Two Beers by Half hours on Earth

Beer # 451 Affection

Brewery: Half Hours on Earth Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2016

Location: Seaforth, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Aged Flavoured Farmhouse Ale

ABV: 7.0 %      IBU: ?

Format: Green Glass Bottle  Size: 375 ml

Cost: $12.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

halfhoursonearth

    @hhoebrewery

Two beers I brought back from Seaforth. The first one is an oak aged spelt farmhouse ale spiced with rosemary and sage. The second is a farmhouse saison blended with Revel Cider's Perry and aged in cider barrels. Onto our beer.

Cloudy light gold with a generous and slightly greyish off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is tart and sour Brettanomyces with spicy notes of grain and toast. First sip is slightly sweet with strong grain notes. citrus and sage predominate with backgrounds of heady rosemary. Woody aromatic spices with hints of oak and vanilla.





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


Final Thoughts: richly complex beer with a lot going on. My first beer made from spelt. Hopefully not my last. This beer certainly nails home the reason why Half Hours is such a talked about brewery.



Beer # 452 Blueprint


Brewery: Half Hours on Earth Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2016

Location: Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Farmhouse Saison aged in Cider barrels blended with Revel Perry

ABV: 4.5 %      IBU: ?

Format: Green Glass Bottle  Size: 375 ml

Cost: $11.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

Pours a cloudy gold with a fuzzy white head that doesn't last long. Nose is full of brett sour and citrus hints of apple and pear. An interesting and smooth blend of cider and beer.Tart acidic apples and pears good hint of sweetness mellowed by the barrel ageing and the funk of brett. Hints of smoke and oak near the finish. Aeration brings out a cheek-puckering malic acid. It is very light in mouthfeel and such an easy drinking beer.







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


Final Thoughts: This is the sixth beer I've tasted from Half Hours, and the sixth beer I have been blown away by. Every beer is so light and airy, strong yet delicate. Full of flavour yet not exhausting. How they manage to balance everything is beyond me. I just hope they keep doing it! This beer, in particular, doesn't sound like it should work. Pear cider mixed with beer? Yes I know there are some pub concoctions using cider and Guinness etc. but This is a sour farmhouse it should work... But it does! I could drink this all day, and at 4.5 % ABV why not?


Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 7: Winterhaven Spiced Rye Ale, Lake of Bays Brewing

Beer # 306 Winterhaven Spiced Rye Ale

Brewery: Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 2008

Location: Baysville, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Rye Ale

ABV: 8.0%      IBU: 30

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 750 ml

Cost: $11.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @LB_Brewing



Another brewery I haven't been to in  awhile, Lake of Bays out of Baysville is generally good for a nice seasonal, so when I saw this one I got excited. Firstly it's a rye beer, and anyone who knows me, rye beers are quickly turning into one of my kryptonite beers. I love them and I am defenseless around them. Secondly, it's holiday spiced. Ok that puts it on the list for the #2-4beersofChristmas. And thirdly... do I need a thirdly? Not really. It's beer, It's new I'll try it.

Tonight's beer is a spiced rye with a flavour that is supposed to be reminiscent of gingerbread... Great call for the Christmas beers.

Onto the tasting...

Pours and dark amber colour with a dark hued off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is dominated by baking spices, ginger, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon, followed by some fresh rye notes. First sip is a combination of gingerbread and rye toast, light malty rye, not the heavier European style. Light rummy molasses round out the attack , with soft hints of caramel vanilla and turbinado sugar. Mouthfeel is light and a touch creamy. Aeration whips the beer up like whipped cream and gives it a warming brandy note. Hints of  licorice  and clove linger on.

