The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2019 Day: 8 Kveik Chocolate and Orange Muskoka Brewery

Beer # 508 Kveik Chocolate and Orange

Collaboration with Quidi Vidi Brewing Company


Brewery: Muskoka Brewing Company


Type: Independent Brewery    Est.:  1998

Location: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Brewery: Quidi Vidi Brewing Company

Type: Independent Brewery    Est.:  1996

Location: Quidi Vidi St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Farmhouse Ale

ABV: 8.0%      IBU: 30

Format: Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 750  ml

Cost: $10.95 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

muskokabrewery                quidividibeer

    @muskokabrewery             @QuidiVidiBeer

Tonight's offering is the Community Ventures Collaboration between Muskoka Brewery of Bracebridge Ontario and Quidi Vidi Brewing Company from just outside St. John's Newfoundland.  The beer is a flavoured Farmhouse ale with chocolate and orange. I was looking forward to this I thought chocolate and orange are great for the holidays... but sadly, something went wrong with this beer...

Onto our tasting...

Pours a medium-dark chestnut with an off-tan head Aroma is very medicinal with hints of molasses and old citrus. The overwhelming smell of polyphenols, especially when the beer is just poured. There is something just "off" about the taste of the beer. Chocolate is minimal and extremely bitter. Orange is very faint, tastes old, and is backed up by bitter green leaves. Aeration is stale orange juice.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 2/6 SO-So
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 0/6 FAIL
Re-Order:  0/6 FAIL
Experience: 1/6 FAIL
Christmas Cheer 1/6 FAIL


Final Thoughts:

This beer skirted the edge of being a #DrainAward. There was something wrong with this beer, something did not go right at all. Very disappointing as I usually am a big fan of everything Muskoka brewery does. Well, they can't all be rockstars. Avoid.

Cheers

CJT

 

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 1: The Ugly By Henderson and Brewdog

Beer # 458

The Ugly
Collaboration with Brewdog PLC

Brewery: Henderson Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2015

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Brewery: Brewdog PLC

Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2015

Location: Aberdeenshire, Scotland United Kingdom

Beer Style: Dark Belgian Strong  Ale

ABV: 8.4%      IBU: ?

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.70 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

@HendersonBrewing

    @HendersonBeerCo

In the 1970's, In Toronto (as in other cities) there was a huge Punk movement that took over the clubs of the entertainment district. Strangely, Toronto was almost as influential as New York for churning out hard rocking, loud and entertaining bands. This beer pays homage to one of those bands, coincidentally named "The Ugly." This Belgian strong was done as a collab between Toronto's Henderson Brewing Company and Brewdog from Scotland, the latter of the two is most noted for their delicious "Punk IPA" which explains why they chose an iconic Toronto punk band to name their beer after.

The Ugly: Stranded in the Laneway of Love

I hadn't heard of The Ugly prior to this, but I read a bit about them and checked out their music on YouTube and I really like them... Give them a listen especially if you are an old Ramones fan like me. I've always wondered if I should incorporate more music into the blog. Maybe I should work up a list of my Top Ten Beer Drinking songs and pair them with beers... Hmmmm. Thoughts.

Onto our beer.


Pours a very dark chestnut almost black with tints of red. With a generous head made up of small reddish-brown bubbles. Aroma is very warming nutty and sweet. Very fruity with hints of brown sugar and smoke and charcoal. First sip is nutty and molasses. The body is light and fruity, hints of dried fruit and plums. There is a slight "bubbling" of effervescence on the tongue. Aeration brings out fruitiness, liquorice and spikes of alcohol. Has hints of chocolate 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: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Christmas Cheer 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Wonderful collab. Rich and flavourful, awesome aromas. I don't think it revs up the anarchist in me... But I could enjoy one or two of these by a fire, listening to some punk music (before I fall asleep in my chair...) If you can find it get it in you, and do yourself a favour... play The Ugly really loud while you sip it.

Cheers

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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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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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 14: Hanlan's Point Coconut Coffee Porter Great Lakes Brewery

Beer # 312 Hanlan's Point Coconut Coffee Porter 

Tank Ten Series, Collaboration with Bar Hop Bar

Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1987

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Porter

ABV: 6.5%      IBU: 19

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 650 ml

Cost: $7.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @GreatLakesBeer

Another Hard working brewery Toronto's Great Lakes Brewing company has been with us since 1987. Still the reigning champ of the best Brewery Tour I have ever had (and I met Jim Koch at Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston...). They are busy, busy bees down at Great Lakes. The list of beers they produce in a year is staggering, and most of them only the die hard beer nerds hear about as they made incredible one offs that only show up at festivals, and select beer bars in and around Toronto.

