Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale

Evan's weekly choice: Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale


Look - 4.5  Smell - 4.25   Taste - 4.5  Feel - 4.25  Overall - 4.5

Look - This pale ale was poured from a 355 ml bottle into a clear pint glass. When poured it has a clear dark copper colour with about 2 fingers of tan head that dissipates very quickly after pour. It shows signs of medium carbonation throughout the beer. As the head starts to disappears, it left a thin layer of lacing around the pale ale.

Smell - When first poured the pale ale had a caramel and toffee type of aroma from the malts. When I took a second sniff of the pale ale, I was able to smell a piney and citrus smell of hops.

Taste - The beer starts off with a nice crisp taste. Then it is followed up by a delicious caramel malt taste with hints of citrus hops that aren't too strong.

Feel - It has a medium carbonated feel that goes down nice and smooth due to the light to medium body of the pale ale. It has a nice silky feel to it.

Overall - I loved this beer and would recommend it to everyone! Since this brand is from the Barrie area, you could say that I am a bit biased towards this beer. This beer showed all signs of a succulent pale ale and shows why it is a winner in my books. I would recommend enjoying this beer in any type of situation. So make sure you go out and try this delicious pale ale.

-E

Ladies Beer League Cask Fest

The Ladies Beer League would like to present you with the first ever Cask Beer Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia! The Ladies Beer League has brought together a mixture of delicious craft beers and fantastic food for the people of Halifax to enjoy for a one day event. This event will feature seven different Maritime craft breweries that will supply unique, one off, cask conditioned ales for the various beer lovers and enthusiasts of the Maritime region. For those who don't know what cask conditioned beer is, you can expect an unfiltered, unpasteurized ale that is traditionally fermented inside a cask. This allows the brewers to have some fun by offering you a smooth and flavourful experience as you taste these fantastic beers. This event will take place at the newest craft beer bar in Halifax, The Stubborn Goat. Each ticket purchased will include a 7 oz. sample from each cask and a chance to vote for this years 2013 Cask of the Year. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Ladies Beer League in which they will attribute the money to help host more exciting events in the future! If you aren't full after the sampling from each cask, you will be able to purchase additional drinks and food from the lovely staff at The Stubborn Goat.

When: Sunday November 17, 2013 from 1pm-8pm.

Where: This event will take place at The Stubborn Goat on 1579 Grafton Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Tickets: Afternoon session takes place from 1 pm to 4 pm for $35 and the evening session takes place from 5 pm to 8 pm for $35.

Brewers; The list of brewers include Hell Bay Brewing, Propeller Brewing, Garrison Brewing, Picaroons, Big Spruce Brewing, Boxing Rock and still one cask to be released soon.

So if you are in the gorgeous area of Halifax, stop on in to this one and only event that praises the delicious drink we call beer!

-E

Beau's Lug Tread Lagered Ale

Beau's Lug Tread Lagered Ale

Matt's weekly choice: Lug Tread lagered ale

Look - 3.75   Smell - 3.5     Taste - 4   Feel - 3.75   Overall - 4

Look - Poured from a 600 ml bottle into a pint glass. Light and golden colour which was perfectly clear, it had half a finger of white head which faded quickly.

Smell - This beer is very light smelling with smells of grain with a mix of light hops and malt.

Taste - Crisp tasting with flavours of grains, malt and slight floral notes. Has a bitter hoppy finish to it.

Feel - Very crisp and easy drinking. Medium carbonation and body. Has a dry after taste.

Overall - After smelling this beer I wasn't expected too much flavour but I was definitely wrong. It is very refreshing and a good lager. A very nice finish to the beer and delicious after taste. I definitely enjoyed this beer and would recommend it for any drinking occasion. It comes in an awesome 4 pack of beers which you can pick up at any local lcbo!

- Matt

Nickel Brook Green Apple Pilsner

Evan's weekly choice: Nickel Brook Green Apple Pilsner


Look - 4  Smell - 4.25   Taste -2.75  Feel - 3  Overall - 3.25

Look - This pilsner was poured from a 473 ml can into a clear pint glass. When poured it has a crystal clear bright golden colour with about 2 fingers of bright white fluffy head that stays around for about 6 minutes. It shows signs of high carbonation throughout the beer. As the head starts to disappear, it leaves a nice lacing around the top of the beer.

Smell - Once you open the can of beer, you instantly get a strong scent of green apple. Even throughout the beer it is constantly dominated by the smell of green apple and sugar. It comes to the point where it is almost impossible to smell any of the beer qualities that people are used to.

