#CanadaMonthBeer Three Stage XPA

# 236 Three Stage XPA

Northwinds Brewhouse

Collingwood, Ontario, Canada

Independent Brewpub and Bottle Shop
Extra Pale Ale
IBU 24
4.6 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$6.64 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @Northwindsbeer


We took a drive up to Collingwood to see the Scenic Caves (great trip if you have never been!) AND it just so happened that our drive took us by Northwinds Brewhouse. So I ran in a got a few bottle of their beer. I have tried one of their beers it was last year at OCB Week in Toronto and I recorded it in my Bar Volo Post. The Beer was Rooster Tail American Wheat. Not bad as far as I can remember. 

Tonight's offering is an extra pale ale Let's hop on our bike and try it.

Onto the first stage:

Pours a hazy darker gold colour with an off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is creamy and grain heavy. First sip is sip is a warming spicy and slightly bitter mix of citrus and and a slight muskiness. Flavour is heady and earthy. A little closed at the beginning it starts to open up as it warms. Some malt sugars and a hint of caramel. Aeration gives us some smoky malt and a bit of bruleed sugar.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


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

Final Thoughts:

A good solid little XPA. One that needs to warm up a touch to fully experience the flavours which change and develop as the beer has sat open. Looking forward to trying the other beers I bought at Northwinds (There are four more in the the "Fridge of Fame.")



Cheers


CJT



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Beer # 147 Rhyme & Reason Collective Arts Brewing

Rhyme & Reason

Collective Arts Brewing

Bracebridge and Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Brewery Collaboration?
Extra Pale Ale 5.7 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 355 ml.
$2.33 (Canadian) At LCBO ($13.95 for a six pack)
Twitter: @CollectiveBrew

Now this is a beer I have tried before. We had it recently at a BBQ where we used it for some "Beer Butt Chicken," to rave reviews.  So I had to save one and post about it. Collective Arts is as their name suggests is collecting artists. Each bottle features a random piece of artwork or independent band of some note. More information about the labels can be found by downloading and using "Blippar" an image recognition app for your phone or by simply searching for the label on the company's website here.

Other than their commitment to new artists, there is not a lot of information on the brewery other than their cryptic location. They say they are from Bracebridge and Burlington, Ontario. Which we here at Pint Jockey Headquarter know there are two fairly well known, and very excellent breweries in those two locations. We will not discuss who they are, their names are only a google search away... Instead, we will concentrate on their beer. And what a beer it is. 

Onto the artful tasting. 


Dark gold with a small off-white head made up of small bubbles. Head disperses fairly quickly. Nose is sweet, honey, dates, pine aromas. First sip is tangy bittersweet orange and lemon followed by a piney hop zing. Some caremelised citrus and orange peel oil. Some light breadiness through the middle with that unmistakable Simcoe hop herbal piney finish. Some sugar candy sweetness thrown into the mix along with some citrus pith bitterness. Aeration gives us grilled oranges.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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

Final Thoughts:

Very good indeed. This is another beer that has to head to the top of the list as a good summer sipper. Crisp, juicy, refreshing, and just bitter enough not to be too fruity. Get yourself into one of these and check out all the local and independent artists on the labels.


Cheers

CJT


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Beer # 52 Gemini

Gemini 

Southern Tier Brewing Company, New York, USA (Independant)
Blend (see below) 9.1% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$9.00 (Canadian) at LCBO.

Today's beer is a blend of two other of a brewery's regular beers, and it is the first time I have heard of it being done with an IPA. The first beer is Unearthly Imperial IPA a hefty 9.5% 

heavily hopped ale that is described as being very fragrant. The second is Hoppe Imperial Extra Pale ale, a substantial 8.5% ale described as delicate and elegant. Both beers sound impressive on their own, whatever led the brewers to try the two together, well no-one is saying. What I say is the two beers are very similar in nature, so the selection of Gemini as the name rings true... the Twins.

Colour is light copper with a good sized off-white head made up of small bubbles that last a decent amount of time reducing to a skim across the top and some lacing on the glass. Aroma is strong floral hops with some fruitiness and as the beer warms a good hint of barn and molasses. First sip gives us a lot of sugar and a little cheek puckering astringency, herbal floral hops dominate, with the malt sugars bringing up the rear. There is a lot going on in this beer and I taste a little more with each sip. There is a little orange and bergamot, lingering inside. Mouthfeel is actually a little sticky. Aeration brings out the alcohol, and medicinal qualities. Almost gin-like.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional

                                                                                                               

Cost: 4/6 SO-SO
Colour: 5/6 PASS      
Beer Style: N/A it's an unusual blend
Re-Order: 5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:
This is a very complex and interesting beer I found myself racing through the bottle inadvertanly trying to taste all of the different nuances. Unfortunately I think I ran out of beer before I found everything I was looking for. The only fault I think is that the beer, however good, is over priced, six or seven dollars, maybe, but nine is stretching it.



Cheers
CJT