The Loud Drunk Bar Patron

I headed down to a fake Irish pub for lunch today to enjoy a pint before doing an interview with Global News about buying local beer. I grabbed a seat at the bar, ordered a pint of Mill Street Tankhouse and waited for the camera crew and interviewer to arrive.

Seated beside me at the bar was a middle aged man clutching a bottle of Budweiser and talking about the weather outside. "Say, it's friggin chilly outside. Not too bad, but chilly enough. Well, actually, it's probably just the wind." He continued, "what do you do for livin?" Before hitting on the bartender, who by the way was not diggin it. "Hey honey, honey, grab me another Bud, I'm heading out for a smoke." Upon re-entering he hollered, "how much for those bottles?" He was already on his fourth bottle and it just, and I mean it just, turned 12pm. He was loud, he was bothersome, and he was drunk.

There was no empty seats in the bar when I arrived, only the ones situated to this individuals right and to his left. No one wanted to sit near him. This must be hard on bartenders, putting up with these antics on a daily basis.

The part that I found the most difficult to swallow - the $5.25 price tag for a bottle of Budweiser. Ouch! A pint of Tankhouse is $6.10.

Interview on Global News tonight at 6pm for those interested - I tried not to sound to foolish.

Saturday Calls for Cask - Victory Cafe

As posted here earlier this month, the Victory Cafe will be hosting a cask festival tomorrow to help beat those winter blues. The cask list has been finalized and is looking terrific. I'll be heading that way around noon, hope to see some of you readers there.

Nickel Brook Cuvee '08, Better Bitters Brewing Company (Nickelbrook)
Winter Ale, Great Lakes Brewery
Neustadt 180, Neustadt Springs Brewery
StoneHammer Oatmeal Coffee Stout, F&M Brewery
Hopping Mad, Granite Brewery
Blak Katt Stout, County Durham Brewing Co
C'est What Old Town Brown, County Durham Brewing Co
Double Chocolate Stout, Black Oak Brewery
Jubilation Ale, Grand River Brewing
Peculiar, Granite Brewery
Red Dragon, County Durham Brewing Co
Scotch Ale, MacLean's Ales
Victory Café Compass Empire Ale, Better Bitters Brewing Company (Nickelbrook)

Beer samples will be offered by the half-pint measure, purchased with a beer ticket available at the festival. Hearty food suitable for the season will also be available with a food ticket.

Tickets can be purchased at the door:
$12 – admission, souvenir glass, two half-pint beer tickets, plus one food ticket
$8 – admission, souvenir glass, and two half-pint beer tickets
$4 – additional food ticket
$3 – additional beer ticket

The CASK! group will also be present at the festival, so stop by and sign up for membership if you have yet to do so.

Victory Cafe is located at 581 Markham Street in Toronto, right in the heart of Mirvish Village. Come down and enjoy some terrific beer produced by some terrific Ontario brewers.

The festival will commence at 12pm and will run until 7pm.

Great Lakes Green Tea - Hitting Store Shelves Soon

Some interesting news came my way tonight when I learned that the Great Lakes Brewing Co. will be bottling their Green Tea ale for distribution, and it will be part of the LCBO's spring release.

"The Green Tea should be bottled shortly in a 650ml bottle that will feature a painted logo similar to that of the Pumpkin and Orange Peel Ales," stated Great Lakes President Peter Bulut Jr. as we had a drink at a nice little pub in Toronto by the name 'The Local'. "A batch is currently being brewed and should be ready for bottling very soon."

The Green Tea made its debut back in early 2008 and received much fanfare at the Toronto Festival of Beer. "We've seen how well the Pumpkin and the Orange Peel have done, so I guess we'll see how receptive customers will be with this new bottled product."

Great Lakes stuck to making generic lagers for years and only recently have they branched out and played with different styles packaged in bottles that weren't/aren't common in the Ontario brewing industry. The results have been terrific for the brewery in Etobicoke and in my opinion this is another step in the right direction.

Imperial Stout Taste Off - Guest Writer

One of the things I wanted to do with this blog was/is to allow readers to be able to have their thoughts, opinions and feelings heard; whether it be through the comments section, or an actual written submission for posting.

There have been a couple of stories written by some readers and I encourage those interested in participating to contact me at the email address listed above. Of course there is no money involved, I can just provide the field to showcase your views.

That being said, I met up with a reader one day to exchange some beer and he told me he was interested in doing a Imperial Stout taste off with some Canadian beauties. I thought it would be interesting to see what his conclusions were, so I asked if he'd be interested in submitting something. So, here they are, reviews of four well known Imperial Stouts, written by English expat and fellow Torontian Rob Symes.