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: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:


This is a great Christmas beer. I often have a problem when beers are "spiced," they tend to be overdone. Too much spice in the beer gives it a sickly and artificial taste. Although the spices are strong in this beer they still play nicely with the malts and hops and leave a good fairly well rounded beer. Definitely one to try and get while they are still on the shelves.
Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 9: Sawdust City Marzen-pan: A Fistful of Fruitcake

Beer # 256 Marzen-pan: A Fistful of Fruitcake


Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Fruit Flavoured Marzen 
5.0 % ABV Pint Glass 20 oz
$6.50 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @sawdustcitybeer

So after a rough work day I headed into Sawdust City to grab a pint and decided to work it into my 2-4 Beers of Christmas, mainly because of this beer. What says Christmas more than fruitcake and beer? Well Sawdust City says... Fruitcake beer. Low and behold I was presented with this spicy, sweet smelling marzen chock full of fruit and almond flavours I just had to share it with you. 

Fruitcake anyone?

Pours a cloudy medium chestnut colour with a short off-white head made up of small bubbles. The aroma is almond extract, cherries, and sweet cake. First sip is malty, almond, candied cherries, mixed peel, citrus, very cake - like.  Cinnamon clove brown sugar. Aeration gives us some Dr. Pepper, and baking spices.

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:  5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:

An awesome experiment. The wonderful spices and bright fruit flavours drive this beer to new levels. It truly drinks like fruitcake in a glass. Very filling and the spices dull your palate. You will want more than one but I would advise against it. Use this beer to finish up your night, like a glass of warm milk.

CJT


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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas: Day 7 Morrocan Brown Ale

Beer # 170 Moroccan Brown Ale

Spearhead Brewing Company

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Flavoured Brown Ale 6.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 355 ml.
$2.33 (Canadian) At the LCBO ($13.95 for a six pack)
Twitter: @SpearheadBeer



I'm actually a little ashamed of myself I thought I had posted about Spearhead before. I had The Hawaiian Pale Ale a while ago and really enjoyed it, but apparently didn't write about it. So I make up for that by posting about another in their growing stable of beers: The Moroccan Brown Ale. This beer is a malty brown ale flavoured with figs, dates, raisins, and cinnamon. The very festive beer perfectly suited for holiday imbibing.

Onto the Tasting...

Pours a hazy orange brown with an light tan head made of small bubbles. Nose is sweet with hints of cinnamon dried fruit and dark malt. First sip is very fruit filled, raisins, dates, sugary, light molasses, turbinado sugar. It does remind me of fruit cake... but in a good way. Despite all of the dried fruit flavours the beer works very well. the sweetness offsets the dark malt flavours. Aeration gives us some lighter citrusy notes in among a stronger hit of dates.



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 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Very tasty, and well suited to my holiday theme. I would LOVE to bake with this beer or just sit back and drink it with some fruitcake (yes I do like it!) or some of my family's traditional Christmas pudding.

Cheers And Beery Christmas


CJT


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Beer # 60 Dominus Vobiscum Blanche

Baie St. Paul at sunset

Dominus Vobiscum Blanche

Microbrasserie Charlevoix 
Baie St. Paul, Quebec, Canada (Independent)

Spiced Wheat Beer 5.0% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 500 ml.

$4.60 (Canadian) At LCBO.

Twitter: @microbrasserie

The Village of Baie St. Paul

On a bay off of the St. Lawrence 1.5 hours east of Quebec city is the beautiful little village, Baie St. Paul. The entire area of Charlevoix is renowned for its great cheeses wines and fruits. However there is another "must see" on your stop. Microbrasserie Charlevoix or MBC as it is sometimes shortened to, started out in a pub in the centre of town in 1998. Eventually it grew in popularity and moved to expanded facilities in January 2009. I was fortunate enough to visit the brewery in 2005, and had quite a funny experience. As you go East from Quebec City the number of English speaking people drops considerably. When I arrived at the pub they were offering a five beer sampler, however when I ordered it in my broken high school french I was informed I could not have it because there were only four draughts that day. It took a good ten minutes to convince the harried server that it was quite alright to serve me the four beers and charge me the full price, just so i could get the sampler.


Onto the tasting. Tonight's offering is the spiced Belgium style wheat beer: Dominus Vobiscum Blanche. Generally the term Blanche, or "white beer" is either unfiltered or bottle conditioned, as is this one tonight. 


