Visit to Herald Haus Brewing Company Stratford, Ontario October 15th 2019

 The second brewery stop on our whirlwind visit to Stratford was the Herald Haus Brewing Company. It opened in 2018 on the Market Square in what was once the Stratford Herald Newspaper Building. The Herald Building as it was called was renovated and reopened as a brewery by Daniel J Graver. Their selection of beers are named to evoke the history of Stratford and area. We had a light meal before the show as you can see to the right, and below, charcuterie and some vegetable samosas. The cheese and meat were all produced locally as were the pickles. The charcuterie went well with the beer and the samosas were quite good. The dipping sauce for the samosas was terrible and did not compliment them at all.

Sadly I noticed a theme for the evening: lack of attention to detail. From confusion with their beers, to mismatched flavour in their food, to an unbalanced charcuterie board (pickle heavy, cheeses too similar in flavour profile and only one sauce, mustard, no chutney). Beer lines tasted like they needed cleaning (beers seemed flat with little to no head). Herald Haus was one of the breweries I was looking forward to trying and sadly they did not live up to my expectation.

Let's move on to my notes for the evening.

Onto our beer:

Beer # 492: SMS (Summer Music Saison)Saison 19
Style: Saison ABV: 5.5%  IBU: 35

Pours light gold with a short white head. Spicy on the nose with hints of wheat and citrus.slightly tart with hints of bitter green medicinal hops

Final Thoughts: Slightly confused here. At the brewery this was listed as SSM Saison 19 as you can see on the board, left, but on their website, it is The Summer Music Saison 19. Untappd just calls it the Saison 19. Whatever it is an underwhelming wheat-based saison with muted flavours.

Beer # 493: 21 Haze East Coast IPA

Style: NEIPA ABV: 6.8%  IBU: ?

Not very hazy clear gold short head. Aroma is tart fruit and pine. Very hoppy. With spice and bitterness. Sweet almost syrupy.

Final Thoughts: Ok this beer made me grumpy. Billed as an "East Coast IPA" which is just another term for NEIPA or New England IPA This beer is crystal clear despite the requirement of a NEIPA being "Hazy" it is an indication of the biotransformation that happens when the hops meet the various NEIPA strains of yeast. This is also responsible for the "juicy, "peachy," and "tropical" flavours of a true NEIPA. I first thought they had given me the wrong beer, but the flavour profile was close-ish so I just assume its a bad form of this beer. Pro-tip, if you are going to include "Haze" in the name of your beer... make sure it is hazy in the glass. Avoid.

Beer # 494: Perth County Conspiracy 
Style: American IPA ABV: 5.0%  IBU: 60

Amber gold in colour with a thin head. Malt forward with spicy hops.some caramel and biscuit.

Final Thoughts: This beer is named after a local Stratford area acid-folk band by the same name ( I've linked some music of theirs below). Seemingly based off of a West Coast IPA with spicy malt-forward notes. Really unimpressive.

Beer # 495: G.T.R. Rusty Rail Red 
Style: American Red Ale ABV: 4.3%  IBU: 26

Warm and malty with sweet hints of caramel and toast. Like a muscular Kilkenny. Nice Irish red style.

Final Thoughts: This beer was named after the Grand Trunk Railway which ran through Stratford. This is significant because Thomas Edison worked for the GTR as a telegraph operator as a teen. He ran away back to the States after he got called to the Head Office in Toronto to be fired for nearly causing a train wreck. This was hands down the best beer of the night but even here, confusion reigns. Listed as a 5.5% American Amber Ale on Untappd, The website lists it at a 4.3% English Style red. It drinks like a Kilkenny so I would call it an Irish Red and the alcohol feels closer to the 5.5% mark. Worth the visit at least.

Beer # 496: H2 Golden Ale
Style: Golden ale ABV: 4.7 %  IBU: 15

Gold in colour with very little head. Gateway beer... commercial golden style. Wet dog and mild hops, some malt, light rainwater. 

Final Thoughts: Very commercial. Tastes like Labatt 50 or Molson Golden. Worst beer of the evening.

Overall Thoughts: Wow, I think this brewery needs time to grow up a bit. There is a lot of confusion with their styles and flavour profiles. A lot of the beer is just meh, or average at best. I would like to see them do better I will have to revisit them sometime in the future.

Music of The Perth County Conspiracy

First Album: The Perth County Conspiracy,
 Does Not Exist (1970)

Rare Self Pressed Album: Rumour (1973)

Cheers
CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2018 Edition Day 9: Campfire Rye by Boshkung Brewing Company

Beer # 468 Campfire Rye

Brewery: Boshkung Brewing Company


Type: Independent Microbrewery    
Est.:  2015

Location: Algonquin Highlands, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Rye Ale

ABV: 5.5%      IBU: 20

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.10 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

 boshkungbrewing

    @BoshkungBrewing

 I've been wanting to get a hold of this beer for quite some time. Rye beers rank up there in the pantheon of my favourite brews and I have really enjoyed the other offerings from Boshkung that I have tried. Tonight's brew gets its main kick from a healthy portion of smoked wheat malt; but owes the sweet, smooth, spicy, and bread-like character to the main star of the beer the malted rye.

