What the hell happened?

I dropped off the face of the planet, I realize. After returning from Vancouver Craft Beer Week in May I sat down and wrote a huge post, filled with pictures and stories of a wonderful experience...I was in the zone! Hands down the best post I had written so far. The day after posting I went back to read it again and correct any spelling/grammar errors I had missed only to discover...the entire god damn post was GONE! Everything. Blogger dumped my favourite post in what I can only assume was a horrible glitch in the matrix. A small portion of it was saved in a draft, but literally only half of the first paragraph. I was pissed, and no matter how many times I tried to rewrite it, I couldn't for the life of me muster up the inspiration I had going the first time. Everything I wrote came out flat and lifeless. So I stopped...



...I didn't stop drinking beer though, and I have the squishy belly to prove it. I enjoyed my summer, some might say a little too much. Who the hell are they I say.

Towards the end of the summer a wave of new beers from all over started to show up. The summer of aggressive IPA's was over, and my taste buds had opened up to an array of new flavours. Dark malty beer was starting to taste better, comforting even. ESB's over IPA's. Barrel aged porters and stouts, viscous and rich in dried fruit notes. Even mind blowing sour beers made an appearance once and a while...not often enough in my opinion. But it was the Saison that swept me off my feet. The first being Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace, which I was honestly not prepared for. I savoured my modest sample, having to share the bottle with three other people. I couldn't stop thinking about it. While in Vancouver I had stumbled upon Driftwood Brewery's Farmhand Ale on tap and was in love. Birrifico del Ducato Nuova Mattina all the way from Italy was another winner, along with the rest of their beers. Most recently I picked up a Bottle of Muskoka Brewery's seasonal Harvest Ale, a dangerously drinkable hoppy rendition to the style. I bought two bottles so I could cellar one and see how it ages.

That about sums it up for now. I'll try to be more present from here on.

Now some photos from VCBW until now! Enjoy!

Vancouver Craft Beer Week Approaches...

Three days until I'm drowning in fantastic Craft Beer.

So far I've purchased tickets to two events for the VCBW, unfortunately the opening extravaganza sold out before I even had a chance to throw down! Curses!! But....I secured tickets to the "Brothers of Hop" night at the Alibi Room. Featuring nine hoppy treats brewed by hop giants Red Racer, Portlands Hopworks and Eugene Oregon's Ninkasi Brewery.

Also heading to the Brewery Creek US Beer Festival featuring over 20 mind blowing US Craft Brewers. Uncommon, Stone, Shipyard and Deschutes to name a delicious few. This should be a killer evening!

Not a part of the VCBF per se, I plan to also make a pilgrimage to the Central City Brew Pub to sample every single Red Racer beer available on tap. Red Racer Stout here I come!

There are many many more events available during the festival, and it would be easy to consume my entire trip with kick ass beer events....rough life I know. We'll have to see what else I can fit into the already busy tour schedule I've created during my time in Vancity.

Je Suis Stoked.


TAP INTO IT from Vancouver Craft Beer Week on Vimeo.

Hair of the Leprechaun Beer Festival

So last week I received an invite to the Edmonton Rotary Clubs first (annual?) Hair of the Leprechaun Beer Festival. A small beer driven fund raiser supporting the Rotary Club Urban Spirits "at risk" Youth Projects. Held at a small Italian community hall near the Commonwealth Stadium, a few hundred eager beer drinkers descended to try out some local and newer brews.

Only sporting maybe nine or ten booths, mostly featuring familiar Alberta Breweries, they still managed to pack the room. A couple of the reps were looking a little green around the gills from the previous nights St. Patty's Day shenanigans, but they were still smiling and having a good time, happy to be showing off their products to the crowd of glowing patrons.

I was happy to see our friend Leon, from Yellowhead Brewing Company, pouring samples of their lager from a mini kegging system. I spent some time chatting him up while he poured tons of samples. Many people heading to his booth because they were told "you have to try it out!" That makes me happy to see such positive feedback for these guys. Their pretty new on the scene, not quite a year old yet, and I would imagine getting such positive reviews would be a good indication that the boys at the brewery are doing something right.

My buddy Gordon was their slinging samples of his Wild Rose Brewery products. We featured these guys at the Sugarbowl not too long ago and received good feedback.  I had tasted most of their brews while at the Bowl, but I hadn't yet tried the SOB Classic English Ale. A sweeter amber colored ale, mild earthy hops with a smooth finish. Drinkable and satisfying. The year round beers they produce I find to be a little on the inconsistent side of things, they make fine products. But the seasonal offerings are mighty tasty. I was given bottles of the Cherry Porter and the Imperial IPA. Both amazing beers in a reasonable bomber package. The porter was a blast of flavor: coffee, chocolate, heavily caramelized malts as well as the cherry. The Imperial IPA a fruity hop explosion, rich and delicious with a smooth finish. Make sure you try a seasonal while available. Their new Altbier hitting shelves in Edmonton soon I hope.

Yukon Brewing was feeling good, Dave and Jeff getting lots of great feedback about the product. The Yukon Red being one of the favorites of course, a divine Red Ale taking the #1 Amber in Canada Award for the fourth year in a row. I also saw plenty samples of the Espresso Stout leaving the booth, both fantastic beers. 

DeLancey Direct Importers came packing a variety of products from numerous breweries including Paddock Wood, Cannery, Garrison Brewing Company and Raasted Bryghus to name a few.  The Raasted Vinter is one of my favorites right now so I had to have a shot of that just because its awesome. A dark yet refreshingly crisp Schwarzbier from Denmark. You have to try Raasted products! I also recommend the Grillol.....so good!! Garrison had the Imperial IPA available for sample which is fantastic. I'm becoming a huge fan of Garrison's products. We are currently featuring the Hop Yard Pale Ale at the Sugarbowl. All of the beer I have tried from this brewery out of Halifax is top notch. Some good beer making it's way out from the East Coast of Canada! I had a sample of Cannery's Squire Scotch Ale which I found a little on the sweet side for me, still enjoyable with a good peaty malt base, but not sure if I could really enjoy an entire bottle of the stuff.

