Hockley Valley Brewing Company part one of two

I picked up a three pack of cans the other day from a nearby Brewery that used to be based in Hockley Valley and has since pulled up stakes and moved to the nearby, and larger town of Orangeville. Hockley Valley is most noted for it's many horse farms, famous golf course and ski resort. Also it served as the early stomping grounds for a young James Cameron, who when he directed "Titanic" named his villain "Caledon Hockley" after two villages in the area of his youth. Five years after Titanic in 2002, a small group of dedicated quaffers tried unsuccessfully to distill whiskey using horse manure instead of peat as a fuel source. Great idea in principle for there certainly are enough horse farms in the area. Though I think that people would start saying... "don't give me any of your sh!tty whiskey..." with out giving the product a taste. Fortunately for us whiskey takes way to long to make so the same group of entrepreneurs took their rented space behind the Hockley Valley General store, and turned it into a cottage brewery www.hockleybeer.ca. Hockley Gold and Hockley English Ale were the first two beers I believe. I remember visiting the tiny brewery years ago it was very hard to find, a tiny cramped space and a little disorganised I recall. However, the beer was good, and they have the awards to prove it and since they have moved to larger digs they are doing well. Tonight we will taste:


Beer # 24 Hockley Valley Brewing Company Black and Tan

Now truthfully a black and tan is something you can *really* only have in a pub. Go into a pub in England and ask for a Black and Tan and your Innkeeper will pour a half glass of a pale or bitter ale, followed by a half glass of Guinness Stout on top. He will accomplish this feat with a "black and tan spoon" a spoon that has a bend in it that hooks over the edge of the glass and is used to slow down the flow of Guinness so it floats on top to the lighter coloured pale ale, giving that all important "black and tan" appearance. A similar beverage of 3/4 of a glass of hard draught cider and 1/4 Guinness is called either a "Black Velvet," a "Preist Collar," or a "Snakebite," depending on which pub to happen to be drinking in.


Well we know that Guinness makes up the top black portion, what makes up the tan? well either Harp Lager, Bass Pale ale, Smithwicks Red, or even Newcastle Brown, once again depending on where your barstool is at the given moment, plus any number of combinations depending on your taps-master. There is even one called "Black and Trash," where Budweiser Lager makes up the tan part (hey I don't make this stuff up... don't shoot the messenger!)

Tonight's offering is made from equal portions of Hockley Valley Stout, and Hockley Valley Dark Ale (both of which I will try tomorrow in part two). The beers are blended at the brewery and then canned (yes ugh I know) in 473ml tall boy aluminum cans. The beer is 4.7% ABV and a dark brown amber with an off brown generous head. Rich bitter malt coffee smoke and chocolate pervade the aroma First sip give us very light sweet caramel slight effervescence hints of licorice or demerara sugar. Aeration gives us soft muted malts, earthiness. Finish is malt sugar and smoke.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass ($7.95 for three cans $2.65 a can)
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: So-so
Re-order: So-so
Experience: Pass

Final thought: It's a good beer it's just not really a black and tan, Black and tan is an experience and the wow factor of seeing the pitch black Guinness hovering over the lighter coloured bitter ale in the glass without mixing. A good Black and tan will actually change flavours every time you drink it depending on if you get more black, or more tan when you sip.

Tomorrow I will try the two component beers of the Black and Tan, Stay tuned!

Cheers
CJT

Mill Street Mix-Six part three of three

Welcome back beerfans! Sorry for the delay in posting my final foray down Highway 400 to Mill Street brewery, however a slightly stuffy nose had left me tasting styrofoam for a couple of days. Tonight's trip was to co-incide with a special day in the beer world (well not for me... but ) January 24 1935 was the first day beer was placed in beer cans an offered for sale. The American Can company who had been working on canning beer since 1909 but took a break during a large kerfuffle called the Volstead Act, Noble Experiment, or Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution. Oh, you probably know it as prohibition which, co-coincidently was enacted on January 17 1919 and lasted for over 14 years until good old Teddy Roosevelt said those immortal words everyone had been longing to hear: "What America needs now... is a drink." In 1934 American Can approached the Gottfried Krueger Beer Company of Newark New Jersey to sell them a canning line and offered to built it for them and pay for the first few testing batches. In June 1934 The brewery selected 1000 homes in Richmond, VA. and delivered 4 cans of Krueger Beer to each of them along with a questionnaire. The results were very positive (hopefully they dropped off Krueger "Church-keys" as well!) and The Krueger brewery began production  and finally release the first canned beer the following January. As a tribute the final beer we will taste today will be Mill Street 's patio sipper Lemon Tea Beer, in a can.

