Lagunitas Lil' Sumpin' Extra Ale: A Rare Treat

I was at my folks’ place this weekend, and what did I find? Why, a delicious Lagunitas ale. The historical records on the Instagram say that I bought a six pack of Lil’ Sumpin’ Extra ale 53 weeks ago during a trip to Minnesota. Needless to say I was pretty stoked when I found it! I brought it home with me so that I might be able to taste it in the comfort of my own home. This is the story of that tasting.

First taste - Sept. 8 2015
Shakopee, MN

The Lagunitas Brewing Company, located in Petaluma, CA (with a satellite brewery in Chicago) has been around since 1993, started by Tony Magee; a music-loving former Xerox salesman. Tony is also the author of the book “So You Want to Start A Brewery?” Now that is an amazing - albeit scary - read. I highly recommend it; it’s definitely a Cinderella story. But I digress...

This delicious double IPA rings in at 72.51 IBU and 8.5% ABV, and pours a clear, coppery colour with a white, frothy head. It smells amazing; after a year of aging it the booze is starting to come out as the hops have faded a bit, but the result is the sweet - but not cloying - aroma of maple syrup. It’s got some yeasty notes as well, and a light floral aroma as well. The brew smells well balanced, sweet vs. bitter, which I believe is also a result of the aging. It may not be, though, it’s been a bit over a year since I’ve had a fresh one!

Home tasting - Sept. 20 2016
Ottawa, ON

Once I get a sip of a Lil’ Sumpin’ Extra, I taste pretty much the same as I smelled: maple syrup, a bit of booze… it would actually be a nice little warmer in the coming months. Again, the sweetness wasn’t cloying, and it balanced out well with the softened hop flavours. There is still some hop bitterness in there, but the malts are definitely higher up on the food chain. The beer finishes out with an earthy, molasses flavour, and the booze stays with us the whole way.

Overall, I’m quite glad that I accidentally left this beer in my parents’ cellar. It was a pleasure to drink, and - since I’m not bound for the states any time soon - a rare treat. This might be a good treat to pair with a pecan pie, which would also be a delicious fall treat. If you can get your hands on a Lil’ Sumpin’ Extra, I highly recommend it. If you cannot - since it was a limited release, I suggest trying to at least get your hands on a Lil’ Sumpin’ Sumpin’ ale. Or any of the Lagunitas brews (now available here in Ottawa!) This brew was definitely a treat, both fresh and aged, and I certainly hope to find it again in the future!

Spring is here? Get me a beer!

First and foremost, I have held off on releasing this post due to the fact that Spring seems to be taking its sweet time getting here. Then I thought to myself... "maybe if I write this post, Spring will get here faster!" Hair-brained? Yeah, probably. Anyway, it's sunny and warm today, so I'm going to have a beer and provide my humble opinions on several options for tasty treats to help you better enjoy the spring!

What's so good about Spring?

One of my favourite aspects of spring is the constant temperature change. No sarcasm. The... let's call it versatility... of the springtime climate calls for a diverse collection of beer in the fridge; every time the temperature changes, my beer cravings change as well. I love darker beer during the colder days with less sun. I desire something lighter, a bit sweeter, with a nice hop balance on the warm days when I can sit in the sun on a balcony or patio. I gravitate more to the bock-style beers when it's a bit warmer, but the sun isn't bathing us in her light.

Drinking in the rain

You know what they say: "April showers bring May flowers!" Although we haven't had an epic amount of rain in Ottawa this month, and May is just around the corner (Beltaine tomorrow!), it's still chilly and rain is imminent, so they say. At this time of year, the fresh smells that accompany the rain are second to none. Green grass and fresh flowers springing to life are a delight to the olfactories. With that in mind, drinking a beer with great grassy and floral aromas is a must. For me, I love a good IPA that's got great floral aromas, and a good balance. An example of this style would be Lake Effect IPA by Great Lakes Brewery, or Bicycle Craft Brewery's Velocipede IPA.

The Sun may shine, but the air didn't get the memo...

Some days it might be sunny, but the earth simply doesn't pick up the warmth. Well, there's a beer for that! This is where I gravitate more to a Bock. Generally a Maibock or a Dopplebock. If there is a bit more of a hoppier note, all the better. I like the relative sweetness and higher ABV (5.5-7.5%) during the colder days, as it adds some warmth to the beer, even if it's served cold. Two of my favourite examples of a good Bock are Big Rig's Hoppin' Maibock and Springbock by Amsterdam. I'm also a big fan of a super cold lager on a cold, sunny day. To be honest, Sleeman's Silver Creek has been a favourite of mine in this space, but two local brews that have taken over my fridge in the lager section (yeah, my beer fridge has sections) are Whiprsnapr's Root of Evil Pre-prohibition lager and Big Rig Gold lagered ale.

I like my beer to match the weather, especially when it's cold and dark.

