Thursday 30 April 2015

Throwback Thursday: The Saga Begins

Thirsty Thursday is upon us and it is also Throwback Thursday where people trot out old pictures and reminisce. As I think about this blog, which is now in it's 5th year, I feel I need to share with you its origins.  Here it is. Tucked away on my computer is a old Excel spreadsheet that would eventually become the Blog.

It started out as a day of boredom. I was sorting through stuff in my home office and came across a box of paper beer coasters. This was back in my bartending days, I felt it was my job to taste everything out there so I could be a knowledgeable server. As a reminder and a keepsake, as I tasted a new beer I would often keep a coaster which ended up in that box in my office. So I decided to see how many beers I had tasted. After a short bit of typing I had ended up around 200 or so beers, which I kept adding to. In the end, I was up over 600 different beers. However, a dead laptop took out the most complete copy of the file, leaving me with an old backup of which you see a screenshot above.

I like to open it up sometimes and look at some of the beers on there. Many do not exist anymore. (for some that is a good thing, others it is a crying shame) For instance:

Molson Naked: Yes... this was a product. Although a quick websearch would tell you otherwise, and leave me wanting to clear my browser cache... During the 1990's The big beer companies were obsessed with removing the "aftertaste" from beer. It was a product that was aimed more at the younger female demographic, and really didn't sell. I think Molson just wanted more women using the term "Naked" in a bar setting.

Also from Molson Was the trifecta of Ultra, Ultra Low Carb, and XXX Three high alcohol beers intended for younger drinkers and poor decisions.

Labatt had Ice, Extra Ice, and Maximum Ice. Yes I know sounds like soft drink sizes, But they were from the Ice Beer rage, where brewers partially froze the beer and then scooped out the ice crystals to elevate the alcohol percentage, a sort of cold distilling. Not to be outdone Molson Had Canadian Ice, there was Miller Ice, and Genesee Ice among others.

Labatt's big marketing scheme of the 1990's was the Labatt X and Y. Two red ales that were brewed slightly different from each other and then they asked their customers to call in or write in and vote on their favourite. The winner I believe was X and it went on to be produced for a year or so as Labatt Copper. Also from the Labatt Stable in this era was Twist Shandy, It was a beer mixed with Lemonade and one of the first "Ready to drink" beer cocktails that I remember. It hung around for a few years (and actually wasn't all bad...)

Other beers on this list make me sad. Bow Valley Brewing company was a brewery in Canmore Alberta and they produced an award winning lager called Bow Valley Lager (oddly enough...) It was hands down the best lager I had ever tasted. It's sister beer was Bruno's Mountain Bock, not quite as good as the lager but tasty enough. They eventually merged with The Banff Brewing company, and eventually folded. I nearly cried...

There are a million stories in my old file. The beers of the Grizzly Paw... also in Canmore, The Old Granville Island Brewery when it was still on Granville Island and not bought out by MolsonCoors. The Merchant Ale House in St. Catharines, Ontario. I enjoy coming here to my old file to reflect. And I am happy that it's younger sibling, the Blog, is continuing it's journey. I have reached thousands of people in over a hundred countries. I also look forward to doing it for another five years.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers

CJT

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Estrella Damm Daura Gluten Reduced Lager

Beer # 228

 Estrella Damm Daura Gluten Reduced Lager


S.A Damm Brewery
Barcelona, Spain

Independent Large Scale Brewery

Gluten Reduced lager
5.4 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 330 ml
$2.17 (Canadian) At LCBO ($13.00 for a six pack)

Twitter: @dauradamm



I was intrigued when this new "gluten free" beer showed up in the local LCBO. Especially since it was touted to be the best gluten free beer in the world. Produced by S.A. Damm, the brewers responsible for Estrella Damm among other notable beers, Daura Damm has won awards 11 awards between 2008 and 2013. Unlike other gluten free beers which try to create a beer like flavour using grains or other fermentables that do not contain gluten, Daura uses rice and barley malt and then "removes" the gluten in some unexplained process. They claim the finished product contains about 3 PPM of gluten and anything under 20 PPM is considered gluten free by international standards.

Onto our beer...

Pours a crystal clear light gold with a thin off-white head made of small bubbles. Nose is flat and off putting, slightly chemical some wet dog and sulphur. Thin bodied with a washed out malt background, very chemical tasting with an acute bitterness that takes over in the middle of the beer and does not let your tongue go. The finish is pungent, skunky, and astringent not unlike biting into a bitter green weed.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 1/6 FAIL
Re-Order:  1/6  FAIL
Experience:  1/6 FAIL

Final Thoughts:

In the interest of keeping an open mind I have always tried to openly and honestly taste  gluten free beers, and I have found more than one that is quite good and very drinkable. This is not one of those. Not by a long shot. Their claims of this being the best gluten free beer in the world makes me wonder if they invited anyone else to try out. This is an ugly beer and does not deserve any of the recognition it seems to have garnered... Avoid this beer.

If you believe you have Celiac's disease, please contact a immunologist in your area familiar with the disease and have yourself tested before attempting a gluten free diet on your own. You may also contact your local Celiac's Society for information on being tested. 

Canada  http://www.celiac.ca/

UK   https://www.coeliac.org.uk/home/

USA   http://celiac.org/

CheersCJT



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Side Launch Pale Ale

Beer # 227 Side Launch Pale Ale


Side Launch Brewing Company
Collingwood, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery

Pale Ale
5.3 % ABV IBU: 35 Aluminum Can 473 ml
$3.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @sidelaunch


Another offering from the good people of Side Launch in Collingwood.The second of their three core beers, tonight's brew is a Canadian Pale Ale, but to me it is very reminiscent of a British Pale. 

Onto our tasting:
Pours a brassy gold with a massive off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is a toasty, citrus with note of hay and straw. First sip is deeply herbal with fresh bitter hops, clean and light and very refreshing. There is dandelion and chicory, some mild bitterness towards the end clean fresh malt taste and a touch of caramel. Aeration gives us a funky green herbal hoppiness, and a touch of bitterness on the finish to clean up the palate.






Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

An excellent take on the Pale ale style. Easy drinking and delicious. This will be a very good beer for you patio consideration this year. Try one soon.

Cheers


CJT



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