On to tonight's tasting.


Beer # 22 Betelgeuse Belgian Style Tripel

Belgian Ale is generally a strong beer brewed by Trappist monks in the Flemmish nation. The three most common are Blonde, Dubbel, and Tripel. Dubbel is a strong bown ale while Blonde and Tripel are variations on a pale ale. Tripels usually weigh in between 8 and 10% ABV, our's tonight is an 8.5% ABV. Tripels, were as I said invented by Trappist monks at the Westmalle brewery, however, they never got around to copy-writing the name (which no-one really seems to know the origin of anyway, we suspect it refers to the strength of alcohol in some way) So today a lot of unscrupulous breweries have used the name Dubbel and Tripel to refer to generic strong beers. The way to make sure you are getting the real thing is to look for the name of the Monastary on the bottle. Our beer tonight is only "bewed in the Trappist style" hence the term "Belgian style" in the name.

Oh and the Betelgeuse in the name comes from the Giant red star that makes up the right shoulder of the constellation "Orion, the Hunter" which rises in the west in the early fall and travels the southern winter sky. Which co-incidentally, is a great time to try a nice strong ale... such as this one. The constellation also makes an appearance on the label to the upper right of the name.

The colour is light gold with a medium sized head, stark white with tiny bubbles. First sniff gives us fruity citrus with a small hint of clove in the background and light maltiness. First taste gives us apple and pear with a hint of orange. Effervescent and tangy on the finish clove lingers on the pallet as the citrus develpoes. Aeration gives more citric and malic acid re-inforcing the tart sour "Granny Smith" apple flavour. Surprising and delightful this is certainly one of Mill Streets best offerings that I have had.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Exceptional
Cost: Pass
Colour: Exceptional
Beer Style: Exceptional
Re-order: Exceptional
Experience: Exceptional

Final verdict: Exceptional. Actually this is probably the best beer I have tried so far in this blog. Well done Mill Street I'm impressed! The beer holds very true to the Tripel style and the taste profile is spot on.

Beer # 23 Mill Street Lemon Tea Beer.

Tonight's can homage is a wheat beer that is flavoured with orange pekoe and Earl Grey Teas as well as fresh lemon juice. Orange pekoe is not a type or brand of tea, it is actually the grade of tea. It refers to the top three leaves of the tea shrub that are harvested first. They are the most tender and flavourful of all the leaves. Earl Grey Tea has a special relationship with Canada (as well as Capt. Jean Luc Picard) The tea is named after British Prime Minister Sir Charles Grey 2nd Earl of Grey. What does that have to do with Canada you ask? Well his Grandson Albert 4th Earl of Grey was Viceroy to Canada, The ninth appointed Governor General . He was a lifelong patron of the arts and sports, and  as it was tradition in that time to leave a "Legacy" Albert Grey chose to donate a trophy (like one of his predecessors  Lord Stanley...) and donated to Canada the Grey Cup for the Canadian Football League Championship. So what makes Earl Grey tea ? The high quality black tea leaves are infused with essence of bergamot, a small blue flower, giving it a distinct floral and citrus taste.