Although a day that is cold and dark might lack joy, a beer of the same character is exactly the opposite! If the Sun won't hold forth and the air is frigid, I reach for a black lager or a super cold black IPA. Sometimes serving a beer too cold can mute some of the key flavours and/or aromas, but on a Spring day that's also muted and somewhat oppressive, it fits. When considering black lagers,  Whiprsnapr's Black Sunshine can add some flair to a drab day. Big Rig's Schwartzbier can also turn dark day frowns upside-down. For a black IPA, Kichesippi's Wuchak Black is on point,  and from our American craft beer brethren, Minnesota's Bent Paddle makes a kick-ass black ale. From a homebrew perspective, my own Black Tusk Black IPA is my jam for this type of weather.

There are actually warm, sunny days, you know!

For the days when it's appropriate to don a pair of shorts and hang out on your favourite balcony or patio, I tend to swill a lighter, fruitier beer. This might be a wheat beer (German or Belgian-style), a Saison, or a fruit-forward IPA. These styles of beer help those who would imbibe the sweet nectar taste the sunshine, as well as feel it! Lower alcohol may be a good thing on a day like this, as it stands to reason that a few hours of session drinking will be in the cards. Great examples of sunny day brews are Beyond the Pale's Saison Tropicale or Pink Fuzz, the Ottawa-famous Earl Grey Saison by Dominion City, Big Rig's El Hefeweizen, or Cassel Brewery's White Fog. From my own collection of homebrew recipes, I prefer my Wonder Weizendunkel or Yonder IPA, which uses only Falconer's Flight hops for floral flavour and aromas, and accents of tropical fruit.

Spring is in full effect, and I hope that this brief guide will help you choose the right beer to help you tough out all of Mother Nature's mood swings! Here's hoping for some great patio weather and smooth sailing into Summer!

Good Robot Brewing - A Piece of Ottawa On the East Coast

Nova Scotia is possibly my favourite place in Canada (granted, I haven't been to the West coast in about 14 years). I spent a weekend in Halifax recently, and stumbled upon some of the newer breweries in the city. There is a lot of great new stuff coming out of Halifax on the Craft Beer front, but the brewery that stood out the most was definitely Good Robot Brewing Co (GRBC). The beer is amazing, the guys running the show are cool - and obviously huge geeks (which is great) - and the atmosphere is second to none. Allow me to paint a picture:

You walk past what used to be an old garage recessed back off of Robie Street, and you notice that it is most definitely no longer a garage. First of all, there is an astroturf lawn out front with a couch and bean bag throwing game set out so that as a prospective customer you don't feel rushed by walking into a store front that may be overcrowded, getting served, and then feeling awkward like you need to leave. You can just chill outside so that others can get in for a taste. When you roll up to the entrance there is a giant (30bbl) bright tank sporting the Good Robot logo. Conversation starter? Probably. The brewery is also pretty open concept, so you can rubberneck and check out the fermenters, brew kettle, malt mill, and mash tun. If you show interest, one of the guys will likely bring you back to the brewery and regale you with their origin story and tell you about the brewing process.

Kira, focused, pouring some samples

That brings me to the guys in charge. These guys met at Dalhousie University while getting degrees in Engineering. They parted ways after school to become, well, engineers. From what I heard from Josh and read on the Web site, engineering got dull, and the guys all reunited to start Good Robot. A pretty awe inspiring tale, if I've ever heard one! Josh was our host for most of Friday night, and he is from Ottawa. That's pretty neat. Josh is the director of marketing for Good Robot, and he does most of the social media stuff, from what I'm told. Doug is the head brewer, and Angus is the company's president. You can get the full bio for each of the founders on the Good Robot Web site. From what I saw, everybody brews, which is not only cool, but practical. Even Kira, who was working the counter the second time I came in, will be learning to brew. Seems like a pretty sweet gig to me.

The Brewery.

Last, but definitely not least, is the beer. When I went to the brewery the first time, they had a trio on tap: A steam beer dubbed Crown on the Ground, a Gose, aptly named Goseface Killah, and an American Pale Ale known as the Burban Legend. Luckily, on the second trip there was also a stout. And oh, what a stout it was. Tom Waits for No One is the name, and it's delicious. Great chocolate and coffee flavours, but with the added smoothness that I think was added by a little bit of nitro, although the mouthfeel could come from the 7.9% ABV! Come to think of it, each of these brews was pretty amazing. The Burban Legend is hopped with my favourite - Falconer's Flight, and is a vey well balanced APA. You don't see many people brewing a Gose these days, but GRB nailed it. It's refreshing, but still pleasantly salty. The steam beer was interesting, not just because it wasn't called "California Common", but because of the subtle spice of rye malt that is used in the recipe. Four great beers, five measly bucks, not a bad deal at all!

The next step for GRBC is to open their own tap house. They are currently renovating a piece of their building which was not part of the brewery in order to get their very own licensed tap house in which to serve their beers. It seems like there are some exciting times ahead for Good Robot Brewing Co., and for the Halifax craft beer scene as a whole. I'm excited about the prospect of coming back out to Canada's east coast and finding the GRBC tap room in full swing. There are great people running this brewery, and I definitely recommend stopping by if you're ever in Halifax!

