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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Beer # 449 Almanac 2018 Barleywine, Cowbell Brewing Company

Beer # 449 Almanac 2018 Barleywine

Brewery: Cowbell Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2017

Location: Blyth, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Barleywine

ABV: 11.7%      IBU: 38

Format: Bottle  Size: 750 ml

Cost: $19.95 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery




cowbellbrewing

    @CowbellBrewing


One of the bottles I brought back from my trip. Almanac was the Beer brewed on opening day, August 5 2017. A good standard barleywine.

Pours a cloudy dark maple syrup colour with a short off-tan head with tiny bubbles. Aroma is a demerara sugar nose with liquorice and molasses and spices. First sip is rich and smooth, quite sweet. Hints of maple syrup wood and dark caramel. Mouthfeel is light but with a good amount of stickiness. Good heat from the alcohol. Aeration brings out deeply toasted bread and dark caramels.

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:

Of all the Cowbell beers I have tried this is the best. A tasty beer and one that should be aged for a few years. Cowbell suggests that it can be aged as long as 10 years.

CJT

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Beer # 200 Frost Quake Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine

Frost Quake


Wellington Brewery

Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine 
9.8 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml (Crown capped with a swing top lid for re-closing)
$11.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @WellingtonBrew

The morning was cold and crisp today. Down around -29. Perfect day for the namesake of this beer to happen. My 200th beer in fact! As you can see I spruced the place up a bit. New look, new layout, and there are a few more improvements to be coming very shortly. Stay tuned! But back to metaphor I just left dangling there for a second. Frost quake. Maybe you haven't heard of them, but they are quite real and a really weird sensation. It happens more often in areas that have a lot of rock near the surface. Water percolates down in between the cracks of the rocks and when a rapid temperature drop occurs it freezes very quickly causing a big cracking noise. More like cracking your knuckles than an earthquake, but it can still be loud and scary. We have them around Pint Jockey Headquarters at least once a year.

Tonight's beer is named for this phenomenon. A hot little barley wine wine, almost 10 % alcohol, that has spent a few months in Kentucky Bourbon barrel.

Let's get shaking...

Pours a translucent chestnut brown that is slightly hazy. Very viscous. The head is quite thin and the colour of caramel. The nose is quite smoky, earthy, woody, sweet malt brown sugar and a hint of licorice. First sip gives us oak, vanilla, bourbon whiskey, bruleed sugar, bittersweet chocolate and smoke. As the beer warms a mild nuttiness comes out as does the high alcohol content. Very warming, but not to head fogging. Aeration gives us rich oak and smoke with some light malt sugars and a hint of the caramel on the finish.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

A bit pricey for what the beer delivered. Don't get me wrong it is a good barley wine, and if you only want to drink one beer a night this one should do you nicely. Better yet sip this with some food, or a friend, or just use the swing top closure to save some for another night. Worth a try pick one up while you still can. Or maybe two... and age one for a year.

CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 17 Tribute Barley Wine

Beer # 181 Tribute Barley Wine

Renaissance Brewing Company

Blenheim, New Zealand
Independent
Barley Wine 10.8 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 330 ml.
$7.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @RenaissanceBeer

Situated in the winegrowing region of Marlborough New Zealand; Renaissance Brewery`s building has had its own renaissance, or three. It has been a Malting house, an ice cream factory, and two different wineries. Its last incarnation is the one we are talking about though, In 2005 It became Renaissance Craft Brewery. They focus on small batches and good quality ingredients.


Let`s try some. Onto the tasting...

Pours a cloudy orange-tan colour with an very thin off tan head made up of tiny bubbles. Aroma is molasses and grains, with very subtle hints of citrus and black currant. First sip is hot alcohol. Once you get past that the beer opens up into a toasty, nutty, bready, fruity, sweet, and slightly syrupy drink. The black currant is very evident, almost tastes like jam on toast. There is some caramel Aeration brings out a sweet caramel berry, jamminess. Very much like a wine.

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 Spirit 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Very good all-around barley wine. Excellent flavour development. Perfect for sipping with the Christmas pudding!



Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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