Sunday, 17 November 2013
October 5, 2013
247/895) Caffe Volo: Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Beer by Oast House Brewers of Ontario: **1/2; 5.5%; nose is pumpkin pie spices; rich,, full pumpkin and spice flavours; a superlative pumpkin ale (and by now I've had a few of those);
248/896) Caffe Volo: New Zealand Pale Ale by Silversmith Brewing of Ontario: **; 6.5%; brewed with a variety of hops including Nelson Sauvin which originated in New Zealand; what it unique about these hops is their sauvignon blanc nose; the result is a slightly west coast style taste with a strong malt presence;
This was post Nuit Blanche. It seems to get busier every year. As the evening progresses the party children begin to dominate the crowds so I checked out at about midnight.
October 4, 2013
A Tafelmusik concert took me west of Spadina so I thought a trip to Kensington Market was over-due. One of my goals was to locate a statue of Al Waxman. Much as it was with my quest to locate a bust of Jan Sibelius, I learned that I had been painfully close in the past and had missed it by that much. He was between two park benches and his right hand was slightly extended so I took it as if to shake it and I said, "What a guy!". I resisted the urge to sing the theme to King of Kensington only because I feel a dance should go with it and I haven't entirely worked it out.
That done my second goal was to locate a place I had heard of called Thirsty and Miserable on Baldwin Street. It styles itself a beer geek dive bar. There are no employees, only the proprietress and she strikes me as a hoot. The night in question the joint was packed with a plethora of twenty-something empty-skulls who had evidently invented drinking just a few minutes earlier and she seemed a bit put out at the thought of pouring tiny shooters all night.
The furniture is mis-matched, not to mention unbreakable, and the beer list is written in marking pencil on a piece of corrugated cardboard torn off the side of a box. I chose a Junction City Station Master's Stout. It is an impressive beer list and her refrigerator holds just as many treasures.
I hear tell that there is a menu, comprised of frozen Swanson microwave dinners at $21.95 but I gather this is in the interest of keeping a certain variety of license. It is rumoured that if one asks after food the owner lets it be known that there is a burrito joint next door and she will not take offense if you were to come back and eat in front of her.
It is useful to know in advance that it is cash only. My main quibble is that, owing to the presence of a fish market next door, the air is a blend of incense and raw fish. I don't know that I would want to visit in August and I cannot attest to the loos as I did not have the courage to go down the stairs. No matter - I will definitely return to Thirsty and Miserable and if my wife will visit the Cloak and Dagger she will enjoy the character of this place, even if we will be among the oldest and not the youngest as was the case at the Cloak and Dagger.
That done my second goal was to locate a place I had heard of called Thirsty and Miserable on Baldwin Street. It styles itself a beer geek dive bar. There are no employees, only the proprietress and she strikes me as a hoot. The night in question the joint was packed with a plethora of twenty-something empty-skulls who had evidently invented drinking just a few minutes earlier and she seemed a bit put out at the thought of pouring tiny shooters all night.
The furniture is mis-matched, not to mention unbreakable, and the beer list is written in marking pencil on a piece of corrugated cardboard torn off the side of a box. I chose a Junction City Station Master's Stout. It is an impressive beer list and her refrigerator holds just as many treasures.
I hear tell that there is a menu, comprised of frozen Swanson microwave dinners at $21.95 but I gather this is in the interest of keeping a certain variety of license. It is rumoured that if one asks after food the owner lets it be known that there is a burrito joint next door and she will not take offense if you were to come back and eat in front of her.
It is useful to know in advance that it is cash only. My main quibble is that, owing to the presence of a fish market next door, the air is a blend of incense and raw fish. I don't know that I would want to visit in August and I cannot attest to the loos as I did not have the courage to go down the stairs. No matter - I will definitely return to Thirsty and Miserable and if my wife will visit the Cloak and Dagger she will enjoy the character of this place, even if we will be among the oldest and not the youngest as was the case at the Cloak and Dagger.
October 2, 2013
246/894) Home: Two Weeks' Notice by Beau's All Natural Brewing of Ontario: **; 7%; a German Porter; brewed with lager yeast; mocha-ish nose; grainy mocha flavours; makes for an interesting contrast to London Porters;
September 30, 2013
245/893) Home: Mr. Hyde by Beau's All Natural Brewing of Ontario: **; 7%; a Roggenbier; brewed with barley and rye malts; Doesn't have the bite of some roggenbiers; rye is present in pleasant force, it's not over-powering; mild peppery notes of rye; the nose is surprisingly malty;
September 29, 2013
There has been much talk lately of the possibility of a craft beer bubble set to burst. On August 30th David Olive raised the issue in the business pages of the Toronto Star. His bullet points include market saturation, falling beer consumption and buy-outs, among others.
On the 20th of September The Brewers' Association released an article on the topic which was cited by Steve Beaumont and the reaction was swift, though I confess I am reminded of the barbs that realtors fire out any time someone mentions a housing bubble.
The concept is hardly new and I have always imagined it was natural. Oddly enough, I have been making notes for a while on the matter so now is as good a time to commit to print as any.
I have been drinking craft beer since the first half of the 1980s, when we called them microbrews. I can remember when it looked like there would be brewpubs in every town in a few years. That bubble burst and they didn't disappear altogether. They continue to open, just at a slower pace.
What causes a bubble to burst? Briefly put, the trend-chasers find something new. One day those who follow craft beer because it is fashionable will finally be convinced that Armagnac is the next big thing, though likely not until after the Armagnac folks give up trying and, Heavens, they are persistent.
