The Best of Late: Beers and Bars in Brief

Don't take the infrequency of posts as an implication that my beer consumption has dissipated, but I cannot catch up on all.  Thus, I offer you the recent brief best-ofs (only of those consumed for the first time within the past month):

Montreal Beer Bars: Having now been to L'Amère à Boire, as well as renewed trips to Le Saint Bock and Vices et Versa, I have to renew my statement that Vices is a true marvel, Le Saint Bock is a pretty damn fine (if pricier) place to drink as well, while I look forward to more of L'Amère's mellow vibe and a few more tastes soon!

Toronto Beer Bars: Finally got to King West's new(-ish) Barhop and was most impressed with the location, the draught, and the bottle selection!

For the beers, the new must-try gems list includes:

Les Trois Mousquetaires Doppelbock (8.7% ABV) is simply a delight with an excellent biscuit-malted nose and a finely grassy hops finish to a roasty beginning!  Grade: A

Mont des Cats, in bottle at Le Saint Bock, offered me a taste from the unofficial new Trappist Brewery and didn't disappoint, offering what could perhaps be the most light and easily drinkable of the Belgian Strong Darks I have had.  Grade: A-

Lindeman's Cuvée Renée (Gueuze) from the LCBO was a sour funky delight adding to my growing love of this style!  If you like the funk, you'll love this treasure... otherwise, steer clear!  Grade: A

Spearhead's new(-ish) Moroccan Brown Ale is a fine American Brown with raisin, fig and plum notes adding a new twist on a well-done classic.  Grade: A-

Pauwel Kwak, yes in the funky glass, is a fun experience, and though good is basically just your standard Belgian Pale, but worth having once - if in the right glass!  Having a side-by-side on the same night of two similar beers (Urthel Hop-It and Delirium Tremens made clear to all involved that the Urthel is a true marvel, with everyone preferring it!)  Grade: B+/A-

Hopfenstark's Loulou Porter continues the success of this small Quebec brewery.  With a smooth biscuity sweet aroma and a roasty, nutty taste along with a lightly drying finish, this beer is just delicious!  Grade: A

Dunham's Barley Wine likewise shows off the strengths of another of Quebec's superstar breweries in a beer with a quite dry finish following up on a smooth, syrupy, honey-like sweet malty prevalence.  Grade: A-

Brasseurs du Monde's La Seiglerie (Bitter au Seigle) is a Rye Bitter masterpiece with a malty-sweet aroma of toasted notes and bread, preceding a mild taste with a lightly/subtly dry finish.  Easy drinking and quite sessionable at a mere 4% ABV.  Grade: A

That's all for now!  That said, I have now had beers from all eight Trappist breweries and all of the available Trappist beers except for Rochefort 6, Westvleteren Blonde and Westvleteren 8 (and, I suppose the 150th Anniversary Chimay).  I should have some Westvleteren 12 soon, and have loads of Bernardus, Rochefort 8, Rochefort 10, and some aged.  I would gladly trade for the remainders.  Comment me!

Beau's Oktoberfest: A Fine Celebration of Beer

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be able to put in a few good hours at Beau's annual Oktoberfest. The event seemed, to me, to be a resounding success.

It is held outdoors, with many a tent for the serving areas and tables, on the Vankleek Hill Fairgrounds where your entrance fee of $18 allows you a "free" beer and pretzel.  (The pretzel being a nice toss in, but it was mediocre especially compared to the beer!)

Many food vendors offer excellent-smelling, and stylistically-appropriate food and Beau's, of course, has a merch/swag booth that has the additional treat of selling engravable event-specific steins for the price of $10.

Competitions, such as the Keg Toss, Malt Sack Races, Sausage Eating Contest, Stein Holding Struggle, and the Spouse Carrying Race excite the crowd (but might benefit from an emcee livening things up), while two stages of music (one with a dance area for professionals out front) offer both traditional German folk (of the liederhosen and stein-chugging variety) and more contemporary Western folk such as Plants & Animals, Elliott Brood, and Ron Hawkins.

Yet, to readers here - and to me - most of this provides simply the mostly superficial, environmental context for what really matters: the beer and its consumption.

