March 31, 2021

119/3469) Home:  Haze Brigade by Prince Eddy's Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 6.5% New England IPA; "Heavy whirlpool and dry hop additions of Citra, Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade"; grain bill includes barley, wheat and oats; pours hazy and golden; nose of citrus and citrus zest; juicy citrus with mild zest at the finish;

120/3470) Home:  The Hazy Mariner by IX Poets Brewing of Ontario:  ***; 5.3%, 35 ibu; New England style pale ale; "Water, water everywhere but this is full of hops"; grain bill includes malted wheat; mildly hazy and golden; mild citrus aromas; citrus earthiness, lemongrass, mildly bitter after taste;

March 30, 2021

117/3467) Home:  Big Chill by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  ****; a 6.9%, 52 ibu Hazy IPA with gin botanicals; brewed with barley, wheat, oats, juniper, lemon peel, bitter orange peel, dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria; hazy, golden orange; nose of zest and pine; flavours of orange and peach - the botanicals are most prominent in the finish and after taste but even here they are subtle; I was not expecting to like this as much as I did;

118/3468) Home:  Grand Ave. Juicy IPA by Grand River Brewing of Ontario:  ***1/2; 6.5% IPA; only four ingredients, hops added post whirlpool; cloudy orange colour; tropical nose with mild pine; no bitterness whatsoever just tropical fruit and oranges;

March 29, 2021

115/3465) Home:  Grand Terrestrial Rhapsody by Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery of Ontario:  ****; 8.1% Pineapple Double IPA; hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy and Idaho 7, also brewed with malted barley, malted wheat, natural pineapple flavour, and natural pineapple puree; pours clear, for a change, and golden; pineapple and white wine nose; white wine, pineapples up front, the wine lingers through the after taste; I cannot help thinking this may have been better whiteout the pineapple;

116/3466) Home:  High Tide by Whitewater Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ***; a 6.9% New England IPA brewed with Galaxy, Citra, Simcoe and Cascade hops, malted barley, oats and wheat; modestly hazy with uncommonly large chunks of sediment; nose of tannins and citrus; mild tropical and citrus flavours with tannins at the finish;

March 28, 2021

113/3463) Home:  Old Familiar by Goose Island Brewery of Ontario:  ***1/2; 4.5% English Ale; grain bill includes barley and wheat; "inspired by Honkers"; pours a chestnut colour; aromas of mild pine, caramel and toasted bread; toasty with a hint of caramel and fruit;

114/3464) Home:  Another Hazy Beer by Kensington Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ***1/2; 5.5%, 15 ibu New England Pale Ale; grain bill includes barley malt, wheat malt and oat flakes; murky appearance; nose is mostly oranges with grapefruit; tastes of orange and zest with grapefruit; lingering, dry after taste;

March 27, 2021

111/3461) Home:  Goon Vibes by Goose Island Brewhouse of Ontario:  ****1/2; a 6.5% American IPA brewed with malted barley, oats and wheat; murky appearance; nose of pineapple, mango and oranges; pulpy orange, grapefruit and pineapple flavours accompanied by tropical fruit; outstanding;

112/3462) Home:  Dysphoria by Goose Island Brewhouse of Ontario:  **1/2; a 9.4%, 33 ibu Baltic Porter; this also exists or existed in a bourbon barrel aged version; dark as night with a scant head; nose of roasted malt and alcohol; flavours of smoke, dark fruit and roast; I found the smoke to be off-putting;

These were purchased at the brewery.

March 26, 2021

110/3460) Home:  Good Monster by Collective Arts of Ontario:  ****; an 8.0% New England IPA, double dry hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo; cloudy yellowish appearance - I miss clear IPAs; tropical, melon and grapefruit aromas; passionfruit and mild grapefruit flavours;

IPA No. 15 is in fact a re-release of IPA No. 5 which has been previously listed.

March 25, 2021

109/3459) Home:  Gnarnia Lil' IPA by Sawdust City of Ontario:  ***1/2; 5.5%, 20 ibu "Lil' IPA" brewed in collaboration with the Muskoka Off Road Cycling Association; brewed with Foggy London Ale yeast from Escarpment Labs as well as Idaho 7, Mosaic and Citra hops, barley, oats and wheat; cloudy; nose of tropical fruit and pine; tropical and citrus flavours;   

The tin indicates this is "Hoppy and sessionable" - at 5.5%.  This sort of thing really ought to stop.