Until next time.

2014: My Year in Brewing

My first brew in a 5gal turkey fryer

I was introduced to homebrewing in April of 2013 by a buddy of mine. Initially we had a pretty small setup: mash tun (Gatorade cooler), brew kettle (turkey fryer), fermenter (pail/carboy). We had a separate pot for a hot liquor tank, or maybe it was just a pail? The memory is foggy. Could be that it was so long ago, could be that we were partaking in the goodness that is beer whilst brewing. Either way, the result of our first seven hour session brewing together (my first session, not his) was a potentially delicious Imperial Dunkelweizen. We named it "The Imperious Dunkel Weizenheimer". I say potentially delicious because as the beer was being transferred from primary to secondary fermentation, there was a carboy slip and the brew was lost. We did end up re-brewing a few weeks later, and when all was said and done we had a pretty glorious beer. It was roughly 11% ABV and I remember drinking my last one in May, 2014. It definitely stood up to the test of time.

Apartment Brewing

Apartment Brewing Setup

Fast forward to December, 2013. I was living in a one-bedroom apartment, wondering how I could brew inside without killing myself with CO poisoning. I went out to Canadian Tire one day and picked up an induction cooktop (http://goo.gl/WGH6DV) to do my bidding. I had borrowed the brewing equipment that I had used for my first couple of batches, and wondered why it wouldn't work. I decided to google "Induction Cooking" and found out that you need cookware designed for (or compatible with) induction cooking. Wups. I was pretty bummed out, but on Christmas day I opened up an induction-ready brew kettle! Score. Without further ado, I started re-planning my first solo project: a caramel hefeweizen, the name of which I have forgotten. It was New Year's day, and my brewing setup was quite interesting. My transfer setup was the Gatorade cooler mash tun on a kitchen chair, with the brew kettle sitting atop the induction cooktop on the floor. My hot liquor tank was a series of smaller pots to provide the appropriate amount of water for sparging, all heating up on my stove top. It was definitely an adventure, and the beer turned out to be pretty tasty!

Garage Brewing

Initial Garage Setup

After brewing a few batches in early 2014, I took possession of my freshly built house, purchased way back in 2012. What's the first thing I did? Got my brewing setup back in action, that's what. Having bought a new table and chair set, I put my old chair to good use. I bought a Bayou classic banjo burner, and left my old turkey fryer at my sister's house, so I can brew with my brother in-law without carting all of my gear around. I purchased the borrowed equipment I had been using - at a steal, I might add - as the two co-owners of the equipment now work at Beyond the Pale and Kichesippi breweries here in Ottawa, and now get to play with much bigger kit (the fact that I benefit from their new careers makes me a little less jealous). At this point I had  a pretty small setup in the garage, and I used it to brew eight batches before summer broke through. On the first weekend of summer (the Solstice), and the week after, I managed to get six batches brewed whilst merging my kit and another buddy's kit. This provided us with a whole new level of capability! (Picture of latest brew kit not included, as it is located elsewhere, presently)

Moving Forward

Brewing has become my Zen, and I fully intend to pursue it as a hobby, potentially as a business. Now that I have a decent brewing setup, I am continuously learning more about the brewing process, as well as working on developing a new setup and including as much techno-geekery as I possibly can. I brewed 26 batches in 2014 (my goal was 24), and I'm hoping to increase that exponentially in 2015. I've got a small team of taste testers who give me constant feedback - good or bad, objective and subjective - who I try to keep laden with new beers. I'm always on the lookout for more tasters. I have thought about an Ottawa-based brewery startup, but I am also considering Bancroft, my home town, where I could partner up with my brother in-law, a chef-owner of a local establishment there. For now, I'm just playing with ideas, but the main point is that I love brewing, and plan on continuing to do so for the foreseeable future - hopefully bringing as many of my friends along for the ride as possible.

Beautiful Burlington VT

The end of August held two big milestones for me: my thirtieth birthday and my first trip to the U.S. of A for a craft beer run.

It was decided that we should take a road trip for some great craft beer in celebration of my latest milestone. Initially we decided that Dogfish Head would be the place to go, but we didn't realize that brewery tours fill up a couple of months in advance. So, with Dogfish Head out (for now), we decided that the next best spot would be Burlington, Vermont. Vermont is a nice, short drive, and after checking out the Vermont Brewers' Association, I saw that there were four breweries in the area. So, we packed up the car and headed south (and east)!

First of all, the drive is beautiful. We drove through Quebec near Montreal, and there was a pretty short lineup to get over the border. From there, we had only an hour and a half to drive until we hit the beautiful town of Burlington. Right on the shore of Lake Champlain, Burlington is a small town rich in military history and craft breweries.