As a guy who'd rather taste many and drink a few, that all beers were $5=1 token=1 glass, with no smaller options available meant sharing with friends to get through a few (especially since I won't make it to cask days).  That, coupled with the quantity served meant little in the way of individual beer notes, but I will offer what did stand out, but first the offerings:

Aside from their flagship Lug Tread and their seasonal Night Märzen Oktoberfest Lager, Beau's offered seven beers from the Wild Oats Series.  I will shortly comment on each in turn, but first I should also mention that 48 cask conditioned ales from 20 different breweries were on offer, as was Thornbury Cider.

In brief, and all-around: the beer was excellent and too many wonderful offerings (in full sizes for 1x$5 token or two smaller (6-ounce?) samples of the cask offerings per token) made any attempt to get through them without a full-weekend pass merely an idea of folly!  Coupled with a publicly judged homebrew competition, there were options for all and excellent ones at that (though I should note that for the homebrew competition they simply ask which you prefer between two radically disparate styles: I got a rye beer and a robust porter!).  More specifically, and from best to wurst (noting that everything from Beau's was regular draught and everything else was cask conditioned):

Surprise, surprise: Dieu du Ciel's Peché Mortel is even better and creamier on cask than on draught (than on bottle).  I will say no more except to drink this in such a manner if/when you ever can.  Mmmm coffee and (naturally carbonated) imperial stout... together!  Grade: A/A+

Great Lakes Dude, Where's My Czar (Russian Imperial Stout) is a success on cask with its great chocolate nose and bitter cacao taste/creamy-feeling mouth.  Grade: A

Indie Alehouse Breakfast Porter is my kind of breakfast!  Apparently in the robust style, this offers an excellent coffee aroma, with a finish that is roasty, yet of piney dry hops.  Grade A-/A

Beau's Dark Helmüt (7.3% ABV "Imperious Schwarzbier") was delicious, with excellent aromas and tastes of darkly roasted malts that presented in a nearly smoky way.  Grade: A-/A

Nickel Brook Bolshevik Bastard (yes, another Russian Imperial Stout - my tastes are obvious!) is another gem on cask, where its bold, dry, roasty notes are allowed to shine with the creamy smoothness of the natural carbonation.  Grade: A-/A

Beau's Koru (6 % ABV Belgian Pale Ale) was quite enjoyable, with a nice floral hops on the nose and tongue, alongside a characteristic pear semblance.  Grade: A-

Dunham Dry-Hopped Harvest Ale was quite good offering a fairly balanced dryness up front before a nice piney finish.  Grade: B+/A-

Flying Monkeys Rose-Hopped Hibiscus Hoptical Illusion did quite well with the extra infusion of floral actual flower notes!  Grade: B+/A-

Dieu du Ciel's Voyageur des Brumes also shows well on cask, with its characteristic up-front boldness, and quite dry (yet tempered in contrast) finish matched by the smoother feeling of real ale. Grade: B+/A-

Nickel Brook Underground Pale Ale was good... I think... though I think I better try it again!  Grade: TBD, but I guess it fits in around here!

Beau's Night Märzen Oktoberfest Lager (5.5% ABV) was good and drinkable offering an up-front sweetness with a lingering dry finish that tempered its mildness somewhat.  Grade: B/B+

Beau's Octobock (7% ABV Bock) impressed as well, though consumed later in the day, I won't say too much here that I may regret! Grade: B/B+

Flying Monkey's Red Basil Smashbomb Atomic IPA was nearly indistinguishable from the regular offering to me (perhaps unless consumed side-by-side).  I love basil - had I observed it, I may be singing this beer's praises, instead I say I enjoyed it!  Grade B/B+

Beau's And Boom Gose the Dynamite (4.6% ABV Gose) was good, if not remarkable to me.  Some citrus on the nose with a slight tartness, but it was altogether mild across the board.  I never got much of the spice or salt, and even the tartness was faint.  I'd rather at least one of these possibly strong notes offered a bit more, than all tried to balance so smoothly, yet that too is praise in that it came out as more 'drinkable' (for the average drinker, presumably) than had it expressed the salt, or coriander, or sourness, more profoundly.  Grade: B

