The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 3: 1 year (plus a few days) Aged 11/05 2016 Edition

Aged 11/05 Can Conditioned Sour Belgian Tripel

Collaboration with Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Brewery: Sawdust City Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery/Brewpub    Est.:  2012

Location: Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Belgian Sour Tripel

ABV: 11.05%      IBU: 

Format: Aluminum Can Size: 473 ml

Cost: $6.50 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

Nickel Brook Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery Est.: 2012
Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada

nickelbrookbrewing        sawdustcitybeer

    @NickelBrookBeer    @SawdustCityBeer


Ok, yes, I know... I was supposed to do this beer 6 months ago... Better late than never. So this can has sat in the Fridge of Fame for a little over 12 months. Long ago I would, like many others, would have thought this beer would be bad, and throw it out (or more likely drink it later into the night after I have already had a few. Yes. I have no shame.) However, I have come to realise under certain conditions, that bottle ageing (or can ageing in this case) is not only possible but very intriguing in its results. What beers can be aged? Well, that depends.Higher alcohol beers are good candidates, heavier styles like porters, quads, and the like fair very well. Anything bottle conditioned usually because they have active yeasts that keep the beer "alive" and continue to change the flavours over time. If you want to try ageing I may do a more in-depth article soon, but when in doubt... ask your local craft brewer. tell him or her you are interested in ageing some beers at home and could they make a few suggestions. I'm sure they will be happy to oblige.

Before we head onto our beer tonight I want to remind you about my notes for the beer way back in November of 2016:

Pours a cloudy gold colour with a fluffy white head made up  of small bubbles. Aroma is a warm sweet and sour nose with lots of yeasty bread, nuts, honey and fruit, with hints of grapes and wine. Alcohol is up front and warming. First sip is tart, but still slightly closed in flavour. Very bready, and nutty with hints of brandy. Aeration gives us a full and creamy mouthfeel with notes of spice, hints of black pepper and apricot.

The beer was a late release last November. While the beer is usually ready for November 5th, Sawdust was can conditioning it and it was not quite ready. So the cans came with a band on the top and you had to "pinkie swear" not to open until the 21st of November. I did mine around the 25th so the initial can conditioning was done. However, there is still active yeast in there working on the beer. So the band also advocated trying it again in 6 months. I did buy a second can to try in 6 months. However, I didn't get to it until now. Interestingly, the beer is still on sale in the brewery (I may have picked up another can to try next year!). 

Onto our beer.


The colour is still bright gold but it has taken on a slightly more cloudy appearance. The can nearly exploded when I opened it and the fluffy white head was MASSIVE. The nose is incredible with bright citrus notes, some breadiness, a little funk from the Brettanomyces and a small amount of nuttiness. First sip gives us a very smooth slightly funky beer. Definitely, still, wine-like taste although the grapiness is more muted. Hints of oak, light caramel, a little more woodsy, and earthy. The finish has a little black pepper and hints of liquorice. Aeration brings out the alcohol with a boom. My cheeks warmed right up! It also brings out hints of banana and clove. Interestingly the brett fades as the beer warms.

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: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Christmas Cheer 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Phenomenal experience. Ageing this beer was a wonderful experiment and it is great to compare it to its younger self. There are a still a few of these left in the brewery. I would suggest grabbing at least two and trying one now and one maybe next year!


CJT

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Beer # 390 11/05 2017 Edition Imperial Fruit Sour

Beer # 390 11/05 2017 Edition 
Collaboration with: Sawdust City Brewing Company

Brewery: Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery/Brewpub    Est.:  2012

Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Imperial Fruit Sour with Soursop

ABV: 11.05%      IBU: 

Format: Draught  Size: 14 oz

Cost: $6.80 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery Est.: 2012
Location: Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

nickelbrookbrewing        sawdustcitybeer

    @NickelBrookBeer    @SawdustCityBeer

Soursop

One of the more anticipated beers of the brewing year up here in Muskoka is the fun collaboration between Sawdust City in Gravenhurst and Nickel Brook Brewing in Burlington Ontario. The two Brewmasters Sam Corbiel (Sawdust), and Ryan Morrow (Nickel Brook) share a birthday, November 5 (get it? 11 05?) So every year they plan and brew a beer that has an alcohol content of 11.05% (yikes!) Every year is a different style and the actually brewing swaps back and forth between the two breweries. Which sadly sucks this time around due to our antiquated laws in Ontario. Because this year was Nickel Brook's turn to brew, cans of 11/05 were not available for purchase in Gravenhurst. We did, however, get a few kegs to be served in the Sawdust City Saloon. So in I went.

