Sunday 30 October 2016

Beers # 286 and 287 The Terrior Project Sawdust City Brewery

The Terroir Project Pale Ale

Sawdust City Brewing Company


Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery
Wet Hopped Pale Ale Tillsonburg and Nottawa Chinook hops
5.4 % ABV 20 IBU
10 oz Half Pint Glass
$3.75 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @sawdustcitybeer

Popped into the local brewery recently to try out their new wet hop beer. Last year they did a similar brew where they went and picked the hops in the morning drove back to the brewery and made the beer with the fresh green hops. Hops are usually processed, they are dried and come in pellet form. However, since the proliferation of craft breweries, hops farms have had to keep pace, and are springing up everywhere. Since hops do grow almost anywhere, and they are similar to grapes ( as in they take on a flavour profile specific to the soil they are grown in) Sawdust wanted to experiment and see how much hop terrior can affect the beer it is used in.

Enter the "Terrior Project." Sawdust brewed a batch of a standard pale ale and then split it in half and hopped it with Chinook hops purchased from two different hop farms. The first was Tillsonburg. It is a farming town, famous for tobbacco, The second is Nottawa, which is a small community south of Collingwood The famous shipbuilding town on the shores of Lake Huron. The area here is noted for farming and limestone quarries. So how do the beers differ? Is there a more mineral quality in the beer from Nottawa? or is there more fruity character?
 

Let's find out.


Onto our beers for tonight.
Tillsonburg on the left Nottawa on the Right


From the first pour the beers look identical, but do they taste identical?

Beer # 286 Tillsonburg
The colour is a honey gold with a light skiff of head made up of white bubbles. The aroma is fruity with hints of grapefruit and papaya. Pine is evident right at the end. First sip is aromatic green hops some light caramel malt and a hint of bitterness. Mineral notes dominate the middle with some resinous pine. Aeration gives us more caramel, pine and fresh greenery.

Beer # 287 Nottawa
The colour is an almost identical honey gold with a light skiff of head made up of slightly off-white bubbles. The aroma while still fruity has stronger pine notes with hints of herbal bitter greens. The first sip gives us lots of fresh pine and resin. Sweet caramel malt and hints of bitterness at the back of the throat. Aeration gives us more pine with some hints of tansy.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 




                          Tilsonburg                       Nottawa         

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


Final Thoughts:


Quite frankly, I was impressed that I would find a substantial enough taste difference between the two beers. Keep in mind these beers are identical: same grain, same water, same yeast, same process, and same weight of hops. The only difference, at all, is the fact the hops were grown in two different soils. Both beers are excellent. I enjoyed them almost equally. but the strong fruitiness of the Tillsonburg just ever so slightly tipped the balance. Tillsonburg was my favourite. However... the only way you will know, is to try them for yourself. And I urge you to do so. I hope more breweries do this in the future as this was a delightful experiment.
CJT



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Friday 14 October 2016

Beer # 285 Mongozo Premium Pilsner Gluten Free

Beer # 285 Mongozo Gluten Free

Mongozo BV


Melle Belguim

Independent
Gluten Free Pilsner 
5.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 330 ml.
$3.15 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: N/A

Lurr, Ruler of the Planet Omicron Persei 8
doesn't like this beer either

So I like to try and give a chance to gluten free beers even though I don't like them, and think they are just a marketing stunt trying to wedge open an unnecessary niche. But, this beer... Wow, this beer both confuses and infuriates me; Just like my friend Lurr of the Planet Omicron Persei 8. It starts life as a lager... with gluten, then they do something to it... (no doubt unspeakably horrible) and suddenly it has no gluten left. But actually... it may, as it comes with a WARNING, that this product MAY CONTAIN GLUTEN. To distract you from this fact, the product is certified Fair Trade, and Organic. Now to deepen the confusion this beer has won multiple gold medals at the world beer stage. Which either tells you there is no competition at the world stage for this crap; or these beers really ARE THAT BAD... I'll leave that distinction to you. But if it were me and I was Celiac and it came down to drinking this beer or gluten filled beer; I would take the regular beer every time. My stomach would not like it, but my taste buds would not believe I hated them.

As always, I am not a doctor... I just play one in chat rooms. If you suspect you have Celiac's disease PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, consult an Immunologist who has experience with the disease. Have your family physician recommend one, or go through one of the Celiac Websites:

Canada:  www.celiac.ca

USA:      www.celiac.org

UK         www.coeliac.org.uk

Remember Celiac's is an autoimmune disease akin to Lupus. It is not a weight loss programme, or a "cleansing diet." The concept of "gluten sensitivity" has been scientifically proven false. Please use with caution.

Onto the "beer" (if we can call it that...)

