January 26, 2013

22/670)  Home:  Lion's Winter Ale by Granville Island Brewing of British Columbia:  **;  this one is all about the vanilla:  it is prominent in the nose and there are grainy vanilla notes;  from the Winter Mingler mixed pack;  I find in general that I am more inclined to favour sweeter flavours in the cold weather - even when it comes to the gels I consume during distance runs:  in the cold they tend to be chocolate or vanilla flavoured while in the warm weather I go for fruit flavoured gels.

23/671)  Fionn MacCool's, Brampton:  The Hop Mason by Alexander Keith's of Nova Scotia:  **;  from Alexander Keith's Hop Series; 50 ibu;   hoppy nose;  hop forward bitterness; 

It is an irritant to many IPA fanciers how ordinary Alexander Keith's IPA is so this is indeed a pleasant surprise.  It is also a nice surprise to witness a beer list like Fionn MacCool's in Brampton.  No doubt it would not excite me if I was in Toronto but it is a treat not to have to travel to be able to order decent IPAs.  There is even an ever-changing tap devoted to Unibroue.  Better still, it is within cycling distance.  Heck, I have even walked home from there.