The beer is a 5% ABV wheat beer in a 500ml can. The colour is light gold with a generous white head with tiny bubbles.The first sniff gives us lemon and tea obviously, and a hint of bergamot. The first sip we get black tea, more bergamot and a short citrus finish. Aeration is all "Lemon Pledge." To me this beer is more of an Ice Tea cooler, than an actual beer. Granted we have be stuffing strange things into beer for tens of thousands of years, and fruit in beer is not unheard of. The lambic beers have been mixed with cherries (Kriek) as well as a multitude of other fruits including banana, lemon, passion fruit, and even pineapple. However, there the fruit serves a purpose to enhance the beer. I know people put lemon wedges on wheat beer and jab limes into Coronas (actually the lime wedge in the Corona was a way of keeping the flies out of your beer and masking any unpleasant tastes associated with the beer going off because of poor refrigeration, and the clear glass bottles causing light damage to the beer. Now it's just a marketing ploy. Be true to beer N.F.L*) Several minutes after tasting the beer the lemon goes away and I get a hint of what the wheat beer actually tastes like, a light and bright fruity aftertaste. Well truth be told this beer was conceived as a patio sipper and since I am huddled on my couch in the dead of winter instead of lounging on a bright people-watching patio may have a bit to do with my judgement. As a patio sipper it's fine you don't want to have to think or analyse your beer in the summer, lemon and wheat slake the thirst.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: so-so
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: N/A (doesn't really conform to a style, flavoured wheat beer I guess, but the only other example I can think of is Great Lakes Green Tea Ale and it's not exactly the same...)
Re-order: Fail
Experience: so-so

Not a beer I would reach for again I'm sure, but this type of beer isn't really marketed towards me anyway. For anyone who would rather sip alcoholic Lipton's iced tea... we have a winner!

Special Thanks to a Beautiful  Lady who gifted me the Mix-six, told me she was my biggest fan and urged me to keep writing!! And thank you for sticking through the history lesson. Tomorrow we go to Hockley Valley... Stay tuned!

Cheers
CJT

* (no F###ing Lime)

Mill Street Mix-Six part two of three

Welcome back sports fans... The Leafs won for a change... time to celebrate by revisiting Mill Street Brewery in Toronto, Ontario. www.millstreetbrewery.com

We have two more beers to try tonight so let's get started.

Beer # 20 Mill Street Organic Lager

 
Organic was one of the first beers produced by Mill Street  and originally came in a 250ml clear glass bottle which has recently been replaced by a more standard (but still clear) 341 ml glass bottle.
Tonight's offering is a light gold with a thin white head. An easy-drinking 4.2% ABV German-styled lager obviously a domestic answer to Corona and Sol. All ingredients in the beer are 100% certified Organic (grains, hops yeast) both chemical and pesticide free. The nose is very light hints of citrus light grain. (note there is a slight aldehyde scent that may indicate some light damage to the beer due to it's clear glass bottle) First sip gives us aldehyde, unfortunately I believe this beer is spoiled.


Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Judgement reserved.

Unfortunately the beer is showing some light damage. Beer is extremely photosensitive and rarely should it be packaged in clear or even green glass. Which astonishes me to no end when people pay so much extra for MGD, Sol, Corona, and Heineken when 9 times out of ten that I taste one of those beers I find that it has spoiled. I am upset a little by this because I have tasted Organic before and it is quite a good product. As well, being one of the pioneer organic beers in Ontario is a great thing and a good turn for the industry. I think that more breweries should follow this trend and bring more organic choice to the market. In the days when the health nuts, government, and police are cracking down on the amount of drinking we do as a society; the least the industry can do is offer us healthier and better tasting products. Yes by all means drink less... but drink better and savour it.


Well the dark side of writing a blog in front of a live audience is you come across a turkey every now and then.

So onto Tasting number 2... with high hopes.


Beer # 21 Mill Street Coffee Porter

Originally this beer was produced as Balzac's Coffee Porter, time and tide changed that and the Balzac's has been dropped from the official name however the logo remains on the side of the bottle. Balzac's (in my not so humble opionion, well this is my blog!) is Ontario's finest small Cafe chain. www.balzacscoffee.com Coffee is one of my other obsessions, and their coffee is spectacular. Micro-roasted batches of fair trade and organic green beans comes from their roastery in Stoney Creek and is delivered to their five locations scattered around the province in some of the more "artsy" areas. Stratford was the first location, and the Distillery District the second. Liberty Village, NOTL, and Kitchener's Tannery district soon followed.

So back to our beer... When you are setting up a micro-brewed coffee porter... what better way to make it than with a micro-roasted coffee, especially when it comes from a shop just around the corner from you   still warm.


