Funk Fest, The Lowest of the Low and my busy, busy Canada Day Weekend.

Happy Canada Day!

Funk Fest 2018

Well, July has hit us here like a wave of lava. We are on our third or fourth day of extreme heat warnings and I picked this weekend to be extra busy. First up, on Saturday, June 30th,  was the wonderful Funk Fest at Sawdust City Brewing in Gravenhurst. For those of you who have never heard of our annual celebration of funky beers, Funk Fest showcases some of the best breweries in Ontario (and beyond now) that brew beers, which are considered "sour" or "funky."  It started out mostly as a character of Belgian beers, and Flander's Reds but breweries started to experiment and we now have Goses, Sour IPSs Sour Pale Ales, Auld Bruns, Farmhouse Saisons. It is a lovely mix of different beers. It is the third time The Queen of Pint Jockey Headquarters, and I have gone and quite frankly it gets better every year. This year we only sampled around 40 or so beers and the humidex was courting the forties (Celsius) and there wasn't much cloud cover or shade. They did have a misting tent this year which was a nice addition to the show, and they had a Paramedic on pancake duty, thankfully I don't think he was utilised much.  There were 40 Breweries this year pouring around 100 beers. In addition to about 33 Ontario Breweries, we had A la Fut rejoin us from Quebec, and three breweries from B.C: Dageraad from Burnaby, Four Winds from Delta, and Powell from Vancouver, and a few 

Tasty Sours

breweries from the USA. I'm very happy to say Funk Fest gets bigger and better every year and I can't wait for the next one. I did attempt to live blog again this year but, the same issue happened as last. With so many people at the event utilising the wifi is impossible. And I didn't want to see my cell phone bill after I uploaded so many pictures. So I broke out the old notebook and went analogue on this blog, so I am a little slow in posting my Funk Fest notes, mainly because I have to decipher my own handwriting.

The Lowest of The Low

Then on Canada day, after a long hot shift at work, we went off to The KEE to Bala, which if you are not from around here, is the Holy Temple of Canadian Music. (read it's a barn someone turned into a concert venue 75 years ago and anyone who is anything in the Canadian music scene has played there.) The Canada day concert this year featured my favourite Canadian band "The Lowest of the Low." They are perhaps one of the best indie artists to come out of Canada and are a truly genre-defying punk-folk-pop- rock-blues group. Their songs are lyrically driven guitar heavy pieces of art. and I suggest you check them out. I know many of you who are long-time readers have heard me natter on about them before... but truly they are worth the listen. It was the Queen's first time to hear them and she really did enjoy herself (she has good taste in music!) Oh, and I think Matt Mays was there too... not sure.

Anyway... I've rested... time to get those notes up. Stick around and see if I can figure out what I was trying to say.

Cheers


CJT

Beer # 398 Canada 150 Best Bitter Ale

Beer # 398 Canada 150 Best Bitter Ale

Brewery: Black Creek Historic Brewery


Type: Contract Brewery    Est.:  2015

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: English Bitter Ale Ale

ABV: 5.0%      IBU: ?

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $2.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

BlackCreekPioneerVillage

    @blackcreeknews

I'm a little late posting this one. It was supposed to go up in my Canada Day Beer month, but the notes were complete and I didn't want to waste the tasting. Brewed to celebrate the country's 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Let's taste it.

Pours a slightly cloudy and opaque chestnut brown with a light tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is roasted malt liquorice and molasses, with hints of baking biscuits. The first sip is a light caramel and liquorice toffee hard candy taste. Light in body with a malt forward approach. A little residual sugar leaves the lips sticky. Hints of wood smoke oak barrels, maple syrup and vanilla sparkle around the outsides of the tongue. The attack opens up into touches of prunes and an earthy finish. Aeration gives us a spike of malt and dried fruits, dates and raisins, and ends on notes of vanilla and turbinado sugar.