I am not sure if there is any association with a 2017 film of the same name which I gather is better suited for the Thanksgiving dinner table than the cinema.

I attempted to stop by the Mississauga location of Big Rig Kitchen and Brewery but no one appeared to be there.  The same website that informed me that it would be open at 4PM allowed the couple I met outside to reserve a table for dinner.  They were even less impressed than I was.  It gives one a bad feeling.  May we have The 3 Brewers back, please?

March 24, 2021

108/3458) Home:  Binary System by Sawdust City of Ontario:  ****; an 8.5%, 45 ibu IIPA/Double IPA brewed with Mosaic and Chinook; two hops, two malts, hence the name binary; cloudy appearance; nose of pine and grapefruit with tropical fruit notes; dank and piney to start but finishes with fresh tropical notes; disguises the abv. very well;

March 23, 2021

107/3457) Home:  Vintage Ale 2017 by Fuller's Brewery of England:  ****1/2; 8.5%, 40 ibu; brewed with Denalai hops from the U.S.A. and Target and Goldings from the U.K. as well as Laureate malt; bottle #16224; dark copper colour; dark sugar, orange and spice to the nose; the most citrusy vintage so far in my journey with toffee, dark fruit, malt and marmalade;

March 22, 2021

106/3456) Home:  Vintage Ale 2018 by Fuller's Brewery of England:  ****1/2; 8.5%; brewed with hops from the U.K.:  Olicana, Ernst, Target, Goldings and Northdown; grain bill is Maris Otter and Crystal malt; pours dark copper; nose of dark sugar, mild spice, dark fruit, malt; fruity, spicy, mild burnt sugar;

March 21, 2021

105/3455) Home:  Vintage Ale 2019 by Fuller's Brewery of England:  ****; 8.5%, 40 ibu old ale; bottle #038576; hops are Target, Goldings, Northdown, Challenger and Wai-iti; pours deep amber; nose of dark sugar and dark fruit; dark fruit, toffee, only a hint of the fruitiness promised by the Wai-iti hops; still lovely;

March 20, 2021

104/3454) Home:  Vintage Ale 2020 by Fuller's Brewery of England:  ****; an 8%, 40 ibu Old Ale brewed with East Anglian double roasted crystal malt and Jester and Golden hops from Herefordshire; usual four ingredients plus invert sugar; bottle conditioned; pours ruby red; nose of dark fruit, dark sugar; flavours of dark fruit, toffee, marmalade; bottle number #010023;

I will be working my way back through my collection/accumulation of Fuller's going back several years.

March 19, 2021

103/3453) Home:  Bear by Windswept Brewing of Scotland:  ****; a 10.5%, 50 ibu Barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout brewed with malted barley and oats; Windswept goes to pains to point out that they do not use fish bladder to clear this which makes it suitable for vegans; pours dark with no head to speak of; nose of alcohol and unsweetened chocolate; mild vanilla, roast, dark fruit, espresso; velvety smooth mouth feel;

March 18, 2021

102/3452) Home:  Don't Look Down by Lake of Bays Brewing Company of Ontario:  **1/2; an 8%, 50 ibu Double IPA with elderberry; brewed with malted barley, malted wheat, oats and elderberry from concentrate; hopped with Mosaic and Barbe Rouge; pours an unusual purple colour; fruity elderberry nose; tastes of elderberry and bitter hops; this one doesn't really come together for me;

March 17, 2021

101/3451) Home:  Dry Irish Stout by Midtown Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ***; a 4.2%, 35 ibu dry Irish stout; grain bill is malted barley and malted oats; mild roast to the nose; very mellow roast, mild coffee grounds finish; for St. Patrick's Day;

March 16, 2021

100/3450) Home:  Proper English Ale by Skeleton Park Brewery of Ontario:  ***; 4.5%, 28 ibu; based on a 150 year old Best Bitter recipe; from Skeleton Park's Heritage series; golden, only very mildly hazy; bready, malty nose; grassy, malty, nicely done; 

Best Bitters is a style which used to be much more commonly encountered.

