The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 22 B: Bonus 11.05 2016 Edition 2 Years Can Conditioned

Bonus11.05 2016 Edition 2 Years in my Basement!

Brewery: Sawdust City Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery Est.:  2014

Location: Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Brewery: Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery   Est.: 1992
Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Belgian Quadrupel

ABV: 11.05%      IBU: 28

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $6.50 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

sawdustcitybeer       nickelbrookbrewing

    @Sawdustcitybeer    @NickelBrookBeer


 So this is actually the third time I've tried this beer. I tried it when it came out, (here) at, 1 year old (here) and finally at 2 years (this post). So I've kept this in fairly ideal conditions in the basement in the #FridgeofFame. 

Onto our beer...

Pours a cloudy light honey colour with a huge fluffy white head made up of small and tiny bubbles. The aroma is Apple and hard cider with hints of hard candy and bubblegum. First sip is effervescent and alive with soft hints of brett sourness and toasty wheat notes. The mouthfeel is super smooth, almost silky. Alcohol builds as you sip. It is the smoothest belgian sour I've ever had. Aeration gives us grassy notes with mild hops.

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:

I am actually quite sad that there is no more of this beer. It's been quite an adventure seeing how this beer developed over time. I can't wait to see what the come up with next year.


CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 21: Where the Buffalo Roam By Cameron's Brewing Company

Beer # 480 Where the Buffalo Roam

Brewery: Cameron's Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  1997

Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Barley Wine

ABV: 13.0%      IBU: 90

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $11.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

cameronsbrewing

    @cameronsbrewing

Well as they say it is better late than never... which I kinda feel I'm stretching to the extreme by posting my last Christmas beers in March. But I had the notes made so why waste them? Tonight's beer is a can of Where the Buffalo Roam Barley Wine by Cameron's Brewing. Thing is.. I've had this can for about 2 years... so we will see if it is still good.

Onto our beer...

This beer took some work to taste. It first poured an amazing cloudy dark honey colour with an off-tan head made up of super fine bubbles. The aroma was nutty and woody with hints of liquorice. However, since this was a beer that was over two years old there was a considerable amount of can-shock. First sips were very bitter and closed. Aroma opens up with honey, toast, whisky, wood, and hints of coconut. Alcohol is very present, there are some hints of wet dog from the ageing process. brown sugar and molasses round out the middle. Interestingly, there is not much in the way of bourbon. I get some whisky, but not the sweet vanilla, toasted oak that usually indicates good bourbon. Aeration gives us some more barrel flavours and with touches of dried fruit and sawdust.

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
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

This was a very interesting beer and it starts shows the lengths that beer can be aged in a can. While it took some time to air out and show all of its flavours... I don't see it as a fault. It forced you to slow down and appreciate the beer. Barley wines are high alcohol and should be sipped, and is more akin to a whisky than a beer. So waiting half an hour for this beer to release all of its flavours should not be a terrible thing. You can always binge watch Netflix while you wait.


CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 11: Bourbon Barrel Quad 2015

Beer # 470 Bourbon Barrel Quad 2015 Smokestack Series

Brewery: Boulevard Brewing Company


Type: Large Scale Brewery Fully Owned By Duvel Moortgat USA    
Est.:  1989

Location: Kansas City Missouri, USA

Beer Style: Bourbon Barrel Aged Quadruppel flavoured with cherries

ABV: 11.8%      IBU: 19

Format: Brown Glass Bottle with a cork enclosure  
Size: 750 ml

Cost: $14.30 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

bobcaygeonbeer

    @bobcaygeonbeer

So this bottle has lurked in the back of the #FridgeofFame for about 2 years now. I just haven't had time to get to this. The best before date on the bottle is actually over a year ago (September 9th 2017). Quite frankly I wasn't even sure if this was still good. I was betting on it because it was high alcohol and Quads do tend to hold up over time, but I seriously had no intention of holding this bottle this long. So it was with a bit of trepidation I opened this bottle... and I was pleasantly surprised. The carbonation had died down a bit, probably from the real cork enclosure. and it seemed a bit cloudy but still smelled great. There was also a touch of sediment in the bottom of the glass. I have seen this listed online as "The Sixth Glass," but that name was not listed on the bottle. Personally, after six glasses of this, I would forget my name too...



Onto our Beer...


Pours a cloudy chestnut brown with a short but fizzy tan head made up of small bubbles. First sniff gives us a beer that is still quite alive.  Brown sugar and molasses mixed with apple juice. First sip is sweet, smooth, and fruity with hints of molasses and vanilla. A definite whisky tang with hints of wood and a very small amount of smoke. Hints of cherries and cherry whiskey, and Dr Pepper... Aeration brings out some leather whiskey and dried fruit.

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
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Very impressive! A really good beer even after two years in my less than ideal storage conditions. Some of the reviews I read online were less than favourable, but I assume they were written when the beer was young. Seemingly, it seems like this beer was made for ageing and I just lucked out by forgetting it. I would advise you to try this one out, but I doubt they are any bottles left... Unless there are some other absent-minded beer bloggers out there like me.