Tonight's offering is a near black 5.5% ABV dark ale with a thick tan tinged head. First sniff is coffee, smoke, wood, nuts, and a touch of blue cheese. Taking a sip we get the coffee again with an almost dry light flavoured ale. The taste is crisp and clean, leaving some espresso bitterness, and a little herb and wood on the finish. Aeration brings out the coffee (where's my eggs and bacon?) and a little dark chocolate.



Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Exceptional (nice and light not overpowering with the bitterness)
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Pass (light on the alcohol for a porter)
Re-order: Exceptional
Experience: Exceptional

This is a very high pass to almost exceptional. Definitely one of the best examples of coffee porter in Ontario. (I'm still waiting for someone to open coffee porter up to the everyman and brew Tim Horton's Coffee Porter now there is a cross marketing job that would kick ass!) Tomorrow we finish up our visit to Mill street with the third installment of our series, and a beer I'm looking forward to Betelguise! betelguise! betelguise!

Cheers
CJT

Mill Street Mix-Six part one of three

Mill Street brewing company was opened in 2002 as part of the "revitalising" of the Gooderham and Worts distillery near the waterfront just east of downtown Toronto, Ontario. Gooderham-Worts, and later Hirim Walker-Gooderham-Worts operated from 1862 to 1990 in a large number of buildings that are some of the most pristine Victorian industrial architecture in the world. Designated a Canadian National Heritage site in 1988, the 40 odd buildings stood empty for almost 11 years until the site was purchase for redevelopment in 2001 by Cityscape Holdings and was dubbed the "Distillery District." It became a pedestrian mall that would only open it's gates to artists, boutiques, and independent restaurants and cafes. (There is a chocolatier there where I first tasted an "Olive Oil Truffle" sinfully delicious!!) Some of the pioneering tenants were Balzac's Coffee House (who will figure into a blog later this week), Spirit Oyster Bar, Soulpepper Theatre Company, and the subject of this weeks blogs: Mill Street Brewing company. The Distillery District has grown into one of the most important places to visit in Toronto. However, the original Mill Street brewery had outgrown it's heritage building and has moved operations to Scarborough. In it's place you will find the Mill Street Brewpub and store. One other very notable thing happened here... One of the empty buildings served as the filming stand in for the bar in Alberta were Rogue meets Wolverine in Bryan Singer's X-men (2000).

Beer # 18 Mill Street Stock Ale

The Stock Ale comes in a beer damaging clear glass embossed with the Mill Street name and slogans. The label is screened and painted label that is re-usable employed by a small number of breweries to save on labels (one would think the labour involved in separating the bottles would negate the cost savings of no labels). ABV is the industry standard of 5%. The colour is a very clear gold with a thin white head. First sniff gives us a mildy chemical, slightly "wet-dog" aroma among the "commercial-style" north American ale scent of light grain and a hint of sweetness. Technically a "Blonde Ale" tonight's offering is light on the attack slightly sour malt flavours and a hint of sweetness to balance. Finish is short with a sourdough feel to it. Aeration re-inforces the balance of sour and sweet and offing up a minute hop bitterness at the end. As with the other commercial stock ales (Labatt 50, and Molson Stock) there is a sulfur mustiness that denotes it as an "Old Man's Beer." Sorry Mill Street not your best.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Fail (blonde ale... stock ale? What are you?)
Re-order: Pass
Experience: Pass

It's an ok beer when I hit the south side of fifty maybe I will try it again... if Mill Street hasn't re-tooled it by then... something to think about guys.



Beer # 19 Mill Street Tankhouse Ale 

Tankhouse is an American Pale Ale named after one of the, now famous, buildings in the distillery district of Toronto.  Actually there were originally seven Tankhouses at the old Gooderham and Worts distillery... three survive to this day. Building # 63 is the Tankhouse that the beer takes it's name from and is the original site of the Mill Street brewing company.