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:


A nice best bitter, a touch more malty than I am used to but certainly not bad at all. Nice complexities in the smoky, dusty, fruity body. Light and easy drinking and the dates and raisins build out a nice warm and cosy character.

CJT

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FUNKFEST 2017 Live Blog # 5

FUNKFEST 2017

Sawdust City Brewery

Gravenhurst, Ontario

Beers 350 to 357

Beer: Yalla Yalla

Yalla Yalla

Brewery: Half Hours on Earth
Location: Seaforth, Ontario, Canada

Style: Farmhouse
ABV: 6.6 %
Colour: Clear gold
Aroma: Woodsy biscuit 
Thoughts: Nutty warm delicious fruity and sour
Funk Factor: 6/6

Swoon

Beer: Swoon 

Brewery: Fairweather Brewing
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Style: Blend of farmhouses
ABV: 6.5 %
Colour: Light, clear gold
Aroma: Citrus and acetic acid
Thoughts: Bright citrus acidic refreshing
Funk Factor: 5/6

Idaho 7, Dry Hopped Sour Kettle

Beer: Idaho 7 Dry Hopped Sour Kettle

Brewery: Fairweather Brewing
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Style: Farmhouse
ABV: ?
Colour: Light gold
Aroma: Warm malty biscuit toast
Thoughts: Tart wheat biscuit and toast
Funk Factor: 5/6

Paradise Lost

Beer: Paradise Lost

Brewery: Blood Brothers Brewing
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Style: Farmhouse
ABV: 6.0 %
Colour: Cloudy gold
Aroma: Tart wheat and spice
Thoughts: Rubbery... chemical off flavours

Funk Factor: 0/6

Peach Sour with Brett

Beer: Peach Sour with Brett

Brewery: Rouge River Brewing Company
Location: Markham, Ontario, Canada

Style: Flavoured Saison
ABV: 5.0 %
Colour: Green gold
Aroma: Fruity wet dog
Thoughts: Dried fruit sweet bready
Funk Factor: 4/6

Forgot About Drei

Beer: Forgot about Drei 

Brewery: Rouge River Brewing Company
Location: Markham, Ontario, Canada

Style: Farmhouse 
ABV: 5.5% IBU 25
Colour: Cloudy Gold
Aroma: Sweet sour and piney
Thoughts: Herbal sour IPA like. Hoppy

Funk Factor: 4/6

Beer: Blumo

Blumo

Brewery: Burdock Brewery
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Style; Sour Saison with Pinot Noir grapes and blueberries
ABV: 8.0 % 
Colour: Cloudy purple
Aroma: Deep winey sour and blueberry
Thoughts: Very wine like sweet blueberry and grapey. Sour candy finish.
Funk Factor: 7/6 Exceptionally Funky

Beer: Almost Dusk

Almost Dusk

Brewery: Folly Brewing
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Style: American Wild Ale with  boysenberries
ABV: 8.0 %
Colour: Deep reddish purple
Aroma: Sweet tart aroma fresh berries
Thoughts: Fruity fruit punch flavours very flavourful and delicious
Funk Factor: 6/6

FUNKFEST 2017 Live Blog # 4

FUNKFEST 2017

Sawdust City Brewery

Gravenhurst, Ontario

Beers 342 to 349

Beer: Funky Marg

Funky Marg

Brewery: Redline Brewhouse
Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Style; Saison
ABV: ?
Colour: clear gold
Aroma: Citronella candle
Thoughts: Spoiled... off flavours
Funk Factor: 0/6

Cherry Gose

Beer: Cherry Gose

Brewery: County Road Beer Company
Location: Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Style; flavoured gose
ABV: 5.0 %
Colour: Salmon
Aroma: Sweet fruit and sour cherry
Thoughts: Off flavours
Funk Factor:3/6

Biere de Mars

Beer: Biere de Mars

Brewery: County Road Beer Company
Location: Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Style; Biere de Garde
ABV: 5.5 %
Colour: Cloudy white gold
Aroma: Fruity, sweet, sour, biscuity
Thoughts: Off flavours, black currant
Funk Factor: 3/6