Roughneck Brewing Company, from Calmar Alberta, was also present slinging samples of their IPA and Brown Ale. Both very drinkable down to earth brews. Nothing too fancy, just tasty regular people friendly products. I prefer the IPA to the Brown, no surprise there.

Some other breweries representing were Edmonton's Alley Kat Brewing Company and Amber Brewing Company, Granville Island Brewing Company (along with Creemore Springs) and Samuel Adams. There were a few more around but nothing I found notable. 

All in all a complete success I think for a first time festival. Thank you to Chris Cogswell of the Edmonton Rotary Club for the generous invite. Nice work fellas! Cheers!

Central City - Red Racer ESB

Slowly but surely, Central City products have been making their way across the provincial border to wet the tongues of eager Albertans.  Last summer we had our minds blown with the hop assault of the Red Racer IPA, quickly becoming the favorite of practically every hop head in the city.  Followed up by the dangerously drinkable Red Racer Pale Ale.  While still being on the heavier side of the hop, it offers a well rounded smooth drink.  Talk of the ESB by Vancouver friends have had every Red Racer fan buzzing with excitement, dreaming for the day is makes is way over.  Well dreams do come true.  February marked the arrival of the the Red Racer ESB, bringing another addition to the pin up collection, and she doesn't disappoint.

Pouring a  much deeper amber than the other two Red Racers we've seen.  A full malty nose, along with the signature hop blast we've come to expect from Central City products.  The flavor is wonderfully balanced, a rich English malt base, light caramel and nutty tones.  A smooth easy drink, with a slight metallic finish.  Earthy hops, moving away from the citrus heavy hops of the west coast, this beer really embraces the English ESB style.  A lively beer with crisp medium carbonation, thick off white head and light sticky lacing.  Overall a welcome addition to the Red Racer products we Albertans have seen so far.  I'm heading to Vancouver in May for the Vancouver Craft Beer Week and look very much forward to making a pilgrimage to the Central City Brew Pub.  I plan to drink EVERYTHING they offer on tap in mass quantities. It's going to get messy!

I neglected to take a photo while drinking last night so rather I thought I would include a short Red Racer Beer School video. Enjoy!

Dieu Du Ciel - Solstice d'hiver

*not a Unibroue product

Montreal's Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel is churning out insane beers, one after another.  The Solstice d'hiver (or Winter Solstice) is no exception.  A huge 9.8% ABV Barley Wine, viscous and deep mahogany in color, with a fantastic hoppy nose rich in bananas and apples.  It explodes with a dense head of tiny bubbles, unfortunately little to no lacing.  Rich, fruity and tart, this beer is full of subtle flavor profiles bringing a different experience to every sip.  Raisins, molasses, cherries and caramel to name a few with many more on the tongue.  Let it warm up to allow all those flavors to shine through.  Drinkability is wonderfully high, coming on smooth and warm.  The high alcohol content barely making an appearance until you've finished most of the bottle.

Pair with good company and music for the full experience. Cheers!

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale

Stopped in for a quick shop at Sherbrooke today looking for something I haven't tried yet.  They have a shelf dedicated to new beer as soon as you walk in, and lately it's been stocked with a variety of tasty treats.  I noticed a few Dogfish bottles I have yet to try (Chicory Stout, Burton Baton Imperial IPA, and the Squall IPA...drooool).  I picked up a bottle of the Burton for later consumption and plan to hit up some friends to go in on the $28 bottle of Squall.  Also in the bag I added a bottle of Fuller's 2010 Vintage Ale to cellar and for tonight a bomber of Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale.  Recently I had the opportunity to sample a bottle of their Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale, which absolutely blew my mind, as well as the "Censored" Copper Ale.

The Little Sumpin' Wild Ale is a seasonal beer brewed every September, using a ton of malted wheat and Belgian Westmalle yeast.  She pours a clear golden copper, with a gorgeous white frothy head that slowly crawls away leaving moderately heavy lacing.  Huge on the nose with tons of citrusy aroma, grapefruit and orange mostly.  Smells rich and sweet, the Belgian yeast highlighted nicely.

Quite the hoppy flavor, coming off a little sharp at the end and leaving a slight acrid aftertaste.  Nothing overly obnoxious, but still a flavor that lingers long after the party is over.  Luckily the mad amount of malts (barley and wheat) give it some sweet body, well rounded flavor, and fairly enjoyable balance.  If only the hops could have been handled a little better it could have been very satisfying.  It has a smooth textural feeling in the mouth, a buttery finish that I found interesting, and for a fairly high ABV beer (8.85%) the presence of alcohol is barely detectable.

The Belgian flavor is something I have yet to find a love for.  I can appreciate the character these yeast strains bring to the table but for some reason I just can't fall in love with it.  I see plenty of the Belgian beers leaving the bar at work, unfortunately most of the ones I've tried disagree with my tastes.  This one I find makes good use of the yeast, adding appropriate North American hop varieties and plenty of viscous malts to produce a delicious flavor profile.  A well crafted beer, despite the runaway hops.  Although not something I would buy again, just because of my personal tastes, it's still something I would recommend to a friend.  I really like this brewery and think they craft amazing beer.  In the case of this particular beer, don't listen to me, go buy it for yourself and see what you think.  It could very well be your perfect drink.

New Look

So I'm attempting to redesign the look of this blog, and so far not finding myself happy with any of the results.  Bare with me while I search for a suitable look.

Also, I'm planning on attending the Vancouver Craft Beer Week this year, being held May 6th- 14th! Unfortunately I probably won't be able to attend the entire festival, so I'm asking around:

If you were to going to Vancouver Craft Beer Week but had to choose between attending the opening ceremonies or the closing ceremonies....which would you choose?!?


Thanks for the input.
Cheers!


I am a Canadian Craft Brewer from VancouverCBW on Vimeo.


Here's another inspiring video I found featuring some top notch American Craft Brewers.  I love this stuff.