Beau's Weiss O'Lantern (Pumpkin Weiss at 5.6%) offered too little in the way of flavour for me as the pumpkin seemed indistinguishable from the wheaty notes, though it was otherwise fine.  Grade: C+/B-

Church Key Grains of Wrath (Double IPA) neglected to impress with a terrible aftertaste that none in my party enjoyed despite it being made up of 50% professed Hop-Heads.  It wasn't hops - it was funky - and it wasn't good.  Grade: C-

Beau's Vassar (6.7% ABV Heirloom Ale) attempted to recreate an extinct recipe from the Hudson Valley dating back two centuries - and in that it may have succeeded remarkably - but insofar as I hate banana which kicks in my gag reflex, I could barely desire to taste this beer after smelling its overpowering banana notes and in taste it was little different.  I won't offer a grade on this since it may simply have not agreed with me stylistically, but I do think - speaking stylistically - that it may even border on being a fruit/hybrid or at least it truly presents that way to me (and those with me).

Cheers, til next year's!

Pale Lager Drinkers Have Quite Traditional Politics?

Having seen this, an exploration of the political leanings and voter turnout of divergent beer drinkers in America, led to a few observations - aside from the obvious need to share!

Observation number one: Since nearly every beer listed qualifies as a macro-brewed American Pale Lager, I am inclined to presume that macro-brewed-pale-lager-drinking-Americans tend to have traditional dichotomous (Liberal-Republican) political stripes and conceive of political action in similarly reductionist ways (to vote or not to vote).  I know, it is more likely that those running the poll think in this way, or presume that such market research - which seems to be its purpose - is more crucial to the big guys.

Correlation may not imply causality, but if we could all just open up to alternative possibilities in lifestyle and choice, perhaps we would also open in ways that could help us reconceptualize our entire socio-political ontologies.

I suppose I am here making the hypothesis that those drinking New Belgium Beers in the United States or Beau's in Canada - and perhaps just local and/or craft beer in general might not be well represented by such a survey?  Is it my own bias, or would those of a more nuanced consumption also have a more nuanced politics that these market researchers would find difficult to quantify in these binary terms?

The lesson taken from this, according to the accompanying article, seems to be for brewers to stay politically neutral.  However, there is a specific politics not only to the business model of the smaller craft brewing scene, but to the partisan and legislative practices that hinder or advance the craft brewing phenomenon.  Part of my point is that businesses are inherently political and both consumers and entrepreneurs of various sizes and philosophies exemplify different ideologies.  Maybe embracing those isn't such a bad thing, indeed simply existence in such an economy sides with, and against, certain political formulations.  Standing aside is a politics too: the politics of the status quo, and certainly many large brewers depend on the way things are, but does this not differ for the smaller craft brewer - especially those with environmental leanings?

Observation number two: perhaps my presumptions are either wrong or limited anyway since some of the best (and by best, I mean less bad) beers on this list seem to be consumed by Republican supporters who vote.  I am not sure what this does to my leftist and ale/craft-loving worldview, but I am open to suggestions as to what I should drink to drown my sadness at this realization.

Beer Number 701: The Great Pumpkin, St. Ambroise!

I would tell you about rated beer number 700, but I have been told that if one has nothing nice to say, one should say nothing at all.

Thus, I come to beer number 701: Brasserie McAuslan's seasonal St. Ambroise Citrouille (The Great Pumpkin Ale) which is brewed with wheat, cloves, and pumpkin (aside from the usual ingredients!).

Coming in at the standard 5% ABV, this beer pours an attractive copper-coloured body topped by a nice fizzy, audible, white head that diminishes fairly quickly with negligible lacing.  It smells of sweet malt represented mostly by caramel, with a trace of spiciness and baking bread.  Tastewise, it is mild for a pumpkin beer - that is the pumpkin isn't overpowering and I rather consider that a strength though some may call it a weakness.  A faintly sweet, bready, roasty maltiness comes first before a spicy, peppery, and clove dominated middle that filters into an ever-so-faintly citrusy and pumpkin-y finish.  It is fairly light bodied, yet sweetly tingly to the tongue and is (of only a few tried) easily my favourite beer in this seasonal style.  That said, not only have I had few, but I prefer this mild pumpkin flavour to the stronger.  If that too fits your style, grab a few of these while you can - and Happy Hallowe'en!

