December 31, 2017

Now that Prodromus is available at the LCBO it is admirable how the packaging so accurately depicts how one feels after consuming a tin of this 10.5% abv "Deep Fried Graham Cracker Chocolate Chunk Caramel Bar" stout.

Happy New Year!

December 26, 2017

403/2221) Home:  Not A Word by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  **;  a 7% apricot IPA;  fruity, citrusy nose;  bubbly and soda-like, tastes like a sweet IPA with a dry hoppy, fruity finish;

I had no idea this existed until my wife brought a six pack home from the brewery.

December 25, 2017

402/2220) Home:  Frank & Sense by Innis & Gunn of Scotland:  **;  a 5.8% golden ale matured over gold, frankincense and myrrh;  yes;  the nose is like many an Innis & Gunn effort, sweet and oaky;  opens sweet and oaky but quickly a dry bitterness takes over and whether this is attributable to the hops or the myrrh I do not know but I am glad I tried it;

Perhaps the ultimate Christmas beer.  Merry Christmas.

December 24, 2017

400/2218) Home:  Holiday Cheers Winter Spice Ale by Big Rock Brewing of Alberta:  **;  6%;  brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger;  formerly known as McNally's Winter Spice Ale but I didn't have the opportunity to try it under this name;  soft fluffy head disappears fairly quickly;  sweet, malty spiced nose;  similar flavours;  mildly spiced after taste;

401/2219) Home: Jõuluöö by Põhjala Brewing SA of Estonia:  **;  8%;  chocolate-vanilla oak aged Imperial porter;  brewed using cocoa nibs, fresh vanilla, French oak;  very oaky nose with notes of alcohol and bitter cocoa nibs;  the vanilla is subtle but it makes its presence known towards the finish, until then it’s all oak and cocoa nibs; 

There is much more than simply the abv figures behind the warm feelings attributable to this year's Craft Beer Advent calendar.  Oh, yes, if it happens next year I want to be on board.

December 23, 2017

398/2216) Home:  Sweet Baby Java by Du Claw Brewing of Maryland, U.S.A.: **1/2;  a 6.2% Espresso Bean infused chocolate peanut butter porter (!);  sweet, nutty nose, it reminds me of Frangelico;  flavours of dry cocoa and bitter coffee with a sweet nuttiness and a dry finish;

This Craft Beer Advent Calendar continues to be all sorts of fun.

399/2217) Home:  Festive Pudding Ale by Greene King of England:  **1/2;  6%, 32 ibu;  oak aged;  fruitcake nose;  mildly sweet, malty, gently spiced;  unfashionable, perhaps, but great for this time of year;

Flanked by a pair of other seasonal favourites.

December 22, 2017

397/2215) Home:  Santa's Sac Golden Strong Ale by Bridge Brewing of British Columbia:  **;  10%, 30 ibu;  brewed with Belgian hops and German yeast;  sweet, fruity nose;  flavours of sweet Belgian yeast, cloves, raisins;

December 21, 2017

394/2212) beerbistro:  Naughty Hildegard ESB by Driftwood Brewery of British Columbia:  **;  6.5%;  surprisingly hoppy for a beer label an ESB with citrus and mango notes; 

Hildegard of Bingen was a nun (as the tenth child she was a tithe), scholar, writer, composer, botanist, chemist, apothecary, mystic and visionary, among other items on her resume, and she also may have been one of the first to add hops to beer.  I continue to be an easy mark for a beer with a fun name but so long as I keep being rewarded in this manner I am unlikely to reform.

395/2213) beerbistro:  Spéciale Nöel by Abbaye des Rocs of Belgium:  **1/2;  triple fermented, unfiltered;  the nose reminds me of fruitcake;  starts sweet and finishes dry with notes of caramel and fruitcake; 

This was one of the beerbistro's 12 Beers of Christmas.  I was in town to skate at Harbourfront, wonderful as always, and to participate in the Winter Solstice labyrinth walk.  For those following along, Sine Nomine is back after hiatus and so is Poculi Ludique Societas but I missed both Advent events largely because I wasn't "feeling it" which teaches that I ought to learn to compartmentalize my life.

396/2214) Home:  Saison by Le Debauche of France:  *1/2;   7%;  musty nose;  yeasty, astringent, musty flavours;  lingering dry peppery finish;