This year's brew is an Imperial Fruit Sour. It was flavoured with a fruit that is not too commonly know of in this area: soursop. While the fruit is native to the Americas, it is from the tropical regions and is not generally seen up this way, fresh, anyway. The prickly green outside hides a soft creamy interior with many small brown seeds. The flavour is reminiscent of strawberries and pineapple.

Onto our beer.

Pours a hazy light gold with tinges of green and a short off-white head made up of small bubbles. The aroma has grapey notes of wine, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Plus a sweet and sour background with hints of green fruit and citrus. First sip is quite tart but smooth with lots of fruit and wine notes. Has a distinct champagne mouthfeel, slightly acidic with bready notes citrus and cheek pricking bubbles. sweet fruity background note of strawberry and banana come out as the beer warms. Lastly, hints of oak come completing the wine feel. Aeration gives us a touch of pineapple some creaminess and a little raisin.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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


Final Thoughts:

Wow. This is certainly the best 11/05 that I have had. It is very easy drinking and it masks the high alcohol very well. This is not a beer you would want to pound back 3 or 4 of, at least if you want to see the next morning. I had the one and moseyed. Very flavourful, I can't wait to try next year's!

Cheers

CJT

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The Waiting is the Hardest Part....

Yes, yes... Cue Tom Petty because this is a Heartbreaker... 

I went into Sawdust City the other day to pick up Sam Corbeil's annual birthday collaboration with fellow brewmeister Rob Morrow of Nickel Brook Brewing Company, the aptly named 11/05. This year's brew is a Belgian style Tripel with an alcohol content of... you guessed it.. 11.05 % Much to my chagrin the cans actually came sealed (obviously not for my protection... But for the beer's!) Yes, the cans are still actively conditioning, and we had to pinkie swear we would not open the cans until November 21.

The good news is, 11/05 this year is part of "Crafting for a Cure," The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will receive $1 for every can and pint of 11/05 sold... until the shelves and barrels run dry. Today is world Diabetes day and it is the perfect day to go out and buy a can or pint of this awesome collaboration beer. If they don't have the beer in your area... my condolences... So instead how about giving that dollar to the JDRF anyway.  They will take $1, $5, $10, anything you want to give... Maybe even that old jar of pennies hiding in your cupboard... Yeah that one... you know it's just going to sit there... Give it up for a good cause.

DONATE HERE

www.jdrf.ca

As for me... I get to wait another week for the deliciousness. Oh.. and they suggested I buy TWO cans because they said it it supposed to be at its best in 6 months... So, I did. I will taste the second one in May and let you know what I think. Back to the waiting... and more posts starting tomorrow.

You can also check out the World Diabetes Day Facebook page Here







Cheers

CJT

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11.05 (2015) Imperial Saison Collaboration

Beer # 243 11.05 Imperial Saison
Collaboration with Sawdust City Brewing Company

Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Flavoured Imperial Saison  11.05 % ABV
Twitter: @NickelBrookBeer

Sawdust City Brewing Company
Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery 
Brown Glass Half Growler 946 ml.
$10.00 (Canadian) At the The Brewery
Twitter @SawdustCityBeer

Remember, remember the fifth of November... Especially when it comes to this collaboration. Every year Sawdust City and Nickle Brook get together to brew a beer to celebrate one of their favourite subjects: themselves. The 11.05 (SUPER) high alcohol beer celebrates Sam Corbiel (the brewer at Sawdust) and Ryan Morrow's (the brewer at Nickle Brook) birthdays which both just happen to fall on November 5th. (Get it? 11/05?) Each brewery brews the beer in turn and this year the job fell to Nickel Brook who gave us an Imperial Saison lightly flavoured with citrus. (Last year's beer was a Triple IPA or IIIPA which was a mind numbingly, face meltingly delicious hop bomb and my post about it is here ).