Onto our beer...

Pours a hazy light chestnut brown with a fluffy light tan head made up of tiny bubbles. Aroma is warm rye bread with strong wood notes, (oak and maple?) First sip is very similar to a Rauschbier smoky, malty, and mineral. Crusty rye bread dominates the middle. Beer is quite light in body and fruity and spicy on the finish. A bit of earthiness comes out near the end. Aeration gives more earthy, smoky deliciousness.

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:

Another great beer from Boshkung. Not as heavy on the smoke as a Rauschbier, but enough to allow it to live up to it's name. Certainly makes me think of long nights in front of the campfire enjoying a tasty beverage or two. Or if you prefer, in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace pondering the Christmas tree. Either way, pick this one up and try it.

CJT

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Beer # 359 Gahan Blueberry Ale, Prince Edward Island Brewing Company

Beer #359 Blueberry Ale, Wheat Beer

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Established: 1997 (Originally as Murphy's Brewing Company, Renamed Gahan in 2000, Expanded to Prince Edward Island Brewing Company in 2013)
Flavoured Wheat Beer
4.5 % ABV IBU: 12
473 ml Aluminium Can
$3.25 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @PEIBrew

Well, I'm excited! This is my first PEI beer. I've heard good things about Gahan/ Prince Edward Brewing Company so I was happy to snag this beer at my local LCBO. Gahan, originally opened as Murphy's Brewing Company in 1997 has expanded to 3 Brewpub locations, in PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and a large state of the art production facility in Charlottetown filled to the brim with state of the art brewing equipment.

Our beer tonight is a seasonal wheat beer flavoured with fresh raspberries. Let's taste it.

Pours a cloudy darker off gold colour, with a massive head made up of small and medium bubbles. Head is mostly off-white but tinged with a grey/purple on some of the bubbles. The scent of blueberry pervaded the room and I opened the can. The aroma is sweet and wheaty with a hint of blueberry "Hubba Bubba" gum. Light sparks of citrus and hops round out the nose. The first sip is a light smooth wheat beer, with some light residual berry sweetness. Freshly picked berries balance out the light citrus, and wheat that holds the beer together. Aeration brings out a deep blueberry pie.

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:

Wow. Just... wow. Normally with these fruit beers, you get a sugar attack, or there is too much fruit and it is over flavoured or sickly sweet. Not so with this beer. I expected to pour out something akin to Welch's Grape juice; instead, I got a well balanced lightly scented wheat beer. I could spend the entire day on the patio sipping this beer slowly. Snap one of these up, while you can, or 6 or 12, find a patio, enjoy the sun and #CanadianBeerMonth.




Cheers

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 9: Mons Abbey Witte, Belgh Brasse

Beer # 308 Mons Abbey Witte

Brewery: Belgh Brasse

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1999

Location: Amos, Quebec, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Belgian Wheat

ABV: 5.0%      IBU: ?

Format: Cork Stoppered Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 750 ml

Cost: $8.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Beer Store

Twitter: @BelghBrasse


Off to Quebec tonight for a double tasting, this beer and it's sister product (coming up in the next post) hails from a Belgian brewer that moved to a small town in Quebec. The water for this beer is drawn off of the Abitibi Esker, so it is ancient, crystal, clear, glacier water. The witte is one of the four mainstay products of Belgh Brasse (The others are Dubbel, Blonde and Quadruppel all under the Mons Abbey name). Mons, isn't actually an Abbey, well certainly not here in Quebec. Abbey just means it is brewed in the Belgian Abbey Style, Mons is the town in Belgium that the brewer, Jean-Louis Marcoux, is from. The list of awards this beer has won is far too long to be detailed here. If you want they are listed on the product page here check them out. And let's check out the beer.

Onto our beer...


Pours a cloudy light gold with a bright white head made up of tiny bubbles. Aroma is certainly not confined to the glass. Just walking across the room from my photography table to my computer desk the room was filled with aromas of orange peel and coriander. A fact that is only doubled down as I put my nose in the glass. Nose is intense coriander, and bright green herbals. orange peel backs it up with soft notes of toasted wheat. Very faint hints of florals in the background and the scent of a freshly opened bag of baking flour. First sip is a soft well balanced wheat beer with smooth orange note (no bitter pith taste!).  Coriander's intensity stays on the nose, however it dances across the tongue very gently only to serve as counterpoint to the earthy wheat and the bright citrus. Mouthfeel is light and airy. One of the most balanced beers I have ever tried. Aeration bring out the yeast and more of the orange peel.