New Years in Brooklyn

This year at The Sugarbowl we decided we would welcome 2011 with a fantastic beer dinner, featuring a tasty menu and beer paring written by yours truly.  Brooklyn Brewery was the brand of choice for our trip, now it was just building a menu I could produce in small quarters and figure out which beer best suited each dish.  Our eight o'clock seating sold out in just over a week (55 seats), with many if not most of the patrons signing up without even knowing what they were getting themselves into.  This was my first chance to organize anything like this in my time at The Sugarbowl, so I didn't want to disappoint.  The menu reads as this:

~1^st~

Buttermilk Potato Soup

Crispy Shallot, Thyme, White Truffle Oil

Brooklyn Lager

~2^nd~

Baby Artisan Green Salad

Poached Italian Pear, MARKT Guanciale, Piave Veccio, Pecan, Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

~3^rd~

Beef Short Rib Two Ways

Smoke Braised Boneless Short Rib & Grilled Korean Style Short Rib

Navy Beans, Rapini, Toasted Brioche

Brooklyn Brown Ale

~4^th~

Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream and Black Chocolate Stout

Beer Float

Pinocchio’s Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream

Brooklyn Imperial Black Chocolate Stout

Course One:  A puree of Yukon Gold potato and buttermilk, lightly spiced with with nutmeg and garnished with crispy fried shallots, fresh thyme and truffle oil.  I chose the Brooklyn Lager as a partner for this heavenly dish.  The soup, as subtle as it was, coated the mouth quite heavily so the clean and crisp lager kept the flavors neutral and let the effervescence keep the palate clean and ready.  The slight sweetness to the Brooklyn lager complemented the buttery sour kick from the buttermilk. Overall a rich and delightful start to the meal.

Course Two: Fresh baby heads of lettuce (green & red butter leaf, red Lolla Rossa, frisse and romaine) with lightly poached Italian pear, toasted pecans, Piave Veccio, and fresh Guanciale (graciously sent out by the talented Ryan Zuvich, Chef/Owner of Markt Artisan Deli in Nanaimo BC). Everything was brought together with a snappy apple cider vinaigrette.  We got the Brooklyn EIPA on tap a while back and I was blown away at how much fruitier it was than its bottled counterpart.  I knew this would be a great combination, with the fruits in the beer working well with the pear and and apple, and perky hops getting busy with the vinegar and salt from the Guanciale.  A great combination and a wonderful looking dish.  A fair amount going on but it tasted great.  For us in the kitchen, because of all the different components, this dish ended up being the toughest one to produce for such a large amount of people.  Fortunately nothing was going to get us down that night, and we pushed it out flawlessly.

*BREAK TIME* At this time we were momentarily pulled out of the kitchen for a celebratory shot of something boozy and butterscotchy.  A gift from the already pleased as punch owner of The Sugarbowl.  A foreshadowing of the remainder of our long....oh so long night/morning.

...back to work!

Course Three: Beef Short Ribs cooked two ways.  The first a boneless short rib roast slowly braised in Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and smoked water (What's that you say? Well, exactly that. A large basin of water is placed inside a smoker and literally smoked using Hickory and Applewood for a few hours.  Rendering a dark smoky liquid in which the beef is submerged and cooked in. Pure flavor country. Stick that in your pipe and......well you get the picture).  The second, a piece of Korean grilled short rib.  Korean style short rib is just a regular beef short rib that has been cut into 1/2 inch thick slices with four bones along the bottom.  A fatty and heavily salted piece of juicy beef heaven.  Along with these delicious meaty meats was stewed navy beans, rapini (also known as broccoli rabe) and brioche crouton.  Pared with this dish was the Brooklyn Brown Ale, a malty ale with a generous amount of hops added to the brew.  The rich flavors of the meal marrying well with the roast malt flavors of the beer.  Meanwhile the salt and fat from the beef working harmoniously with the hops, and the brioche bringing a pleasant vanilla presence to the whole situation.  In retrospect the rapini definitely would have benefited from a quick splash of fresh lemon juice, something I overlooked until after the dish had already gone out.  I guess you can't be perfect all the time. I am after all only half man half amazing, but I digress.


Course Four: Now, many would call this dish sacrilegious. A beer float....beer, with ice cream....all mixed together?  It's something I've played with as dessert specials here and there at the Sugarbowl, with positive feedback.  The thing with the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is that it's obviously the best choice for a dessert course, BUT it's absolutely not a beer for everyone.  Most people are not prepared for the full on assault of Imperial Stout madness that this beer guarantees.  How do you make a beer this big, this heavy and this powerful palatable for the common beer drinker?  Throw some locally made Bourbon vanilla ice cream in that shit, throw a straw in there and call it a float.  High fives all around.


Unfortunately at this moment I have zero photos from this fantastic evening to prove its fantasticalness, but I assure you it all happened.  By the sounds of it, these beer dinners will be a common occurrence at the bowl.  We are currently in talks with Alley Kat and Wild Rose (try the Cherry Porter!) to organize some future beer/food collaborations.  Keep you posted.


To everyone who attended out first beer dinner, thank you so very much for being our guinea pigs and I hope you had an enjoyable evening.  As for everyone else, Happy 2011!  Enjoy it, apparently its your last year to live.  Cheers!

Home Brew Keg Party!!

Last month I was invited to a keg party hosted by my buddy Chuck, who is an avid home brewer and a previous bartender at The Sugarbowl.  While working at the Bowl, we would often talk about the process of making beer and hear about Chucks adventures in home brewing.  Everyone knew Chuck liked his beer, but nobody had ever tasted his product....until now.

A few months ago Chuck started renting a heated garage and set up his micro-micro brewery, even going so far as to buying an old fridge and turning it into a 2x20L keg fridge with the two spouts coming out the side.  Sitting on two batches of beer just for himself can take a while to work through, and the longer it takes to cycle through a batch the longer it takes before he can play and experiment with new brews.  To combat this problem Chuck decided he would hold a monthly keg party, invite all of his friends to the garage and charge a minimum $5 donation to help pay for the cost of the product and a little left over to keep things going.  Well the idea was genius, and the parties are a huge success!