We started out at a small spot called The Scuffers for breakfast. It was not quite 11:00am, so I wasn’t sure if they would be serving beer yet. I asked our server (named Steven, very helpful dude) when they start serving and was pleasantly shocked to learn that they serve beer from 6:00am until 2:00am! What a great concept! I started out with a Switchback Ale, by Switchback Brewing Co., while my travel partner had a Mountain Ale by The Shed Brewery. Breakfast was OK, but not great. The beer, however, was. Switchback Ale was a decent brew, a pretty straight-forward malty beer. It was a good breakfast beer, for sure. I love - and may be in love with – The Shed’s Mountain Ale, though. It is a beautiful dark ale, with great malt and dried stone fruit flavours. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the brewery, but there is always next time!

After breakfast, we just bummed around the town for a bit while waiting for check-in time at our hotel. There are a lot of cool little shops and kiosks in the Church Street Marketplace; a small area of the town reminiscent of Sparks Street in Ottawa.

At lunch time we hit up the Farmhouse Tap & Grill for some beer and cheese. I would be overjoyed if I could tell you that I was able to get a taste of of The Alchemist's Heady Topper, but it's not going to happen. That brew is released on Thursdays, and is generally gone before Saturday is over. Unfortunately, we got to Burlington August 25, which is a Sunday. I ended up having a Hill Farmstead Edward Pale Ale. It was amazing. Super floral on the nose with pine and citrus flavour. We also tried some delicious Vermont cow and goat cheese. The Farmhouse Taproom wasn't open, so I didn't get into much beer tasting.

Hi-Hat Clutch: Great Bottle
Opener in a Fix!

After check-in, we took a bit of rest and decided to head out and find a Co-Op that our friend Steven had told us about at breakfast. Apparently there is a great beer selection at said Co-Op. Located at the intersection of Bank and South Winooski, this Co-Op had a pretty cool natural food selection, and buried deep in the centre, there was a glorious beer and wine section. The wine section was actually significantly bigger than the beer section, but that's okay. I picked up a few good brews. Sierra Nevada's Tumbler Autumn Ale, Dogfish Head Brewing Midas Touch, The Shed Mountain Ale, Stone Brewing Ruination, and a Northshire Brewery Chocolate Stout were what I brought home. I haven't tried them all yet, but I know that the first three listed are delicious. I sampled the Dogfish, Sierra Nevada and Shed beers whilst watching Bad Ink, and had a nap. Driving is a tiresome job. As a sidenote, I left my keys in the car, with my bottle opener. Being lazy, I searched through my bag for a potential opener. It turns out that the clutch from a hi-hat, if adjusted properly, is a great bottle opener. You're welcome.

We got up and at 'em around 6:30, just in time for dinner. We went to the Vermont Pub & Brewery for dinner, where we had an assortment of spud skins and calamari to start, and I had a delicious pulled pork pie as a main. We grabbed a flight of beers to sample, and the Burly Irish Ale was my favourite, and Beetlejuice was a delicious wheat ale. From there I had a pint of cask Burly ale, and then a Dogbite bitter, their ESB. We spent most of the night drinking at the Vermont Pub & Brewery, were lucky enough to witness a young-love domestic dispute, and then went back to our room to continue the Bad Ink marathon.

I woke up the next morning as a fresh young 30 year-old, and we had breakfast at an amazing little spot called The Skinny Pancake. I had a Noah's Ark special, which consists of two eggs, two slices of bacon, and two crepes (get it? Two of everything, like Noah's Ark!). I also added two sausage into the mix. It was a very tasty breakfast.

After getting fueled up, we decided to check out a few more of the shops at the Church Street Market. We walked around for a half-hour or so, and decided we were thirsty again. This time, we headed to Zero Gravity Brewing, where we sat at the bar and sampled some of their wares. They brew a delicious black IPA, and a stout (which I had on tap and cask), among plenty of other beers. I took a picture of their tap list, but that was the only picture that didn't turn out. Fail. When they get their new site up, or I get back to sample more of their beer, I will ensure that I record the tap names!

Another stop we made was to Guild Fine Meats on St. Paul Street. We picked up a couple of local ciders, and a Sour Stout by The Bruery named Tart of Darkness. I haven't tried it yet, but I am very excited for it!
Well, it was almost time to go home, and we had one last stop to make: Magic Hat Brewery. I have to say, the experience wasn't fantastic. I'm not sure if it was just a Monday and people were feeling grumpy, or if they just didn't want to talk about their beers. The samples were poured without a word, nobody asked if we liked the beer or not, and the bartenders seemed impatient if we took a moment to decide what we wanted to drink. The beer itself is good, and I picked up a couple of bottles and a fridge magnet for good measure. I just wish that the people had lived up to the atmosphere. Inside the main entrance, I was reminded of Zaphod Beeblebrox in the Byward Market (Ottawa), but without the super energetic vibe.

We did a walkthrough on our own, as there were no brewery tours for a couple of hours. The brewery is pretty cool, from the rusty old lookout tower at the front to the displays throughout the walkthrough. Would I go back again? Yes. I think that now that I know the brewery tour hours, I would go when there is a scheduled tour and see if the people are different. Everybody gets one.

