Triple Bogey Premium Lager

# 208 Triple Bogey Premium Lager


Triple Bogey Brewing & Golf Co.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Independent Contract Brewery
Lager 5.0% ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml
$2.50 (Canadian) LCBO

Twitter: @Triplebogey

Triple Bogey is a contract brewery (that is it's product is brewed under an agreement with another brewery)., and it's Headquartered in the Beach in Toronto. Literally right around the corner from where I used to live. We will skirt quickly around the issue of the term "Beach" as it means so much to many different people. But it is generally accepted to be bounded on the south by Lake Ontario and the north by Kingston Road, and runs basically along Queen Street East from Coxwell to Victoria Park. It encompasses Ashbridges Bay, Woodbine and Kew Beach (although some include the famous Leslie Spit as well). It is one of the Oldest settled sections of Toronto and was the location of the first Horse Racing track. If you are a movie buff you would know that the famous movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was filmed in part there. And it is one of my favourite places in Toronto. Triple bogey is an interesting blend of businesses as it not only produces beer, but it sells a line of golfing apparel. (Well beer and swag DO go well together as we all know). Their aim was to produce a light, crisp lager, for consumption by the golfing enthusiast.

Let's see how well they did...


Pours a clear light gold with a small but sturdy off-white head made up of small bubbles. The nose is grassy with light citrus and clean malt smell. Very light in body, the first sip is mineral, citrus, hints of white bread and a slight tartness. Aeration brings out the grassy hops.

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:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

I see what you did there!

Lagers have fallen out of favour with me as I find them often too lacking in flavour. That being said, This one is designed with golfers in mind, so I must put myself in the mind of one. Only having golfed about 2, maybe 3 times in my life I quickly discovered there were two thing wrong with my golf game: my drive and my putt... so as you can see I stuck to beer. But as I remembered, golfing is hot sweaty business and a crisp clean refreshing beer is what you look forward to. I would certainly say this would not be amiss on the golf course or the 19th hole for that matter. Not particularly the beer I would choose to relax to but if you enjoy Steamwhistle, Creemore, or any other the other craft lagers this beer is for you. Grab a can and try it. By the way, the logo on the can was my most favourite part (sorry, it's hard to see in the picture) but the T and the B of Triple Bogey forms an icon in the shape of a +3 (or a triple bogey in golf). Nice touch guys!

CJT


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Double Dunk Forked River Brewing Company

# 207 Double Dunk Weizenbock

Forked River Brewing Company

London, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Imperial Weizenbock 8.2% 10 oz Draft Tulip Glass
$7.25 (Canadian) At the Sawdust City Brewery guest Tap

Twitter: @forkedriverbrew

Down to Forked River of London Ontario today. I have had one of their beers before, but it didn't make it into the blog. Forked River starts their own Bio out like a classic Joke "Two Biologists and an Engineer walk into a bar..." But instead of a punchline we get some amazing beer. Dave Reed, Andrew Peters, and Steve Nazarian all met through a regional homebrewing association. As their friendship grew, the job market for their professions started to dwindle in London, and not wanting to move their families they decided to work for themselves. So Forked River was born in 2012.  The other beer that I have had by them, was the Riptide Rye Pale Ale, and I must confess it was delicious. I only wish I had taken notes for the blog. If I can get my hands on some again I will... stay tuned. Until then we shall sample this beer right here...

Already a mouthful in a name... The Double Dunk Weizenbock. Onto the tasting.

Pours a cloudy chocolate brown with an off-tan head made up of small bubbles. Nose is vegetative like tomatoes, and smells of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, like a really strong Caesar (drink... not salad my American friends!). First sip is intense, woody, spicy, umami laden, rich and creamy. Clove and cinnamon intensify through the middle and then the beer softens out to a tart tangy breadiness with a hint of sourness. As the beer warms up, chocolate appears with some oak, caramel, and vanilla in the background.  Aeration whips the beer up like fresh cream and  brings out the alcohol. intensifies the baking spices, light hints of banana, and enhances the chocolate.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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


Final Thoughts:

Another massive beer. You feel all of it's 8.2% ABV. But such complexity! Layers upon layers of flavour. It is a real "thinking beer." One you definitely want to sit down and ponder. What struck me the most is the "Umami" in this beer. Umami is a borrowed Japanese word that means "pleasant savoury." In essence umami is the meatiness, the roundness, the completeness of a satisfying flavour. It's that deep mushroomy flavour, or the flavour of a seared steak. And it was all through this beer. The would certainly be an excellent food beer, and I would love to cook a nice beef stew with it. I suggest you grab one and taste it for yourself. 