March 15, 2021

99/3449) Home:  Clark Is In Session by Thornbury Craft Brewing of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 4.5%, 45 ibu Session IPA; grain bill is barley and wheat; hopped with Amarillo, El Dorado, Cashmere, Enigma and Azacca; named for a pig immortalized in the early 1900s at the Clarksburg Fair; pours translucent; nose of melon, citrus and tannins; there is a citrus zest edge with melon and mild tropical notes;

March 14, 2021

98/3448) Home:  Tropical IPA by Riverhead Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 6.1%, 60 ibu American IPA brewed with barley and wheat and with "multiple hop additions"; pours golden and hazy; citrus and tropical nose; similar flavours, no bitterness save for a touch at the finish;

March 13, 2021

97/3447) Home:  Premium IPA by Blackbird of Ontario:  ****; a 6%, 62 ibu IPA brewed with malt and flaked wheat; mildly hazy; citrus, especially oranges, to the nose; tastes of oranges with a hint of pink grapefruit;

March 12, 2021

96/3446) Home:  Starboard by Fairweather Brewing of Ontario:  ***1/2; 5.5%; billed as an East Coast Pale Ale/NEIPA; hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic, Idaho 7 and Sabro; not quite so cloudy as many of the style; mostly mango aromas; tastes of mango with hints of coconut and pine; 

My wife was only recently commenting on how very quickly Hamilton is becoming a hot spot for good beer and here is her proof.

March 11, 2021

95/3445) Home:  High Grade by Fairweather Brewing of Ontario:  ****; 6.2% India Pale Ale; brewed with barley and oats, hopped with Simcoe, Idaho 7, Citra and Mosaic; pours cloudy; nose is a bit dank with citrus, tropical fruits and pine; juicy, citrusy with a hint of pine; first rate;

March 10, 2021

94/3444) Home:  February DIPA (2021) by Badlands Brewing of Ontario:  ****; 8.2%; brewed with Nelson Sauvin, Sultana and Vic Secret hops; murky appearance; nose of pineapple and citrus; there is a dank, bitter edge to the citrus and pineapple flavours;

March 9, 2021

93/3443) Dora #39 by Badlands Brewing of Ontario:  ****; 6.5%; dry hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe and Motueka; very cloudy; nose of tangerine and lime; similar flavours;

March 8, 2021

92/3442) Home:  Memories of the Future:  The Sour by Flying Monkeys Brewery of Ontario:  **; 5.2% fruited sour;  brewed with Sabro and Palato hops, cranberry puree, boysenberry puree, red tart cherry puree, dark sweet cherry juice, kosher salt added to fermenter; translucent ruby red; tart, fruity aromas; fruit, especially the cherries and cranberries, does succeed in balancing the funk; I wouldn't drink another but if my life depended on it this might be the sour I choose;

This may be attributable to my nephew.  He once expressed his frustration with Flying Monkeys and how they seem to make IPAs exclusively and I had this in mind at the store.  I saw the name, thought of him and dropped it in my basket without looking twice.  My eldest son bristles at the suggestion but I think it is remotely possible that this is a generational thing.  I like IPAs but whenever I would walk into a place a young fellow would tell me I need to try the sour.  I should be happy that I give the impression to young people that I am approachable. 

March 7, 2021

91/3441) Home:  Lug Tread 2.5% by Beau's All Natural Brewing of Ontario:  **1/2; 2.5% light lagered ale; clear and golden; nose is sweet, grainy, bready; flavours feature a hint of zest, crisp and grainy with a lingering sweetness;  it would not be so easy to distinguish this from the original; a serviceable session beer; hot weather fare;

March 6, 2021

90/3440) Home:  A Wee Angry Scotch Ale by Russell Brewing Company of British Columbia:  ***; 6.5%, 30 ibu Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy; from Russell's Brewmaster series; in the style of a nineteenth century 90 Shilling Scotch Ale; brewed with Scottish specialty malts including a peated malt; pours deep chestnut; sweet, malty nose; sweet and malty with an earthy touch of smoke;

March 5, 2021

89/3439) Home:  Double Fruit Punch IPA by Microbrasserie Vox Populi of Quebec:  ****1/2; 8%, 100 ibu; a Double India Pale Ale; grain bill includes oats; pours hazy and orangey with a persistent head; nose of oranges, pineapple and pine; flavours of orange and pineapple with a mildly bitter finish;

