Beer # 365 Wild North Series Pina Grande Lake of Bays

Beer # 365 Wild North Series Pina Grande

Brewery: Lake of Bays Brewing Company

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 2008

Location: Baysville, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Wheat Ale

ABV: 4.2%      IBU: 29

Format: Aluminium Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.15 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

Twitter: @LB_Brewing

I'm a little late in posting this one. The notes have been languishing in my to-do pile for quite some time. I've had a very busy summer with work and renovations and gardening, I've been coming home and falling into bed more than poking at the blog like I should be. Never fear Fall is here as is the flood of new seasonal beers and unfortunately Pumpkin Spice everything. Don't look for any Pumpkin beers on the blog this year, I've suffered through enough. They are rarely worth the effort, either overly sweet or over spiced. I may still taste a few, and if by the rare chance I find a good one... I'll share. But I would rather talk about the deep, dark, unctuous, and lethally alcoholic beers that arrive with the cooler weather.

But now... A beer that is far from deep dark and unctuous, A bright flavoured wheat from The people up in Baysville. Pina Grande is a wheat ale that has added pineapple juice in the brew to tick up the acid, add some nice fruit sugars and a hint of tropical brightness. Which is really nice to talk about when I've been dealing with frost warnings in my garden since August.

Onto our beer.

Pours a bright clear gold with a generous white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is pilsner malt with some wheat, light citrus, and a hint of roasted pineapple. The first sip is very malt forward with a district pilsner feel. Light fruity sweetness keeps this ale from being too malty and a hint of bitter hops crisps it up and keeps it light on the tongue. Pinpricks of citric acid and a hint of tinniness/mineral right at the end is reminiscent of pineapple juice from a can. Aeration sweetens up the brew bringing the pineapple forward with hints of papaya and banana. 

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:

This is a delightfully easy drinking beer. Nice and bright with good flavours. The pineapple mixes well with the tropical flavoured hops, and the wheat malt keeps it nice and clean on the tongue.

Cheers

CJT

Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 360 Mellifera, Trou du Diable

Beer # 360: Mellifera

Trou du Diable

Shawinigan, Quebec Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Blonde Saison with Honey
ABV 5.0 %  
Brown Glass Bottle 600 ml.
$5.80 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter @TrouduDiable

Down to Trou du Diable again, I was good to see them at FUNKFEST This year, I hope they can make that a regular occurrence. In that vein, we have another Sour Saison from them. This time fermented with honey added into the wort. I have to say, I was really drawn in by the label. The artwork is a scream. I love the play on the traditional "Our Lady of X" with the Sugar skull masks. She is correctly called: Notre Dame Des Luchadores,' (Our Lady of Crazy Mexican Wrestlers). And it does belie the beer you find in the bottle... irreverent and heavenly.

Onto our Tasting...

Pours a slightly cloudy, dark honey-gold, with a massive light-tan honey coloured head made up small to large bubbles. Bubbles grow rapidly in size and then dissipate. Nose is decidedly spicy, with biscuity wheat notes, good hints of yeast and fruity, floral honey. The first sip gives us some cheek pricking Brettanomyces.The attack starts us off with very refreshing acidic tones that slowly morph through the wheat notes and balances the subtle sweetness of the honey. Fruity hints of Honeycrisp apple, orange, and lemon. Aeration gives us sour lemon zest, tongue biting prickles of acid, hints of clove and tasty bread.

 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:

This is a fantastic sour. Easy drinking and refreshing. Great for the patio when it's sunny or inside when it's raining (more likely this year). Pick up one of Our Lady's if you can you will love it.


Cheers

CJT

Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

The Princess and Girlpants Meet the O.D.B. Sawdust City

# 220 The Princess and Girlpants meet the O.D.B.

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Barrel Aged Wheat 
9.5 % ABV 10 oz Draft (296 ml.)
$6.50 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @SawdustCityBeer

This is a version of the Princess Wears Girlpants Wheat beer I have been waiting for. 10 months ago Sawdust brewed this beer up and socked it away in Chardonnay barrels. (Yes the O.D.B. means Old Dirty Barrel... what did you think it meant?). They added a touch of Brett and let the beer simmer. Then... To confound everybody they split the batch in two. The draught version, which I am doing today, they dry hopped and served fresh. The second half of the batch they added more yeast, canned it and left it to sit in the warm area of the brewery  (can conditioning). Phase 2 of this tasting will be the canned version in a week or two (of which I am looking forward to very much). I was enjoying the sights at the brewery today I actually saw Stack Brewery deliver the "69" collaboration A Belgian pale ale brewed with black pepper... so I am looking forward to that beer soon... and On Saturday I will be back at the brewery for Pi Day. Sawdust is Releasing their Pi Day Cherry Saison Collab with Block 3 Brewing Company on 3/14 at 1:59 pm (Pi is equal 3.14159 for all of you non-math people...)