Taste - The beer starts off very sweet. Then it is followed up by a kind of sour green apple taste that overtakes the sweetness. The taste is like a cross between a cider and a beer.

Feel - It has a very high carbonated feel that is followed up by a light body. It feels a bit watery when going down.

Overall - I didn't mind this beer but I found it to be a bit fruity in my opinion. I felt it was too sweet for me. Even though I do love cider, when I am drinking a beer, I prefer a less of a fruitier taste. This wouldn't be too bad if you were having one on a nice summers day on the deck but I do recommend only having 1 or 2.

-E

OktoberFEAST 2013

What do you get when you combine some of the best craft brewers from Ontario, an assortment of gourmet food trucks and tons of Bavarian activities? You get an experience of a lifetime called OktoberFEAST! OktoberFEAST is a fundraising event with a portion of the sales going to the Canadian Cancer Society to help fund life-saving cancer research.

Inspired by traditions started in Germany over 200 years ago, OktoberFEAST hopes to bring together traditional Bavarian celebrations through food, drink and of course, festivities. This new event will help bring together craft brewers and beer enthusiasts, hot restaurants and food lovers, and Canadas most trusted charity and cancer fighters for an unforgettable night. This event will take place at the Evergreen Brickworks which is in the top ten geotourism destinations in the world considered by National Geographic. The event is sheltered but is still considered an outdoor place. So dress warm because this event will take place rain, snow or shine. But if you get cold there will be a few bonfires around to warm up by. This is a 19 plus event, so children and infants are not permitted.

Where: This event will be hosted at Evergreen Brickworks at 550 Bayview Ave. in Toronto, Ontario.

When: This event will be hosted on Friday October 25, 2013 from 5 pm to 1 am.

Tickets: Prost Pass- $75 (sold out)- includes: 5 drink tickets, line bypass, a stein and VIP seating
              Regular Pass- $20- includes your admission (drinks will be $6 each or 4 for $20)

Brewers: Amsterdam Brewery, Beau's All Natural Brewing Co., Black Oak Brewing Co., Creemore Springs Brewery Limited, Lake of Bays Brewing Co., Junction Craft Brewing, Northwinds Brewery, Pommies Dry Cider, Spearhead Brewing Company and Steamwhistle Pilsner.

Food Vendors: Choco Churros, Gourmet Gringos Catering, Hero Certified Burgers, Hogtown Smoke, Hot Bunzz Street Cuizine, Rock Lobster, Romen Chariot and Stuft Gourmet Sausages.

So put on your lederhosen and gamsbart and come out to help support a good cause at a wonderful event.

-E

 

Breweries of the week: Moosehead, Alexander Keith's and Garrison

This week we will be discussing a few breweries in eastern Canada!

Moosehead Brewery

Moosehead Brewery is Canada's oldest independent brewery that is family owned and has operated since 1867. They operate out of Saint John, New Brunswick and ship their beer to 14 different countries around the world. They produce a wide variety of beers for each international market that they sell in. For Canadians living in Ontario the most recognizable beers are Moosehead lager and Sam Adams Boston lager.

Alexander Keith's Brewery

Alexander Keith's Brewery is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It opened in 1820 and they have been brewing beer ever since. Alexander Keith, the founder of the company, was very politically active on the east coast and was even elected Mayor of Halifax in 1843. They are most known for their India pale ale and have recent released two new versions. These two new ales are their Hallertauer hop ale and Cascade hop ale which both offer a new distinct taste. They also have a very historic brewery tour in downtown Halifax if you are ever visiting!

Garrison Brewery

Garrison is a microbrewery in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are one of the founders of the microbrewery movement in Halifax and have operated since 1997. They offer a variety of microbrews including their Irish red ale, Tall Ship amber ale and nut brown ale. All of these beers can be purchased in a 2L Growler container which can be returned, cleaned and refilled for an affordable price. If you are ever in Halifax I suggest checking out their brewery which is right near Pier 21. It is a great place to have a patio beer and visit the local market for some delicious, fresh seafood.

- Matt

Cask Days 2013

Cask Days is back for the 9th year in 2013. Cask Days has transformed into one of the largest craft-beer events not only in Canada but North America. This event will feature over 200 casks from over 100 different microbreweries across Canada. This years main highlight will feature 36 beers from the United Kingdom.

This years Cask Days will be held at Evergreen Brick Works in which it will be helping to raise money to support Unity Charity. As a major contributor to the Ontario craft-beer community, Cask Days event holders have taken this event to the next level hosting over 4000 people over 2 days. This event will have different features such as beer education and introduction, community- focused beer drinking lifestyle, arts, music, food pairings and one on one time with the brewers across Canada.

