Up front disclosure: It is no secret that I am employed by TAPS Media, the parent company of TAPS The Beer Magazine. From time to time I've posted material on this blog (before and after being hired) with respect to work that has appeared in TAPS. My intention when posting said material, and the material below, is only meant as news, nothing more.
p.2 From The Editor by Karla Dudley
when it comes to the sense of taste, what tastes good is not so simple…
p.9 Bar Snacks
coast to coast industry news
p.17 Did You Know by Oliver Dawson
Brewing in Africa has been practiced for well over 10,000 years! In fact, long before European settlers colonized different regions of Africa, indigenous brewers were making beer from a variety of ingredients including sorghum and maize.
p.18 Down The Hatch by Troy Burtch
Mike Lackey, one of the brewers with the Great Lakes Brewery in Etobicoke, ON, is known around Ontario as an experimental brewer who pushes boundaries the province hasn't witnessed before.
p.19 The Business Of Beer by Rob Symes
when it comes to the sense of taste, what tastes good is not so simple…
p.21 French Connection by Mirella Amato
Laura Urtnowski was twenty-six years old when, along with her boyfriend Bernard Morin and his brother Jean Morin, she founded Les Brasseurs du Nord in 1987. Better known by the brand name of its beers, Boréale, the trio’s brewery is now the second-largest craft brewery in Québec and still growing……
My last visit to l’Abbaye Notre Dame d’Orval in Belgium was in 2006 and there have been some big changes since then. First, the name has changed to the Orval Trappist Abbey brewery, and they have added a brand new state of the art brewhouse. Orval is located near Florenville in Luxembourg Province, close to the border of France, and was first settled by Benedictine monks from Italy in 1070. It has a long and turbulent history.
p.30 Adventurous Amber’s by James Burla
When most beer drinkers across this country think of beer in Edmonton, elaborate and international flavour is probably not what they think of first. Despite what the rest of the country believes, Albertans know that this is the case when one talks about Amber’s Brewing Company.
p.32 Beer Letters by John Holl
the 1-800 number on the packaging has led to interesting messages...
p.33 British Seasonal Ales by Martin Sayers
...when the white stuff does arrive it can lead to national panic and paralysis. Schools shut up shop, roads close and people are left stranded in railway stations and airports across the country as the transport system is thrown into chaos. Last winter even Heathrow, the world’s busiest airport, was a victim of the weather and planes were left grounded for days. However, one national institution that does not grind to a halt during the winter months is the pub. In fact, the UK’s hostelries tend to fill up with people seeking solace from the cold...
p.37 Confessions Of A Brewer by Sam Corbeil
I’m writing this latest article on the eve of my very first commercial brew. Well, not my first first, I’ve actually brewed well over a thousand commercial brews for a number of different breweries throughout the past six years, but this is the first time it’s ever going to be one of my own recipes that gets sent out into the world for public consumption and approval.
p.38 Best Beer Bars by Craig Pinhey
What makes a good beer bar? A place needs to meet one or more criteria to be a truly great beer bar. If it only meets one, it has to have a great beer selection. Even a total dive can be my local if it has the right beer. Other things like tasty food, tasteful music, friendly staff, funky décor and a ‘je ne sais quoi’ ambiance can combine to make an enjoyable experience, but without good beer it wouldn't even be an adequate beer bar.
p.40 City Of Hops And Barley by Matthew Bellamy
In the aftermath of the rebellions of 1837-38, British authorities sought to restore law and order to the upper colony. In 1838, they dispatched a bloodthirsty colonial administrator, Sir George Arthur. As the lieutenant governor of Britain’s main penal colony off the coast of Australia, Arthur had spent the last 14 years of his life literally whipping Britain’s exiled convicts into line. British colonial administrators hoped that he would do the same to the dissidents in Upper Canada.
p.43 The Impossible Porter by Matt J. Simmons
…a beer that grew up on the dusty streets of London should not be subjected to flavours that belong in a Chinese restaurant. Instead, it should swim with a dark, roasted flavour, like venison sausages that were cooked over a campfire or bitter black smoke wafting from coal-burning chimneys in 18th century England.
p.44 In Depth by Troy Burtch
The Moosehead story is an interesting one; dating back to the year Canada became a nation. From Susannah Oland’s humble beginnings in a backyard in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to becoming one of the major brewing companies in the country, Moosehead Breweries Ltd. has been with us since 1867 and has been a significant participant in shaping the history of the Canadian brewing industry.
p.48 The Perfect Pair featuring Chef Donna Dooher
With over 25 years of professional experience in the kitchen, Donna has established herself as a prominent figure in the Toronto hospitality community. Donna expanded her successful catering business Avant-Goût in 1990 to create an intimate restaurant called Mildred Pierce. Built in the west end of Toronto’s warehouse district, Mildred Pierce introduced its guests to a unique dining experience and established brunch as a culinary trend in the city.