Enough talk about the future... let's talk about the now... Introducing the Princess!

Pours a cloudy umber orange/ brown with a light off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is passionfruit, grapefruit fresh grass and a hint of sour candies. First sip is grapey, tart, zesty and woody. Citrus and grapefruit peal with hints of guava and passionfruit. Strong hints of tart oak, some tannin, and a touch of leather. Aeration gives us a grapey citrus shine followed up by more intense bitter orange peel.

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:

This is a great beer... probably one I would not end up drinking a lot of (mainly because of the 9.5% ABV) But one you can certainly sit back and enjoy a glass of. This is intensely fruity. I overheard that they dry hopped with 5 Kg of Amarillo hops per barrel (don't quote me I was eavesdropping...) which would explain the explosive tropical fruit aromas. But nonetheless, this is a big, fruity, drinkable version of the Princess, grab it while you can. And stay tuned for the can conditioned version.

Cheers

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 149 Uber Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Uber Berliner Style Weiss

Nickel Brook Brewing Company

Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Berliner Weisse 3.8 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml.
$7.95 (Canadian) At the LCBO
Twitter: @NickelBrookBeer

Down to Nickel Brook again for their take on a classic wheat beer.

Onto the tasting.

Luminescent gold with a hint of green. Very large white head made up of small bubbles that disperses quickly to almost nothing. Aroma is very wheaty, peppery, and spicy. First sip is apple and citrus. Tangy, zippy, slightly sour. Finish is roasted wheat malt, toasted bread, and grapes. Very light and fruity. Aeration, is lactic and malic acid and toasty wheat.


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:

This is quite a good beer. Very lively with a lot going on. Excellent for the patio even better for the BBQ. Serve in place of a sparkling wine.


Cheers

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 137 Side Launch Wheat

Side Launch Wheat

Side Launch Brewing Company

Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Wheat 5.0 % ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml
$3.95 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @sidelaunch

Side Launch is a relatively new brewery in the Collingwood area of Ontario. Rich in shipbuilding history, naturally the brewery took on a nautical theme. Side Launch is a specific way to launch a large ship such as the grain carriers that were built in Collingwood to sail the Great Lakes. The video below from Youtube shows the recent side launch (December 2013) of the Littoral Combat Ship Milwaukee as an example. As you can see The ship leans over dramatically in the water, and accidents were common.




Back to Collingwood. Side Launch (the brewery) is a collaboration between Dennison's Brewpub founder and brewmaster Michael Hancock and a group of investors that wanted to bring a craft brewery to the Collingwood area. Side Launch as of yet doesn't seem to have a website (as they are technically still in the opening stages) but I found this announcement on the Dennison's Brewing Company's old website here. Dennison's had been without a home since 2003. Brewing it's two remaining brands by license at other breweries, Dennison's was mainly supplying kegs to craft beer bars in Toronto (ie C'est What, Bar Volo, and the Only Cafe). Then Hancock was offered the opportunity to become head brewer at the new venture in Collingwood where he brought his two well established beers and re branded them. Dennison's Dunkel  became Side Launch Dark Lager, and Weissbier became tonight's offering: Side Launch Wheat. Later this summer, a new beer is due out. A Side Launch Pale ale... which I am very excited to get my hands on.

Onto the Tasting... Launch away!


Colour is translucent light gold with a thin white head made of small bubbles. Aromas are banana and clove. Taste is sweet banana and spice followed by malted wheat. Slightly tinny. Lightly sour on the finish. Some citrus aeration gives us a burst of cloves and citrus.

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:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts: 

A very good beer. It is the same recipe as the original weissbeer, the only thing different is the source of the water. My one and only complaint is that I feel this beer suffered from being canned. As it is such a light citrusy and vibrant beer the tinny under note really detracted from the flavour. I will stick to drinking this one on tap. But please, get out there and try this beer. Not only does it mark a new day for brewing in Collingwood, it honours a tradition of brewing in Toronto.
Cheers


CJT



Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey

Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Beer # 99 Flying Monkeys Treble Clef Series Beer # 2 City and Colour Imperial Maple Wheat

Imperial Maple Wheat

Flying Monkeys Brewing Company

Barrie, Ontario, CanadaIndependent
High Alcohol Flavoured Wheat 11.5 % ABV 
Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml.
$13.95 Canadian LCBO

