Cruisin’ … on a Sunday afternoon …. I can’t imagine anything better. Rating → 81 points Stats: (Golden) Pale Ale. 4.9% ABV. 40 IBUs. Toronto, Ontario. Size: 355mL Colour: Hazy, almost white gold Mouth Feel: Medium carbonation — very crisp clean finish. Purchased: LCBO Price: $13.65 (6 pack) Pairing Notes: Cadbury Easter Eggs (yes, I said it) Mmm…
Searching for the Great Pumpkin … Ale
As Canadian Thanksgiving arrives and we sacrifice hundreds of thousand of pumpkins across this fair land as part of our traditional devourment of the greatest pumpkin pies in the country, it seems appropriate that I spend a few days at least contemplating that other pumpkin treat: pumpkin ale. What makes a great pumpkin ale? And what is the…
“Oranje Weisse” (White Ale) Amsterdam Brewing Co. Limited
Amsterdam is a brewery that is quickly going to the top of my mental list of brewers who consistently produce stellar beers. They gained my instant respect with their Boneshaker IPA and cemented it with the vastly different but equally impressive Vicars Vice old ale. And while they stay in their own ale series, I can’t imagine…
“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…
“Legendary Oddity” (Spiced Beer), Muskoka Brewery
Finally … a beer from the Muskoka Brewery worth writing about. Having previously reviewed their ubiquitous Mad Tom and Twice as Mad offerings which left me unimpressed, I was hesitant about sticking another toe in their fermented waters. Twice bitten — definitely third time shy. So why did I take the bait? The packaging grabbed…
Ale No. 4 ~ “Signature Ale” (English Pale Ale) County Durham Brewing Company
For the fourth tasting in my Ales Bells series, I thought it appropriate to reintroduce myself to one of the standards in ales, the English-styled pale ale. Compared to the chocolate brown of my last tasting or the first in the series, Beau’s “Gilgamesh” (an “old ale”), you can clearly see the reason why this style is called…
Ale No. 1 ~ “Gilgamesh” (Old Ale) Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
So this marks the first in a series I’m calling “Ales Bells,” seven ales in seven days. Seven different ales from seven different producers, each from a different providence, with different twists. With so many choices of where to start, I elected to start with a recent purchase from the LCBO from a brewery you already know that…
“Rudolphus VI” (Belgian IPA) Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
Most good things must eventually run their course … and this concludes my “Best of Beau’s” series featuring the four beer in their “mix pack.” This final comer is, again, Beau’s Brewery’s play with a defining but yet less mainstream beer style: the Belgian IPA, something I didn’t know that existed as a “style” before…
“Burnt Rock” (Vanilla Porter) Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
Hmm … Yes, hmm… Not exactly the way one starts a great tasting. It’s taking many sips to figure this beer out. I’ll grant you, I was confused out of the gate by the incongruence of this being a porter that only weighs in at 4.9%. While I did drink a lot of Porters while…
“Doc’s Feet” (Dubbel) Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
Ambition can be a dangerous thing. Doc’s Feet is going to challenge you as much as the label challenges convention. I’m not sure if this some homage to Hello Kitty fitted as a west coast totem (I fear to ask) holding I don’t know what (a beer cap? the sole of a Doc Marten?). I…