The Brewmaster
enthusiastically explaining the brewing process

The first kegger featured a delicious IPA, and a mind blowing Pumpkin Ale.  The IPA was crisp, fruity, and balanced extremely well.  From what I remember, Chuck calculated an IBU rating of 120 or something...if that was the case, it didn't show in the final product.  It was bitter, but a fine malt finish helped keep the extreme pucker at bay.  On the nose it was unlike any IPA I've ever experienced, smelling heavily of peach juice and other stone fruits.  An absolute delightful drink, along the same lines as the Raasted Grilløl....sharing similar flavor profiles.  The Pumpkin Ale, on the other hand, was out of this world.  Brewed with the pulp from a whole roasted fresh pumpkin and an appropriate amount of spices to warm it up, this beer was fantastic.  The pumpkin flavors were right upfront, without becoming too sweet or overpowering.  I've had a couple of other pumpkin ales that tasted almost synthetic, this was absolutely real.  The spices gave it a delightful pumpkin pie burst, ginger being a noticeable but savvy addition to the brew.  It was a clear golden amber color, quite viscous with a full flavor and decent hop aroma. Compared to any of the other Pumpkin Ales I've tried over the last couple of years, this one wins gold in my books.

Big ol'sack of two row malt

Yesterday was kegger #2, featuring an Irish Red Cream Ale and an imaginative Peated Malt Baltic Porter.  The porter was definitely the star of the evening, with the 20L keg drained in little over two hours. A round and rich roasted malt base and subtle hop profile, the smoke from the peated malt was barely present but still noticeable.  It added a unique flavor to the beer, leaving you wanting more.  I could have done with more smoke flavor, I'm pretty sure Chuck was looking for more smoke as well but played it safe with the first batch of this experimental brew.  Drinkability was dangerously high, and an 8% ABV made this fantastic beer a hit with everyone at the garage.  The Irish Red poured a rosy red hue, with a delicate frothy head.  Very smooth and a creamy texture brought on by using a small percentage of rice in the mash.  This beer was delicious and enjoyable, details at this point are fuzzy at best.  After a few of each, its hard not to feel pretty happy and carefree.  The great thing about these parties is the amount of people totally into beer and what goes into the beer.  Having like minded individuals, with equal if not greater love for the brew, to completely geek out with and not feel like a super nerd is such a fantastic atmosphere to be in.  I look forward to future keggers with Chuck and the gang, and I'll do my best to spread the word. Cheers!

Magpie - Big Rock Brewery

Big Rock Brewery, situated in Calgary Alberta, is probably Alberta's most successful "craft" brewery.  Every Albertan has swilled on pints of their Traditional Ale or Grasshopper Wheat Ale at some point in their lives, as these two beers have infiltrated almost every bar in the province.  Their roster of beers has grown over the years to include many different styles, some much better than others.....but most still not very good.  I've been told the beer used to be quite good in the early days of the breweries life, but as the popularity of the brewery grew, and the size of the brewery grew, the quality of the brew quickly began to wear thin.  New recipes, and cost cutting solutions have brought Big Rock's reputation to a stand still, putting them on par with the likes of Molson and other big adjunct beer producers (my opinion here, just saying).  But then word hit the streets that they would be re-releasing a discontinued hit from their past, beer geeks were getting stoked, and I had high hopes that maybe....just maybe, Big Rock could produce something worthy, perhaps even enjoyable.

Finding information and history on the Magpie is difficult.  It's a rye ale brewed by Big Rock ten years ago, back when "craft" was still the name of the game.  It seems to have made a quiet debut on the scene as their is still zero info about it on the website, as well as beer advocate.  As far as I know the only places in Edmonton to serve the Magpie is the Druid, and now for the month of December we're pouring pints at The Sugarbowl.  I've had a few pints in the last week or so, trying to get my head wrapped around this stuff.  Some of my beer geek friends were very excited about this product, and had great things to say about it....although these fond memories are at least a decade old. Here's to hoping.

The pint pours a light amber color, the head full of large dissipating bubbles and zero lacing.  On the nose it had a sweet undertone, pleasant hop character but that strange Big Rock smell is in full force.  I find all the Big Rock products to have a similar smell and taste, must be the water...I don't know. Either way it's not an overly enjoyable addition to the beer.  The flavor is sweet and malty, not sure what I'm looking for in a rye profile.  The only other rye beer I've tried is the  He'Brew Lenny's Double Rye IPA, which is fantastic and probably one of my favorite beers this year.  The Magpie I found to be a bit astringent on the tongue, thin and watery, and overall experience very tipical of a Big Rock beer.  If they're trying to coax experienced beer drinkers into buying in to this product, or any of their products for that matter, their going to have to start brewing a lot better than this. Nice try Big Rock, but your beer still sucks (my opinion here, just saying).

Alley Kat Cask Ale - Apple Wit

The Sugarbowl has had the opportunity to host Alley Kat's monthly cask ale night with great success for the past few months now. So far they've brought us cask versions of their Full Moon Pale Ale, Amber Ale, A Steam Beer, and a Chocolate Porter (My favorite so far).

Yesterday we sampled a cask version of their new 15th anniversary release, an Apple Wit. It poured hazy light orange in color with a light frothy head. Brewed with huge amounts of Granny Smith Apples, the unfiltered wit was full of sediment, and exploding with dreamy apple pie aromas. Drinking brought a rush of other flavors with a fresh sour apple cider base, with mild spicy notes, the yeast almost giving it the apple pie crust flavor. The lack of artificial carbonation in these cask ales really give the flavors a chance to shine and adding a heaviness, filling you up faster than usual. This was a great beer, and a delightful addition to their short list of anniversary releases. I'm looking forward to trying it again from the bottle.  I hope the rich flavors of this cask are brought along in the bottled version.

Aside from Alley Kat we've had another brewery Host a cask night with smashing success. Half Pints Brewery from Winnipeg, Manitoba came to the Sugarbowl along with Brewmaster/Owner, Dave Rudge. Dave brought along with him an Oktoberfest Lager. The cask sprayed the entire kitchen with beer when it was tapped, but the brew was delicious as was the other three Half Pint beers we featured that evening: Phil's Pils, Weizenheimer, and Pot Hole Porter. Currently on the feature list we are carrying their Stir Stick Stout, which I have yet to try.

Here's a short video of our kitchen being hosed with fresh cask beer. I was standing a little to close when she went off so the end of the video is mostly floor, but you get the idea.