CJT


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Long Dark Voyage to Uranus Sawdust City Brewing Company

# 206 Long Dark Voyage to Uranus

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent
(Uranal) Imperial Stout 10.2% Aluminium Can 473 ml.
$5.50 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @SawdustCityBeer

Okay, Let's see if I can make it through this post without sophomoric jokes about your anus. (Damn!). Now, I know some of you out there are saying "It's pronounced YOU-ran-IS." Sadly, you would be wrong. It is a pet peeve of mine, because I actually remember the news story where US teachers were petitioning to have the name changed because they could not stand the jokes and giggling when they were trying to teach astronomy. It is, for the record, pronounced "U-ray-nus" and has been since it's discovery in 1781 by Sir William Herschel the German born, British Astronomer... (well, okay he actually named it George's Star, after King George III, but other astronomers convinced him to name it Uranus). Uranus is named for the Greek God Ouranos god of the skies, who became Uranus when the Romans assimilated the Greek Gods into their mythology.

Okay, rant over, back to our beer. Tonight's offering is Sawdust City's most anticipated seasonal of the year. Long Dark Voyage is a (HUGE) 10.2% Imperial Stout, which I guess is why it is out of this world. 

Well, we have waited long enough... let the voyage commence...

Pours a cosmically dark brown/black with a good sized tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is rich coffee and dark chocolate with toasted bread, a slight nuttiness, some wood, and a touch of vanilla. First sip is deep and dark malt, some lightly burnt sugar and a good strong hit of dark cocoa powder. Very earthy with a good backbone of bitterness from the magnum and centennial hops. One feels all of the 10.2% alcohol in every sip (not for the faint of heart... or liver).  Mouthfeel is slightly viscous and tongue coating, making the lips slightly tacky  like one has just eaten ribs and has not removed all of the BBQ sauce yet. Aeration was dangerous... it was like snorting a martini, pure alcohol (I actually coughed a little!). After trying a second time, the aeration whipped the beer like heavy cream and deepened the chocolate flavour, softened the bitterness, but accentuated the tartness of the hops.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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


Final Thoughts:

Wow. If I was ever on a long dark voyage to... well... y'know, I would want this beer and plenty of it. Full bodied, rich, thick, delicious. This has been number one on my "must try" list for some time, as it was the first beer from Sawdust City that I had heard of. It did not disappoint. It is just hitting shelves and I believe it is going to the LCBO. So get out there and try a voyage of your own. Just remember, 10.2 % ABV, share with a friend.

CJT


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8th Sin Black Lager Hop City Brewing Company

#205 8th Sin Black Lager

Hop City Brewing Company

Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Saint John, New Brunswick
Wholly Owned Craft Beer Subsidiary of Moosehead Breweries
Black Lager
5.0 % ABV 473 ml Aluminium Can 
$2.85 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HopCityBrewing

Another trip down to Hop City... (Sounds like a song). I was quite enamoured with this can and it's "Dias de Muertos" (Day of the Dead) decorated skull. The skull motif is very popular in Mexico where it is a remembrance of family and friends that have passed. Families travel to cemeteries to clean and maintain graves and then enjoy a feast and party to celebrate their lost loved ones. A special treat is often given to the children on this day a "Calavera" a decorated sugar skull. (I've had one, it's like eating a giant sugar cube, but very fun!)

Examples of Calavera

The 8 in 8th sin refers to the eight different malt used to produce is very dark colour.

Onto our tasting...

Pours and inky brown/black with fluffy off-tan head made up of small bubbles, that disperse quickly. Aroma is sweet malt, burnt sugar, licorice and vanilla. First sip is caramel, coffee, and nuts. Body is very light, almost watery. Finish is funky marijuana scented hops. Aeration accentuates the vanilla caramel, and slight mocha hints.

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:  4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

Very refreshing and a surprising amount of flavour. Like a lager and a very light stout had a baby. However the body is very weak, a problem I noted with another Hop City beer, Hopbot IPA. Which is surprising because I am a fan of their other beer Barking Squirrel, which is not shy in the flavour or body department. Is it a good beer? Yes, very much so. Tasty? Indeed. Should you try it? Of course. Would I buy it again? Probably not... I do like my beers to have a little oomph.

CJT


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Jaw Gate Buxton Brewery

#204 Jaw Gate


Buxton Brewery

Buxton, England, United Kingdom
Independent
American Pale Ale
5.6 % ABV 500 ml Brown Glass Bottle
$5.45 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @buxtonbrewery

A first offering from the British Microbrewery in Buxton, England. There isn't much on the bottle to go by except that it was inspired by a recent altercation (That's British for fist fight I imagine). This is the first time I have seen a British brewery do a take on the American Pale Ale style, which in itself is a take on the British India Pale Ale style. What's the difference you might ask? Well, both beers fall into the Pale Ale category of beers, IPA's were brewed with extra added hops, as the brewers found that the hops would help preserve the beer on the long ship voyage to India (where it was given to British soldiers as part of their rations) hence the India part in India Pale Ale. APAs on the other hand, are meant to show off... hops that is. Many varieties of American hops have intense floral and fruit characteristics, so the beer became a "delivery device...' so to speak, of these intense flavours. There are not a lot of hard and fast rules that state, this beer must be an APA, yet, it is mostly up to the brewer. I would expect as the category grows, clearer lines will be drawn to further delineate the beer style.

