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!

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.

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!

Redheaded Mistress

She's here folks!

Central City Brewing Red Racer IPA has made the journey across the Rocky Mountains and finally made an appearance in Edmonton.  I have been extremely eager to get my hands on some of Central City's product, especially their IPA.  It seems to be a hit with all the hop heads, and it's managed to get a solid "A" on Beeradvocate.com.

Considering the amount of craft brewers British Columbia has produced, Alberta only has a small handful of the product.  I have spoken to one of the employees at Sherbrooke Liquor about the possibility of bringing in some more BC beers, mainly the Red Racer IPA.  He didn't seem to think they would be sitting on the shelves any time soon, stating that many smaller breweries are hesitant to expand outside of their provincial territories.  Growing means a huge financial investment and tons of paper work, with little guarantee that the product will move from the shelves. Unfortunately losing that kind of money could seriously hurt a small producer.

Well what do you know, barely three weeks after my inquiry about Red Racer, I find it sitting on the shelves.  At almost $17 for a six pack of cans, it's practically an investment in itself.  But don't let the price deter you, as I guarantee you will not be disappointed.  I still have this habit of associating beer in cans as shitty beer.  Growing up in rural Alberta you see plenty of cans, but nothing notably good.  This is a pleasant change of mind.

The Red Racer IPA pours an amber color with a robust head, a really nice looking product.  The excellent use of hops in this brew has given it a hefty scent of pine, citrus tang and rose water of all things.  An interesting mix, but it seems to work amazingly.  Despite a fairly heavy bitter hops bite, the overall flavor is balanced well, medium bodied, and has a pleasant taste that lasts.  My wife and I found it to be a great food beer, she actually found it too strong for her tastes without any food accompaniments.  But I fell in love.

An absolutely fantastic beer, lets do them a favor and make sure their product doesn't sit on the shelf and go to waste.  Mabey we can convince them to send the rest of their brews our way.  Fingers crossed.

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

I love hops.

There is something about the floral aroma from a well hopped beer that makes my brain float. I've been on a mission to drink the hoppiest beer alive, and although this one isn't it...it's still pretty good.

The Brooklyn East India Pale Ale pours a light amber color, with a short and quickly retreating head. Fresh from the bottle is smells great with loads of floral hops, lots of orange-citrus tang, and peppery notes. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to stick around, and dissipates into a skunky mash. I figure this might have something to do with the fact that this particular bottle is on the cusp of that not so fresh feeling.

As soon as it hits your tongue you get the bitter bite, a lingering bitter too. Its medium body plays in your mouth briefly before fading in to the back of your throat. There is something else that reminds me of grass tea, or leafy bitter greens and sweet undertones that help balance out the overzealous use of hops.

I drink this particular beer fairly often at work, and I'm beginning to wonder how accurate it represents a traditional IPA. I could use some suggestions of more traditional style English IPA's to construct a better opinion of what it is I'm looking for.

Honestly the more I think about it the more I realize how little I know about beer and these flavors that are popping on my taste buds. It seems so overwhelming and I'm finding it a challenge (a good challenge) to taste what is going on in the brew and what it is that contributes to these subtle variations in flavor, color, scent and body. You might be thinking "Dude, chill out and just enjoy your beer!" But tasting beer and drinking beer I'm finding are two very different activities. I read everything I can about brewing and what each ingredient brings to the party, but until I start brewing my own beer and seeing first hand how everything falls into place I don't think I'll have a solid grasp of what it is I'm tasting. Soon enough I suppose. Until then I will continue to drink, taste and write.