Where: Cask Days is located in the Holcim Gallery and Koerner Gardens of Evergreen Brick Works at 550 Bayview Avenue in Toronto, Ontario.

When: October 19, 2013 (12 pm to 12 am) to October 20, 2013 (12 pm to 10 pm)

Tickets: Session One (12 pm to 5 pm)- $25- Saturday October 19, 2013
              Session Two (7 pm to 12 am)- $25- Saturday October 19, 2013
              Session Three (12 pm to 5 pm)-$25- Sunday October 20, 2013
              Save the Cask (5 pm to 10 pm)- Sunday October 20, 2013
              All Access (Session 1, 2 $ 3)-$60
              Brewers Breakfast (10:30 am to 12 pm)-$20-Saturday October 20, 2013

So if you are around our biggest city in Canada, try and drop by to visit this fantastic event to help raise money for a charity and to enjoy Canada's finest craft beers.

-E

King Pilsner

Evan's weekly choice: King Pilsner


Look - 4.5   Smell - 4   Taste - 4.25  Feel - 4.25  Overall - 4.25

Look - This pilsner was poured from a 473 ml can into a clear pint glass. When poured it has a crystal clear bright golden colour with moderate carbonation and about 2 fingers of milky white foamy head.

Smell - This pilsners aroma gives out hints of grainy and bready malts with a ting of spicy and grassy hops and a faint smell of citrus.

Taste - The beer starts off with a nice, crisp, dry taste that is expressed by the spicy hops and grainy malts. It then follows up with a mild aftertaste that allows you to enjoy it longer.

Feel - It has very moderate carbonated feel that is followed up by a light body with a excellent texture that goes down nice and easy.

Overall - I loved this beer and found it to be a very enjoyable pilsner.  I liked the light crisp taste that this pilsner had to offer which made it an easier choice to have more than just one. I would recommend this to people who are enjoying a nice sunny day on the patio. It is a very light bodied beer that could be easily enjoyed while you are soaking up the sun on a nice summers day.

-E

Lake of Bays Crosswind Pale Ale

Matt's weekly choice: Crosswind Pale Ale

Look - 3.25     Smell - 3     Taste - 3.5    Feel - 3.75   Overall - 3.5

Look - Poured from a 473ml tall can into a pint glass. Light, golden amber colour, half a finger of white head which faded quickly. Very little visible carbonation.

Smell - Light citrus floral notes with some malty caramel. Not a very strong smelling beer.

Taste - Very crisp tasting with notes of citrus, medium hops, and pale malts. Finishes with a taste of floral malts and a lasting bitterness.

Feel - Very light and easy drinking. Mild carbonation with a slight spicy feel. Has a bit of lasting dryness in the after taste

Overall - When I opened this beer I was expecting all the strong tastes that come with a Pale Ale. It was very crisp and tasty with a smooth finish. Feels like it is a bit watered down but still a very enjoyable drink. In the end, it is an easy going drink for any night but if your looking for something packed with Pale Ale flavour I would choose another beer.

- Matt

Breweries of the week: Beau's All Natural, Lake of Bays & Nickle Brook

For this week we will be featuring more Ontario Breweries!

Beau's All Natural Brewery

Beau's brewery is located at 10 Terry Fox dr in Vankleek. They have a focus on brewing all natural, high quality organic beers. It is a family run company that proudly controls the whole process of beer brewing, selling, marketing and transporting their product. Their goal is to "bring the world to us" through the creation of internationally renowned beer. They have won countless awards over the years and brew a wide assortment of seasonal and unique beers. Right now I would recommend checking out the Oktoberfest Mix Pack that includes a banana rauch weissbeer, German porter, roggenbeir (Bavarian rye), and a maibock.

Lake of Bays Brewery

Lake of Bays is located up north near Algonquin park at 2681 Muskoka rd in Baysville. They dedicate themselves to producing all natural premium beer. A free brewery tour is offered for anyone who wants to visit and book in advance. They hand-pack the beer with local employees and offer a 5L mini kegs (which can be found in many local LCBOs). The craft beers they produce season round are Crosswind pale ale, Spark House red ale, and Rock Cut lager.

Nickle Brook Brewery

Nickle Brook is located at 864 Drury lane in Burlington. They were founded in 2005 and have quickly created a diverse assortment of beers. They have free brewery tours (with samples!) that you can book and the brewery participates in many events within Toronto. They offer a wide selection of craft brews including their Nickle Brook green apple pilsner, a couple of India pale ales and many seasonal beers.