March 4, 2021

88/3438) Home:  Arm Candy Milk Stout by Born Colorado Brewing of Alberta:  3.5; a 6.5%, 40 ibu Milk Stout brewed with Fuggles and Perle hops; pours black with a creamy head; nose of dark roasted malt and dark coffee; earthy flavours of roasted malt and only the mildest of caramel notes; an uncommon lack of sweetness for the style, though it does become sweeter as it warms;

March 3, 2021

87/3437) Home:  Pretzel Assassin by Denver Beer Co. of Colorado, U.S.A.:  ***; a 5.0% amber lager/Vienna Lager brewed with Munich and caramel malts with German Noble hops; pours amber with a frothy head; sweet, malty nose; very malty - if it were a shade sweeter it would be a lot like a Scotch ale;

March 2, 2021

86/3436) Home:  Dagger Flute by Illuminated Brew Works of Illinois, U.S.A.:  ****; a 6% Citra India Pale Ale; pours clear and golden; fresh, citrusy nose; citrusy with a bitter edge;

March 1, 2021

85/3435) Home:  Trust by Illuminated Brew Works of Illinois, U.S.A.:  **1/2; 6% Lager brewed with Styrian Wolf hops from Slovenia, and Saaz hops; pours clear and golden; fruity, grainy nose; grassy, bitter edge; to me, this is the half way point between a lager and a pilsner;

The tin reads, "Enjoy with people you trust.".  I drank it alone.

February 28, 2021

84/3434) Home:  Sprout by Brewery Bhavana of North Carolina, U.S.A.:  ****; 7.6%, 30 ibu; described as a fig dubbel or a "Sneaky fig dubbel ale"; pours a deep nut brown; nose of sweet figs and caramel; rich mildly sweet figs and caramel flavours with mild yesat; mildly thick with above average carbonation; unusual but nice;

February 27, 2021

83/3433) Home:  Yield by Brewery Bhavana of North Carolina, U.S.A.:  ****1/2; a 4.5% session IPA; pours opaque, yellowish orange; nose of pine, grapefruit and zest; full flavoured, not at all washed out which I was beginning to think was a standard characteristic of session IPAs; flavours of pine, citrus zest and grapefruit; well carbonated, almost fizzy; quite possibly the finest session IPA I have encountered;

February 26, 2021

82/3432) Home:  Orbital Tilt by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company of New York, U.S.A.:  ****; a 5.9%, 65 ibu hazy IPA brewed with pilsner malt and malted oats; pours hazy; tropical aromas, especially pineapple; tropical and citrus flavours set against a biscuity malt;

Second installment from a three month gift subscription to Canada Craft.

February 25, 2021

81/3431) Home:  Quadrupel by Brasserie St-Feuillien S.A. of Belgium:  ***1/2; 11% Belgian Abbey Quadrupel; top fermented; pours dark brown with a scanty head; nose of caramel and dark fruit; hints of caramel with yeast and dark fruit - a solid Quadrupel;

February 24, 2021

80/3430) Home:  Double Barrel BOYD by Bellwoods Brewery of Ontario:  *****; 13.5% Imperial Stout; aged sixteen months in cognac barrels and nine months in bourbon barrels; I missed out on the rye variant but I cannot imagine myself liking anything more than this one; pours black with a thin tan head; nose of alcohol, cognac, bourbon, oak, coffee, dark fruit; tastes of cognac, bourbon, dark fruit, roasted malt and chocolate; thick, velvety smooth mouth feel;

February 23, 2021

79/3429) Home:  Double Barrel Skeleton Key by Bellwoods Brewery of Ontario:  ****1/2; 14.1% spiced imperial stout; aged one year in rum barrels then fourteen months in chocolate malted rye bourbon barrels; brewed with cinnamon, ginger, mace, black peppercorns, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, star anise and vanilla; pours very dark brown; a full bouquet of spices with cinnamon and anise especially prominent - sweet and boozy; flavours include plenty of chocolate, spirits, oak and spices galore; thick, heavy, almost syrupy mouthfeel; 

It's very nearly too much, then again as Mae West said, "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful".