Pours a brassy gold colour with a flat skiff of a head made up of odd sized bubbles. The nose is wet dog and chemical. light hints of grain and citrus. First sip is flat and watery like soda that has been left open. Light grain, some bread, and touches of citrus. Hints of pepper on the end of the tongue. Overwhelming taste of soda water, touches of minerals. Aeration brings out some green hops.

 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS

Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 0/6 FAIL
Re-Order:  0/6  FAIL
Experience: 0/6 FAIL



Final Thoughts:



I cannot describe how much I hated this agglomeration of ingredients that made up something resembling an alcoholic beverage. This was pure trash in a bottle designed to separate the gullible from their money. This "beer" makes me long for something with more flavour... like Coor's Light.

I need a shower and to scrub my tongue off. I give this "beer" the un-coveted #DrainAward. Avoid this, like you would your crazy ex, wielding a chainsaw.

  
Cheers


CJT


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Beer # 284 35 & 118 Cream Ale Bushkung Brewing Company

#283 35 & 118 Cream Ale

Boshkung Brewing Company


Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada

Brewery
Cream Ale 
5.0 % ABV IBU: 18
473 ml Aluminium Can
$3.50 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing

Finishing up with my last can from boshkung, we end on the last core beer the rather popular 35 & 188 Cream ale. Named for the two highways that intersect in front of the brewery 35 & 118 has won two medals for Boshkungs trophy room. In 2015 they took home a silver for the Cream Ale category at the Canadian Brewing awards, in 2016 they took top spot in the same category.

Onto the cream of the crop...

Pours a light gold colour with a large fluffy white head made up of small bubbles. Nose is malt forward with lots of caramel and straw, Light hints of green hops with a good hit of bitterness. Aeration brings out tart green hops graininess, light spice, and some sweet caramel.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS

Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6  PASS
Experience: 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:


I am disappointed in myself for leaving this one until last. Every beer from Boshkung has been delicious and fantastic. Sadly, Cream Ale is not a preferred style for me... I have never been able to get a taste groove going on them. While the style of this beer is outstanding, I can't enjoy it personally. So I have to leave this on a down note which bothers me a bit, since this is a great beer. Technically, it is crisp, flavourful, well balanced, good malt usage and just the right amount of hops. So in this one case you kinda have to ignore me and go out and try this beer for yourself. If you like Cream Ales, you will love this. I am looking forward to more great things from Boshkung, I hope I can get my hands on some of the seasonals that are coming up.


CJT


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Wednesday 12 October 2016

Beer # 283 North Country Kellerbier Boshkung Brewing Company

#283 North Country Kellerbier 

Boshkung Brewing Company


Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada

Brewery
Kellerbier 
5.0 % ABV IBU: 23
473 ml Aluminium Can
$3.50 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing

Back to Boshkung again to try out the first of the two canned beers I brought back from my visit. Tonight's offering is a Kellerbier and I believe this may be the first Keller I've written about. So quickly, a Kellerbier (or "cellar beer" in English) is a German ale that has been fermented at a lower temperature than regular ales. Before refrigeration they were fermented in the cellar, hence the name, and generally for a longer time, giving them a much more complex flavour. Tonight's beer is an excellent example of the style, and the Canadian Brewing Awards seems to agree with me. This beer added another gold medal to Bushkung's trophy cabinet Taking top spot for the Kellerbier category in 2015.


Ok, let's go down to the cellar...

Pours a darker off-gold colour with a bright fluffy white head made up of small bubbles. The nose is amazing! Very fruity with bright notes of red berries, hints of currant and raspberry. First sip is fruity fresh with notes of citrus. Toasty caramel malt follows, tinges of honey and raspberry round out the middle. Aeration gives us some tingly citrus and more honey, well balanced malt and a hint of spice. Finish is clean with some hints of bread dipped in honey fading into the background.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS

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



Final Thoughts:


YES! Best Kellerbier I've tasted so far. Too many are washed out and weak. This one is bright and flavourful Many Kellers walk a line between tasting like a lager and an ale, (most tasting like a flattened out lager) This one doesn't... It pirouettes down that line effortlessly bending the crispness of the cold fermentation with the hearty malt drive ale flavours. This is a summer refresher to be proud of. But don't just take my word for it... get some for yourself. 
Cheers


CJT


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Tuesday 11 October 2016

Beer # 282 Downhill Pale Ale Collingwood Brewery

#282 Downhill Pale Ale

Collingwood Brewery


Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Pale Ale 
5.4 % ABV 33 IBU
473 ml Aluminium Can
$2.85 (Canadian) At the Beer Store

Twitter: @CollingwoodBeer


Back to Collingwood and the Collingwood brewery tonight. I picked these cans up on a trip to Sudbury, which is oddly further away from me than Collingwood is. Tonight's offering is a Pale Ale, and while just about every brewery around does a Pale Ale, few do them well. I have been impressed as of late as the quality of Pales and IPA and APAs are increasing overall. More and more breweries are coming up with their own take on the style that both honours it and improves upon it.