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
Christmas Cheer: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:

This is a fantastic witte beer, one suitable for anytime drinking, let along at Christmas. I would be just as happy sipping this on a patio mid summer. But the easy drinking warm aromas make this a win for Christmas too. Put this until the mistletoe for guaranteed kisses (Kisses not actually guaranteed...).

Cheers

CJT

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#CanadaMonthBeer Old Baldy Farmhouse Ale

# 237 Old Baldy Farmhouse Ale

Northwinds Brewhouse

Collingwood, Ontario, Canada

Independent Brewpub and Bottle Shop
Farmhouse Ale
IBU 24
3.5 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 650 ml
$6.19 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @Northwindsbeer

Another trip up to Collingwood tonight with some "Old Baldy" Farmhouse Ale, as we continue our spotlight on Canadian craft beers for the month of July.

Straight into the tasting tonight.

Pours a darker gold with a nice thick off-white head made of small bubbles. Nose is a robust malty and spicy mix with wheat and rye tones. Lot's of cloves, some cinnamon. First sip is rich malt with some woody notes Some deep roasted malt and some licorice. Aeration brings out some creaminess a light green hoppiness and a slightly bitter aftertaste.

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:

A nice well flavoured beer. So far this is my favourite from Northwinds but I have three more to go... which I am looking forward to more and more.


Cheers


CJT



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Vedett Extra White

# 215 Vedett Extra White Belgian Wheat

Duvel MoortGaat

Breendonk, Belgium
Independent Large Scale
Belgian Wheat Beer
4.7 % ABV Green Glass Bottle 330 ml
$2.91 (Canadian) At LCBO  ($11.65 for a 4 Pack)

Twitter: @DuvelBeer

Beer: With instructions...

I am actually surprised this is the first Duvel beer I have gotten around to. Mind you, Belgian beers I had to ease myself into. It took awhile for my palate to understand and enjoy them (and... now I do!) Duvel means Devil in Flemish, and Vedett is their second label, of more trendy and experimental beers. I have to admit this is one of the first beers I have seen with specific pouring instructions (see the picture at right...) They also have a campaign where you can submit a picture of yourself and random pictures are chosen and printed on the rear label... who know one day you might be drinking by yourself... with yourself! This guy with the striking scarf was obviously.

Onto our beer...

Pours a hazy white gold. Followed the instructions on the bottle to pour 2/3rd of the beer and then swirl and pour the rest. Precipitate is evident. Head is creamy white made up of tiny bubbles. Nose is very wheaty with clove and bananas hints of citrus and vanilla. First sip is warm and bready very open and inviting. Clean crisp lemon and fruity notes, clove is present but very light. Hints of coriander and honey on the finish. Aeration accentuates the tart citrus, and a flinty mineral character.

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:

Lovely, drinkable beer. Good quality wheat. Definitely worth a try if you can pick yourself up a bottle.


P.S. I have just been trying out www.julyu.com It's a new social media platform for those who enjoy fine alcoholic beverages, like you dear reader. Come and hang out with some like minded individuals. Sign up now and be sure to friend me!


CJT


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Beer # 108 Stack Brewing Valley Girl

Valley Girl Wheat Ale

Stack Brewing Company

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Wheat Ale 5.5% ABV Brown Glass Boston Round 1 L (32 oz).
$6.00 (Canadian) At The Brewery
Twitter: @Stackbrewing

Now for another trip up to one of Canada's most impressive geological features: The Greater Sudbury area which was carved out of the rock 1.8 Billion years ago by an asteroid that was 10 to 15 Km across (almost 10 miles across to my friends from the USA) It was the second largest impact that the Earth has ever suffered (it was even a larger impact than the one that killed the dinosaurs 65 Million years ago). Paleoproterozoic era Sudbury was much different than it is today, because of continental drift it was located in the southern hemisphere where it was attached to the super continent Pangea. When Pangea broke up Sudbury moved north with it's new continent named Laurasia that eventually became North America. 1.8 Billion years later Shawn Mailloux and Michael Guillemette opened Stack Brewing. Did someone say segue?

Stack Brewing started basically the same way every brewery starts. The owners were tired of drinking beers that "weren't quite right" for their tastes... so they struck out on their own. And we are all glad that they did.

Enough with the geology lesson... let's taste some beer that rocks instead:


Light gold in colour with a long lasting white head, medium in size, comprised of small white bubbles. Nose is banana, cloves and nuts, with a hint of yeast. Subtle but not overwhelming. Banana carries over onto the attack of the taste as does the spice, which intensifies with cardamom and nutmeg. Very grainy, the rich wheat gives you the impression of eating a homemade, whole grain loaf of bread. Light hints of apple also noted. Aeration gives off a warm brandy feeling and some sweetness over the underlying grain.

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

quite possibly one of the best wheats I've had in a while. True to it's German origins, this is an aromatic and flavourful beer. This would be best served on a patio near you, preferably with a light lunch... and as always best shared with a friend (especially if you bought the 1 L Boston round like I did).

Cheers

CJT

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