Pike Brewery Dinner

Last Friday night we had the chance to enjoy an evening with Seattle brewery Pike Brewing Company, beer and Brewmaster Charles Finkel! The dinner took place at the Manor Bistro, consisting of a four course meal with beer pairings.

The meal started off strong with an amuse of Pike's "Dry Wit" a wonderfully floral Wit style beer, unfortunately my beer was molested by an orange slice while I was preoccupied which completely destroyed any aroma of the beer itself, and seriously masking any flavor. Beer + Fruit Garnish = Stupid.

The next course  was a delicious Stilton soup garnished with crispy parsnips and some sort of flavored oil paired with the Naughty Nellie Golden Ale. I thought the two worked really well together, the soup could have been the whole meal and I would have been happy.

Course three was a trio of salmon: Smoked Salmon, Basil cured Salmon, and a Salmon Tartar.  This, for me, was when things started to stray from good.  The Basil cured salmon was flavorless and a bit chewy, the salmon tartar was also seriously under seasoned and what flavor that existed wasn't very enjoyable.  The smoked salmon was delicious, salty and pleasantly smoky. There was some sort of yellow pepper puree and salsa garnish along with the dish that added nothing to the palette. I savored every morsel of the smoked salmon along with the paired Pale Ale which I found to be enjoyable. The hops maybe a bit over powering for the delicate salmon flavor, but worked well with the smoke. The disappointment of the food made the accompanying beer less memorable unfortunately. I think it was at this point in the evening when I started to focus more on my plate rather than my glass....chef habit.

Third course, entree.....ok, I'll try to be polite here. The beer, The Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale, was poured way before the food hit the tables. So by the time our meal came almost everyones beer was gone. But the beer was amazing and made a real impact on the evening I thought. This ale is brewed with a small percentage of peated Scottish malts adding tasty smoky sweetness and hints of Scotch Whisky to the brew, without adding boozy character which I find with most barrel aged Scotch ales.  The hops were subtle, doing well to not hinder the malty flavors from shining through. After completely enjoying almost all of my beer the food finally hit the table.  A free range chicken breast "stuffed" with Quebec Oka cheese and sage, eggplant cannelloni, some sort of roasted tomato sauce and grilled peppers. Now, when I see "stuffed" I assume the breast will be "stuffed". Rather the skin of the chicken was lifted and the cheese and sage placed under, the thing with this method of "stuffing" is that while the breast is being roasted the cheese has nothing containing it and just slithers out from under the skin and melts away...a complete waste. The chicken breast was at least juicy and tender, and delicious with the sauce. The cannelloni on the other hand was, in my opinion (and in the opinion of almost everyone at the table), a disaster. The eggplant was under seasoned and had nothing to make it short of boring, and wrapped around this bland mass was a severely al dante piece of pasta. The thing that really pissed me off about the dish aside from all of these things was the blatant over use pepper, which we already saw in the salmon course. Three massive pieces of grilled pepper, essentially an entire grilled pepper was the veggie portion of our plates. I didn't even eat it, out of spite, because it seemed like such a copout. I would have been happier with a side of boiled mushy carrots, at least it would have seemed like they tried. Overall third course fail, and thats not just my opinion but the unanimous opinion of the other seven people at my table. Sorry folks.

Image stolen from Jason Foster of onbeer.org

Fourth and final course, a bread pudding made with Pikes huge and delicious xxxxx Extra Stout was paired with the Old Bawdy barley wine.  The bread pudding was tasty, moist and spiced well. The fig compote on the pudding was enjoyable but cold, bringing an uncomfortable hot-cold complex to the dish which would have been more enjoyable if it had been all the same temperature.  The Old Bawdy blew my mind though! Granted it was my first barely wine experience, it was a perfect end to the meal. Heavy on all fronts, this extra malty and heavily hopped brew was balanced perfectly kicking the ass of any taste buds in its path. Four days later I still cannot stop thinking about it, and look forward to delving into the world that is barley wine. I cannot believe I have waited this long to try this style out.

Overall not a mind blowing evening, the beer being the star of the show most definitely. The company of Mr. Charles Finkel was a huge perk of the evening, bringing entertaining stories and history along with him despite the small room being extremely loud and some people not very engaged in his presence. I hope to one day enjoy his company again in a more comfortable setting, ideally working with him on my own terms to produce a beer dinner at the Sugarbowl....who knows. Here's to hoping. Cheers.

Thanksgiving WTF?

This Thanksgiving my wife and child spent the holiday in Calgary catching up with old/best friends, I decided to drive the other way and spend the day with my folks in Wainwright.

Wainwright is a smaller prairie community surrounded by rolling farms and a massive Canadian Forces training base.  Having grown up in this town I tend to generalize the people there as closed minded hicks, who swill the cheapest beer known to man just to get wasted and see who they can suck into a fight.  Maybe things have changed, it has been years since I've lived there and I don't (to my Mom's disappointment...sorry Mom) get out there as often as I probably should.  So this Thanksgiving, seeing that it would just be the three of us for dinner, Dad decided we would forgo the traditional turkey feast and indulge in sticky BBQ smoked pork ribs.  Of course ribs like these deserve a refreshing crisp beer along with it.  With my preconceived ideas about what Wainwright would have to offer in this department I settled on the fact I would probably be enjoying a Kokanee, or maybe if I was lucky a Stella, to wash down my saucy ribs.  Well smack my ass and call me Sally, we walk into the newly renovated Wainwright liquor store to a wall of some of the best available North American craft beer!  I couldn't believe it, a craft beer selection like this in my home town....things are really looking up!  Maybe I was wrong about this place, these hicks have some taste!  Are the piss swilling hicks a thing of the past?  It's probably too early to tell.

A little overwhelmed by the selection I'm only used to seeing at my trusty beer store in Edmonton, I jumped on a six pack of Red Racer Pale Ale for it's smooth easy drinking and powerful hoppy bite.  My Dad, having developed a taste for Alley Kat Charlie Flint Lager last time he was in Edmonton, was delighted to find it available and scooped one up post haste.  I also ventured into the equally impressive European import wall on the other side of the cooler and found a bottle of Brewdog's Hardcore IPA to be enjoyed on a later date.  Beer store success.  I walked out of that place shocked and proud.  Alberta has a long way to go in the craft beer world, but if Wainwright has jumped on board, I think we're doing alright.