Coming soon (when working life allows), a belated dual review of some Eastern Townships brewpubs: Brasserie Dunham and Microbrasserie La Memphre!

Affligem Dubbel is Truly a Gem

Despite having never really gotten into the more common (in Ontario) Affligem Blonde, I have to say that this beer impressed me! (Review after the pic!)

Visually, a thick, off-white, foamy head tops a light brown body that is faintly cloudy and full of chunky white-ish particulate. Gorgeous! Aromas of brown sugar, molasses, baking bread, raisins, and caramel predominate with a primary sweetness and just a touch of faint tart cherry. Taste is similar to the aroma and quite toffee dominant. So deliciously sweet it is nearly cloying, but not quite! It is quite creamy despite fairly high carbonation on a medium body. This is just an excellent dubbel and an LCBO must-buy if any remain on the shelves! Grade: A/A+

On Scarcity, Sanctity and "the Best Beer in the World" at Bellwoods

Last week I had the opportunity to check out the new-ish Bellwoods Brewery on the trendy Ossington strip and to have my first Westvleteren 12 (the oft-called "Best Beer in the World").

The brewpub itself was packed by 5 pm on the day of my arrival, which could be perhaps partially explained by the pleasant patio weather which left the terrace entirely occupied, while my companion and I procured the last two remaining seats at the bar.

Bellwoods is a bit cramped, with extremely limited bathroom space and indoor seating, though the summer patio helps out a bunch!  The appetizer/light entree sort of menu looks good, if a bit pricey, though the beer (and excellent, knowledgeable, friendly staff) certainly meet the expectations.

I had $3 5-ounce samples of the following: the Biere de Garde (7.5% ABV - lightly funky mustiness, with a nice yeasty nose and slight sour cherry notes, slightly tart yet nicely dry; Grade: B+/A-), Lost River Baltic Porter (7.7% ABV - cola and biscuit aromas with toasty notes and a pleasing crispy-dry finish; Grade: B+/A-), Fortune Cookie Tripel (8.2% ABV - dry-hopped with Amarillo hops that makes it a bit of a hybrid US/Belgian somewhat like Urthel Hop-It, excellent nose, good flavour; Grade: A-), Mash Pipe Berliner Weisse (3.6% ABV - very unique nose something like sweet lemonade, with a taste of sour lemon and sourdough, but more like a weisse than a true sour; Grade: A-), Monogamy Pale Ale (excellent very fruity nose of pineapple, mango, and grapefruit citrus, with a moderate taste of fair dryness, but with mellowed rind that pales in comparison to the great nose; Grade: B+/A-), and the perfectly sessionable Muggle Weisse (a 3.9% ABV dark sour with a wild yeast start that offers an accordingly mild, lightly funky aroma with a taste a bit like sugar-free sour keys alongside a finely drying finish; Grade: A-/A).

Though none of these beers blew me away, all were quite good and remarkably unique.  What is great about this brewery is the obvious commitment to uniqueness through obscure styles and twists on old favourites.  This portends a promise of the sort exemplified by Dieu du Ciel, which is high praise indeed if you know my tastes and/or DDC itself.  Bellwoods isn't there yet - if off to a great start - but it fills a needed and crucial Toronto niche for breaking from the English predominance of Southern Ontario craft beer (much as I love many English beer styles) and their ingenuity portends great things to come (such as the fitting new DDC collaboration Imperial IPA I just learned of today after already considering this comparison!)

Yet, unlike DDC, Bellwoods also offers a selection of imported bottles ranging from Dunham's stellar Black IPA to Rodenbach Grand Cru and the famed Westy 12 that provokes the reflections of this post and its title.  Awaiting the warming of my bottle (from fridge to cellar temperature) I found myself struggling to temper my expectations and to curtail my excitement, but (thankfully) Westy 12 tasted as expected - great, not earth-shatteringly so, but satisfyingly so.