Imperial stouts are the big hitters of the beer world, with intense dark malty flavours and warming alcohol levels. The malts are roasted for a long time, and can produce tastes of coffee, chocolate and dark fruit – all perfect for pairing with a Canadian winter.

On a cold January’s night I sat down, and sampled my way through four top-rate imperial stouts (purely for research sake of course). From Ottawa I had John By, a returning winter seasonal that proved a phenomenal success on its release last year. From Montreal, a beer that needs little introduction, Péché Mortel, one of the world’s most highly regarded brews. From Halifax a bottle of Propeller Revolution, with about a year of age on it. Finally, and the only non-Canadian offering, Sam Smith’s Imperial Stout from Yorkshire.

Péché Mortel: As it pours a slightly satanic aura emerges with a cloud of mocha bubbles transitioning to depths of midnight black. A super thick cake of a head leaves heavy sheets of lace all the way to the bottom of the glass. Aromas of coffee, cream, chocolate and caramel waft enticingly upwards and the first sip cannot come soon enough, but it is worth taking the time to appreciate the intense bouquet the brewer has crafted here. The taste is of an extremely smooth, and perhaps as divine as the aroma suggests - creamy coffee, with some cocoa and alcohol in the aftertaste. Dark fruits and Christmas memories linger in the background. The mouthfeel is just amazing - heavy and viscous, yet delightfully smooth.




John By: A truly excellent beer, and just as good as I remember. Pours pitch black with a generous milk chocolate head, leaving large amounts of lacing as the drink is consumed. Strong cocoa smell, accented with coffee. The taste reveals bittersweet chocolate and espresso, and as the drink warms, some of the fruitier more vinous qualities become evident. The body does not seem as heavy, but seems to increase from light to medium as the palate acclimatises. This beer really improves the more you drink - my first sip was worryingly underwhelming, but by the end of the second bottle I was craving another. While the bottle says imperial stout I feel that its a little unfair to compare it within the style. There are obviously a lot of similarities in the flavour, but the alcohol content and viscosity are simply not high enough. Regardless, in my opinion this is the best stout of any type currently made in Ontario.



Propeller Revolution: Black body with a small mocha mocha head that provides a decent lace. Delicious aroma of chocolate, dark pitted fruit and tobacco. Raisin, toffee, and chocolate flavours dominate a rich palate, before moving to a rich tobacco smokiness. The alcohol is very well hidden. Medium-heavy mouthfeel with restrained carbonation. Very nicely done imperial stout from this Halifax brewery. Based on experience, I would have to say this is one of the better imperial stouts in the country. In fact, the alcohol is so well-hidden that this stout could almost be sessioned, which is pretty dangerous!




Sam Smith’s: Practically midnight black pour with a beast of a tan head that settled to a finger of cap, and forgot to lace. Chocolate and coffee aromas are divine, and carefully balanced, pulling back from the all out aroma assault of some imperial stouts. Full on milk chocolate in the flavour swiftly followed up by a coffee with extra cream, along with some vanilla and dark fruit. This is really helped by the full creamy body, which accentuates the smoothness of the chocolate and coffee flavours. Like the John By, this seems a slightly different beast to most of the imperial stouts I’ve come across. The ABV is far more restrained and makes it easy to drink at the pace of a regular beer, and the flavours are also in a delightfully harmony, and its far less aggressive and boozy than other examples.



What did I learn from this tasting? Well, its advisable to drink lots of water and not repeat it on a work night. Also, that the Péché Mortel stood apart from the rest, and deserves all the acclaim it receives, and the John By and Revolution successfully held their own against one of the classic examples of the style. Canadian beers deserve a better reputation and better distribution. In a few months when the last John By disappears from the shelves of the LCBO, Ontario will once again be imperial stout free, not only that but it will be bereft of microbrews from other provinces.

In times like this we should be supporting our homegrown products, both of our own province and of our neighbours, yet my local store is awash in a sea of East European lager. Drive across the border and it’s a different story, but that’s for a different day.

**John By photo courtesy of Alan over at A Good Beer Blog (used with his permission).

Road Trip to Cole's Rare Beer Festival: Buffalo, NY

After spending a great afternoon at the Cloak and Dagger sipping some delicious Ontario brews, a buddy and I jumped in our rental car and started out for Buffalo to attend Cole’s Rare Beer Festival; a highly anticipated festival that received many excited comments on a recent Bar Towel thread.