Tonight's beer comes in a 341 ml brown glass bottle with Mill Street's signature painted labels and embossed glass. Alcohol is a respectable 5.2% ABV. Colour is light brown to dark copper with a generous off-white head tinged with a little tan. Fragrant hops and rich herbs highlight the aroma with a hint of malt and molasses in the background. Vibrant bitter flavour is clear in the attack. hops are very evident as are the rich malt sugars. Aeration brings a unity to the beer, balancing the depth, bitterness, and sweetness. finish is long and bittersweet with herbs hanging on tooth and nail to the very end.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass (good colour for the type of beer)
Beer Style: Pass (good representation of the Pale ale style)
Re-order: Exceptional (see below)
Experience: Pass

While not outstanding this is a very good craft beer. Other breweries have run with this style of beer and done much better. Still exists as one of my Favourite Mill Street offerings. A solid Pass.

Part two will be up tomorrow stay tuned!

Cheers
CJT

Beer # 17 Harviestoun Ola Dubh 18 yo Special Reserve

 Well a nice quiet Sunday night and I finally manage to get around to tasting the Ola Dubh 18 that has been sitting in my fridge taunting me. Just like the two bottles before the 12 and 16 This offering is from Harviestoun in Scotland www.harviestoun.com Here is what I wrote for the 12 way back in blog # 2:

"Enter Ola Dubh which the tag hanging from the bottle tells me means "Black Oil" It is a version of one of their standard dark beers "Old Engine Oil" that has been aged in casks. Not just any old casks though... Scotch whisky casks. Highland Park to be exact. The bottle I got today comes from the 12 year old series. Each bottle is brewed in small batches and then aged in 12 year old Highland park whisky barrels. The end result is numbered and dated. There is also a 16, 18, 30, and yes Virginia, a FORTY YEAR OLD series!"

The colour is black-brown and almost completely opaque. The tan head disperses very quickly. The beer is a hefty 8% ABV. 330 mls bottle bearing the number 01331 and a production date of September 2009 so 16 months in bottle. (Not so unusual for a high alcohol beer it can stand up to longer periods in bottle.)
First sniff gives off dark molasses and herbal hay and greenery notes (smells like the feed room from the horse farm I grew up on. Horse feed was usually mixed with molasses.) The taste is dark and grainy thick heavy molasses, and caremelised malt sugars the finish is woody and ashen. Wine port and brandy notes when aerated accentuating the alcohol.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Exceptional
Cost: Pass (despite the $8.95 entry fee for the 333ml bottle surprisingly worth it!)
Colour: Exceptional
Beer Style: Exceptional
Re-order: Pass (drink with caution! savour one a night and give your palate a rest!)
Experience: Exceptional

The 16 so far is proving to be my favourite.

Hopefully I will be able to get my hands on the 30 and 40 for future tastings.

Cheers
CJT

Twofer

 Well I'm enjoying my day off so I am going to do a Twofer. Yes that's two beers in one blog... not a whole case.

First up we have Beer # 15 Tyskie Gronie from Poland. Tyskie is part of the Kompania Piwowarska (literally Brewing Company) that controls 45% of all domestic Polish beers. It is a three way partnership between brewers Tyskie Gorny Slask, Dojlidy, and Lech which is in turn owned by SABMiller the second largest brewing conglomerate in the world www.kp.pl/en (after Anheuser-Busch InBev).


Tyskie Gronie is a 5.5% ABV pale lager in a 500 ml bottle. This particular lager has been produced since 1629. Pale gold with a frothy white head. First sniff gives us a little chemical, citrus and light grains First sip we are met with a light slightly sweet Euro-style lager. refreshing and effervescent mild bitterness with a hint of citrus followed by an earthy wet grain finish. Aeration gives off a minerality, sort of a high end sparkling mineral water and re-inforces the citrus. 


 Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 500 ml bottle I believe it's $4.95)
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Pass
Re-order: so-so (Let me go to Poland and try it on tap)
Experience: Pass


Final Thoughts. I'm not a fan of Euro lagers I find that they seem to be lacking in something. They are either rainwatery, or chemical or tend to be too light to be of any consequence. Which is a shame seeing as the lager was born in this area. Lagers have the potential to be so much more.


Beer #16 Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale

Alexander Keith was a Scottish Politician and Brewer, born in 1795, who became the 4th mayor of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Served in the Legislative Council for Nova Scotia for 30 years. He opened his now famous brewery in 1820 and it has been in operation ever since; making it one of North america's oldest continously run breweries www.keiths.ca. Their first product was the India Pale ale and it was their only beer up until recently. The company now has a stable of 5 beers the IPA a Light Ale, a Dark Ale, a White Beer, and and Amber Ale all sold under the Keith's flag. The brewery has undergone several expansions and also produces Oland products for sale in the maritime provinces for it's parent  company Anhueser -Busch InBev the largest beer conglomerate in the world.