Ok let's go downhill!

Pours a cloudy golden/amber colour with an off-whitehead composed of small bubbles. Aroma is honey and tropical fruit with a light floral background.The first sip is mildly spicy light caramel malt and a touch of wood. This is followed by a complex hop profile with spices, bitter herbs, some grassiness, and some strong florals. Finish is lychee with some tobacco and hints of marijuana. Aeration gives us a little nuts, caramel, and grains.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS

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

Final Thoughts:



Another solid Pale Ale with a nice layered flavour profile. good complexity with goo floral and fruitiness. Pick one of these up.

Cheers


CJT


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Sunday 9 October 2016

Beer # 281 Lawrence of Arabica Coffee Orange Porter Amager Bryghus


#281 Lawrence of Arabica Coffee Orange Porter
Collaboration with 18th Street Brewery


Amager Bryghus


Kastrup, Denmark

Independent Microbrewery
Flavoured Porter
7.0 % ABV 32 IBU
500 ml Brown Glass Bottle
$6.30 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @18thStreetBrew



It's been a while since I had a beer from Amager in Denmark. They tend to be quite good. However I didn't originally pick this up because it was from Amager, I didn't even know it was a collaboration until I logged in on Untappd. I was initially struck by the artwork on the bottle, and I'm a sucker for good ( read: bad) puns. So basically I bought it because it was punny. Tonight's offering, aside from being the aforementioned collab between Amager Bryghus of Denmark and 18th Street Brewery of Hammond Indiana, Is a coffee and orange peel infused strong porter. 


Onto tonight's tasting...

Pours an inky black/brown with a thin dark chestnut coloured head. Aroma is smoky, slightly tarry, with chocolate, coffee, molasses, and charcoal. First sip is a deeply roasted malt with strains of dark coffee and espresso. A slight charred bitterness, with light hints of citrus and a minute sparkle on the back of the tongue. As the beer warms a nice woodsy whiskey flavour. The orange is more evident at warmer temperatures. Aeration bring out smoky wood, and charcoal campfire coffee, and hints of vanilla.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS

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


Final Thoughts:


This is a wonderful beer. very flavourful, aromatic and complex. This sultry smoky deliciousness is exactly what a porter should be. The coffee and the orange are light enough to compliment the dark roasted malts, and not too heavy as to hijack the taste profile. Well balanced and worth a try.


CJT



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Saturday 8 October 2016

Beer# 280 Hopsta La Vista IPA Longslice Brewery




#280 Hopsta La Vista

Longslice Brewery

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Contract Brewery

India Pale Ale 
6.5 % ABV IBU: 69
473 ml Aluminium Can
$2.90 at the LCBO

Twitter: @LongsliceBrews

Longslice brewery is a new one on me. I was initially attracted by the punny, bright packaging. Started by two brothers from Bracebridge, Jimmy and John Peat who started homebrewing in high school with their Dad... ( way cool Dad!) In 2013 Jimmy Peat took second place in the Toronto Beer Week Homebrew competition with a hybrid English Pale Ale/ American IPA. That beer would go on to become tonight's offering Hopsta La Vista. The Peat Brothers were joined by longtime friend Sebastian Lesch and on March 20 2014 Longslice Brewery was born. In 2015 Hopsta La Vista added another medal to the trophy cabinet taking home a Gold at the Ontario Brewing Awards.


They also have the most awesome retro 1990's style website that made me laugh when I saw it. Please check it out here.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a darker orange amber in colour with an off tan head made up of small bubbles.The nose is malty with a herbal hop and tea nose. First sip is strong and malty with notes of bitter greens black tea. A bit of a creamy mouthfeel. Spikes of pine and cedar with some leather in the background. The beer is viscous, almost oily and clings to the glass when swirled taking on almost a bubbly honey look cascading down the inside of the glass. Aeration gives us some malt and molasses with hints of dried fruit and very mild spice. Finish is bitter herbs and a slight marijuana feeling. 


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS

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

Final Thoughts:


A very good IPA Deep flavours, well constructed. Great mouthfeel, and well balanced. Definitely pick this one up, if you like full bodied IPAs this is the beer for you.

Cheers


CJT


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Thursday 6 October 2016

Muskoka Brewery's 20th Anniversary Event Saturday June 25th 2016



Ok. My summer has been super busy. I'm just sitting down now to clear up my notes for the blog and I have a few posts that I have started and not finished due to lack of time. Usually, I would just move on and put in fresh content but there are two posts I started that I do not want to disappear into the cyber ether. One was for Sawdust City's First annual "Funk Fest" which was an amazing day of beer and music, which I will get to a little later and the other was this post. Back in June I had the opportunity to attend The Muskoka Brewery's 20th Anniversary. They threw a party and invited a few hundred of their closest friends. It was a fantastic chance to try some interesting one-offs and some seasonal beers that were not going to make it into cans or venture much further than the tasting rooms of the breweries that made them. In attendance to help the Muskoka Brewery celebrate were friends from Sawdust City Brewing Company in Gravenhurst, Whitewater Brewing Company in Forrester's Falls, and Lake of Bays Brewing Company in Baysville. Here are my notes... as always... better late than never.