We made it to the border in good time so we decided to make a pit stop at Consumer’s Beverage before continuing on to the bar. Consumer’s Beverage is a small store on an industrial strip off the I90 that sells both mass-produced beer and small craft beers along with some famous and well sought after imports. With cart in hand the two of us set out to pick up some tasty treats. Never had that one – in the cart, never heard of that – better pick up, this one’s on sale – better buy two; you get the just. As fantastic as it was seeing all those wonderful products, I felt a little let down. I was expecting more. I guess the hype got to me and I had expectations of walking into something like Beers of the World in Rochester, a place I visited and fell in love with back in November.

Back in the car (after my buddy spent $200USD), do we now head to Cole’s? Or should we check out Premier Gourmet? Premier Gourmet it was. After spending close to 45 minutes browsing the high shelves, we decided we had enough and proceeded to the checkout. I scored some wicked beers that I can’t wait to get into. Beers like Victory’s Le Freak, Jolly Pumpkin’s Bam Biere (Farmhouse Ale), Southern Tier Krampus (Imperial Helles), Cantillion and more. I love how the American breweries bottle their beers. Their big beers anyway. The colourful labels, the corked champagne bottles and the waxed caps; something more Canadian breweries should consider. Think of the folks who walk into the LCBO looking for something different. If priced right, the bottle could sell itself (and then the beer would have to win the customer over).

Anyways, back to the trip. Now that the back end of the rental was riding a little low, we realized that we were starving, so we hit the road and headed to Cole’s where fine food and an amazing line-up of American beers awaited us.

Once we secured a parking spot, we headed into the old bar, me, for the first time. The first thing I noticed was the height of the ceiling, and the wooden beams running from side to side above the seating area. A wooden partition with etched glass ran down the middle of the bar area - separating the bar from the seating section. The left side of the partition holds a number of wooden booths, tables and chairs and the right side takes you right up to the bar. On the very far left of the building is a more secluded dining area, but I won’t venture in there on this night. Up a flight of stairs towards the back is an upper level with seating that overlooks the entire bar. Up another flight of stairs and you end up in an event space - a space that was occupied by a group of students from the nearby University. The bar is decorated with old pennants from the area, cardboard cutouts of people like Albert Einstein, there is stained glass on the walls - much like the kind you'd find in a church, and lots of beer American beer memorabilia.

We take up a booth and order some food. But before the food, even though we were extremely hungry, we had to look at, and order from, the beer menu. Ommegang Obamagang Inauguration Ale 2009 was the first beer I saw and the first beer I had to sample. Delicious. The food arrived and with it another beer came. La Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel. Outstanding. After that we shared a bottle of New Glarus Belgian Red Cherry Ale. Simply perfect. You see where I’m going with this.

Upstairs we headed where we took up a table (one of the tables overlooking the whole bar) and hung out with Mike Shatzel, co-owner of Cole’s and friend of my buddy’s. He provided us with some samples of Dogfish Red and White, Oskar Blues Whiskey Barrel Aged Ten Fidy, Troegs Nugget Nectar, Victory Yakima Twilight, Troeg’s Scotch #16, Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam, Sam Adams Utopias (2007) and more. Highlights belonged to..well, everyone. However, the Troegs Nugget Nectar was awesome. Wicked nose on the beer and the taste backed it up well too. The Oskar Blues was simply divine, a beer I would love to have a case off (next time).

When the crowd started to thin, we headed down to the bar and joined Shatzel’s close friends who were primed up for a long evening. Being close to the co-owner of the bar was pretty rewarding. Bottles just started to appear on the bar and glasses were filled. Shatzel provided me with a brief history lesson regarding Cole’s, but alas, I have forgotten most of it. I do remember that Cole’s has been around since the 1930’s and that Shatzel’s father purchased the place in the 70’s. It is a University bar, evident by the younger crowd walking around with bottles of Molson Canadian or Labatt Blue, but also features a ton of outstanding beers from all over the world.

As the night turned to morning, we were rounded up and headed to Shatzel’s house where we would stay over. The man’s beer collection is crazy. Beers from everywhere, of all ages, everywhere you look. Very jealous. The sleep didn’t last long as Shatzel had to be back at the bar for the Sunday session of the event, so we headed back to Cole’s and had breakfast. A great end to the crazy experience.

“I’ve got a long day ahead of me,” stated a weary Shatzel as my buddy and I headed to the car for the ride home. But before we left, Shatzel mentioned that for his next event (may have something to do with sour beers) he might look at getting a bus to accommodate all the Toronto residents who flock to Cole’s to support his endeavors.

I’m all for that.