NBC - Nelson Brewing Company

Here's a gem.  On our recent trip to the Kootenay's I was eager to try some of the products that NBC brews.  I had heard good things, and I vaguely remember trying their wheat beer while I lived in Victoria.  Unfortunately I haven't acquired a taste for the wheat beer yet, I know i know.....but it's just not my thing.

Nelson Brewing Company is a small craft brewery situated in Nelson BC, producing a handful of wonderfully flavored certified organic ales using traditional brewing recipes and methods. Their beer is not available at my beer store (Sherbrooke Liquor) so I had to try as much as I could while it was available. 

So the closer we got to Nelson I started to notice that almost every little restaurant and cafe we stopped at had these guys on tap.  Everyone had the Harvest Moon Hemp Ale and some carried the Wild Honey Ale.  That being said, the Harvest Moon Hemp was the first of their beers I sampled.

Harvest Moon Organic Hemp Ale - A German Kolsch style ale, this beer came out bright crisp and extremely refreshing.  Very clean on the palate, with a mild hop attendance.  A favorite of the locals, and only available on tap.  Every time I ordered one I happened to be sitting on some gorgeous patio which added major dramatic effect. (Insert photo of me with giant shit eating grin here)

Old Brewery Pale Ale - This tasty ale was given to me by my good buddy Scott, a resident of Nelson and manager of Little Mountain Liqour Store.  Well balanced, not overly hopped but definitely makes a appearance.  I suppose very typical of an English style pale ale, well rounded flavor with a noticeable bitter bite, and extremely easy to drink.

Paddywhack IPA - Pours a deep amber with a frothy head, medium lacing.  Wonderful on the nose with lots of citrus and pine and caramel notes.  Crisp and clean on the tongue, mildly astringent bitter that lingers.  Very piney, and mild malts.  Lots of hops in this beer. Medium body, but the malty base is slightly over shadowed by those incredible west coast hops. Overall a delightful beer.

Nelson After Dark - A British style mild dark ale, this beer was probably my favorite of all of the NBC beers I tried.  Rich and flavourful, medium body with lots of caramel, chocolate and coffee notes.  Fairly sweet on the tongue but balanced out nicely with a gentle hop hit.  The head is meager, disappears quickly and leaves very little lacing.  Despite how it looks it's not a heavy beer, which makes it quite refreshing.


With such a fantastic line of delicious beer, Nelson definitely stands out of the crowd with all of the rest.  Plus being an all organic brewery they have the upper hand on most, appealing to the earth forward thinkers.  The high quality of the ingredients used in these beers shines through magnificently, something I think all brewers should take into consideration.  I'm sure most craft brewers these days put huge amounts of thought into what goes into their beer, and where it's coming from, but NBC has put these thoughts into action and proudly produce liquid bottles of gold.  It's no wonder the locals are such loyal followers,  they're ahead of the game and they're winning.

Summer vacation....BC's Kootenay's

This years family vacation brought us to the beautiful Kootenay's of British Columbia.  Dreamy little hobby farms surrounding crystal clear glacial rivers dwarfed by the rolling green mountains, small highways winding dangerously through heavily wooded landscapes with to many reminders of lost loved ones dotting the roads edge.  A place of simple perfection, healthy happy living.  The purpose of our trip was to take part in the marriage of our good friends Becca and Dean, who along with Dean's brother Gord and wonderful partner Angela own and maintain one of those busy hobby farms (although not a hobby for these fine folks).  Crooked Horn Farm is where we called home for three days, tenting on the edge of the Slocan River, eating farm fresh veggies, and of course drinking wonderfully crafted BC beer.

A week or so before our departure, I contacted a friend of mine from Victoria and asked her if it was possible to bring me out a sixer of Phillips newly re-formulated Hop Circle IPA.  Not a problem at all she said, seeing as her best friend is Matt Phillips right hand lady at the brewery.  Not only did she bring me out a sizable sample, she even had one on ice ready and waiting for me!  Oh snap...hello vacation.  This IPA pours a hazy pale amber with a timid frothy head, which dissipates quickly leaving moderate lacing.  Very typical of a west coast IPA on the nose, which don't get me wrong is a thing of beauty.  Citrus and grapefruit notes come on strong but not over powering, it has richer accents that balance out those intense hop characters.  Flavor wise a delightful beer.  Medium carbonation, dry and light in the body.  Well balanced malts with pleasant citrus and piney hops to kick it up.  Overall quite hoppy but nothing to ridiculous, especially seeing as these days its almost as if brewers are going out of their way to make their IPA's hoppy as hell.  Being a lover of all things heavily hopped I'm not opposed to this mentality, but sometimes it's just not necessary and I think it's good to remember that.  It has become a summertime obsession to find the craziest hopped beers available, this beer brings you back to earth showing you that it doesn't all need to be extreme out of this world beer (ironic seeing as the label is an out of this world UFO).  I'm sure if this was available in Alberta it would be a staple in my fridge.


To the lovely Soo, thank you very much for going out of your way to bring me this fantastic beer. And to Sekhina of Phillips Brewing Company, big big thanks for sending this facelss name a sample of your tasty product.  I truly hope to see this and the rest of your brews in stores closer to home.  Cheers!


During our trip I ended up bring home a bunch of BC craft beers, mostly from Nelson Brewing Company.  During an impromptu house warming party after our return many of my holiday samples were pilfered from the fridge, but I will try to sit down sooner than later and talk about the beer that survived the party massacre.  Nelson Brewery being the focus as I was extremely pleased with their all organic product.

Phillips Amnesiac Double IPA

It's been a weekend of laboring on our new house, cleaning and painting.  Thanks to all that lent a hand with the revolting work of scrubbing years of nicotine from the walls and ceiling.  Hard work deserves a quality brew, lets hope this specimen stands up.

