Pour chocolate into me and lick me clean …. Rating → 84 points Stats: Oatmeal Stout. 5.6% ABV. 30 IBUs. Ottawa, Ontario. Size: Half-growler Colour: Dark, dark brown — impenetrable Mouth Feel: Medium, very natural carbonation; light in the mouth, creamy in the middle, clean finish Purchased: From Brewery Price: $7 (plus $3 bottle deposit) Pairing Notes:…
“Winter Beard” (Double Chocolate Stout), Muskoka Brewery
If our current culture has hit ‘peak beard,’ then this is surely the crowning glory … at to that some ‘peak chocolate’ and you have sin in a glass. Rating → 95 points Stats: Chocolate Stout. 8.0% ABV, Bracebridge, Ontario. Size: 750mL Colour: Dark, nearly impervious deep brown with the slimmest of ‘red’ when backlit…
“Vicar’s Vice ~ olde ale” (Old Ale) Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited
If you read my Ale Series, you learned about “old ale” as a style in the context of Beau’s “Gilgamesh.” If you haven’t already, it is a unique style worth exploring. I was an instant fan of Amsterdam Brewing from the first taste of their “Boneshaker” IPA which has been a staple in my fridge…
Malivoire Gamay (2012)
Food and wine … a splendid marriage for the ages. Starting in 2014, I’ll be adding a few wine reviews to my blog. I make no pretensions of being a wine critic or sommelier. I have no credentials other than my palette which loves to explore and taste. And while I have no pretensions, I…
“Founders Centennial IPA” (India Pale Ale), Founders Brewing Company
For centuries theologians and philosophers have debated how many angels you fit on the head of a needle … but I’m thinking the debate should be whether archangels are big beer drinkers? Do you or I care? Well, I’m guessing the folks at Founders Brewing Company do … at least based on the Raphael’esque label…
Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Gluten-Free)
As mentioned in my last post, three staples of my CSA shares have seemed both constant in their delivery and therefore a constant challenge to use too. The inspiration of what to do with my last batch of zucchini came through my ruminations in September as I prepared to share a “cherished Canadian recipe.” In…
“La Vache Folle” (Imperial Milk Stout), Microbrasserie Charlevoix.
On Monday, and on what turned out to be a rather despicable day in terms of weather, it was appropriate that I decided to turn to the last winter beer I planned to review before next winter. It may not be entirely appropriate that I also decided to do a slow barbeque full for baby…
“Raccoon” (Imperial Black IPA), Microbrasserie Le Naufrageur
A cool, cloudy day with still lots of snow on the lawns seemed as good as any for a return to winter … and to Imperial Black IPAs. I grabbed this beautifully styled bottle Le Naufrageur’s Raccoon out of the fridge thinking at first this was an imperial stout. The capped popped, the smells immediately…
“Stout Imperiale” (Imperial Stout), Multi-Brasses microbrasserie
One of my most interesting discoveries this season of immersing myself in winter beers as a genre has been the “Imperial Stout” whose history is just as interesting a discovery (see Dunham’s “Imperial Black IPA”). While these are not beers for the faint of heart owing to their intense flavours and high alcohol levels (in this case…
“La Marée Noire” (Black American Ale), Microbrasserie Saint-Arnould
Torrefaction: “the act or process of torrefying or the state of being torrefied.” Not so helpful … humph. God I hate such definitions. Let’s try that again …. Torrefying: “to subject (ores) to scorching heat so as to drive off volatile ingredients; to roast.” Ah … there’s the ticket. “Huh?” you ask. “I read it…