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;

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.

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.