CJT

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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 # 358 Flotter Dreier Block 3 Sawdust and Stack Brewing Collaboration

Beer #358 Flotter Dreier

Collaboration Beer

Block 3 Brewing Company
St Jacobs Ontario Canada

Stack Brewing
Sudbury, Ontario Canada

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery Established 2012
Aged and Flavoured Berliner Weisse
ABV 4.0 %  
Aluminium Can 500 ml.
$3.75 (Canadian) At the The Brewery

Twitter @SawdustCityBeer @StackBrewing @BlockThree

After a whirlwind tour of about 45 beers this weekend at FUNKFEST 2017 at Sawdust City Brewery... (yeah couldn't do all 80... I would need another liver) I noticed I hadn't got to do one of the beers from our Gracious Hosts at Sawdust. Luckily I had put aside this gem for just such an emergency.

Flotter Dreier, means "Threesome" in German. Yup, get the laughs out now... I'll wait. However, this "Threesome" means the three breweries involved in the collaboration. First The beer was fermented at Block 3 Brewing in St. Jacobs. The Beliner Weisse beer was fermented in Oak Foeders (pronounced FOOD-ers) They are essentially large oak barrels stood on end instead of on their side. Once initial fermentation was done the beer went on a little trip. A 4.5 hour 480 Km trip to Stack Brewing in Sudbury. There it was aged in wine barrels for 2 months. The the beer put on it's roller skates one more time and drove another 3 hours, 260 kms down to Sawdust City in Gravenhurst where pink guava was added and the beer underwent Can Conditioning. So 740 kms later we have Flotter Dreier. 

Let's taste.

Pours a cloudy light gold with bright white head made up of small to medium bubbles. Head dissipates rapidly. The aroma is biscuit, woody, winey, active yeast, citrus, light herbal hops and some guava and tropical fruit in the background. First sip gives us the tangy twang of brett with some citric acid, lemons, oranges, some grapefruit. Hints of spicy oak, some toast and a tropical sweetness to end. Guava comes out more on the aeration, with some more lemon and a touch of pineapple. Slightly sweet yet still dry enough to be thirst quenching. Very smashable (good thing it is only 4.0 % these go down too fast!). Good cheek puckering Berliner.

 Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

Super refreshing patio sipper. I love the can design. Given the meaning of the name, the all black label and the simple three stick figures make perfect sense. Sadly this gem was limited to 750 Cans at each brewery. Yup... They are gone. However, I assume this may become a FUNKFEST Tradition (one can hope). I would usually leave off by saying get one of these into you... but if you haven't got one in your fridge by now... your going to have to wait until next year. So why not book your tickets for FUNKFEST and come see me there! (they go on sale around May 1st)


Cheers

CJT

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Bonus! Accidentally Aged Terrestrial India Brown Ale.

Aged Terrestrial 

Brewery: Wellington Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1985

Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: India Brown Ale

ABV: 5.9%      IBU: ?

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 750 ml

Cost: $7.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @WellingtonBrew

Ok, don't judge. Sometimes I forget I have beers. I have A LOT of beers in the house, and juggling them sometimes... ah... I... get confused, or I misplace them. (Much to the chagrin to the Queen of Pint Jockey Headquarters). Outside of the Fridge of Fame... (Which I keep getting told is supposed to contain food...) I have a little storage area in the basement behind my workbench. This beer has been there since July. Of 2015. However when I went to look up the price I discovered that it had been on shelves at the LCBO since the previous may. So this beer is 18 months old. A year and a half for a hopped brown ale is a bit of a stretch. I was actually concerned that when I cracked it, it was going to, well lets just say, not smell appropriate. However it surprised me. I popped the top and cautiously waved the neck of the bottle under my nose and I smelled, delicious fruity beer.

Relieved, I could not wait to try it.

Onto our beer.

Pours a pitch dark brown with a massive, and fluffy off-tan head, made of small and medium bubbles that shrink randomly, leaving a strange cappucino-esque head. Nose is clean and woody with hints of sweet malt, and surprisingly very bright for its age. Hints of smoky caramel, baking spices, and touches of vanilla fill up the back. First sip is the first sign of age. Hints of smoky malt some charcoal, mouthfeel is still light and refreshing. A slightly more mineral feel to it. Hints of good German rye bread, the ones with some char on the crust. Chocolate builds on the finish with hints of espresso, touches of used leather and a resounding earthy feel. Aeration is all coffee, a nice medium roast with some hints of condensed milk and a whipped cream mouthfeel. Finish is very stout-like, dry and rich.

Final Thoughts:

This is a horse of a different colour. This beer is very far from where it started. That is the amazing thing about ageing beer. It really is a living organism that can grow and mature and improve if you keep it healthy. If you do not it can sour and go bitter. Good metaphor for life, ain't it? Always take care of your beer (and yourself) so it can reach it's maximum potential. Quite frankly... I was shocked this beer survived as long as it did. Usually beers with higher alcohols do better in the long run, but at a little less than 6 percent this hopped brown ale did just fine. I will admit there was a tinge of metal, most likely from contact with the crown cap, when the bottle was not stored perfectly. However it did not distract from the beer's enjoyment, I'll just be more careful storing my beers. This was certainly one of my best back corner finds. Maybe I will have to keep feeding the corner, with a few surprises for future blog posts.


Cheers

CJT


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