I was lucky to recently have one of my best friends move back to Edmonton from BC along with his wonderful family, and to make it even better he brought me a bottle of Phillips Amnesiac Double IPA to sample.  It sounds like Phillips Brewing Company out of Victoria BC has been producing some extremely good beer.  The Hop Circle IPA has been getting some great reviews, and my buddy Dan of small beer had the chance to tour and sample some of Matt Phillips newer brews with great words to say.  The brewery was started by one man, with a passion for quality beer and a stack of maxed out credit cards.  For the full story please refer to Dan's wonderfully written 3 part story, as he's done a substantial amount of work and research into the history and future of the brewery.  I vaguely remember trying some Phillips products while I lived in Victoria, but I do remember the absolute dedication people in the city hold for this brewery and their craft.

Phillips Amnesiac DIPA pours a hazy copper orange with an impressive frothy head which lazily fades away leaving heavy lacing.  Bright citrus and piney hops with sweet apricot and pineapple notes.  The flavor is pleasantly creamy, smooth and drinkable.  Sweet caramel malt base followed by citrusy floral hops with a surprisingly mild bitter aftertaste.  For an 8.5% ABV brew the alcohol content is hidden well until it's to late.  A little on the thin side though, for what it is.  The flavors are great, but they don't stick around very long.

A nice beer, mild but delicious.  I'd be happy to revisit a bottle of Amnesiac sooner than later.  I wish I had payed more attention to Phillips beer during my time in Victoria.  That being said, I wish I had payed more attention to all of the quality breweries in Victoria, or British Columbia for that matter.  Slowly they make appearances here in Alberta, unfortunately too slow for my liking.

Sherbrooke Neapolean Stout

This bottle has been sitting in my fridge for a good month now waiting patiently for me to drink it.  My brother in law gave it to me in hopes I would write about it and I didn't want to disappoint him.  In the few months of my blogs short life I have purchased/received many different varieties of beer with the intention of writing about them, but I've developed a terrible habit of drinking and not taking the time to write about it while the flavors and nuances are still within reach of my very short, short memory. Meanwhile I've made a point to drink as much beer as I could, and so far I've managed to drink a ton of beer.  A real achievement, my Mother will be so proud.  The writing.....not so good.  Fortunately for you, I will not give up.  But anyways, the beer.

Brewed by Alley Kat for Sherbrooke Liquor store,  this stout is a take on the ice cream flavor neapolitan.  Sherbrooke and Alley Kat have produced a number of beers with a wide range of unusual flavors created by local Edmonton home brewers.  The only other one that I've tried other than this was a red curry flavored beer, unfortunately that one didn't really do it for me or anyone else at the bar that got a sample.  I suppose they can't all be hits.  The Neapolean is a rich stout with the added flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.  It pours black and viscous with a thick mocha brown head.  The foam fades fairly quickly leaving small dimples of lacing behind.  From what I've read about flavored beers, adding oils to the brew virtually destroys any chance of achieving a decent head.  I was pleasantly surprised to see this beer developed a substantial head despite being artificially flavored.  It smells sweet and heavy with fruity notes of vanilla and coffee.  You can definitely taste the chocolate and vanilla with a bitter coffee like aftertaste, unfortunately the strawberry doesn't really come through at all.  The carbonation is extremely low and the hops are barely present, adding only a mild bitter touch at the end.  Overall an interesting beer, a little to sweet for my taste, but tasty nonetheless.  It didn't conjure up any old memories of devouring bowls of ice cream as a child, and for that I am disappointed, but it wouldn't deter me from recommending it to someone willing to try it out.

Foot in Mouth Syndrome - Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

In my last post I talked about the Dogfish Head 60-Minute, 90-Minute, and 120-Minute IPA's.  The 60 Minute IPA is readily available and extremely delicious.  Unfortunately the 90 Minute and 120 Minute IPA's are not as accessible.  Their 120 Minute IPA is an occasional release, probably only making appearances in pubs and beer stores in close proximity to the brewery.

Despite being one of their regular year round brews, the 90 minute has been a tough one to find around these parts.  I've asked some local beer geeks and beer store employees about the availability of this product, and everyone seems to carry the same opinion "Probably not going to see it any time soon."  Bummer.  Well what do you know, barely 24 hours after I blog about the near zero chance of ever seeing this product in our fridges, I walk into the staff room at work, kick off my shoes, look down and see this:

Well, needless to say I had a good laugh.  And let me tell you, it's a good way to start the day knowing that you will be enjoying this legendary beer at the end of your shift.

The restaurant was crazy busy, and the kitchen was hot as hell.  My mouth started watering before I even hit the bar, and after watching probably an entire case of these bad boys leave the bar into eager patron hands, it was now my turn to drink. It poured a clear golden amber with a think frothy head.  The nose was incredible, rich with floral hops and citrusy notes.  It has a very strong, but pleasant hoppy bitterness to it, balanced with a ton of sweet malty goodness.  Texturally I found it surprisingly dramatic, rich and buttery.  Creamy like an oatmeal stout, smooth with lively bubbles.  A fantastic package all around.  At 9% ABV I was feeling warm around the edges after just one (those of you who have worked in kitchens know that cooks rarely eat while working, so more often than not you end up drinking with an empty stomach).  It's a potent brew, if not approached responsibly.  The drinkability makes it a dangerous, but delicious combination.  Lets hope it stays around for a while.

With that I think it's safe to remove my foot from my mouth.  Come down to The Sugarbowl and get it whiles it's hot.

Also, if you can make it, tonight is the Alley Kat Cask Ale night at The Sugarbowl.  The keg will be tapped at 5pm, so be there early.  Hope to see you there!

Meat Beer Rock & Roll

The first day of summer brought us sweltering 30 degrees and thick humidity.  Summer brings joyful days spent in the backyard with family and friends enjoying the best things of the season (in my opinion) : BBQ, Beer, and Rock & Roll.  Slaving in front of a blazing grill doesn't seem all that bad when the stereo is cranked and the beer is cold.  Good company, of course, is always a welcomed plus.  So it's no surprise when that when times are enjoyable, the beer flows extra liberally.

Our almost daily trips to the beer store has brought to my attention some extremely enjoyable summer beers.  After a week or two of consistent drinking, they all tend to blend together in the ol'memory box, but their are a few that still stand out.  Talking about them all in detail would be lengthy, and frankly I don't have the memory to recall all of the details.