On to the tasting

The colour is pale to clear gold with a white head of small bubbles. First sniff is rising bread with some citrus, grain, and fruit. first sip gives us a herbaceous hoppiness slightly medicinal with a good kick of bitter. Aeration gives off a woody, whisky, slight vanilla taste. From attack to finish is quick with lingering earthy and fruity notes

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Pass
Re-order: Pass
Experience: Pass

Final Thoughts: Keith's is a love hate beer. People either love it or hate it. Personally, I hate to love it and love to hate it. A fresh pour out of a new keg of Keith's can be a wonderful thing but if the keg is slightly old or the lines are dirty or any of a million factors the result is a hellish thing. I'm not a bottle fan as most of the big boys heat pasteurize the bottles (and some are doing the kegs now too! cheaper to transport they don't have to be refrigerated) PASTEURIZATION IS WRONG what did that beer ever do to you? Beer is a living thing that needs to be handled gently and lovingly. I digress. Keith's is a "safe" beer one of the reserve beers I will find myself ordering if there is nothing else appealing. However, being "safe" rarely will a beer stand out in a crowd. Think global, drink at your local... and drink character.

Cheers
CJT

Beer # 14 Duchy Originals Organic Old Ruby Ale 1905

Welcome back beer fans. Tonight I continue in my series of holiday gifts this time a birthday gift (my friends sure know what I like). Duchy Originals is a line of products (food and beverage, not just beer) by Waitrose, a large British "Supermarket" chain. Waitrose has dedicate itself to a partnership in organic and traditional produce through the "Good Food Charter" Waitrose Good Food Charter The product line also serves as a major fundraiser for the "Prince's Charities" and the bottles are marked with the "Ich Dien" (above right)  The three feathers in a crown with the Latin phrase meaning "In God' which is a symbol of Wales and The Prince of Wales. Waitrose has paired up with a number of quality producers to improve the availability and image of organic products. One such producer is Wychwood Brewery in Oxfordshire www.wychwood.co.uk I have to admit Wychwood is a FANTASTIC beer marketing brewery they have some of the most unique advertising campaigns ever. They produce, among others Fiddler's Elbow, Hobgoblin Ale, Black Wych Stout, a cider called Green Goblin, and a number of seasonal beers including my favourite "wych" I had in Bath England on tap in a pub just down from the Roman ruins "Dog's Bollocks."

Tonight's Offering is a ruby ale brewed with a selection of English barley including one first grown in 1905 called "Plumage Archer." The hops and barley were all grown in England at select organic producers including The Duchy Home Farm where the product line takes it's name. It is a 500ml 5.0% ABV ale certified organic by English and European Union boards.

The colour is a dark amber-orange with a frothy white head. The aroma is earthy and grainy with hints of fruit. A very light tasting beer, effervescent, hints of the British bitter. Grains, bread, and fruit dominate. Aeration brings a sparkling citrus fruit. Finish lingers with more bitter cleansing grains.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 500 ml bottle I believe it's $4.95)
Colour: Pass
Beer Style: Pass
Re-order: Pass
Experience: Pass

Final Thoughts. Not an outstanding beer, but no slouch either. it would be a good summer sipper light and airy. Unfortunately it is just not memorable.

Cheers
CJT

Lucky 13

As a matter of fact "Lucky 13" is lucky for me. Not only is it the date of my sister's birthday "Lucky 13" is the name of a good friend of mine's band. www.lucky13band.com or Facebook them here Lucky 13 (Sorry for the shameless plug...) definitely worth checking out when they are in town. Just go up and ask for "Weeble."