Saison Framboise

Beer: Saison Framboise

Brewery: Brasserie Dunham
Location: Dunham, Quebec, Canada

Style; flavoured Saison
ABV: 6.5
Colour: Cloudy salmon
Aroma: Sour tart, sweet raspberry
Thoughts: Raspberry jello and cake sweet smooth clean

Funk Factor: 4/6

Saison Cassis

Beer: Saison Cassis

Brewery: Brasserie Dunham
Location: Dunham, Quebec, Canada

Style; Flavoured Saison
ABV: 6.5%
Colour: Cloudy, cherry red
Aroma: Aldehydes, cassis
Thoughts: Cassis lemonade and champagne reminds me of a Kir Royale.

Funk Factor: 5/6

Collective Project: Gose

Beer: Collective Project: Gose

Brewery: Collective Arts Brewing
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Style; Gose
ABV: 5.0 % IBU 12
Colour: Green gold
Aroma: Sweet mineral
Thoughts: Flat boring low flavour
Funk Factor: 2/6

Bourbon Barrel Aged Pear Saison

Beer: Bourbon Barrel Aged Pear Saison

Brewery: Collective Arts Brewing
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Style; Aged Perry
ABV: 5.6 % 
Colour:  green gold
Aroma: Woody and mineral with hints of pear
Thoughts: Tasty warm woody fruity and tart

Funk Factor: 4/6

Razzy Star

Beer: Razzy Star

Brewery: Half Hours on Earth
Location: Seaforth, Ontario, Canada

Style; Flavoured Saison
ABV: 4.0
Colour: Salmon
Aroma: Sweet-tart fresh raspberries
Thoughts: Just ripe raspberry fresh off the vine tart and sugary
Funk Factor: 6/6

FUNKFEST 2017 Live Blog # 3

FUNKFEST 2017

Sawdust City Brewery

Gravenhurst, Ontario

Beers 334 to 341

Missed this picture!

Beer: Clean Slate Brett Saison 2016

Brewery: Bench Brewing
Location: Beamsville, Ontario

Style: Bottle aged Sour Saison
ABV: 5.7 % IBU  35
Colour: Super clear golden with hints of green
Aroma: Woodsy and citrus
Thoughts: Wood and mushrooms umami and roundness muted fresh fruit and hints of sour lemon.

Funk Factor: 5/6

Brett By Moonlight

Beer: Brett by Moonlight

Brewery: Waller Street Brewing
Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Style; Barrel Aged brett Stout
ABV: 6.3 %
Colour: Dark chestnut
Aroma: Toasted nuts wood charcoal
Thoughts: Toasty warm nutty wood and charcoal slight sour funk
Funk Factor: 6/6

Scotch River Sour

Beer: Scotch River Sour

Brewery: Waller Street Brewing
Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Style; Birch sap and spruce tip Saison
ABV: 6.8 % IBU 8
Colour: Slightly cloudy gold
Aroma: Super sweet bright 
Thoughts: Sweet fruity pine and maple syrupy with some light spice
Funk Factor: 7/6 Exceptionally Funky

Missed this picture!

Beer: Livery Stable Blues

Brewery: Waller Street Brewing
Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Style; Farmhouse
ABV: 6.0 % IBU 23
Colour: Brassy gold
Aroma: Spunky fresh herbal medicinal
Thoughts: Sweet and medicinal nutty and biscuity
Funk Factor: 5/6

Wild Child Apricot

Beer: Wild Child Apricot

Brewery: Black Swan Brewing
Location: Stratford Ontario

Style: Berliner Weisse
ABV: 3.9 %
Colour: Cloudy white gold
Aroma: Funky sour aldehyde hints of dried fruit
Thoughts: Dusty, off flavour
Funk Factor: 2/6