Light gold in colour, translucent, bright white head made up of tiny tight bubbles. First smell is coriander, clove, allspice and orange peel. First sip bursts with clove and allspice. Nutty, wheat and herbal, chamomile. Very crisp and clean short herbal finish. Very refreshing. Sediment on the bottom of the bottle. Excellent summer beer.




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:   5/6  PASS

Final Thoughts:


I am very pleased that these "tiny" "undiscovered" breweries are now getting the widespread attention they deserve. I had fun "discovering" the brewery, that all the locals were quite familiar with and I am very happy I can go grab a "Blanche" down at the LCBO and relive my wonderful trip.


Cheers 
CJT

Beer # 11 Great Lakes Winter Ale

Welcome back Beer Fans. I seemed to slip off into some holiday hibernation, but just as the Grizzly or Kodiak must rise from it's slumber so did I. First off I must apologise as I promised the 18 yo Ola Dubh up next... However, The Jockey got a nice little present in his Christmas stocking from a lovely lady so in honour of her largesse the next three posts are dedicated to her and her very intoxicating gifts.

Great Lakes Brewery is found in Toronto just north of the shore of the Great Lake of Ontario hence the name. www.greatlakesbeer.com Over twenty years ago Great Lakes became the original Toronto Craft brewery by purchasing a copper brewing vessel built in the early 1900's in Germany and moving it to their new home on the edge of the Gardiner expressway near the 427. There first beer was Golden Horshoe Premium Lager which was only available on draught in select locations around Toronto. Golden Horshoe of course referring to the nickname of the shore of Lake Ontario that forms a horseshoe shape from St. Catharines through Hamilton and Burlington and eventually up to Toronto. The Great Lakes portfolio has grown considerably to include two more regular beers Red Leaf Smooth Lager, and Devil's Pale Ale 666 (one of the Jockey's favourite pale ales in Ontario!) plus a number of regular rotating session beers, Orange Peel ale, Pumpkin Ale, Green Tea ale and today's tasting Winter Ale. They are very experimental at Great Lakes and do try a number of different concoctions. Most notably is at the Toronto Festival of Beer every August, Great Lakes hosts "Caskapaloosa" a celebration of "one off' beers made mainly for fun. I am still haunted by the memory of the last Caskapaloosa I went to... The Rhubarb ale was not a hit in my mind....burning rubber anyone?


Anyway on to today's sample:

The first smell is spice of which this beer has a lot. Cinnamon is prevalent with some honey and ginger. The colour is a slightly cloudy chestnut with a lightly tan head made of small bubbles. As for alcohol, this beer brings a winter warming 6.2% abv to the table.

The attack is all ginger and cinnamon reminiscent of a Jamaican ginger beer. hints of honey malt and bitter orange in the back ground. Short finish with a high alcohol feel similar to a brandy finish. The beer is heady and has a substantial mouthfeel. Perfect for a winter's ale; good substance and warming.

Overall results: (Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional)

Taste: Pass
Cost: Pass (Well it should... I got it free! but for a 750 ml bottle I believe it's $5.95)
Colour: Exceptional (I really like seeing cloudy beers they have an non-homogenized feel about them that shows somebody cares more about their beer than conventional thought)
Beer Style: Pass
Re-order: Pass ( I couldn't do another one today, but maybe tomorrow, and if the temperature hits the plus side again...no thanks)
Experience: Pass

I'll give this beer a high pass because I like the people down at great lakes they DO care about the industry and the people that drink their beer. I once went on a tour of their facility... it wasn't a scheduled, scripted tour. I popped in unannounced and the clerk in the store called one of the workers up, who toke me on one of the MOST detailed, most informative, most in depth tour of any brewery I have ever been on (I play dumb when I go to these things to see how different the tours are... I could GIVE these tours now). Obviously beer passion is something that unites the people at Great Lakes and it shows up in their products, they have their occasional flop (Trust me NOT forgetting rhubarb ale EVER!) But overall the love they have for they work shines through in the quality products they produce.

Up next Lake of Bays Mocha Porter.... still on deck is the 18 yo Ola Dubh stay tuned!!

Cheers

CJT