The beer is available in bottles at Nickle Brook and on tap at Sawdust city and a few select bars in and around Ontario. I managed to grab a growler at Sawdust just to share with you guys!

Enough talk already... I have goosebumps let's try it out.


Pours a light and cloudy, amber gold. Head is quite thin and disperses quickly. The nose is quite hot with lots of grain sugars on the nose, some wood and caramel, a hint of citrus and some bright green hops. First sip is a zippy wheaty Belgian Golden pale ale with a lasting kick of alcohol. Citrus and hints of licorice spike through the middle. Slightly syrupy, leaves sticky lips. Alcohol is hot and heads straight for the brain. Slight malic acid, citric acid, and apple flavour. Aeration gives us some sour candy,  tangy, zippy pulse of alcohol with some light grains and herbal hops. Finish is not unlike sweet tarts candy.


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:

Not quite as good as it's predecessor. This beer relies too heavily on added sugar to amp up the alcohol leaving a syrupy, sweet, candy dryness in the mouth. The lovely flavour of this beer gets washed out by the residual sweetness. A good beer though, glad it only comes out once a year... I need some water. Please celebrate 11/05 responsibly.

Cheers

CJT


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Beer #156 11.05 2014 Triple IPA Sawdust City

11.05 2014 Triple IPA
Collaboration with  Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Sawdust City Brewery

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Triple IPA IIIPA 11.05 % ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml.
$6.95 (Canadian) At the Brewery
Twitter: @SawdustCityBeer @NickelBrookBeer


Well anyone of UK descent like yours truly will know that November 5th is Guy Fawkes Night, or bonfire night. It is the night the English commemorate the Gunpowder Plot where a group of revolutionaries attempted to blow up the British Parliament when King James was coming to open the session in 1605, as can be told in the poem below:

The Fifth of November
English Folk Verse (c.1870)

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England's overthrow.
But, by God's providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James's sake!
If you won't give me one,
I'll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Anyone NOT of UK descent may still recognise the verse from the DC Comics movie "V for Vendetta" which shadows the Guy Fawkes storyline. And for anyone who is interested, Guy Fawkes was actually the first Fall Guy. He took the whole blame for the plot despite the fact he was merely guarding the gunpowder.

Closer to home. November 5th is the birthday of two brewers: Sam Corbeil of Sawdust City, and Ryan Morrow of Nickel Brook Beers. While being born 5 years and a hundred or so miles apart they have since decided to celebrate, jointly, each year by brewing a special beer entitled the "11.05." Last year was a barley wine and this year they have chosen a face melting triple IPA with a whopping 11.05 % ABV... (Hmmm I've heard that number before). And when I say face melting... I jest not. I was informed this morning as I picked up the very first two cans of this limited 2000 can run, that there was a total of 170 POUNDS of hops in this batch. As it was put so delicately on the website, that is the weight of an average man in hops.

Without further ado, Let us light our bonfires, and raise a glass of 11.05 to Sam and Ryan. Onto the Tasting.

Orangey-amber in colour slightly cloudy with a bright white head made of tiny bubbles. Bright citrus and pine, pineapple, and mango shot straight out of the can way before I even poured it. First sip is bright fruit juice pineapple. Pine, and menthol co me out in the middle. So. Much. Hops! This is not a hop bomb... it is a Hop Tactical Nuke. But while the hop flavours dominate the brew they do not overwhelm it. The fruit and pine balance themselves There is a sweetness on the finish with a little hard candy, cooked sugar flavour, and surprisingly a hint of candy cane. If we were not celebrating Guy Fawkes tonight... I would say this is a Christmas beer. Alcohol is present, warm and lingering (waiting to sneak up on me no doubt). I could easily drink this all winter. Aeration gives up a smack of alcohol that made my eyes water... kind of like snorting white lightning. In the background however there was some grilled pineapple and a hint of caramel.


 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL (Get it while you can and beg them to make more!)
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:


Wow.

Just Wow. This is a phenomenal beer. I am in awe of the fact that they stuffed so much hops in here and didn't turn the beer into a writhing bitter mess. Get it and try it if you can. It is at the brewery or on tap at several bars in downtown Toronto.


Cheers


CJT



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