A list of beers at the event:
Bottles:
Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi
Lost Abbey Inferno Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam
Dogfish Head Zwaanendale
Brooklyn Brewing Black Ops
Sonoran 100
Flying Bison Blizzard Bock
Malheur Brut Reserve
Sam Adams Utopias 2007

Draught:
Troegs Nugget Nectar
Victory Yakima Twilight
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Dogfish Head Fort
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout
Oskar Blues Whiskey Barrel Aged Gordon
Oskar Blues Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Chub
Oskar Blues Whiskey Barrel Aged Ten Fidy
Ommegang Obamagang (Inauguration Ale)
Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Pabst Blue Ribbon or Old Vienna??

I came across this newspaper article today from the Windsor Star - Draught Beer Switch Earns Licence Suspension.

It appears that a bar in Windsor was serving Pabst Blue Ribbon (Sleeman) from the Old Vienna (Molson) draught line, using the Old Vienna tap handle, without telling any patrons who were ordering the OV.

According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the violation happened Sept. 10, 2008. Pabst Blue Ribbon beer was connected to the Old Vienna beer tap and the bartender didn't tell customers, the AGCO said in a news release.

The bar received a five day liquor licence suspension at the hands of the AGCO because the owner has shown remorse, but nowhere in the article does it say that it was a mistake. Was it? Or was it the work of a brewery sales rep? You know what I mean by that.

But the real question I have is: Did customers notice the difference between the two generic beers? And people still drink this stuff?

Georgepoolza 2009

The Cloak and Dagger was the place to be on Saturday afternoon as George Eagleson, the colourful brewer at F & M, hosted his annual get together with friends, family and close associates in the brewing industry.

For those of you who have never had the opportunity to meet Eagleson, let me tell you, he is the nicest person you'd ever meet. Sincere, energetic, hospitable and unbelievably passionate about beer; Eagleson is one of those people you love sharing stories with over some pints. He has been hosting this party for a number of years and due to bad timing on my part last year - this was to be my first Georgepoolza experience.

He greeted everyone at the door with a big hug and welcomed them into the pub, ushering them to the bar where invitees could try his Oatmeal Coffee Stout for the first time. It was fabulous. People attending the Cask Festival at Victory Cafe this weekend are in for a treat. Pitch black in colour, roasted coffee bean aromatics mingled with notes of dark cocoa with a rich and creamy mouthfeel. A medium body with very minimal carbonation, this beer was easily quaffable.

George and his partner Hannah had prepared a slideshow that captured everyone's attention. They also created some artwork made from recycled materials coming from craft brewers that were part of a raffle. All proceeds were earmarked for Habitat for Humanity.

There were many people from the Ontario brewing industry (brewers, beerlovers, beergeeks, brewerianists, writers) present all huddled together sharing their stories, trials and tribulations. I held down a booth with Cass Enright (Bar Towel) and Jonathan Graham (Cameron's - and his lovely wife) and sampled some fine beers, including Church Key's Holy Smoke (more balanced than I found last year's to be). It was a great afternoon with friends at the pub.

Unfortunately, the time to leave was approaching as I had a date with Cole's in Buffalo, so we shuffled out into the cold and headed down the QEW. More on that later.

Thanks to George and Hannah for hosting at great event. And kudo's to the Cloak staff for great service!

Sam Adams Utopias

I did something I've never done before. I sampled the world's strongest beer this weekend in Buffalo at Coles. I was down for the Rare Beer Festival with Jon Graham (Cameron's Brewing Co.) and he just happened to see the lovely bottle behind the serving area.

He came back with a sniffer of Sam Adams Utopias (2007 Vintage), a 27% (not 24% as I previously mentioned - I wasn't sure of the year when I first posted) beer for us to share and what an experience! The nose on it was unbelievably strong, strong port like, traces of a bourbon. My palate was punched out when the liquid hit my tongue and a heat wave hit my body. Vanilla, raisins, candied fruits, booze, booze, booze, and hints of sweet wood floated around inside my mouth, overpowering but pleasant. The best thing about the Utopias was the aftertaste which lingered around for quite some time. As dry as it was, I didn't want to reach for my glass of water any time soon. I wanted to savour the taste. The second and third sips were just as nice, but that was enough for me.

It was then on to other strong potent beers, but they seemed subdued after the Utopias.

A Visit to the Neighbour

It feels like I'm playing in a big important sports competition today. I'm not, but I'm priming myself for the night ahead. This afternoon, after spending some time over at the Cloak and Dagger having pints with some people in the industry, I'll be heading down to Buffalo to Cole's Rare Beer Festival to sample some amazing beers.

The beer list includes: Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Dogfish Fort, Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30 Yr, North Coast Old Stock Ale 2007, Oscar Blues Oak Aged Gordon, Oscar Blues Oak Aged Ten Fidy, Oscar Blues Oak Aged Old Chub, Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi, Le Proef & Allagash Les Deux Brasseurs, Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam, Malheur Brut Cuvee Royale 2006- Special Michael Jackson Commerative edition, Brooklyn Black Ops, Sonoran 100, and possibly more.