- Matt

Muskoka Dark Ale

Matt's weekly choice: Muskoka Dark Ale

Look - 3.5       Smell - 3.25      Taste - 4      Feel - 3.5     Overall - 3.75

Look - Poured from a 355ml bottle into a pint glass. Deep brown with two fingers of beige coloured head that disappeared quickly. It had a bit of lace (when the foam sticks to the side of the glass) making the beer look quite nice while drinking.

Smell - Deep chocolate and nutty notes with a hint of coffee.

Taste - Bitter chocolate, coffee and roasted malt taste. Leaves a burnt bitter after taste.

Feel - Easy drinking, thin beer considering it is dark ale. Medium to high carbonation that makes it quite smooth.

Overall - To start off I will say that I enjoy many varieties of dark ale and have a bit of a bias towards it.  It is surprisingly easy drinking considering it is a dark ale and is one of the only dark ales that I can enjoy more than one or two of in a single sitting. Might be a little over carbonated but that is probably to make up for its consistency. Easy drinking and quite an enjoyable craft brew.

- Matt

Muskoka Cream Ale

Evan's weekly choice: Muskoka Cream Ale


   Look - 4     Smell - 4   Taste - 3.75   Feel - 3.75  Overall - 4

Look - This cream ale was poured from a 473 ml can into a clear pint glass. When poured it has a clear copper-gold colour with constant carbonation and about 2 1/2 fingers of brownish-white foamy head. When the head settles it keeps a nice rim of foam over the body of the cream ale. The colour is a lot darker than I expected.

Smell - This cream ale has a sweeter smell with a mild grainy scent to it.

Taste - The beer starts off with a mild sweet taste that finishes off with a rather dry and bitter ending which is most likely caused by the malt and floral hops mixture.

Feel - It has very light carbonated feel that's followed by a thick heavy body which allows the cream ale to go down nice and smooth.

Overall - I would classify this beer as good choice of cream ale to enjoy. I liked the robust flavours that the beer had to offer that made it not too bold and aggressive. I would recommend this to people who enjoy having a beer to unwind while reading the paper or watching a television program. I wouldn't recommend drinking this beer in large quantities due to the fact that its heavier and that the taste might be too strong after a while which in turn could case you to become a bit ill. This is definitely better than most cream ales I have tried over the years.

-E

Harrison Beer Festival 2013

Craft beer month is back in British Columbia for October. With that being said Tourism Harrison Hot Springs  would like to welcome you back for the 2nd annual Harrison Beer Festival in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. This years event will be bringing together BC's absolute best craft breweries as well as one of the more recognized and successful craft brewery from Ontario to the shores of beautiful Harrison Lake. The Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz has a rich history in the beer industry that dates back 60 years ago. About 60 years ago, the regions main industry was hops which in turn is one of the main ingredients in beer. At the height of their industry, 300 acres were planted with hops.

This event will take place on the last weekend of October on the 25th and 26th with 3 different events taking place that will bring you fantastic tasting beer, delicious food and enjoyable entertainment.

Events

Cask Night
When: Friday October 25, 2013 - 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Where: St. Alice Hall
What: This event will feature 6 brewers offering a cask of their finest beer in which they will be judged and rated in a friendly competition to see which one prospers and gets picked the winner. This will be displayed with a British pub theme that offers a piano player and multiple dart boards for your entertainment while you enjoy your drinks.
Cost: $18 which includes a sampling glass and 3 tasting tokens.

Beer Festival
When: Saturday October 26, 2013 - 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Where: St. Alice Hall
What: This event will bring together BC's best craft breweries to celebrate craft beer month in which people will be able to visit, sample and enjoy the beers that the brewers have to offer.
Cost: $20 which includes a sampling glass and 3 tasting tokens.

Oktoberfest Dance
When: Saturday October 26, 2013 - 8 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: St. Alice Hall
What: The Beer Barrel Band will come together to give you live entertainment while you try to combine beer and food in your hands with dancing.
Cost: $25 which includes an authentic Oktoberfest mug

Sponsors: The Village of Harrison Hot Springs, The Harrison Agassiz Chamber of Commerce, The Agassiz Harrison Museum, The Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa.

Brewers: Cannery Brewery, Central City Brewing Co., Coal Harbour Brewing Co., Dead Frog Brewery, Driftwood Brewery, Fernie Brewing Co., Lighthouse Brewing Co., Mill St. Brewery, Mission Springs Brewing Co., Mt. Begbey Brewing Co., Old Yale Brewing Co., Pacific Western Brewing Co., Parallel Brewing Co., Phillips Brewing Co., Russell Brewery, Tin Whistle Brewing Co., Tree Brewing Co., Vancouver Island Brewery

So if you have a free weekend to spare, not only go to Harrison Hot Springs for the beautiful views and hot springs but for this fantastic event of great festivities.

