In terms of "audience" in the past week, France has leaped ahead of Germany into third place.
I asked after the new, renewed even, Tracks home brew (which was set to debut on Sunday) but it is not available yet. A couple of people have tried it. The individual I spoke with - he is a lawyer and that is about all I am going to say about him - was not a fan but that could mean so many things. Few people are fans of my favourite beers but then again, no one likes a spoiled beer either. If I don't go for this one there isn't much in the way of alternatives at Tracks though my attorney acquaintance has spent a lot of time trying to convert people into whiskey sour drinkers.
Maybe I will visit Dum Dum's more often, if only because I like saying the name.
Thursday, 20 November 2014
November 18, 2014
254/1235) Fionn MacCool's, Brampton: Schmucker Meister Pils by Privat-Brauerei Schmucker of Germany: *1/2; malty, notes of berries, with a subdued hop edge and a mild, Saaz-like after taste; it was served a bit too cold for my liking and I am seldom one to say that;
If truth be told I was feeling a bit of a schmuck at the time. It turns out that when a fund-raiser is going on at a Chapters those books marked at $20.00 sell for $29.95 if you tell the cashier you are participating. I was under the impression that I was only donating my Plum card points. At any rate, I returned a day later and they made things right (I had purchased several copies) and the next time I am harangued at a Chapters I will demur.
If truth be told I was feeling a bit of a schmuck at the time. It turns out that when a fund-raiser is going on at a Chapters those books marked at $20.00 sell for $29.95 if you tell the cashier you are participating. I was under the impression that I was only donating my Plum card points. At any rate, I returned a day later and they made things right (I had purchased several copies) and the next time I am harangued at a Chapters I will demur.
November 17, 2014
253/1234) Home: Dark Helmüt Imperious Schwartzbier by Beau's All Natural Brewing of Ontario: **; 7.3%; Wild Oats Series No. 23; not surprisingly, it is very dark; soft, fine perisitent head; grainy, chocolatey nose with wine-like notes; faint chocolate notes; an ever so slightly off beat dark ale; from Beau's Oktoberfest four-pack;
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
November 15, 2014
252/1233) Home: Porter by Black Creek Historic Brewery of Ontario: ** ; this was a growler brewed on site at the historical brewery as opposed to the product available at the LCBO; as per usual there is no head, no carbonation; the nose is mocha and strong coffee; notes of roasted coffee, chocolate;
I recall that when I was participating as the "brewers apprentice" the ground barley had bits of wheat in it. In the nineteenth century the brewer was not necessarily the miller's top priority and the wheat was ground first. Some would be left behind, mixed in with the final product when he got around to milling the barley- authenticity with a vengeance.
I had promised that I would return the to Adelaide Street location of The 3 Brewers and I had also broadly hinted to my daughter that we would go there soon so I took care of both commitments today. It was very quiet in there. Perhaps it was because we were eating an unusually early dinner. We were told that the place was packed the previous night. I wonder if that is how this is going to play out. It is very much in a Monday to Friday part of town.
I recall that when I was participating as the "brewers apprentice" the ground barley had bits of wheat in it. In the nineteenth century the brewer was not necessarily the miller's top priority and the wheat was ground first. Some would be left behind, mixed in with the final product when he got around to milling the barley- authenticity with a vengeance.
I had promised that I would return the to Adelaide Street location of The 3 Brewers and I had also broadly hinted to my daughter that we would go there soon so I took care of both commitments today. It was very quiet in there. Perhaps it was because we were eating an unusually early dinner. We were told that the place was packed the previous night. I wonder if that is how this is going to play out. It is very much in a Monday to Friday part of town.
November 13, 2014
251/1232) Home: Rickard's Lederhosen by Molson Coors of Ontario: *1/2; a 6.5% Oktoberfest style lager; copper coloured; fruity maltiness with a lingering Saaz hop bite;
A pair of Oktoberfest beers:
A pair of Oktoberfest beers:
November 12, 2014
The latest idea for improving beer distribution is an odd one. The Powers That Be are pondering allowing the LCBO to carry twelve-packs. I have been thinking that all those six packs take up way too much room as it is. I hate to think what allowing larger packaging will do to the amount of space available and by extension the variety of beer that can be stocked.
November 11, 2014
250/1231) The 3 Brewers, Adelaide Richmond Centre: Bear Street Stout by The 3 Brewers, Ontario: **1/2; 5.5%, 32 ibu; this is their Neighbourhood Beer, so named because Bay Street was at one time called Bear Street on account of the fact that bears were known to roam it; it is a nitrogen tap which lends a creamy mouthfeel; oats add their own richness and smoothness to the blend; the nose is a mix of coffee and chocolate; similarly there is a mix of the two in the taste with a light body and a creamy head; the finish is surprisingly sweet with a touch of fruit;
The new Adelaide Street location does have a good street visibility and it can be reached by way of the underground which makes it conveniently accessible from such far flung locations as Union Station and the St. Andrew subway station, even the Toronto Eaton Centre, provided The Bay is open. Mind, if you are at the Eaton Centre you are across the street from the Toronto's first 3 Brewers.
It was the middle of the afternoon and things were slow so they had time to give me the Royal treatment. I was shown all around and I even met the brewmaster. It backs on to a square between office towers which lends a nice setting in which to dine and there is only one flight of stairs to the loo, not the journey required at the Yonge Street location. I should caution that even without the benefit of a couple of beers on board the images on the ladies' and the gents' room are distressingly similar so until this is improved upon do please be careful.
I suppose this makes me an example of why declaring Remembrance Day a statutory holiday might not be a good idea. In my defense I was off because we were on skeleton staff, firm-wide, and I did attend the Service of Remembrance in front of the Soldiers' Tower at the University of Toronto that morning and even though we were warned we all jumped out of our shoes when the cannons at Queen's Park were fired.
The new Adelaide Street location does have a good street visibility and it can be reached by way of the underground which makes it conveniently accessible from such far flung locations as Union Station and the St. Andrew subway station, even the Toronto Eaton Centre, provided The Bay is open. Mind, if you are at the Eaton Centre you are across the street from the Toronto's first 3 Brewers.
It was the middle of the afternoon and things were slow so they had time to give me the Royal treatment. I was shown all around and I even met the brewmaster. It backs on to a square between office towers which lends a nice setting in which to dine and there is only one flight of stairs to the loo, not the journey required at the Yonge Street location. I should caution that even without the benefit of a couple of beers on board the images on the ladies' and the gents' room are distressingly similar so until this is improved upon do please be careful.
I suppose this makes me an example of why declaring Remembrance Day a statutory holiday might not be a good idea. In my defense I was off because we were on skeleton staff, firm-wide, and I did attend the Service of Remembrance in front of the Soldiers' Tower at the University of Toronto that morning and even though we were warned we all jumped out of our shoes when the cannons at Queen's Park were fired.
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