Time to Party Like it's 1996

The Beer-Story



Serious Bling
Started in June 1996 The Muskoka Cottage Brewery, as it was known then, on the corner or Taylor Road and River Road in downtown Bracebridge. Over the years it has grown and expanded from its tiny original location with its rabbit warren of tanks and equipment to its shiny new location on Muskoka Beach Road at the edge of town. Their beer portfolio has grown from just a few bottles to a large number of interesting and flavourful brews that have filled their Trophy room to the brim. 

It was also a special day for another reason. Muskoka Brewery was celebrating the fact that they had become the first Brewery in Canadian history to guarantee a Certified Living Wage to all of its employees. That means that any employee would earn enough money to comfortably pay all of their bills and achieve "a basic level of economic security above the poverty line." It is a fantastic commitment from the company and a great investment in the community that the brewery serves.






Onto our Beers of the Day...


Whitewater Brewing Company

Forrester's Falls, Ontario

@WhitewaterBrew

Chinook Me All Night Long

Chinook me all night long 

Session IPA
3.8 % ABV
50 IBU

Honey amber colour light caramel on the nose with hints of citrus. First sip is chinook hops dominated piney and citrus. Aeration  brings out some caramel and bitter greens. Very refreshing



Honey Badger Brown
Honey Badger Brown

Brown Ale
5 %  ABV
20 IBU

Dark amber  with a smoky and molasses nose. Lots of caramel. First sip is sweet and malty yet still light. Honey on the background with just a hint of bitter greens.  Aeration gives us espresso  and lots of sweet honey.






Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Baysville, Ontario

@LB_Brewing


The Daily Rind

The Daily Rind
Flavoured Session IPA with lemon zest
5.2 % ABV
50 IBU

Slightly cloudy Honey amber colour nose is light caramel with hints of lemon peel.  Very crisp and clean plenty of lemon zest... tart and zingy. some bitter greens on the finish. Aeration gives us more caramel and some sweet lemon curd.



Sawdust City Brewing Company
Summer Stache

Gravenhurst Ontario

@SawdustCityBeer

Summer 'Stache

Flavoured Berliner Weisse with Cranberries
3.5 % ABV

Bright red cranberry colour. Nose is very light red fruit first sip is very tart cranberry very clean bright and refreshing with a little wheat finish. Aeration brings out a citrus almost cranberry lemonade.





Muskoka Brewing Company
Ruff Draught

Bracebridge Ontario

@MuskokaBrewery


Ruff Draught


Tropical Blonde ale
5.0 % ABV
25 IBU

Light gold in colour nose is tropical fruit. First sip is pineapple with hints of wheat and banana and a hint of spice. Aeration pumps up the tropical fruit especially the banana


Cool as a Cuke


Flavoured Session American Pale Ale with Cucumber and lemon grass
4.7 % ABV
Cool as a Cuke
25 IBU

Colour is clear gold with hints of green. Nose is light grains and some caramel. First sip is bright refreshing  cucumber salad with hints of citrus. Aeration  gives us a hint of bitter greens more citrus and lots of sweet cool cuke.


Moonlight Kettle Series Muskoka Equinox

Flavoured American Pale wheat ale
Black cherry vanilla
4.6 %  ABV
20 IBU

Moonlight Kettle Series: Equinox
Slighty cloudy off gold nose is light and wheat with some vanilla. First sip gives us some background sweetness with cherries vanilla and banana... hmm I could make some ice cream with this. Tastes like a cherry soda. Aeration pumps up the vanilla and cherry with hints of lemon.


Longest Day

Oak Smoked ale
Piwo Grodziskie Oak Smoked Ale
3 % ABV
25 IBU

Moonlight Kettle Series: Longest Day
Rauch bier style. Smoked with oak. Very clear gold  with a strong campfire nose. Heavy oak smoke on the first sip tangy and zingy some citrus and very light caramel. Aeration is sweet smoke and Bbq.





Cross Border Citrus Porter

Collaboration with Ellicottville Brewery New York USA
@EBCwny
Cross Border Citrus Porter
4.5% ABV
33 IBU

Extremely dark chestnut nose is hoppy grapefruit and tropical fruit and strong citrus 
First sip makes me think of breakfast... strong coffee and grapefruit. Two different hints of bitterness bitter coffee and bitter grapefruit zest. Hints of chocolate and cocoa powder. 





Cheers


CJT


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