Always good for a punny label or funky artwork, especially in their Tank Ten series, tonight's beer is no exception.  For those of you who are not in the know, Hanlan's Point is a beach on the Toronto Islands. They are a small collection of sand bars that are home to some old homes and cottages, a Yacht Club, an amusement park called "Centreville" (On Centre Island... no less) Owned by the Beasley Family for umpteen years. The Beasley's are actually old family acquaintances of my Father's. And of course Hanlan's Point. Hanlan's Point is named after famous Toronto world champion rower Ned Hanlan, and was officially dedicated in 1882. However the beach became notorious for another reason. It was isolated on the island and did not face the mainland so there were no clear sight lines. So for many years, Hanlan's point was Toronto's only "unnofficial" Clothing optional beach. That all changed in in 1999 when Toronto decided to start a pilot project to evaluate the merit of making Halan's point official. 0n March 17 2002, (St. Patrick's day no less...) Hanalan's Point was giving official Status as Canada's second public clothing optional Beach (Wreck Beach in Vancouver is number one). Yes... This does explain our rather frigid looking sunbather on the bottle. Other than that... why they chose Hanlan's Point for the name of this beer... I am at a loss. I just drink the beer I can't always understand it.

Tonight's beer is a coconut and coffee flavour porter, and was designed in collaboration with Bar Hop Bar of Toronto.

Let's dive in...

Pours a very dark Chestnut with a tan head made up small bubbles.Aroma is fresh roasted coffee, slightly smoky, hints of wood shavings, some hay and a slight nuttiness.First sip gives us all the coffee the nose promised and the coconut is limited to a subtle sweetness in the background. Reminds me of Vietnamese coffee with a little bit of condensed milk stirred into it. Mouth feel is creamy and full, slightly fatty and  rich like I've just tasted some cream. Finish is where the toasted coconut pops up at the end of the coffee's long bitter finish. Lips are sticky like they are covered in roasted marshmallows. Aeration froths the beer like whipped cream and gives us a nutty roasted finish.

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:

A pretty good beer despite the fact that I am not a coconut fan. The coconut was quite subtle, coming in at the end more as a feeling rather than a taste. Definitely if you can find this one try it out. I'm sure it will pop up again. (I actually had this bottle on hand for a while so it is currently de-listed). But if you can't find this, you won't go wrong trying any of Great Lake's Tank Ten series.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 281 Lawrence of Arabica Coffee Orange Porter Amager Bryghus

#281 Lawrence of Arabica Coffee Orange Porter
Collaboration with 18th Street Brewery


Amager Bryghus

Kastrup, Denmark
Independent Microbrewery
Flavoured Porter
7.0 % ABV 32 IBU
500 ml Brown Glass Bottle
$6.30 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @18thStreetBrew


It's been a while since I had a beer from Amager in Denmark. They tend to be quite good. However I didn't originally pick this up because it was from Amager, I didn't even know it was a collaboration until I logged in on Untappd. I was initially struck by the artwork on the bottle, and I'm a sucker for good ( read: bad) puns. So basically I bought it because it was punny. Tonight's offering, aside from being the aforementioned collab between Amager Bryghus of Denmark and 18th Street Brewery of Hammond Indiana, Is a coffee and orange peel infused strong porter. 

Onto tonight's tasting...

Pours an inky black/brown with a thin dark chestnut coloured head. Aroma is smoky, slightly tarry, with chocolate, coffee, molasses, and charcoal. First sip is a deeply roasted malt with strains of dark coffee and espresso. A slight charred bitterness, with light hints of citrus and a minute sparkle on the back of the tongue. As the beer warms a nice woodsy whiskey flavour. The orange is more evident at warmer temperatures. Aeration bring out smoky wood, and charcoal campfire coffee, and hints of vanilla.


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:

This is a wonderful beer. very flavourful, aromatic and complex. This sultry smoky deliciousness is exactly what a porter should be. The coffee and the orange are light enough to compliment the dark roasted malts, and not too heavy as to hijack the taste profile. Well balanced and worth a try.


CJT


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