 -E

Breweries of the week: Muskoka Brewery, Flying Monkeys & King Brewery

 

 

For this week we will be discussing a few breweries north of Toronto! We will be sampling two Dark ales from these breweries and blogging about them.

King Brewery

King Brewery is located in Nobleton at 5645 King Road just north of Toronto. They opened in 2002 and are committed to brewing authentic premium beer. Their website explains it best "(We) offer an unprecedented combination; the craftsmanship and heritage of Old World brewing, combined with the freshness of a local product". They have won many awards including a gold medal in 2012 at the Ontario Brewing Awards and participate in many Toronto beer events. Their beer selections include King Pilsner, King Dark and Vienna Lager.




Flying Monkeys Brewery

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery is located north of Toronto in Barrie. They are right downtown at 107 Dunlop Street East. This brewery's motto is "Normal is Weird" and just seeing their beer list you can understand. They brew a massive variety of craft beers; the year round ones are their excellently named Antigravity light ale, Hoptical Illusion pale ale, Netherworld Cascadian dark ale, Smashbomb Atomic IPA and Flying Monkeys amber ale. If you are ever walking around Dunlop street I encourage you to head inside for some free samples(yes free!). They also offer free tours with samples every weekday at 2pm,  and Saturdays hourly from1 pm and 4 pm and Sundays at 1pm and 3pm.

 

Muskoka Brewery

Muskoka Brewery is right in the middle of Muskoka on 1964 Muskoka Beach Road in Bracebridge. It was established quite recently in 1996 and has quickly grown into a popular craft brewery. They offer a wide selection of beers; you can enjoy their cream ale, dark ale, craft lager, mad tom IPA and many other specialty beers. This brewery participates in the Muskoka Beer Festival every year which is highly recommended. For cottagers enjoying Muskoka, check out their brewery tours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30PM.

- Matt





Windsor Craft Beer Festival 2013

The Windsor area is finally bringing you an event dedicated to beer and wine. The Windsor Craft Beer Festival 2013 is the first event in the Windsor area that praises beer and wine for 2 consecutive days. This will be hosted by WindsorEats who have been bringing you events and information on restaurants and bars within the Windsor and Essex County area since 2004. The event will bring together local and craft brewers from across Ontario who will participate together in a festival that will celebrate delicious beers and wonderful wines. The event is about local culture, the resurgence of Walkerville Brewery and the rapid craft beer movement across Canada. There will be entertainment, craft beer from around the province, great local food and also an ode to beer throughout each day to show our appreciation for the best type of drink on earth, BEER!

Where: The event will be held in Windsor, Ontario in the Olde Walkerville Historic Neighbourhood across from the Walkerville Brewery at 525 Argyle Rd. and Wyandotte St. E.

When: Friday, October 18, 2013: 5:00pm to 10:30pm
           Saturday, October 19, 2013: 3:00pm to 10:30pm

Admission: $25/Day ($30 at the gate) General Admission (Limited Tickets)
                    $45/Day VIP Pass (Sold Out)

Brew Houses: Bayside Brewing Company, Mill Street Brewing Company, Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, Broadhead Brewing Company, Highlander Brew Company, Lake of Bays Brewing Company, Motor Craft Ales, Walkerville Brewery, Wellington Brewery

So if you're in the Windsor area, I highly recommend visiting this drinkable event.



-E

Mill Street Original Organic Lager

Evan's weekly choice : Mill Street Original Organic Lager

  Look - 3     Smell - 2.5    Taste - 3.5   Feel - 3   Overall - 3

Look - This lager was poured from a 473 ml can into a clear pint glass. When poured it has a yellow-gold colour with light to medium carbonation and about 2 fingers of white fluffy head.

Smell - This lager has a very mild aroma with a malty, grassy/grainy type of smell with a hint of citrus.

Taste - The beer starts off with a bitterly-sweet taste follow up by a malty and grainy aftertaste.

Feel - It has light to medium carbonated feel with a light body that goes down fairly smooth with a slightly crisp, clean feeling to it.

Overall - I would classify this beer as just average. I didn't come into this situation with much expectations about this lager so it was just as I expected. It is awesome to see that Mill Street is producing an organic style of beer. I would recommend this beer to be drank on a hot summers day but other than that I would only drink this if someone offered it to me.

-E