Overall, I think that Burlington is a beautiful place. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a beautiful getaway spot that is super close to home. I look forward to returning for a longer stay, so that I might be able to spend more time in the pubs and tap houses in the area. I would also be pretty stoked to go out on the lake for a quick cruise to see if I could see Champ!

Until next time...

What's In A Glass? How Glassware Can Affect Your Beer Experience

Good Evening,

Weizenbierglas:
A grand Idea!

I’ve been out to a few pubs lately, and I’ve noticed that sometimes a fantastic brew is served in a less-than-perfect glass. Some people may think I’m crazy if my beer tastes better or worse based on the vessel in which it is served. Others will think I’m a beer-snob, and yet more will not care. Hopefully some will agree that glassware affects beer experience. I’m going to dedicate my next three posts to glassware, so let me state my case, and decide for yourself whether or not the glass makes the beer!

Case 1: Weizenbierglas (Wheat Beer Glass)

Have you ever been to a pub that serves Erdinger Weissbrau? If not, you should give it a try. It’s delicious, and it is a prime example of mission-critical glassware. Generally Erdinger is served in a tall, slender glass with a bulbous head. This is called a “Weizenbierglas” or, when translated from German to English, a wheat beer glass. It’s made for wheat beers. Obviously, you can pour any kind of beer you’d like into this glass, but for best results, use a wheat beer. Weissbier (which means white beer, the Bavarian term for wheat beers, or Weizenbier outside of Bavaria) is very foamy, due to Weissbier yeast strains and proteins from the wheat itself. When you pour a Weissbier properly, you will get a fairly high collar of foam. The Weizenbierglas’s narrow waist helps concentrate the foam, and the large flare at the top cradles the foam, permitting a substantial “peak” of foam to rest above the rim of the glass. Doesn't that sound great?

Case 2: Shaker Tumbler Glasses

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the “shaker” pint glass. It is best used for serving Cesars. Pouring a beer into a shaker is a near-crime. If you have ever had a very aromatic beer (let’s say a Belgian Dubbel) served to you in a shaker, you probably think that the glass is not hindering the beer’s aromas. Well, there is no tapering, so the aroma doesn’t really stick with the beer as much. This is just a wide open glass that is great for cocktails, but lends nothing to a beer drinking experience. If you were to pour the same beer into a stemmed tulip glass, you would notice a huge difference. There is an inward taper to hold in the aroma, and the flare at the top helps the glass fit the mouth well and also supports the beer’s head. A great example of great glassware would be Ottawa’s own Big Rig, and their Old Man Winter seasonal brew. This ale was a Belgian-style Strong Ale (sometimes known as a Quadruppel), and it was served in a stemmed tulip glass. The aromas presented by this glass were fantastic. The trick was to warm the glass in your hand before drinking it, which brings me to my next point.

The Shaker:
Great for Cocktails...

Case 3: Temperature

Drinking a commercial lager out of a frosted beer glass may be all well and good, but when you are drinking a craft brew, it mutes the aroma and flavor of the beer. For example, I went to a pub in Niagara Falls that had some pretty nice craft brew, and it was served in appropriate glassware. The problem was that the glass was so cold that the beer actually slushed up. I had a porter and a wheat beer that night, and the aromas were nearly nil on both pints until I was half-finished. The pint I had at Big Rig wasn’t so extremely cold. I could just hold the glass in my hand for a minute or so and the aromas were unleashed. And man, that beer was good.

Aroma comes from all of the good stuff in the beer, so it stands to reason that if the beer is too cold, none of it can evaporate and create wonderful aromas for beer enthusiasts to enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, if the beer is too warm… well, we all know how warm beer tastes. Serving temperature for beer should be roughly 3º to 13º Celsius (38º to 55º Farenheit). Darker beer or stronger beer should be served warmer, while lighter and weaker (let’s say “less strong”) beer should be served at colder temperatures. Rules to live by.

I hope that my first entry about beer glassware was educational and entertaining. Stay tuned for my next two posts about glassware, where I will go over some glasses best fitted to strong beer, and we'll also take a look at the Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass. That’s right, Boston Brewery’s Jim Koch has actually created a glass for his flagship lager. Not that it's new or anything, but it is pretty awesome!

Until next time…

S.B.

Broadhead's Seasonal Brew: Victory Brown Ale, For the Win.

Good Evening,

Image Courtesy of www.broadheadbeer.com

I am writing to you a happy man, for tonight I have in my possession a growler of Broadhead Brewery's Victory Brown Ale, their winter seasonal. I first tasted Broadhead Beer when I had my first dinner at The Cheshire Cat Pub, where I was intrigued by their Long Shot White beer. I had a chance to try them out again when I traveled to Toronto to visit a buddy for his birthday. I decided that I should bring along some craft brew from Ottawa as a gift, and Broadhead was still a relative unknown for me, so I decided to check them out. I grabbed growlers of the Dark Horse Stout and Grindstone Amber, and that was the best decision I've made in a while. Anyway...

