September 5, 2013

193/841)  Home:  Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout by North Coast Brewing of California, U.S.A.:  **1/2;  9%;  nose has mocha, coffee;   roasty with a touch of mocha sweetness and a bite of alcohol.;  dark coffee-like finish;

194/842)  Home:  Nitro Milk Stout by Left Hand Brewing of Colorado, U.S.A.:  **;   6%;  the cap reads "Keep Cold Pour Hard" (and the bottle recommends this in order to get a rich head);  the usual four ingredients plus flaked oats and lactose;  sweet mocha nose;  rich milk chocolaty notes;  mild but not over-powering;

September 2, 2013

192/840)  Home:  Butler's Bitter by Niagara College Teaching Brewery of Ontario:  **;  4.4%;  "the drink that fuelled the British armies in 1812";  proceeds support student learning;  I thought I detected a bit of rye in the nose;  a rich malty, bready ale;

September 1, 2013

191/839)  Home:  Torpedo Extra IPA by Sierra Nevada of California, U.S.A.:  **1/2;  7.2%;  brewed "with a little magic from our 'Hop Torpedo' - a revolutionary method of dry hopping";  this would have been great on tap at LaGuardia;  hoppy nose;  refreshingly hopped flavour without over-powering bitterness;

August 31, 2013

190/838) Samuel Adams' Boston Lager by Boston Brewing Company of Massachusetts, U.S.A.:  *1/2;  malty nose;  grainy and malty with a Czech style hop bite;

This is best remembered as the first beer Jim Koch brewed back in 1984 when we were using terms like "micro-brewery".

August 30, 2013

With my favourite time of year coming up we are already beginning to see some of the reasons I like autumn so much.  I spoke of Cardigan a couple of days ago and now pumpkin beers are starting to show up at the LCBO.  I have some Black Creek and Highballer (by Grand River) and the Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale is out there, just not anywhere I have been yet. 

August 29, 2013

189/837)  Home:  Porter by Sinebrychoff of Finland:  **1/2;  checks in at 7.2%;  along with the usual four suspects, starch is used as an ingredient - I am not entirely certain what that brings to the party;  nose features strong alcohol notes., raisins, dates;  among the alcohol and raisin flavours there is a sweetness in the background;  very bold tasting: a Baltic Porter with a vengeance;

August 28, 2013

188/836)  Home:  Brooklyn Brown Ale by Brooklyn Brewery of New York, U.S.A.:  **;  roasty, chocolate nose;  touch of mocha flavour;

My son returned from Brooklyn bearing gifts, including, yes, Sierra Nevada Torpedo.  What's more, it turns out that Terminal B at LaGuardia, which is where Air Canada flies out of, does have a duty free shop.