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was one of the first beers produced by Mill Street and originally came in a 250ml clear glass bottle which has recently been replaced by a more standard (but still clear) 341 ml glass bottle.Tonight's offering is a light gold with a thin white head.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
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