I went back to the Broadhead brewery today and picked up a couple more growlers: Backbone Standard Ale and the holiday seasonal Victory Brown. And that brings us to this very moment.

This beer has a rich brown colour and a frothy, cream coloured head. Cold weather is prime time for dark beers, and this brew definitely qualifies. On the nose, this beer presents a very chocolaty front, with nutty undertones. There are also some elements of coffee and tobacco tucked away in there; characteristics of the roasted malts used in this beer. At 5.0% ABV, this beer is pretty status quo, which is actually a good thing for a holiday beer. Generally winter seasonals have higher alcohol content for the warming effect. I like the idea of a sessionable, lower alcohol winter ale because you can drink way more of it without forgetting about your holiday.

On the palate, this beer holds no surprises (not a bad thing). The rich, chocolaty taste is the first to show itself, and the finish is predominantly nutty with some malt bitterness. It's a great progression from start to finish. There isn't much of a hop presence in this beer, but that is to be expected, as it is a brown ale, which generally means malt-driven rather than hop domination. This medium to light bodied brew has a nice, creamy mouthfeel as well.

When it comes to food pairing, I had some delicious Kerrygold Dubliner cheese kicking around, so I ate some of that with a pint, and it was a pretty good pair. Definitely contrasting, but still tasty. It actually brought out the coffee/tobacco flavours in the beer, and the mild carbonation was great at scrubbing the cheese off the palate. I also had some christmas chocolates that my girlfriend brought home, which resulted in a very nutty pair. Excellent. I would say that some chocolate cheesecake would be a great pair as well. If you're going to have this beer with a meal, I would suggest a nicely grilled steak, or a roast of beef. Mashed potatoes and gravy on the side, of course! While you're at it, you may as well add some of the beer to the steak marinade and gravy. I doubt you would be disappointed.

Well, it's almost midnight, and I should probably hit the hay. Christmas shopping tomorrow!

Until next time...
S.B.

Weihenstephaner VITUS: The World's Oldest Brewery Does it Again.

Good Evening,

Weihenstephaner VITUS

Well, another day of work is done, so it is time to kick back with a tasty brew. Tonight I have decided to open my first Weihenstephaner VITUS. I have been waiting to try out this Weizenbock (pronounced "veye-tssen-bock" - according to the German Beer Institute's page on Weizenbock, you should not pronounce it "Wisenbock". Not my rules!) for some time now, so, needless to say, I am very excited. Weihenstephaner has been working its way up on my list of favourite beers over the past couple of years, and it definitely takes another step in the right direction with this brew.

Sometimes I find it funny that the majority of mainstream beers are quite bright, ie: completely translucent and very light in colour. This beer, on the other hand, is quite cloudy. It is not fully opaque, but definitely not bright by any means. This beer has a pale yellow colour, and as I mentioned previously, is very cloudy. As with other Weizen beers, the head was white and quite rocky. Foolishly, I did not take a picture of the beer immediately after pouring, so I cannot illustrate the beauty.

This is a seriously cloudy beer.

On the nose, this beer has the regular Hefe Weizen characteristics - notes of banana, bubble gum, yeast, and clove - as well as some sweet notes of toffee-esque burnt sugar. This is also a pretty boozy number, coming in at 7.7% ABV, and the alcohol is definitely noticeable on the nose, once the beer warms up. Those are some characteristics of a Bock.

To taste, this is a great beer. It has a medium-full body, and is quite smooth and refreshing in the mouth. For a boozy beer, alcohol is not really a huge flavour component, although it tastes boozier than it smells. As far as flavour goes, there is pretty much a repeat of the nose. The Weizen characteristics are more predominant, leaving the Bock flavour elements as undertones. The finish on this beer is mainly boozy, and has tasty banana and bubble gum notes. This finish is also medium-short in length, as well. This is a mix between Bock (short finish) and Weizen (medium-long finish).

Well, the beer is finished, and it was quite tasty.
I think that this Weizenbock would go well with a pad thai dish, or even with some spicy barbecue, maybe some medium-spicy wings or ribs. I must say that I'm glad I waited to taste this beer, and I hope there are more in the local liquor stores! I would (and do) highly recommend this beer to anyone, not just beer connoisseurs. With that said, you should probably head out and try to find a bottle of this beer while I head off to bed.

Until next time!

S.B.

The Cheshire Cat: A Diamond in the Rough

Good Evening,

A while ago, in a course I took on beer appreciation, several students - and the teacher - mentioned a pub called The Cheshire Cat, located in an old school house in Carp, Ontario. A pub named after one of the most enigmatic character in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventure in Wonderland" was certainly intriguing. The recommendation from the beer prof and several of the students was enough to tempt us into driving 23km for dinner and drinks.