Enough with the technicalities... onto the beer.

Pours a clear gold with a fluffy off-white head made of tiny bubbles. Aroma is light citrus and tropical fruit light hints of sweet caramel malt. First sip is tart pineapple and grapefruit with some grainy sweet malt. Body is very light. Some honey and floral notes, orange and peach, with a touch of earthiness. Aeration brings out an herbal hoppiness. Finish has a slight ashen quality to it.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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




Final Thoughts:

Over all, not a bad beer but nothing about it says American pale Ale the way we have come to know them. I think it is just a tad too subtle (a very British problem). While the fruity hops are there, they are not bold like most APAs. While I would not discourage you from trying it, if you are expecting an "in your face' APA this beer is not it. Try it with a nice curry though... the fruitiness and the refreshing qualities would mesh nicely with Britain's favourite snack.

Cheers
CJT


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The Matador Version 2.0 Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

# 203 The Matador Version 2.0: El Toro Bravo

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Independent
Imperial Rye Ale Cedar Aged 10.0% ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml.
$10.40 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @FlyingMonkeys

Down to the Monkeys again tonight. Just today I heard of a little controversy about The Monkeys and the Ontario Legislature. It seems as though while Anne Hogarth, the MPP for Barrie was trying to question a lobbyist for the Brewers Retail  (The Beer Store) she insulted the brewers, who are employers and revenue generators in her riding. See the text here. If you are from out of province or unaware of the debate The Craft Brewers of Ontario are trying to end the stifling monopoly in Ontario that is The Beer Store. I will be posting an expose on the whole affair shortly... and putting in my two cents as a beer blogger.

But enough about politics.

Tonight's beer is the second version of the beer a 2.0 if you will. The Monkeys wanted to age some beer on spanish cedar. This one is a rye imperial ale. (I love rye beers!!!).

Release the monkeys!

 Pours a very dark amber with a generous off-tan head made up of tiny bubbles. The aroma is spicy, with hints of cedar cigar box, tobacco, and fresh sawn basswood. First sip is deep and malty with burnt toast notes, more blanket box cedar, sweetgrass, and sage. Strong notes of thick dark German rye bread, some caraway. As the beer warms the flavours smooth out and deepen. the cedar/spice is pervasive like expensive incense. It drinks like a grilled reuben sandwich. toasty, malty, bready, charred, spicy, smooth, and creamy. Aeration gives us more cedar, pencil shavings, and earthy wood tones.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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


Final Thoughts:

My father was a master carpenter. He began building houses in South Wales, UK. when he was 14 years old. Ever since I could stand I remember being with him in his workshop. The smells of freshly cut or planed wood, the spicy, musky sweat of a hard day's work, the inevitable thermos of tea. This beer takes me there. Five years old, steadying a board that my Dad is planing, curls of wood piling at my feet. It's hard to describe this as it actually hit me on an emotional level.  To say the beer is transcendent is an understatement. Obviously, the brewers at Flying Monkeys were not trying to send an old farm boy turned blogger back in time. What they did do was, create a very deep, flavourful beer, with incredible aromatic wood notes. I can not guarantee you will be transported to another time and place if you drink this beer... you will however be amazed at its complexity and character, just as I was. The bottles left are in short supply, get them while you can.


CJT


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Big Mouth Tap Room Pale Ale Hop City Brewing Company

#202 Big Mouth Tap Room Pale Ale

Hop City Brewing Company

Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Saint John, New Brunswick
Wholly Owned Craft Beer Subsidiary of Moosehead Breweries
Pale Ale
5.0 % ABV 473 ml Aluminium Can 
$2.85 (Canadian) At LCBO 

Twitter: @HopCityBrewing

Back down to Hop City again, the craft brewing arm of Moosehead Breweries. Tonight's beer is a pale ale, and I do believe it has been quite some time since I tasted a true pale ale (so many IPAs, so little liver...). My liver has a long history with pale ales, for a year or two in college Bass Pale Ale was my poison. So I am always happy to find a good one near at hand.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a pale clear gold with a scant off-white head made up of tiny bubbles. Aromas of honey, lychee, some floral, and bitter greens. First sip is very light, effervescent, light tropical fruit, and honey, light notes of sweetened green tea, and hints of jasmine. Aeration brings out the slightest hint of malt.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

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


Final Thoughts:

Two things about this beer struck me. One, I thought I was drinking a bubble tea flavoured beer. While the fruit and honey and all is quite balanced All I could think of was "where are my tapioca pearls." Sadly it was very distracting. Two, this beer seriously lacks body. Almost to the point of being watery. While I don't mind a light refreshing beer for summer sipping, this one seems a little too light. However, that being said, this would be an excellent gateway beer for someone who has only ever drunk macro beers and wants to try new things. Everyone has that buddy who won't put down that can of bud light. Buy him a case of this and warm his frozen taste buds up.


CJT


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