February 22, 2021

78/3428) Home:  Aventinus Eisbock (Tap 09) by Schneider Weiss Schneider & Sohn GmbH of Germany:  ***1/2; 12%, 15 ibu wheat doppelbock; very dark brown with a persistent tan head; nose of alcohol, cloves, smoke, plums; alcohol is strong and warming with plums, cloves and a hint of bananas;

February 20, 2021

77/3427) Home:  Yelena by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  ***1/2; 11.9%, 60 ibu bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout with coffee and cascara; brewed with barley, wheat, oats, Ethiopian Sidamo cold brew and cascara from the skins of the coffee fruit; pours black with tan head; aromas of cold brew coffee (which I freely admit is a concept I do not get), raisins and dark roasted malt; tastes of cold brew coffee, dark coffee, roast; no hint of all that alcohol; vanilla is muted but I do detect the bourbon;

My wife, who is in possession of a Bachelor of Science of Pharmacy degree, points out that cascara segrada is a rather powerful laxative.

February 19, 2021

76/3426)Home:  Sofia by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  ****; an 11.9%, 60 ibu Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout brewed with oats, soy, honey, graham crackers and marshmallow; dark with a tan head; nose of honey, dark roasted malt, dark coffee, oak, bourbon and vanilla; boozy with sweet marshmallow and vanilla notes, as well as chocolate and dark coffee;  thick, heavy mouth feel; my favourite so far of this year's edition;

February 18, 2021

75/3425) Home:  Danil by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  ***; 11.9%, 60 ibu; Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Stout with apple and cinnamon; grain bill includes barley, wheat and oats; dark with a thick head; aromas of apple and cinnamon; a bit like yesterday's beer, heavy on the cinnamon but also with apple and a hint of vanilla from the bourbon barrel which gives an a la mode effect; not quite so thick as yesterday but above average viscosity just the same;

The UVB-76 series for 2020.

February 17, 2021

74/3424) Home:  Origin of Darkness, a collaboration between Collective Arts of Ontario and Civil Society Brewing Co. of Florida, U.S.A.:  ***; 11.6% Imperial Stout with marshmallows, cocoa, cinnamon and lactose; aged in Canadian whiskey barrels; brewed with barley malt, wheat malt, oat flakes, lactose, marshmallows, demerara sugar and cinnamon; pours deep brown, nearly black, with a scant tan head;  strong cinnamon sugar nose; cinnamon outshines everything else but there is a sweetness throughout; cinnamon lingers through the finish and after taste; thick, almost syrupy mouthfeel; I am trying to avoid an everything used to be better mindset but I do think last year's series was more impressive;

February 16, 2021

73/3423) Home:  Origin of Darkness, a collaboration between Collective Arts of Ontario and Mikkeller of Denmark:  ***1/2; an 11.3% Imperial Stout with almond milk and coffee, bourbon barrel aged; brewed with barley malt, wheat malt, flaked oats, almond milk, demerara sugar and coffee; dark with tan head; nose of cold pressed coffee, bourbon and sweet almonds; opens with sweet bourbon and oak then almonds, dark roasted malt and coffee make their appearance;  thick and heavy mouthfeel; my wife's favourite of this year's series so far;

February 15, 2021

72/3422) Home:  Origin of Darkness, a collaboration between Collective Arts of Ontario and Pŏhjala of Estonia:  ***1/2; a 9.6% Baltic Porter with plums, aged nine months in XO Cognac barrels from France; brewed with barley malt, wheat malt, demerara sugar, prunes, plum purée; pours black; nose of alcohol, vanilla and plums;  flavours of oak, cognac, dark roasted malt with a hint of dark chocolate; plum emerges towards the finish;

February 14, 2021

71/3421) Home:  Origin of Darkness, a collaboration between Collective Arts of Ontario and Mikerphone of Illinois, U.S.A.:  ****; 9% Imperial Stout with maple syrup and walnuts; aged in bourbon barrels; brewed with barley malt, wheat malt, flaked oats, maple syrup, "natural flavours"; first aged in bourbon barrels then maple syrup barrels; pours black with a scanty, thin head; nose is malty, roasty with sweet boozy bourbon; walnuts and alcohol play off each other nicely; sweet maple and oak, dark roasty malt and unsweetened chocolate; mouth feel is thick but smooth;

February 13, 2021

70/3420) Home:  Any Day Light IPA by Side Launch Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 4.0%, 35 ibu American Session IPA/India Session Ale brewed with Citra, El Dorado (RateBeer reads "Ed Dorado") and Idaho 7 hops; pours cloudy; grapefruit and citrus flavours; not especially thin, only the tiniest bit washed out;