And 13 is Lucky for you dear reader, as tonight we review beer # 13 Muskoka Cottage Brewery's Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout. Yes as a matter of fact... it does sound like dessert in a glass. Muskoka Cottage Brewery is located in Bracebridge just over two hours north of Toronto.   www.muskokabrewery.com

 Bracebridge is one of those "pretty as a postcard" towns at the edge of Northern Ontario which has a big hockey tradition. Ace Bailey of the Toronto Maple Leafs (the benefactor of a fund raiser held by the Maple Leafs in the thirties that became the All Star Game) and Kris King: Maple Leaf, Phoenix Coyote, and last captain of the Winnipeg Jets being the most notable. Bracebridge, like its neighbouring town Gravenhurst takes its name from the episodic novel "Bracebridge Hall" by Washington Irving. In 1996 Muskoka Cottage Brewery opened it's doors promising fresh pure ingredients in all of their products and it is a credo that has served them well; winning numerous awards over their 15 year operation.

Onto the tasting: The bottle is a 750 ml champagne-style bottle closed with a swing-top cap normally found on Grolsch bottles. The Cap is sealed with a tamper-evident label that bears a "drink by" date of March 31 2011. Tonight's offering is an "stout" (pardon the pun) 8% ABV, that pours very dark chesnut to black with a redish tinged tan head. First sniff is all "Cherry Cordial" yes those chocolate covered ooey-gooey cherry candies you get from people you don't like at Christmas. The nose also gives off heaps of dark chocolate.

First sip is chocolate soda with a hint of cherry followed by deep roasted malt sugars, a hint of the high alcohol content, and a lingering hint of dutch process cocoa on the finish. Aeration gives off a winey note; short bursts of red fruit finishing quickly and returning to the chocolate.

A quick note about temperature. Often times we bring beer home and bung it in the refrigerator, which normally isn't a bad idea. However, this beer needs to be served at 9 C. Something I didn't notice until I started drinking it; so I let it warm up. It made all the difference. If your brewmaster has gone to the trouble of putting down a temperature to "enjoy" the beer at please heed it, after all he should know what he is talking about.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass (with caveat see below)
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 750 ml bottle I believe it's $8.95)
Colour: Exceptional (I love the red tinge in the otherwise tan head)
Beer Style: Exceptional
Re-order: Pass ( I couldn't do another one today, but maybe tomorrow, and if the temperature hits the plus side again...no thanks)
Experience: Pass

Final thoughts. I didn't taste cranberry! I wanted desperately to taste it, but warm or cold the most I got was a slight tartness and a red fruit that could have been cherry or raspberry. So... slightly let down but overall a very nice beer especially when it warmed up. This is the best beer from Muskoka Cottage Brewery that I have tasted thus far.

Cheers
CJT

Beer #12 Lake of Bays Brewing Company's Mocha Porter

 So onto present number two from a very special lady. Lake of Bays is one of Ontario's newest cottage breweries. Situated in Baysville in between Bracebridge and Huntsville (yes last year's G8 headquarters)
The Beer is a combined effort from the brewery www.lakeofbaysbrewing.com and a local coffee roaster in Bracebridge Diesel House www.dieselhousecoffeeroasters.ca

Coffee and porters are are natural match because the long dark roasted barley that goes into the dark ales will often give of notes of chocolate, smoke, and .... well coffee. Porters themselves have been around since the early 1700's in England where a special re-vitalising dark ale was brewed for the "stout" men on the dock and the rivers who loaded and unloaded the ships. This beer came to be synonymous with this job title of the men and hence was called porter. Later this beer would catch the attention of an ingenious young Irishman named Arthur who would base his ale on the porter. His stout would go on to define a nation and become the world's best selling dark beer. I think you have already guessed his last name was Guinness. Note the names porter and stout
are often used interchangably. The porter name was
kept mainly in England whereas in Dublin Guinness used the term stout.

First look at today's offering we notice that the beer is far from black. It is in fact a deep mocha brown it has a tan head with small bubble and no "cascade" of froth one would find in other porters and stouts. The head dies down quickly to a quarter inch and retains its rich colour. ABV is 5.2% which is low for a traditional porter as the original beer was often brewed up to 6.6%.