Thus, like Bellwoods itself, Westy impresses, though is nonetheless slightly overrated.  By this, I mean that it is excellent - and better and different from the St. Bernardus Abt 12, and comparable to the Achel and Rochefort quads that I do so enjoy though a side by side (blind?) comparison may be required - but were it more common I believe it would be (more aptly) called "a damn good beer," and that the "best-in-the-world" label comes from scarcity and hype coupled with its consumptive quality rather than from the latter alone.

Specifically, Westvleteren 12 pours a cloudy reddish-brown with a thick tan head of solid retention and thick, but smooth lacing around the glass edges.  I personally get excellent and complex aromas of chocolate and plums initially that evolves into dark fruits, prunes, dark/molasses bread and candied sugar as it evolves.  The taste is similarly complex, as anticipated, yet is dominated by a sweet licorice, before it evolves to allow discernment of some figs, brown sugar, and an herbal/floral mix of the drying yeast and hops presence which clears the palate well.  It is thickly carbonated, yet somehow smooth and creamy nonetheless, with no hint of the 10.2% ABV discernible.  Grade: A/A+

Yes, this is an excellent beer and, at $30 a bottle at Bellwoods for a limited time, well worth trying/sharing once at this price, but it is not that much better (if at all) than a Trappist Rochefort 10 that is available regularly for $4.65 a bottle in Quebec.  For scarcity, hype, and the experience, grab yourself one while you can - then enjoy the best Bellwoods has to offer complementing your unique experience with the uniqueness of Toronto's virtual abbey.

Personally, though, much as I love quads and with all due respect to this delicious rarity, I love Imperial Stouts more and would call a few I have already tasted "better," such that a pursued tasting of Dark Lord now tops my remaining beer-bucket-list.

Cheers!

Two Fine Limited Offerings from Pit Caribou and Brasserie Dunham

Having just picked up an enjoyed a seasonal offering from Dunham and a one-off from Pit Caribou, I thought I'd share some thoughts while they may still remain on some store shelves.

First, Dunham's seasonal Stout Impériale Russe a l'Érable (8.5% ABV) pours a jet black with a small mocha head of fair retention and negligible lace.  The nose is mostly of chocolate and smoke, with just a faint trace of the maple, while the taste has a hint of the maple up front but has a quite dry smoky, dark chocolate, piney finish keeping the maple from being overly sweet or dessert-y.  It is fairly thick, creamy and chewy and, hence, would show well on nitro.

Usually I am not one to buy into seasonal beer styles, generally feeling that if a beer is good it is good anytime.  However, I have found myself lately realizing that I prefer an IPA on a hot Summer day to an imperial stout even though I generally prefer imperial stouts.  There is something to the feeling of warmth in the winter.  Yes, a good beer is still good in any season, but I am wondering why this is a summer seasonal?  I get that maple sugar is harvested in late winter/early Spring, but it keeps, and at the very least this beer might show better in Spring or Autumn, if not Winter.  That said, however, it is a fine beer at anytime, but I might buy more of them if I could in another season - though maybe I'll grab a few and sit on them a while!  Grade: B+/A-

Next, I come to Pit Caribou's one-off 5 Bière Anniversaire (7% ABV), a sour in the style of a Flander's Red.  Excellent foamy three-finger off-white head of good retention and thick, clingy lace sits atop a quite brown body.  Aromas of tart cherries and currants greet the nose, with sour acids being unmistakably obvious as well.  The taste is nicely tart with currant notes and an acidic, tannic, wine-like drying finish with no discernible hops presence.  Medium bodied with low-medium carbonation, and a lightly tingly feel, it is slightly astringent, but pleasingly so.  Having had about a handful of Flander's Reds (and liking them all), I'd have to say this one is quite good.  It is no Rodenbach Grand Cru, but it is worth the $5.59 pint-bottle price and is a rare treat indeed!  Grade: A-/A

Get'em while they're hot er cold or available, even!