Day two of the battle royale. Today it’s a shaolin vs grasshopper kind of day, with Bellwoods Hellwoods Russian Imperial Stout matched against Amsterdam Tempest Imperial Stout. You should probably know that both Luke and Mike of Bellwoods worked at Amsterdam before striking out on their own, and opening the immensely successful Bellwoods Brewery. Luke, […]
Perhaps this will come as news to you, but aging beers in oak barrels is kind of a big deal. True, you probably won’t see a Maker’s Mark aged Lite Lime Lager in this lifetime (thank God), but more and more breweries are experimenting with barrels of various types, and the impact they have on […]
Today was Amsterdam day, in Amsterdam week. I was able to check out the space that the new brewpub will be in, visit the new brewery in Leaside and hang around with some of my favourite brewers. More on all that tomorrow (with pictures of the new brewery, and words about the new brewpub; basically […]
When you think summer, a few tasty treats pop to mind. For me, the hot weather definitely increases my desire for ice cream and beer, among other things. So why not combine these wonderful fancies? Well, no shortage of people will bang on about the virtues of the Guinness Float (or really, any stout). I […]
A while ago, Ryan Morrow, who is brewmaster at Nickel Brook, handed me some beers to check out (too long ago, my apologies Ryan). I have never really gone crazy for a Nickel Brook beer; I’ve never had a bad one (like spoiled, infected etc), but the lager and green apple pilsner just never really […]
If you’re not familiar with Nøgne Ø brewery from Norway, don’t worry. I think most average folks in Toronto would be surprised to see a beer from Norway at the LCBO, but for this year’s winter release, that is exactly what we got. Nøgne Ø has been producing excellent bottle-conditioned ales in Norway since 2002. […]
In the world of American Russian Imperial Stouts, there are many notable versions, from right across the USA. The first one that really came to my attention, via chatting to beer geeks around Toronto and reading threads on beer forums, was North Coast Brewing’s Old Rasputin. Aside from the awesomeness of the name, it was […]
There is no secret about my love for McAuslan Brewing from Montreal. I kind of go on and on about them….. Their Pale Ale makes me quiver, etc. So, when I was sent a bunch of their brews, I was a little more than excited. That it included their new barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout nearly […]
So, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have a tendency to gush on and on about Dieu du Ciel!, as well as their Ontario importer, HMH Negotiants. If you haven’t been reading for long, you might not know this. But trust me, I do. It gets a little embarrassing for everybody, kind of […]