From the look of things on Bar Towel, the event will have a large contingent of Toronto beer drinkers, and together with the line-up of beer, it will make for a great time. Look for some notes on the weekend come Monday.

Meet Marek Mikunda: Steam Whistle Brewmaster

Meet Marek Mikunda, brewmaster for the popular Steam Whistle Brewing Company in Toronto, ON. Mikunda is a seasoned veteran who's spent almost 24 years (to date) brewing beer in many different countries -including Pilsner Urquell, the godfather of pilsners. His brewing talent brought him to Canada where he completed stints with Labatt and Creemore before taking over the reigns at Steam Whistle. Here's Mikunda:

How did you get into brewing beer?
My father’s advice was to stick with a career that guaranteed a lifetime of employment so I chose the food & beverage industry, specifically beer. I went to a technical high school for 4 years that allowed me to graduate as a brewer and thereafter went to University, The Prague Institute of Chemical Technology where I completed my Master Brewers studies in 5 years.

How many years have you been working in the industry?
I first entered the brewing industry when I was 15 (1984) working as an apprentice during my high school studies. So, almost 24 years total.

Out of those years, how many have you served as Brewmaster?
I began fulltime work after university (1993) with Pilsner Urquell. I started in their training program and worked my way up to Brewmaster. I worked for 2 years as a Brewmaster with Pilsner Urquell in the Czech Republic and then held a brewing consultancy position in Russia for Pilsner Urquell for one year. I worked as a Brewmaster at a small brewery in Brazil for a time. In Canada, although I worked both at Labatt’s and Creemore for a few years before coming to Steam Whistle I didn’t work at the Brewmaster capacity. I’ve been Brewmaster at Steam Whistle since the Fall of 2005.

What was it like brewing in the Czech Republic?
I am proud to have become a Brewmaster in the birthplace of Pilsners. There is a deep respect for and rich tradition of brewing there.

What is the difference between the Canadian and Czech Republic beer culture?
In the Czech Republic there is a major focus on beer – you socialize over it and have one with every meal. Beer is very prevalent. Beer is to the Czech Republic like wine is to France and perhaps what coffee is to Canadians – very available and very widely consumed.

What is the best aspect of working in the brewing industry?
I love beer! Simple.

Tell us something about Steam Whistle that not many people would know about.
The brewery is made up of a United Nations of employees which makes for a very interesting work environment where we share experiences from all over the world.

What meal does Steam Whistle Pilsner match the best?
For me, roast pig with good rye bread.

What do you do away from the brewery to decompress?
Play with my son, Jan Viktor, now 16 months.

Name your favourite non Steam Whistle beer?
Used to be Pilsner Urquell but now probably Creemore Springs Pilsner, out of respect for Gord, my old co-worker.

What has been the highlight of your brewing career?
Commissioning Steam Whistle’s new Brewhouse which was built in Hradec Králové CZ. It was a year long project of research and equipment commissioning.. We first achieved the deadline for installation (rare with capital projects) and were on budget. Then we had a very short learning curve for me and the brewers to learn how to operate it. I’m very proud of this project completion.

Best place to drink a beer?
Wherever good friends are.

CAMRA Vancouver Announces Winners

The CAMRA Vancouver chapter recently held their annual general meeting at the Alibi Room in Gastown, BC, to vote on the President and executive positions and to hand out a bunch of awards to various BC craft brewers for a broad range of categories. The awards were determined after a members poll was conducted and is meant to recognize excellence in brewing and beer service.

“While it may seem curious that the best beer is in Surrey and the best brewery in Victoria, this year’s results reflect the growth in popularity of real ale in Vancouver,” explained CAMRA Vancouver President, Rick Green. “We are fortunate to have brewers throughout the province willing to meet the demand here.”

With permission from newly re-elected chapter President Rick Green, here is the list of winners.