When we arrived, it was busy! A busy pub is generally busy for a reason, so this was definitely not disheartening, especially since there was room for two more. The clean, rustic interior is cozy, with its dim (but not too dim) lighting and classic wood furniture providing a welcoming atmosphere, and so do the serving staff. Everyone is very courteous and the service is top notch.

Spearhead Moroccan Brown Ale
at The Cheshire Cat

After our first dinner at "The Cat", we decided that it was definitely not our last. At our second dinner last week, I managed to take a few notes and some photos to provide some insight into the delicious food and drink served at The Cheshire Cat.

Let's start with the beer. On my first trip, I had a pint of "Long Shot White" ale, by Ottawa's own Broad Head Brewery to start, and a Guinness with my Hot Beef & Yorkie Platter (which was delicious!). While I don't have full tasting notes on the Long Shot White, it's officially on my list! The beer was tasty and refreshing, a great precursor to the hearty meal.
On my second date at The Cat, I had Spearhead Brewery's Moroccan Brown Ale. For this beer I did take some notes. On the nose, this brew definitely shows some booze (it weights in at 6.0% ABV), chocolate, molasses, dried stone fruit such as dried plum, fig, or apricot, and raw malts. The flavour mimics the nose, and the finish is pretty short and mainly boozy with some molasses. The beer is smooth and sweet on the palate, which worked well to balance out the salt in my main course: Cottage Pie.

Cottage Pie with seasonal veg. and a side of gravy. The
Splashes of brown are a tasty balsamic-style dressing for the veg.

Now for the food. I had the Cottage Pie, which consists of ground beef mixed with garlic, corn and onions, with a delicious layer of mashed potatoes smothered in cheese, with a side of gravy. The gravy is amazing at this place, let me tell you. This dish comes with seasonal vegetables, in this case carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and parsnip. Let me just say it hit the spot. My girlfriend had the Ploughman's Lunch, and it was pretty amazing. There was chutney, summer sausage, ham, fresh fruit, three different types of bread, several different cheeses, pickled beets and onions, and apple compote. It's listed under starters, but as you can see, it's a serious meal. The food is very well done; it is very well presented and it tastes amazing to boot. I really liked having a side of gravy, rather than having my meal smothered in it. It allowed me to taste everything and add as much, or as little, gravy as I saw fit.

The Ploughman's Lunch. A hearty meal disguised as a starter!

I have been to The Cat three times now, and it just seems to get better every time. The Cheshire Cat hosts "guest taps", which change frequently and feature some very tasty beer. The Spearhead Moroccan Brown, for example, was a guest. The latest guest taps are Great Lakes Brewery's Devil's Pale Ale, and Stiegl's Grapefruit Radler. I had a Devil's Pale Ale to start, while my wonderful girlfriend had a Radler. The Devil's Pale Ale looked much darker on tap than I remember it being in a can, although I haven't had it in a year or so, so it is possible that the recipe has changed. I had a Tetley's with my meal this time, which was the Elk, Ale and Mushroom pie with mashed potatoes. Tetley's cream ale is nothing to write home about, but the food sure is! The Cat uses Kichesippi's 1855 Dark Ale  in their Elk pie, which enhances the gravy's flavour.

Now I come to the "areas of improvement" segment of this post. Really there is only one: the lack of a stout other than Guinness. I do enjoy Guinness, but I think having an alternative would be beneficial, especially to a small place that touts some pretty interesting brews. Mill Street's Cobblestone Stout is very nice - a bit sweeter than Guinness - and tastes great with game meat such as Elk, and I think it would be an excellent pair with the Hot Beef and Yorkie Platter. Food for thought...

The Cheshire Cat is an amazing spot. The friendly atmosphere and great serving staff are outstanding. We were given samplers from the new guest taps when we came in, as we were having trouble deciding which beer to order, and when we inquired about the pumpkins sitting out back, the owner brought one out for us, free of charge. When you throw in some delicious food and beer at a great price, this is a place that's pretty tough to beat. I'll definitely be eating there again (and again...)

The Cheshire Cat is located at 2193 Richardson Side Road, in Carp Ontario. You can call for reservations (and I recommend you do) at (613) 831-2183.

Until next time...
S.B.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel: A Real Mouthful

Good evening,

I was wandering through a local LCBO (Ontario liquor store), and I found a couple new brews from the oldest brewery in the world: Weihenstaphan. What did I find? The Weihenstephaner Hefeweissebier Dunkel and Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock. I've never had a Weizenbock before, so I'm pretty excited about it. Unfortunately, I won't be having it tonight. Tonight is all about the Hefeweissbier Dunkel.

First of all, the beer pours beautifully. This beer is a nice, light brown colour. Very cloudy with a white, rocky head, a characteristic of a Bavarian style Hefeweissbier, and comes from the wheat malt used in the brew. The cloudiness comes from the yeast (or 'hefe' in German). Part of the brewing process is to filter out the yeast, which stops (or slows) fermentation, and adds clarity to the beer. In the case of a Hefeweissbier, the yeast is not completely filtered out. This also creates a phenomenon called "bottle conditioning", which is the process of further fermentation in the bottle. This helps create a higher alcohol content in the beer, and leaves it cloudy. This beer rings in at 5.3% ABV, but since it is not fresh off the shelf, it may actually be higher due to bottle conditioning.