BrewDog Zeitgeist : This black lager hails all the way from Scotland.  BrewDog is Scotland's largest independent brewery started by two young friends looking for flavorful beer.  These guys produce some pretty hefty beer with massive flavor profiles and elevated alcohol content.  Their latest release called "Sink the Bismark IPA" packs a devastating 41% ABV content.  The Zeitgeist has a modest 4.9% ABV, but it's full of rich toffee like flavor. It's on the sweet side of things but it's still crisp, refreshing and delicious.  Think of liquid carbonated Tootsie Rolls.  Not selling it for you?  Try it out for yourself.

Red Racer IPA : I couldn't not talk about this wonderful creation.  I've been consuming many cans of this myself, and raving about it to anyone who will listen, so much so I feel I should receive some sort of compensation for my hard work and dedication.  Will work for beer, just putting it out there.  Central City Brewing from Surrey BC has brewed up a huge IPA packed to the ears with citrusy floral hops.  Its hazy rust orange body coats the mouth, rich flavorful malts and immense in you face bitter bite.  I've come to terms with the fact that it might not be for everyone, but I for one cannot get enough. Hook it to my veins!

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA : Dogfish Brewing has a thirst for extreme beer.  Nothing they produce is "normal" by current popular standards.  The 60 Minute IPA is their flagship beer from what I can tell.  Despite being constantly hopped on a 60 minute boil, this beer is well balanced.  The hops aren't to extreme, and the flavor is well rounded.  A crisp and medium body, it's a perfect fit between you and your BBQ.  I pray to the beer gods we see some of the 90 Minute IPA, and even more so the 120 Minute IPA.  Unfortunelty for us in Alberta, at this time the chances are slim to none.

Chatoe Rogue First Growth OREgasmic Ale : These Chatoe Rogue beers are spectacular.  I picked up the Single Malt Ale a while back and it blew my mind.  The OREgasmic ale doesn't disappoint either.  A very ambitious line of beers these guys have produced, using ingredients grown on Rogue's very own micro hop and barely farms.  This beer is a deep amber color, rich in flavor with an exciting hop hit to be expected from any Rogue Brewing product.  I recommend any of the Chatoe Rogue beers, and also suggest buying them up before they are all gone.

Pike Pale Ale : Pike Brewing Company from Seattle Washington has produced a line of extremely enjoyable beers.  I've tried their IPA (quite nice), but the last couple of days have seen a few of the Pale Ale's go down with ease.  It seems to be modeled after the traditional English style Pale Ale with deep colored crystal and munich malts and big American and European Hop blends. Overall a bit on the watery side of medium body, but still flavorful with a pleasant hoppy touch.  Easy drinking, for you and your guests.

Victoria Bitter : While not the best beer in the world by far and in no way craft brew, it's an easy drinking crowd pleaser.  A play it safe lager not big in any of the real beer flavors that might not agree with everyone at the party (We are in Molson country remember), but not terrible enough to deter a thirsty beer geek from drinking away.  I was pleased with the sweet/bitter balance, but flavor wise it was watery and week.  Not something I would personally go out and buy for myself, but if someone offered me one I wouldn't say no.

Stay tuned for more summer rambles and suggestions. Have a good summer!

Also in the news, Alley Kat Cask Ale Night at The Sugarbowl this Thursday June 24th.  One cask conditioned version of an American Style Steam Beer.  Cask is tapped at 5pm, be there early to get your taste or you will miss out.

Yellowhead Brewing Company German Style Lager

The new kids on the Edmonton Craft Brewing scene, Yellowhead Brewing Company, have been up and running for a good three weeks now.  After reading that their lager was available in 500ml bottle directly from the brewery I decided it would be a good time to stop in and try the brew.

Yellowhead is situated downtown Edmonton in a gorgeous heritage building, with the brewhouse encased in a modern looking glass box built onto one side.  Short lived Maverick Brewing Company was the first to make a go at it with this location, but unfortunately were not able to stay afloat.  I've tried to find information about the demise of Maverick, but I haven't really settled on a definite conclusion as to why they were not able to make it.  I'm assuming because of the central location of the brewery, lease cost must be insane.  The brewery takes up most of the four story heritage warehouse style building, as well as a large space next door.  This area is prime real estate in Edmonton, and with the plans of building the new downtown Oilers Arena Mega-structure only a block or two away, it's only going to get more expensive.  Another theory that I've heard from a number of people is that they spent way to much money on marketing while the company was still establishing its roots, and basically drowning themselves in debt right from the get go.  Smooth move.  Maverick also produced only one beer, a lager. Very similar beginnings these two breweries seem to share, let us hope this one sticks around.

The Yellowhead Lager comes in a 500ml bottle, with an attractive retro prairie pride type label.  It pours a pale amber, the perky effervescence bringing to life a decent white foamy head to the top of the glass. It's sweet and grassy on the nose, with a mild hint of hops.  The flavor is quite enjoyable. Clean and fresh tasting, nice malty base, a round creamy texture with a well balanced subdued bitter.  The carbonation on the tongue is mild, but present.  A very easy beer to drink and a very good representation of the traditional German style lagers.  This beer has been sitting in the bottle for mabey a couple of weeks and it tastes great, I'm always amazed at how the flavor of the beer pops when you have the chance to get it so fresh.  I'm looking forward to trying it on tap, and hoping we can bring it in at The Sugarbowl even just for the summer months as this would be a great summer/patio drink.

I had the chance to meet one of the co-owners of the brewery,  who has been working like a dog trying to tie up loose ends with construction, cleaning, marketing (no website yet), production, bottling, as well as being available to host parties in the beautiful event room.  Despite being spread a little thin, tired, and probably feeling somewhat rough around the edges, Leon was a gracious host, and happy to talk about his new toy.  I asked if they had any plans to produce any other types of beer other than the lager, and at this point in the breweries young life, no plans have been made to expand their product line.  It sounds like they are going to focus on getting their first product out the door and into people's fridges, and become more established before going balls out.

Brewmaster Scott Harris has spent many years brewing in Germany, so I'm sure he's got his lager down, but he must have some tasty recipes gestating in that brain of his.  All I'm saying, Scott, is please don't keep them to yourself.
Show us what you've got.