The first sniff is smoky and chocolate with a hint of fresh brewed espresso. Taking our first sip the smokiness is rein-forced as is the dark chocolate, breaking away into a nice dark-roasted coffee finish. Slight bitter coffee aftertaste but a clean mouthfeel, hint of smoke lingers in the throat. Aeration brings out a sweetness, rum and demerara sugar. after a few minutes a light honey develops in the background. The beer is light bodied and fruity a very good example of a well done British style ale.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 750 ml bottle I believe it's $6.95)
Colour: Exceptional (Nice brown the mocha lives up to it's name)
Beer Style: Exceptional
Re-order: Pass ( I couldn't do another one today, but maybe tomorrow, and if the temperature hits the plus side again...no thanks)
Experience: Pass

High marks again today. For a young company, this is an excellent offering I enjoyed my taste and look forward to visiting the new brewery, and having a sample off the keg, just as a beer like this deserves to be tasted.

Cheers
CJT

Later this week Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout.... I'm getting tingles! And yes we will crack the 18 yo Ola Dubh before the week is out.

Beer # 11 Great Lakes Winter Ale

Welcome back Beer Fans. I seemed to slip off into some holiday hibernation, but just as the Grizzly or Kodiak must rise from it's slumber so did I. First off I must apologise as I promised the 18 yo Ola Dubh up next... However, The Jockey got a nice little present in his Christmas stocking from a lovely lady so in honour of her largesse the next three posts are dedicated to her and her very intoxicating gifts.

Great Lakes Brewery is found in Toronto just north of the shore of the Great Lake of Ontario hence the name. www.greatlakesbeer.com Over twenty years ago Great Lakes became the original Toronto Craft brewery by purchasing a copper brewing vessel built in the early 1900's in Germany and moving it to their new home on the edge of the Gardiner expressway near the 427. There first beer was Golden Horshoe Premium Lager which was only available on draught in select locations around Toronto. Golden Horshoe of course referring to the nickname of the shore of Lake Ontario that forms a horseshoe shape from St. Catharines through Hamilton and Burlington and eventually up to Toronto. The Great Lakes portfolio has grown considerably to include two more regular beers Red Leaf Smooth Lager, and Devil's Pale Ale 666 (one of the Jockey's favourite pale ales in Ontario!) plus a number of regular rotating session beers, Orange Peel ale, Pumpkin Ale, Green Tea ale and today's tasting Winter Ale. They are very experimental at Great Lakes and do try a number of different concoctions. Most notably is at the Toronto Festival of Beer every August, Great Lakes hosts "Caskapaloosa" a celebration of "one off' beers made mainly for fun. I am still haunted by the memory of the last Caskapaloosa I went to... The Rhubarb ale was not a hit in my mind....burning rubber anyone?


Anyway on to today's sample:

The first smell is spice of which this beer has a lot. Cinnamon is prevalent with some honey and ginger. The colour is a slightly cloudy chestnut with a lightly tan head made of small bubbles. As for alcohol, this beer brings a winter warming 6.2% abv to the table.

The attack is all ginger and cinnamon reminiscent of a Jamaican ginger beer. hints of honey malt and bitter orange in the back ground. Short finish with a high alcohol feel similar to a brandy finish. The beer is heady and has a substantial mouthfeel. Perfect for a winter's ale; good substance and warming.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 750 ml bottle I believe it's $5.95)
Colour: Exceptional (I really like seeing cloudy beers they have an non-homogenized feel about them that shows somebody cares more about their beer than conventional thought)
Beer Style: Pass
Re-order: Pass ( I couldn't do another one today, but maybe tomorrow, and if the temperature hits the plus side again...no thanks)
Experience: Pass

I'll give this beer a high pass because I like the people down at great lakes they DO care about the industry and the people that drink their beer. I once went on a tour of their facility... it wasn't a scheduled, scripted tour. I popped in unannounced and the clerk in the store called one of the workers up, who toke me on one of the MOST detailed, most informative, most in depth tour of any brewery I have ever been on (I play dumb when I go to these things to see how different the tours are... I could GIVE these tours now). Obviously beer passion is something that unites the people at Great Lakes and it shows up in their products, they have their occasional flop (Trust me NOT forgetting rhubarb ale EVER!) But overall the love they have for they work shines through in the quality products they produce.

Up next Lake of Bays Mocha Porter.... still on deck is the 18 yo Ola Dubh stay tuned!!

Cheers

CJT