom is wearing a top hat the size of a champagne cork held in place with a chin strap, sets up camp at the bar.  I expect it will be even more like Stillwell's in Halifax.  I can hardly wait.

It does speak well of the Volo that I will join them on NYE.  I can scarcely tolerate this artificial celebration.  Given the on-going assault on Christmas, coupled with the different new years in so many cultures, religions and nations I am surprised we are even allowed to talk about it.  My complaint has always been that every good time Charlie who hasn't tied one on since St. Patrick's Day is taking up space in the bars.  Brian late of Tracks absolutely refused to work on that night.

Thursday 7 January 2016

December 28, 2015

306/1580) Home:  Train Hoppin' IPA by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  **1/2;  6.4%;  nose is citrusy, tropical with a touch of pine;  citrusy tropical flavours with a dry resiny finish;

I would rate this as one of the best beers Wellington has brewed.

December 27, 2015

305/1579) Home:  Rodenbach Vintage 2013 Limited Edition by Brouwerij Rodenbach of Belgium:  **1/2;  7%;  "The original Sour Ale";  matured for two years in 59 year old oak foedes (in fact, foedes number 149, "The Sire");  tart, cidery nose;  tastes tart enough to cross your eyes;  cidery mouth feel;  this one is quite something;

A foeder is a wooden vat traditionally used to age wine but of late brewers have been making use of them.