p.51 Women In Beer by Stephanie Whitaker
Marketing manager Olivia Bassa admits that when she was hired by Premier Brands about three years ago, she drank only wine and vodka. “I confessed in the interview. I didn’t want to waste their time or mine and admitted that I did not drink beer at all. Growing up in a Polish household, wine and vodka were the drinks of choice,” says Bassa. Not too long after she was hired, she vacationed in Cuba. “Pretty much all they offer in Cuba is rum and beer, and I can only drink so much rum and juice so I turned to beer. Not great beer, but this is when I first started drinking it,” admits Bassa. When she came back to Canada, she started trying different styles of beer. “I really started enjoying it.”
p.53 Adventures Of A Craft Beer Foodie by Tracy Phillippi
Brewers were ‘sustainable by accident’; they used fewer resources and drank locally produced beer because it was their only option. As Canada’s only historic brewery, producing unpasteurized and unfiltered ales without the use of electricity, Toronto’s Black Creek brewery has taken their commitment to pioneer sustainability to the next level by creating Canada’s first one-mile beer last November 2010!
p.54 Stews ‘n’ Brews by Chef Michael Olson
Winter brings out a certain survival instinct in Canadians whereby we will do our weekend errands but what we really want is to be at home where it is warm and there are great things to eat and drink (and where the always-fleeting possibility of the luxurious afternoon nap exists). This is the kind of weather that makes me wish for rich, braised things like curry or potpie or beef stew. These slow-cooked unctuous flavour bombs are a symphony of aromas and tastes, blended together and nurtured by gentle heat to yield a result that is greater than the sum of its parts.
p.58 Tackling That Titanic Turkey by Mike Tessier
The best beverage to pair with turkey is a seasonal topic that gets covered on just about every foodie website, blog and in all the major media outlets. It seems like every cork-dork and wannabe sommelier spew their thoughts on what fermented grape juice will take on the big bird. Most wine experts recommend an oaky white wine, while the more adventurous ones will suggest a Pinot Noir or a spicy Beaujolais Nouveau to wash down the large bird. They are all wrong!
p.60 Cheese Please by Sam Corbeil
Winter has arrived and we turn our attention away from those warm summer days of backyard BBQs and poolside patio parties, towards indoor dinner functions and fireside sing-alongs. ‘Tis the season for entertaining indoors, and what better way to entertain than by hosting a beer and cheese pairing soirée for your closest compadres?
p.62 Quaffs, Questions & Answers by Mirella Amato
interview with Chris Swersey, who began his brewing career as a homebrewer, moving into commercial brewpub production in 1992. His beers won several awards in American and international competitions. Chris attended the Siebel Institute, and also provided practical brewpub training for Siebel students while at Mickey Finn’s in northern Illinois. Chris now serves as Competition Manager for the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup, and as Technical Brewing Projects Coordinator for the Brewers Association.
p.66 The Great Gods Of Beer by Luke McKinney
Gods are useful, that’s why we have so many! Every major civilization has had a pantheon, from vaguely relaxed everything-spirits through bossy schoolteachers to soap operas about incest and killing each other. Gods provide excuses to celebrate, help when times are hard, and offer to take some of your problems away; by that definition beer itself is a god, which is why many cultures worshipped deities whose entire job description was telling us, ‘Beer is great!’
p.68 TAPS Holiday Shopping Cart
a few gift ideas guaranteed to please the beer lover...
p.71 Festive Beers by Jason Foster
On the Prairies, winters are always white and often cold. It is the kind of weather that makes getting into the festive spirit quite easy. Without a doubt, Canada’s Prairie craft brewers have no trouble slipping on their Santa hats. Want a light, spicy beer to go with holiday turkey? How about a rich dessert beer? Or maybe a hearty winter ale to warm you up on a frigid evening? Prairie brewers have it covered.
…one person’s fatal flaw is another’s ‘value added complexity.’ I have often had to reword my wine or beer presentations after folks reacted to the word ‘infection.’ Strangely enough, that word has a negative connotation for some people! Now I might say a beer has “sourness that adds complexity” rather than “a Lactobacillus infection.” It is all in the nuances.
p.74 TAPS Pictures Of The Past
random pictorial moments from a year gone by…
p.76 Iron Brewer 2011 by Bill White
On September 30, 2011 the Black Oak Brewery was the stage for the 2nd Annual MBAA (Master Brewers Association of the Americas) District Ontario Iron Brewer Competition. Following the very successful format of 2010, Paul Dickey sourced and delivered a package of brewing materials to each of the eager contestants...
p.78 Carboys In My Laundry Room by Christine Beevis
When Ron Haigh announced to his friend Greg that he’d finally popped the question to his high school sweetheart of many years, the first thing his new best man proposed was that they get brewing.
p.81 Master Brewers Meet in Minneapolis by Bill White
when it comes to the sense of taste, what tastes good is not so simple…
p.82 Tasting Notes
Beers from across the country. This issue: Nutcracker Porter, Munich Eisbock, Christmas Beeracle, Obscur Désir, Frappabord & Russian Imperial Stout
p.84 Homebrewing Recipe by Eric Ecclestone
Spiced Imperial Porter
p.85 Sources
this issue’s contacts list
p.88 My Shout by Stephen Beaumont
Working on the beer beat as long as I have, I’ve witnessed plenty of growth. In Canada, across North America and around the world, what started as a modest ‘microbrewing’ movement has evolved into a craft beer explosion.
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