Best Local Brewpub
Gold: Dix BBQ & Brewery
Silver: Central City Brewing
Bronze: Yaletown Brewing

Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant
Gold: The Alibi Room
Silver: The Whip Restaurant & Gallery
Bronze: The Wolf & Hound

Best Local Liquor Store
Gold: Brewery Creek Cold Beer & Wine Store
Silver: Firefly Fine Wines and Ales
Bronze: BCLS Signature Store (39th & Cambie)

Best Local Beer Event
Gold: The Whip Real Ale Sundays
Silver: CAMRA On a Mission to Mission; Feast of Five Firkins (tie)

Best BC Brewery
Gold: Phillips Brewing Co., Victoria
Silver: Storm Brewing Ltd., Vancouver
Bronze: Crannóg Ales, Sorrento; R&B Brewing, Vancouver (tie)

Best BC Beer
Gold: Central City Empire IPA
Silver: Storm Black Plague Stout
Bronze: Crannóg Back Hand of God Stout

Best BC Seasonal Beer
Gold: Yaletown Oud Bruin
Silver: Steamworks The Grand espresso stout
Bronze: Granville Island Winter Ale

Read more about the event at Green's blog: www.bcbrews.wordpress.com

TAPS: Winter Issue

With every issue of TAPS Beer Magazine that gets released, I post a teaser here on the blog outlining what articles are featured and who authored them.

Alan (A Good Beer Blog) has already written his thoughts regarding the latest issue and Chris (Love Good Beer {BC}) felt that the magazine is still a little to Ontario focused.

It's good to see people writing about the magazine, and the constructive criticism and suggestions are always welcome - it helps gauge what others are thinking. When TAPS was re-branded under new management just over one year ago, no one wanted anything to do with the magazine. The first issue was primarily filled with news and stories from Ontario, but we heard from readers and over time TAPS has added writers from the East and West Coasts. We're trying to accommodate each province, and readers from each province, and hopefully it will please the readers out there.

Back to the winter issue, which was released two weeks prior to Christmas. I'll start from the west and make my way eastward.

Connie Proteau takes readers on a ski and brewery tour of the Rocky Mountains and Kootenay region starting in western Alberta. Good read for beer lovers visiting the area's mentioned this winter.

Joe Wiebe discusses, and points out, the various BC craft brewers who keep us smiling through the snowy season with Winter beers. Phillips Hammer Imperial Stout please!

Kristina Santone provides readers with a behind the scene story on the Canadian Brewing Awards gala. She also has lunch with Neil Sharp of Innis and Gunn and tells us how it went.

Greg Clow tells everyone about one of the most respected styles of beer out there - Barley Wines, and does a good job naming some beauties.

Bill Perrie visits the Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge, ON and has a great time.

Stephen Beaumont ponders a serious question: Who happens to be Canada's best beer-drinking city. You can make your own guess, or pick up a copy of the issue to find out what Beaumont thinks.

Bill White took a trip to Germany (thanks to his daughter) and lived to tell about it. White visits the famous breweries, structures and drinks the beer that has put Germany near the top of the brewing nations.

Sam Corbeil tells another tale from the brewing side of things - about learning from his mistakes.

I conducted an interview with Brooklyn's brewmaster and noted beer author Garrett Oliver when he was in town for a beer dinner featuring Brooklyn's beers. I also headed out to the Publican House Brewery, Peterborough's newest resident, for a profile, and I reviewed Nicholas Pashley revised Notes on a Beermat book.

Mirella Amato was busy in this issue. She interviewed Beerbistro's owner and chef Brian Morin, took an interesting look at where many of the now defunct Upper Canada Brewery employees ended up, and celebrates Dieu du Ciel's 10th anniversary.

Craig Pinhey interviews both Graham Kendall (brewer with Oland in Halifax and maker of Keith's Stout) and Andrew Oland, the President of Moosehand Breweries. He also wonders if there is such as thing as beer TOO bitter.

And that pretty much wraps it up. There is also a gift guide, a homebrewing recipe (courtesy of the dudes at Biergotter's) and beer reviews featuring Mill Street Barley Wine, Yukon Lead Dog Ale, Wild Rose Black Cherry Porter, Picaroon's Man's Best Friend Porter, McAuslan Oatmeal Stout and Hockley Valley Stout.

Enjoy!

Castro's Lounge Belgian Beer Tasting

Sunday was miserable outside. Flurries coming down, people cleaning up mother nature's mess from the night before, cold and dark; so to beat the winter blues I headed down to Castro's Lounge to take part in their Belgian Beer tasting.

Castro's Lounge is located on Queen Street East, right in the heart of the beach(s). I paid a visit to the creatively decorated pub back in September of 2007 and it continues to be a place I frequently return to for a couple of pints.

Asim, owner of Castro's (and Sarah's Cafe) welcomed me into the tasting and informed me that Castro's plans to offer one tasting a month, focusing on different beer styles each time. "We performed one in October, one in November, took December off (just to busy) and started back up for January," stated Asim. "We figure this is a great way to introduce people to new beers while educating them on how the beers can best be enjoyed."