Wild Child Raspberry

Beer: Wild Child Raspberry

Brewery: Black Swan Brewing
Location: Stratford, Ontario

Style: Berliner Weisse
ABV: 3.9 %
Colour: Salmon
Aroma: Sweet and sour bright raspberry
Thoughts: Tart-sweet cooked raspberry... some off flavours
Funk Factor: 3/6

1854 Barrel Aged Anniversary Ale

Beer: 1854 Barrel Aged AnniversaryAle

Brewery: Collingwood Brewery
Location: Collingwood, Ontario

Style; Belgian Ale
ABV: 6.8 %
Colour: Light chestnut
Aroma: Toasty citrus wood and nuts
Thoughts: Sweet and sour, caramel and vanilla. Lots of wheat malt

Funk Factor: 5/6

Hype with Blackberries

Beer: Hype on Blackberries

Brewery: Block 3 Brewing
Location: St. Jacobs, Ontario

Style: Flavoured Saison
ABV: 6.5 % 
Colour: Cherry red
Aroma: Sweet fruit nose
Thoughts: Sour tart blackberry fresh fruit grenadine syrup sour candy finish

Funk Factor: 4/6

FUNKFEST 2017 Live Blog # 2

FUNKFEST 2017

Sawdust City Brewery
Gravenhurst, Ontario

Beers 326 to 333

Coalition

Beer: Coalition

Brewery: Tooth and Nail Brewing Company
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Style: Belgian Brown with merlot grapes
ABV: 6.0 %
Colour: Reddish brown
Aroma: Sweet, woody, grapey, hints of sour
Thoughts: Sweet smooth woody and winey.
Funk Factor: 6/6

Streif

Beer: Streif

Brewery: Tooth and Nail Brewing Company
Location: Ontario

Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 7.0%
Colour: Gold with off white head
Aroma: bitter herbs yarrow fruit and sour
Thoughts: lots of aldehydes... some faults bitter lemon
Funk Factor: 2/6

Dead Parrot

Beer: Dead Parrot

Brewery: Forked River Brewing Company
Location: London, Ontario

Style; Sour English Brown with cherries
ABV: 7.7%
Colour: Dark chestnut brown with an off tan head
Aroma: Sweet with sour cherry
Thoughts: Wheat dark malty coconut sweet tart cherry sticky lips
Funk Factor: 6/6

Abbey Normal

Beer: Abbey Normal

Brewery: Forked River Brewing Company and Sawdust City
Location: London Ontario

Style; Abbey
ABV: 5.5 %
Colour: Off brown and cloudy
Aroma: Wheaty woody 
Thoughts: Rye bread, some off flavours
Funk Factor: 2/6

Hermit Kingdom

Beer: Hermit Kingdom

Brewery: Bar Hop
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Style; Belgian Golden Ale
ABV: 7.2 %
Colour: Cloudy Bright Gold
Aroma: Cedar Eucalyptus 
Thoughts: creamy scents of barber shop sweet and sour wheat
Funk Factor: 6/6

Spanish Red

Beer: Spanish Red

Brewery: Bar Hop
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Style: Sour Farmhouse red... blend of a fresh and aged beer
ABV: 5.5 % IBU 17
Colour: Rusty red
Aroma: tart cherry pie 
Thoughts: sour creamy lip coating delicous
Funk Factor: 6/6

Cellar Biere de Garde

Beer: Cellar Biere de Garde

Brewery: Bench Brewing
Location: Beamsville, Ontario

Style: Biere de Garde
ABV: 6.8 % IBU 15
Colour: Light chestnut
Aroma: Woody and wheaty
Thoughts: Woodsy licorice spicy a little wine notes. Caramel and biscuit
Funk Factor: 5/6

Citra Grove

Beer: Citra Grove

Brewery: Bench Brewing
Location: Beamsville, Ontario

Style: Dry Hopped Sour Ale
ABV: 6.0 % IBU 14
Colour: clear gold
Aroma: Bright citrus and tropical fruit straw aged soft cheese
Thoughts: Fresh delicous well balanced sweet and tart. Bright citra hops notes
Funk Factor: 6/6