There are a good many signs that we are experiencing a bubble but it was an event in Toronto this past summer that convinced me. I want to be careful naming names but from the initial announcement and a release of "additional information" (five drink tickets instead of one with your $25 admission - two to three tickets buys a half pint) it dawned on me that the craft beer movement has been reduced to fleecing hipsters in order to sustain expansion. Who else will pay what regularly works out to twenty dollars or more per pint for something brewed in a corner of a restaurant's kitchen?
Another example: When a television show resorts to stunt casting we know the end is near. Of late we have witnessed brewing collaborations with Tom Green, Barenaked Ladies and others. Brewers are going to extremes in order to be noticed in this manner, with their packaging and their names.
Herbert Stein's law states simply that something that cannot continue will stop. So it is with the craft beer boom but don't worry. Working in the financial industry has taught me that a boom is not necessarily a good thing. Does anyone else remember the days of irrational exuberance when junior gold explorers were rebranding themselves as tech companies? Today we see beers brewed with beef jerky, Brussels sprouts and pink salt and this sort of thing will, mercifully, be gone when the craft beer bubble bursts. We will still be left with plenty to choose from and I will continue to enjoy craft beer so let's get over it.
On the 20th of September The Brewers' Association released an article on the topic which was cited by Steve Beaumont and the reaction was swift, though I confess I am reminded of the barbs that realtors fire out any time someone mentions a housing bubble.
The concept is hardly new and I have always imagined it was natural. Oddly enough, I have been making notes for a while on the matter so now is as good a time to commit to print as any.
I have been drinking craft beer since the first half of the 1980s, when we called them microbrews. I can remember when it looked like there would be brewpubs in every town in a few years. That bubble burst and they didn't disappear altogether. They continue to open, just at a slower pace.
What causes a bubble to burst? Briefly put, the trend-chasers find something new. One day those who follow craft beer because it is fashionable will finally be convinced that Armagnac is the next big thing, though likely not until after the Armagnac folks give up trying and, Heavens, they are persistent.
There are a good many signs that we are experiencing a bubble but it was an event in Toronto this past summer that convinced me. I want to be careful naming names but from the initial announcement and a release of "additional information" (five drink tickets instead of one with your $25 admission - two to three tickets buys a half pint) it dawned on me that the craft beer movement has been reduced to fleecing hipsters in order to sustain expansion. Who else will pay what regularly works out to twenty dollars or more per pint for something brewed in a corner of a restaurant's kitchen?
Another example: When a television show resorts to stunt casting we know the end is near. Of late we have witnessed brewing collaborations with Tom Green, Barenaked Ladies and others. Brewers are going to extremes in order to be noticed in this manner, with their packaging and their names.
Herbert Stein's law states simply that something that cannot continue will stop. So it is with the craft beer boom but don't worry. Working in the financial industry has taught me that a boom is not necessarily a good thing. Does anyone else remember the days of irrational exuberance when junior gold explorers were rebranding themselves as tech companies? Today we see beers brewed with beef jerky, Brussels sprouts and pink salt and this sort of thing will, mercifully, be gone when the craft beer bubble bursts. We will still be left with plenty to choose from and I will continue to enjoy craft beer so let's get over it.
September 28, 2013
244/892) Monk's Kettle, Etobicoke: Princess Wears Girl Pants by Sawdust City Brewing of Ontario: **; 8%; This is a combination Belgian Ale and Belgian sour, brewed with wild yeast; there is a tart, sour edge to nose; sugary, fruity malt flavours;
September 27, 2013
241/889) Beer Academy: Dunkel Weiss by Six Pints Specialty Beer Company: **; pours soft brown; notes of clove and banana; reminds me a lot of the Dunkel I used to get at the same location when it was Growlers; perhaps this is a bit richer;
242/890) Caffe Volo: All City by House Ales of Ontario: **; 4.5%; "Toronto People's Beer"; opaque; nose is fruity; crisp tasting with mild citrusy hops, a touch of ginger and a bit of malty sweetness to balance; a pleasant, flavourful session beer;
243/891) Caffe Volo: Pie-Eyed Pumpkin Ale by Nickel Brook of Ontario: *1/2; on cask; the mouth feel was a bit thin; surprisingly malty back-drop; muted spice nose, sweet muted pumpkin flavours; against such numerous and such fine competition I regret the low score;
The Beer Academy was holding a celebration marking the return of their Dunkel Weiss. While I was there I sampled some triple filtered brewer's water. Maybe it was in my mind but I found it particularly refreshing.
Yet again my notes comment on how very dark it gets inside the Volo. I must confess my goal was to have a glass of Black Katt Stout but I missed by a couple of hours.
242/890) Caffe Volo: All City by House Ales of Ontario: **; 4.5%; "Toronto People's Beer"; opaque; nose is fruity; crisp tasting with mild citrusy hops, a touch of ginger and a bit of malty sweetness to balance; a pleasant, flavourful session beer;
243/891) Caffe Volo: Pie-Eyed Pumpkin Ale by Nickel Brook of Ontario: *1/2; on cask; the mouth feel was a bit thin; surprisingly malty back-drop; muted spice nose, sweet muted pumpkin flavours; against such numerous and such fine competition I regret the low score;
The Beer Academy was holding a celebration marking the return of their Dunkel Weiss. While I was there I sampled some triple filtered brewer's water. Maybe it was in my mind but I found it particularly refreshing.
Yet again my notes comment on how very dark it gets inside the Volo. I must confess my goal was to have a glass of Black Katt Stout but I missed by a couple of hours.
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