The $30 tasting got under way just shortly after 3pm as Chris (bartender and today's host) introduced himself and welcomed everybody to the pub. "We had 15 people RSVP this time, almost right after we announced the Belgian tasting. But due to the weather, it appears not everyone can make it," he announced. It didn't matter, just after 3:15 groups of people walked in from the street without reservations and packed the tasting, bringing the total numbers up over twenty and providing an energetic buzz. Chris briefly issued some instructions, laying out how the afternoon tasting would be structured.

After everyone was settled, the snowy jackets removed, the first flight of Belgian beer was brought out on trays and dispensed to each individual taster. The first round belonged to Wittekerke, a lightly spiced Belgian Wit. After the first taste, Chris spoke at length about the Wit style, the history of the Wit, what spices are typically associated with the beer and he shared glassware tips and proper pouring techniques. Tasters were encouraged to speak freely with one another, sharing what they were tasting.

Duvel was the next beer to be introduced to the crowd and some people in attendance stated that they have never heard of it. Yersekes Mosselbier came next and was then followed by the always delicious Westmalle Dubbel. During this time, Chris discussed tasting. How important the tongue is, what it picks up that the nose can't. He explained the receptors in the tongue and helped people understand where the sour, sweet, bitter and salty spots are located. After the Westmalle, which happened to be the fourth of the eight beers lined up for tasting, Chris stopped the event for a short recess.

We chatted briefly while people were socializing with each other and Chris mentioned that he hopes to one day attract more local breweries to Castro's to hold tastings of their own. "Cameron's has done a couple of tastings here before and they went well; hopefully we can get more in the future." He also told me that this was the largest group he's hosted before and that if things seemed a little hectic it was because Castro's isn't used to getting so many people. "Things will be a little more organized next time as we'll anticipate larger crowds," Chris said. I thought that things were going smoothly and I was impressed with his beer knowledge and presentation skills. He was talking passionately about the beers and the Belgian culture and it captured the attention of both the inexperienced drinker (there were a few) and the seasoned, well versed beer drinker (also a few).

Before coming back to the tasting, Chris asked everyone to either name their favourite beer or their favourite style and describe why. It was interesting to hear the responses. One guy said Bud, another said Kronenburg 1664, Labatt 50 was thrown out there as were some Imperial Stouts, and a Rochefort 8. I have been to my fair share of tastings before, both informal and formal, and this was the first time that I had ever heard the host ask people this question and I was totally interested in hearing from the group. Naming a favourit beer is always a tough question to manovere around, and one that I can't answer honestly, but it was amusing to hear why some of the individuals named the beers they did.

So, back to the last four beers. La Fin du Monde reared its beautiful head as the fifth beer. St. Louis Gueze and Petrus Oud Brun were the sixth and seventh beers, and probably the weakest of the bunch (in my opinion). The last beer belonged to Piraat, a wonderfully strong Belgian golden ale.

All in all the tasting was very well done with a good flight of beers. Chris was very good at keeping the tasting lively, yet somewhat professional and educational. Both Asim and Shelia (owners) were in attendance and they also took part in the tasting, which was great to see - owners connecting with the people who support their business.

What better way to spend a couple hours on a windy, wintery afternoon?

8 Beer Sampled:
Wittekerke
Duvel
Yersekes Mosselbier
Westmalle Dubbel
La Fin du Monde
St. Louis Gueze
Petrus Oud Brun
Piraat

I'll have information on their next tasting when it becomes available.

Buy Local - Drink Local

Mike Laba, the promotions and marketing brainchild of Cameron's Brewing Co., recently read an article about the declining sales figures associated with the large multi-nationals breweries, and it got him thinking about the 'buy local' philosophy.

I am a big advocate for buying local. I'm not perfect, but I try my best to buy my meat from a local butcher, beer from a local brewer, coffee (sometimes) from a small locally owned cafe, and books from small retailers. Beer especially, and as an individual (Laba) who works in the craft brewing industry, this article seemed to have sparked some emotion.

I read this article this morning “Beer Sales Fall with Worldwide Economic Slump” and had to write about it.

His response to the article provided an interesting read. It's both encouraging and inspiring, and something I thought that readers of this blog would appreciate reading.

Here's a snippet of the post. To read the rest, head over to Cameron's Blog and enjoy.

I read this article this morning “Beer Sales Fall with Worldwide Economic Slump” and had to write about it. Blanket stories like this continue to paint a bleak economic picture, but for us - The Ontario Brewing Industry - this is an opportunity to communicate an effective message and now (more than ever), people are willing to listen. The difference is, we are finally starting to hear it back, which is very, very encouraging.

Perhaps one of the few upside’s to this economic meltdown will be the shift in people’s conscious when shopping and purchasing. Perhaps people are really starting to see the difference that buying local can make. I can visit a big box store and pick up a few things at once where my money will inevitably end up flowing out of the country…or…I can stop at those three or four local, independently run shops that I pass everyday and interact with the owner, get a better product and feel better knowing that my money will most likely stay within not just the country, but the community.