February 12, 2021

69/3419) Home:  Snowbird Juicy IPA by Prince Edward Island Brewing Company of Price Edward Island:  ****; 6%, 45 ibu; from their Gahan series; brewed with oats, barley, wheat, late boil hops and dry hops; cloudy orange colour; aromas of tangerine, mild tannins, tropical fruit; juicy with sweetness of tangerine, grapefruit and tropical fruits;

February 11, 2021

68/3418) Home:  New England Session IPA by Brock Street Brewing Company Ltd. of Ontario:  *;   3.8%, 45 ibu; brewed with Citra and Huell Melon hops; mildly hazy orange colour; grassy nose with mild fruit; dank, bitter herbal flavours with a hint of zest but no juice or pulp; off-puttingly soapy flavours; 

I know many think it a point of pride to label something a drain pour but someone worked hard to create this and I ask your forgiveness when I say I could not finish this.

February 10, 2021

67/3417) Home:  St. Ambroise Vintage Ale 2010 by Brasserie McAuslin of Quebec:  *****; 10%; brewed with pale malt, Munich malt, malted wheat and Goldings hops; pours a deep rich reddish brown; nose is eleven years of aging, caramel, burnt sugar, dried dark fruit; tastes of burnt sugar, dark fruit, mild spice and caramel, all that alcohol is nowhere to be found; heavy mouth feel with an unexpectedly high degree of carbonation given the lack of head;

February 9, 2021

66/3416) Home:  St. Ambroise Vintage Ale 2011 by Brasserie McAuslin of Quebec:  ****1/2; 10%;  rich, deep reddish colour; minimal, short lived head; nose is boozy and fruity; I am getting the alcohol but also burnt dark sugar, dark fruit, spice; heavy mouth feel;

The 2012 was listed earlier.

February 8, 2021

65/3415) Home:  St. Ambroise Vintage Ale 2013 by Brasserie McAuslin of Quebec:  ****1/2;  10% abv.; variously described as an Extra Strong Ale, Old Ale or a Barley wine; brewed with pale malt, Munich malt, malted wheat; pours ruby/copper with a scant head; nose is caramel, plum, marmalade, cherry; boozy, sweetness balanced by hop bitterness and dark fruit;

February 7, 2021

63/3413) Home:  La Moneuse by Brasserie de Blaughes of Belgium:  ***; 8% saison;  pours opaque; tart aromas had me anticipating a sour; restrained tartness, sweet yeastiness, spice and dark fruit; heavy mouth feel;

A.J. Moneuse was a famous local bandit and gang leader and an ancestor of the brewing family.

64/3414) Home:  Blonde de L'Enfer by Unibroue of Quebec:  ***1/2; a 10.5%, 14 ibu Belgian Style Golden Ale brewed with barley and wheat; opaque appearance; nose of candi sugar, yeast, dark fruit; sugary and fruity; full mouth feel;

February 6, 2021

61/3411) Home:  Cruising Through The Galaxy by Cameron's Brewing of Ontario:  ****; a 6.3%, 36 ibu hazy IPA brewed with barley, wheat, oats and Mosaic, Galaxy and Topaz hops; pours golden and hazy with a persistent, foamy head; nose of tropical fruit and citrus; flavours of orange and mangoes; one of my favourite Cameron's to date;

62/3412) Home:  Oatmeal Stout brewed by me in Ontario:  ****; the Brooklyn Brew Shop kit projected 4.5%; an Oatmeal Stout with Maple Syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon; also Golding hops, roasted malt, flaked oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar; pours black with a modest, short lived head; nose of coffee and cinnamon; sweet maple sugar notes, coffee, only a hint of cinnamon - I went for the Oatmeal Cookie Stout variant; thin, cask like mouth feel;

February 5, 2021

59/3409) Home:  Crosscut by Mackinnon Brothers Brewing of Ontario:  **; a 5.2%, 16 ibu Canadian Golden Ale;  pours clear; grainy aromas; mildly fruity flavour, slightly sweet, somewhat bready with a hint of dryness at the finish;

Brewed on an eighth generation farm, family owned since 1784.