The stereotypical Weissbier has a nose consisting primarily of banana, bubblegum and cloves, and this brew definitely stays in character. As it is a Dunkel, however, there is also a hint of burnt sugar (caramel), and some dried apricot added to the mix. Darker beers use darker malt, which translates into more of a caramel, sometimes toasty essence. In this case there is definitely some caramel on the nose. I also smell buckwheat honey and a boozy aroma. The actual yeast, or biscuit smell rounds things out. Overall the scent is quite intoxicating. Get it?

Tasting this beer, I get a full repeat of the nose. The banana and bubblegum are predominant, while the caramel, apricot and honey follow closely. The finish is largely boozy, with some banana and biscuit as well. This beer is quite enjoyable. I would say it's a good beer to help somebody transition from the hot weather (where a good Hefeweissbier will never go amiss), and prepare for a the cold weather, where darker brews with higher alcohol reign supreme... in my mind at least.

This beer would pair well with some nice aged cheese and chutney. Speaking of chutney, I found a nice pork roast in the fridge, coated with my girlfriend's home made chutney. This was an amazing pair with this Dunkel. As there are also some darker characteristics in this beer, some nice brazed ribs would also pair well.

Alas, my pint is finished, so I guess I should be calling it a night. Until next time, if you see the glass as half empty, fill it up!

S.B.

How Box Steam Brewery's Funnel Blower Porter had me at "hello"

Good Evening,

I have decided to re-create this blog from scratch (hence the minimalist template), and I could not imagine a better way to kick-off than by sampling Box Steam Brewery's Funnel Blower Porter (see picture).

It is fast approaching Winter (it snowed here in Ottawa today!), and this is the perfect time of year to fall in love with your favourite Porter all over again. Well, I can't say that this is my tried, tested and true favourite Porter, but it is growing on me fast.

The description of the beer on the label is intriguing; "bitterness of roasted barley and malts with a subtle vanilla sweetness". The label itself is very elegant. Artsy, yet with  precise curves and lines on a graph-like background to appeal to the math geek in me.

As for the beer itself, it has a thick, ebony hue, barely translucent when held up to a light. Just from looking at it I would say it is very rich, with its creamy, white head bringing to mind whipped cream topping a dark chocolate mousse.

So far, the Funnel Blower Porter has proven to be quite aesthetically pleasing, but this brew is so much more. The nose on this Porter is sweet enough to make one reminisce back to the days of yore, hanging around in the kitchen while mom and grandma bake goodies for the holidays. The first scent I pick up is mainly vanilla, with a hint of toffee. Much like a vanilla cake coated with a melted toffee or butterscotch topping. Another sniff brings out some roasted malts (which bring a somewhat chocolatey, slightly coffee-esque scent). I am also sensing a very subtle hint of  berry. Possibly cranberry, but as I said, extremely subtle.

Upon first taste, I get a lot of malt bitterness, but as the label states, the vanilla sweetness counterbalances the malts, the result of which is almost too tasty for words. Almost. Nearly every flavour that I could smell, I can taste. Save for the berries. Dark chocolate is a dominant element upon first taste, which is derived from the malt bitterness. The vanilla is not as prominent as it was in the nose, but that is all for the better, as it does not upstage any of the other flavours. Instead of berries, I get more of a dried stone fruit note, probably apricot. The finish on this beer isn't as long as I thought it would be, I would say medium length. As for flavour, the malt bitterness is quite prominent, again with a hint of vanilla to create a nice finish. Calling this an aftertaste would be a travesty.

This is a very creamy brew, medium-bodied with very little hops and a medium malt content. I'm willing to bet that this beer would go well with vanilla ice cream, or a nice warm brownie. You could also try a cheese that's a little on the nutty side. Although it wasn't a bad pair, it definitely did take away from the wonderful chocolate/vanilla combo that I experienced in the initial tasting. But with a rich, chocolatey dessert, you will likely come out a winner. To be quite honest, you will do quite well just drinking the beer!

Now, about the brewery. There are six different offerings, according to the Web site (http://www.boxsteambrewery.co.uk):

• The Golden Bolt golden bitter
• Chuffin' Ale brown bitter
• Tunnel Vision traditional bitter
• Steam Porter
• Piston Broke golden ale

I would recommend checking out their Web site and, if you're near Holt in Britain, check out the brewery! You can get more info about their beers and brewery at their Web site. I'm hoping to get to that area of the world (from Ontario, Canada) in the next year, and do a tour of their brewery and  their two pubs (http://www.boxsteambrewery.co.uk/our-pubs/). Personally, I can't wait to find another Box Steam Brewery here in my section of Ontario.

Until next time...