Although this shopping conscious may be off to a slow start, we are seeing it starting to gain traction. Because we are a small operation, we interact with every customer that walks through our door and we are seeing many new faces these days. Comments are starting to sound more familiar from these new faces. We are hearing things like,

"Support your locals"

West 50 Pourhouse: Mississauga, ON

I never get out to Mississauga, in fact I think I can count on one hand how many times I been there for something. Well, I had to head off to a hockey arena for a research project (my fiance's, not mine) a couple of months ago and used that for an excuse to visit the West 50 Pourhouse, giving me a chance to look over their 115 taps lines featuring 105 different beers.

The restaurant is attached to a large commercial building, making it tricky finding a way in. Once inside the building you go for a bit of a stroll before finding an escalator that leads you to the front entrance. Here you’ll be greeted by a lovely young hostess who will usher you inside the posh dining lounge.

I took a seat at the bar and within two minutes I had a pint in my hand. It wasn’t my first choice. Or my second. I had asked for a Delirium Tremens – out, and something else – out, so I went for a Cameron’s Auburn that was nice and fresh. I have heard some disparaging things about the freshness of West 50’s draught beer, but the Auburn was delightful. I briefly chatted with general manager Jason Joynt who confessed that while they do offer a large beer menu, it is sometimes difficult to ensure all 115 tap lines remain stocked all at one time. “It’s hard, but we have been doing a pretty good job making sure we are fully stocked, but busy nights sometimes put a strain on our inventory,” explained Joynt. I guess I arrived after a busy week.

All around us were middle-aged people dressed somewhat professional for a night out on the weekend. Joynt states that the clientele changes daily but it mainly consists of younger urban professionals looking to experience different beers in a more upscale setting than a traditional pub.
As mentioned, the West 50 is slick, very clean and features a polish appearance. It reminds me of the Esplanade’s Bier Markt without all the InBev logo’s on the wall. There are many snug booths to accommodate groups of four that line the far perimeter of the outside wall, situated below a handful of slanted windows overlooking Burnhamthorpe Rd. The dining area is in the shape of a ‘U’, which then reminds me of the restaurant atop the CN Tower. Candles provide lighting on all the tables and the restaurant was decorated with Christmas ornaments to compliment the season.

The bar is long. Very long. It starts at the front entrance of the restaurant and continues right to the back wall. Because of the ‘U’ shape dining area, the bar is also shaped like a horseshoe and tap handles line the back wall with lines coming from a state of the art keg storage room. A chrome bar top is so shiny that I can also see my reflection. Bar back stools line the bar, upwards of fifty or so. Televisions hang from the ceiling and are showing sports with muted volume, providing an almost sports bar feeling. But the music. Turn it down please, and turn off the Katy Perry. I know she kissed a girl and she liked it, but this type of music didn't fit the bill at an establishment like this.

I had the opportunity to check out that cold keg room later on during the visit and it was very organized with all the kegs and lines clearly identifiable . “We haven’t had the chance to clean out the empty kegs just yet, so it’s a little hectic, but you get the jest,” said another manager.

So, 115 tap lines featuring 105 beers. This has earned West 50 the distinction of having the most draught beer on tap in Canada. Sometimes more isn't necessarily better. Some of the beers aren't in stock, many are main-stream beers that you'd find at other chain establishments, and Joynt states that some of the beers have more than one tap locations. "Some of the biggest selling brands like Stella, Coors or Heineken have more than one tap only because they are the biggest sellers." Joynt mentions that while corporately owned and friendly to the national brewers, the West 50 is also working with local craft brewers and importers to make sure they have a wide variety of beers that would please everyone from the local beer enthusiast to the Bud drinkers. Beer cocktails are also on the drink menu, which I have yet to try and not sure if I want to. One thing that I did notice was the lack of beer knowledge the bartender displayed, something that is very essential in a place like this.

My final thoughts - good food, bad music, decent beer selection if available (and fresh) and a good spot to entertain guests coming from out of town. To be a true beer nirvana (instead of marketing the amount of draught lines), the West 50 should look into bringing in more seasonals, experimental local beers and maybe introducing customers to cask. For anyone who has ever been to one of the two Toronto Bier Markt's, you may find that the West 50 has many similar features in both appearance, atmosphere and business practices.


I have yet to really write about a beer bar that isn't independently owned and operated, but given the fact that there isn't much in means of beer destinations in Mississauga, I thought I could do so this one time. *West 50 is owned by Hip restaurants*