60/3410) Home:  IPA des Côtes by Les Brasseurs du Nord of Quebec:  ***1/2; a 6.1%, 50 ibu IPA brewed with barely and wheat and Centennial hops; pours opaque; nose of citrus and resin; flavours of lime and grapefruit with a prolonged bitterness;

February 4, 2021

57/3407) Home:  Laurel by 2 Crows Brewing Co. of Nova Scotia:  *; 6.6%, 29 ibu; a tart, dark saison with plum and bay leaf; brewed with dark candi syrup, plums, bay leaf and lactobacillus; pours the colour of plums; nose of plums and spice; tartness overpowers all at first but gradually and somewhat yields to plum and finally the bay leaf asserts itself towards the finish; sours are just not my thing;

58/3408) Home:  Excitation by Category 12! of British Columbia:  ***1/2; a 6.4%, 30 ibu Cacao Nib Espresso Stout;  dark with a foamy tan head; nose of espresso and cold pressed coffee; similar flavours with dark chocolate gaining prominence towards the finish;

The tin reports this is "Beer worth leaving your career for" which makes it an appropriate retirement gift.

February 3, 2021

55/3405) Home:  Blonde Marvel by Left Coast Brewing Co. of California, U.S.A.:  **; a 4.5%, 14 ibu Blonde Ale; pours translucent with a scanty head; light malt aroma with honey and similar flavours;

56/3406) Home:  Hop Juice by Left Coast Brewing Co. Of California, U.S.A.:  ***1/2; 10%, 100 ibu; a Triple India Pale Ale brewed with five hop varieties: Cascade, Columbus and Mount Hood then dry hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe and Columbus; pours clear with a foamy head; citrus and zest nose; dank, earthy flavours - scant hint of all that alcohol;

February 2, 2021

53/3403) Home:  Mr. Bluesky by Griffin Claw Brewing Co. Ltd. of Michigan, U.S.A.:  ***; 4.5%, 10 ibu; an American Wheat beer brewed with coriander and grapefruit peel; mildly hazy with a bubbly head; aromas of fresh grapefruit and coriander becomes more present as it warms; grainy with spice, grapefruit towards finish;

The tin reads, "There are cities that get by on their good looks.  Detroit has to work for a living" - Elmore Leonard.  The last time Elmore Leonard was in town all four dailies reported on it with columns aping his style of writing.  It was acutely tedious.

54/3404) Home:  Haze Force Intergalactic (Planetary) Hazy IPA by Griffin Claw Brewing Co. Ltd. of Michigan, U.S.A.:  ****1/2; a 6%, 30 ibu New England IPA; hazy with a frothy head; tropical nose, primarily pineapple; mostly pineapple to the taste as well with citrus zest and mango;

This is the first installment of a Canada Craft subscription I was given by my colleagues on retirement.

February 1, 2021

51/3401) Home:  Old Chub by Oskar Blues Brewery of Colorado, North Carolina and Texas:  ***1/2;  8.0%, 30 ibu; a Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy brewed with seven different malts and "a smidge of US and UK hops"; one of the malts is a beechwood smoked malt from Germany; pours a deep rich brown; nose of caramel, alcohol and smoke; tastes of sweet caramel and toffee with a faint hint of fruit and very mild smoke towards the finish; full bodied;

52/3402) Home:  Defiance by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ****; 7.3%, 65 ibu; a West Coast IPA from Stonehooker's Transom series; "A throwback to the start of the revolution of beer"; named for a schooner that sailed Lake Ontario for 68 years; pours clear; nose is orange and resin;  fresh citrus at first then resin and finishes rather sweet;

January 31, 2021

40/3400) Home:  Front Line Heroes by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***; a 6.5%, 40 ibu Coffee Oatmeal Breakfast Stout; brewed in collaboration with Fair Grounds Coffee Roasters; pours black; strong coffee aromas, creamy; sweet with coffee notes, mild coffee ground after taste;

January 30, 2021

49/3399) Home:  Isolation Nation by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***; a 5.3%, 32 ibu American Pale Ale; "A brew from us to you"; brewed with Canadian grown Sasquatch hops; pours translucent; citrusy nose of oranges and lemon; mildly washed out, like a number of "session" ales with mild citrus; pleasant enough;

January 29, 2021

48/3398) Home:  Gingerbread Ale by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ****1/2; 6.1%, 17 ibu; brewed with rye and "spices" according to the tin but Untappd expands, "Real spices, ginger root, cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves added to a dark, malty English ale"; deep rich brown; strongly spiced nose; I am tasting all of the spices; perfect for this time of year;