Twitter: @flyingmonkeys

I honestly can believe it took me to Beer # 99 to do a Flying Monkey's Beer. I did, after all, live just down the street from them... The Flying Monkeys has as interesting a back story as I can imagine in the brewing industry. Founded in 2005 The Owners had picked the name Simcoe Steam which was a real brewery in Barrie in the late 1800's. However as the Licensing application was being completed it was discovered that the rights to the name Simcoe Steam were not available and the owners had to quickly decide a new name to prevent the licensing paperwork from being rejected. They decided on Robert Simpson, who just happened to be the first mayor of Barrie Ontario (1871- 1872), and the owner of Simcoe Steam Brewery. The original flagship beer was Confederation Ale. It was an expensive premium beer marketed as the longest aged beer in Canada (around 44 days if I remember correctly) I remember having it and I really enjoyed it. Flash forward 4 years. Peter Chiodo, Head brewer, made new beers he pushed to rename the brewery because, in his words "Being named after a a dead white guy isn't that interesting." So Flying Monkeys was born. In all honesty I have met most of the people responsible for this brew... and Flying Monkeys is a great fit for a name for them...

Today we are doing the Treble Clef Series Beer # 2. Treble clef is a collaboration between The Flying Monkeys and a prominent Canadian Musician. Last year they collaborated with The Bare Naked Ladies, this year Dallas Green of City and Colour and formerly of Alexis on Fire.

 The beer is an Imperial Maple Wheat That was flavoured with Local (to Barrie) maple syrup from Breedon's Farm in Alliston Ontario. It is also flavoured with Fair Trade organic Ugandan Bourbon vanilla beans (That's a mouthful).

Anyway... City and Colour is playing on the MP3... onto the tasting.

The colour is dark amber, like a fine maple syrup and almost as translucent and slightly cloudy. Head is brown and tan, very short lived and made up of very tiny bubbles.The scent is up front maple syrup and vanilla with underlying notes of chocolate, malt, and wood. The first sip is a little like porridge, wheaty, syrupy. and a slight note of background citrus. The lingering maple is a bit strong and tends to get a bit bitter on the finish. Woodsy vanilla is present throughout the attack. Hot alcohol taste, finishing in a super sweet almost cloying hum of maple. Aeration brings a whisky taste to the mouth with a touch of wet grain and eye watering alcohol!
Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 4/6 PASS

Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  3/6 SO-SO
Experience:  4/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

This is a good beer don't get me wrong. There is lot's going on in it. But it fell down in a few areas. Price was an issue. I understand the limited availability and the special ingredients, and the over the top packaging. However in the end you have to pay for it and drink it and feel good about your purchase. I felt there was a price to taste expectation gap that was not met. The Maple syrup was out of balance. It stomped all over the wheat of the beer and left me feeling over-sweetened and sticky at the end. Would I suggest you try this beer? Of course... please do. Just share it with a friend... over some dessert. It definitely needs a touch of food to offset the sugar

Cheers

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

Beer # 94 Grozet

Grozet

Heather Ale Company Williams Bros. Brewing Co.

Kellibank, Alloa, Scotland, UK
Independent
Fruit Flavoured Wheat Beer 5.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 330 ml.
$2.71 (Canadian) At LCBO $10.85 for a four pack

Twitter: @williamsbrewery

Tonight's beer from the Historic Ales of Scotland pack is the Grozet. Claimed to be from a 16th Century Scots monk's recipe. The beer could technically be called a "Gruit Ale" (and possibly so could Beer # 93: "Froach" ) Gruit ales used various herbs and berries to bitter, or preserve beer before the use of hops was widely accepted. One of these herbs is Bog Myrtle, which makes it's appearance in this beer as it does in the previous. Other herbs included Henbane a toxin that often caused mild hallucinations... (hmmm Pint Jockey Brew Project idea?). However our ale tonight also contains hops, so it would be somewhere in between a gruit and a modern flavoured beer.

For more information on the Williams Bros. Brewing Co. please check out their website or look back at Beer # 93: Froach.

Onto tonight's historic brew:

Clear gold in colour with the slightest hint of green. Thin wispy white head made up of uneven sized bubbles. Cloudy and translucent. The nose is fruity and citrus, with gooseberies evident right away and the more subtle wheat notes beneath. As you get deeper into the nose the fruit is replaced with raw grain and hint of spice. First sip gives up some more gooseberry, more subtle than the nose. Very dry and wheaty some citrus, clean, crisp, slightly effervescent. Finish is short and clean with a lingering of grapes and gooseberries.


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:


Being Welsh... I love gooseberries, and I miss them as they don't see their way to Canada often. Sadly, the ones I have had here are not the sweet-tart, bursting with flavour gooseberries of my youth. So this beer brings back some memories. Supposedly Shakespeare drank a version of this beer, so perhaps if I consumed more I would become more eloquent, and poetic. But perhaps, if his version of this beer had Henbane in it... that would explain a lot too.

Cheers

CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

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