January 28, 2021

47/3397) Home:  Arriba!  Mexican Hot Cocoa Stout by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ****; 8.1%, 47 ibu; brewed with chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and hot peppers; pours pitch black; nose of chilis and chocolate; I am getting all four ingredients; lingering heat but not overpoweringly hot;  great on a cold night;

January 27, 2021

46/3396) Home:  Double Chocolate Milk Stout by Stonehooker Brewing Company of Ontario:  ***1/2; 7.0%, 44 ibu; pours a very dark brown; nose of mildly sweet chocolate; flavours of milk chocolate, dark roasted malt with a hint of alcohol; somewhat thin mouth feel for the style;

January 26, 2021

45/3395) Home:  Almanac 2020 Belgian Quad by Cowbell Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ****1/2; an 11.3%, 30 ibu Belgian Quadrupel; brewed on Cowbell's second anniversary and released on their third; pours a deep, rich brown with a persistent light tan head; nose of dark fruit with mild tannins; rich flavours of dried fruit, mild tannin - somewhere between tea and the red wine variety of tannin, cinnamon, hint of alcohol; somewhat above average carbonation;

January 25, 2021

44/3394) Home:  Double Exposure by Cowbell Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 7.7%, 55 ibu New England Double IPA brewed with wheat, oats and spelt; double dry hopped with Sultana and Huell Melon; hazy, golden yellow; nose of melon and pineapple; tastes of melon, cantaloupe, grapefruit; there is a touch of lime towards the finish and only then is there just a hint of all that alcohol; a deceptively easy drinking DIPA;

January 24, 2021

43/3393) Home:  Vanilla Oatmeal Stout by The Collingwood Brewery Ltd. of Ontario:  ***; 5.5%, 30 ibu; from Collingwood's Freestyle series; brewed with malted barley, malted wheat, oats and vanilla extract; pours dark with a tan head; nose of roasted malt with a hint of vanilla; tastes of vanilla, roasted, nearly burnt, malt; burnt malt after taste; thick mouthfeel; up against tough competition in the Vanilla Stout category;

January 23, 2021

42/3392) Home:  Bring Out Your Deal (2020) by Bellwoods Brewery of Ontario:  *****; 11.7%; Imperial Stout aged for sixteen months in Cognac barrels and bottle conditioned; purchased on line - sold out very quickly; this was last brewed in 2018 and this is its sixth release; pours black with a modest dark brown head; nose of dark berries, dried fruit, oak, cognac - very boozy; tastes of bitter coffee, raisins, cognac, booze, oak, ripe fruit; thick, nearly syrupy; a marvelous slow sipper;

January 22, 2021

41/3391) Home:  Gahan Sydney Street Oatmeal Stout by Prince Edward Island Brewing Company of P.E.I:  ***;  a 5.2% Oatmeal Stout brewed with oats, barley and wheat; pours dark with a creamy brown head; very roasty nose; roasted malt, ash, somewhat bitter; medium carbonation;

January 21, 2021

39/3389) Home:  Hazy Town by Amsterdam Brewing Company of Ontario:  ****; a 5.7% Vermont IPA, double dry hopped; hazy, as advertised; citrusy nose; juicy, citrusy, hint of pine, especially towards the finish; average carbonation;

40/3390) Home:  Double Tempest 2020 by Amsterdam Brewing Company of Ontario:  *****; 11.9%, 75 ibu; barrel aged Imperial Stout; an Amsterdam Adventure Brew; aged eight months in Basil Hayden's bourbon barrels; pours dark as night; nose of alcohol, bourbon, oak, vanilla, cherries; tastes of cherry, vanilla, subdued alcohol, dark chocolate, roasted malt; thick and syrupy mouthfeel; wonderful;

January 20, 2021

37/3387) Home:  Double Up by Old Tomorrow of Ontario:  ***1/2; a 6.5% coffee milk stout; pours dark with a mocha coloured head; nose is sweet and reminiscent of latte or hot cocoa; milky sweet - very nearly too much so with notes of espresso and hot cocoa;  above average carbonation;

38/3388) Home:  Stille Nacht by Brouwerij de Dolles Browers of Belgium:  ***1/2; 12%; brewed with candi sugar and Nugget hops and boiled "for many hours", not the usual single hour; pours translucent; I was put off by the funk in the nose but I persisted; spice, honey, sugar, peach, a touch of alcohol; some tang to this as well; there is also a touch of orange; I bought a second bottle to age; above average carbonation;