Tag Archives: hops

St Ambroise India Pale Ale – McAuslan Brewing Inc

St Ambroise India Pale Ale

McAuslan is another one of those breweries, that if you read here enough, you know I’ve got a bit of a thing for.  A big bit of a thing.  Their Pale Ale is just amazing, their Oatmeal stout is one of my favourite stouts, their Citrouille is probably my favourite pumpkin beer; the list goes on.  Needless to say, I was more than happy to receive a selection of their current line-up, including this, their India Pale Ale, as well as their Scotch Ale and new Russian Imperial Stout.  Now, I know that McAuslan makes some very authentic English-style ales, despite being located in Montreal (okay, in a suburb, whatever).  Despite the explosive (dare I say “unlikley”) rise of IPAs….  [Read More]

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Escondidian Imperial Black IPA – Stone Brewing Co.

Escondidian Imperial Black IPA - Stone Brewing Co.

Okay, if you’re not familiar with Stone Brewing Co. of California, I will assume you’re from Ontario, and give you some grace for our common geographical lacking.  If everyone else will give me a moment to chat to my Ontario cohorts.  Stone is one of the top brewers in the states, producing some amazing beers, including Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone Ruination IPA, Stone Levitation Ale and many others.  It’s just (go figure), you can hardly get them here in Ontario.  I was lucky enough to share this bottle with Stephen Beaumont yesterday (among others) and just had to take notes for a review.  Stone created this beer for their 15th anniversary, and it’s a big one.  Befitting a brewer of….  [Read More]

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Hop Head IPA – Tree Brewing Co.

Hop Head IPA - Tree Brewing Co.

I know we’ve talked about this before, but it’s just a fact:  There are a lot of awesome IPAs from the west coast.  Now I’ll add the usual caveat: I consider anything west of Regina “West Coast”, which makes calling a beer from Tree Brewing out of Kelowna BC, “West Coast”.  I have done this ever since a BC-born friend of mine referred to me, with no joking in his voice, as an “East Coaster”.  I found this interesting, as there is about 1000km between where I live and where the ocean is. According to Google I can actually be in salt water quicker by heading north (if I’m flying, and seriously, who wold drive?) and going to James Bay,….  [Read More]

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Miami Weiss – Great Lakes Brewery

Miami Weiss - Great Lakes Brewery

Ah Great Lakes, you and your crazy names.  Robohop, Does the Muumuu make me look hefe?, and the classic, Miami Weiss (say it. Remember, that “W” is pronounced like a “V” in German).  Miami Weiss, up until now, has only been available on draught at bars in southern Ontario and at festivals, where it is often served in a dry-hopped cask version.  The funny thing about it, is it’s not a weisse beer.  It would more accurately be called a pale ale, with a lot of wheat in the grain bill.  But you’ve got to love the name.  It’s available for a limited time at the LCBO, and often found at bars around Toronto.

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Hop Yard Pale – Garrison Brewing

Sorry, it’s been a while. Turns out Toronto Beer Week can really take up the free time! The good news is, TBW is going to be even better this year (hard to imagine, I know). But while I’m trying to reclaim my computer from so yet-to-be-determined problem, I decided it was high time I get back on the bloggy review wagon. I had this bottle tempting me in my beer fridge for a while. The last of a six that I was trying hard to keep for review. Some of you will remember the spectacular Garrison Imperial Pale from last year. Hop Yard Pale is it’s kid-brother. A bit less aggressive than the Imperial, it is still a heavy-hitter. I….  [Read More]

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Red Racer IPA – Central City Brewing

Red Racer IPA - Central City Brewing

A lot of people bang on about BC here in Toronto.  The trees are bigger, the people cooler, the air fresher, the sushi better.  You’ve probably heard it.  Lord knows I have.  Not having been west since I was three, I’m really in no place to rebut any of those claims, however, I can certainly support one:  There are some killer beers.  We’ve been blessed to have Tree Brewing’s Hop Head IPA, and now our friends and heroes at Keep6 Imports have gotten in Red Racer IPA, the pride of Surrey BC.  Central City won “Brewery of the Year” at last year’s CBA’s, and Red Racer IPA was voted best beer in BC 2008-2009 by CAMRA Vancouver.  A nice pedigree….  [Read More]

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2XIPA – Southern Tier Brewing Co.

2XIPA - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

So I mentioned this one in my run-down of the LCBO’s summer beer release. It is a double or imperial IPA (sorry Stephen), from Southern Tier, a highly respected brewery in Lakewood, New York.  Okay, it’s currently 32C at Billy Bishop, according to Environment Canada.  This is not traditionally thought of as high hop/high alcohol beer time.  People are swigging pilsners, and wheat beers, and cider (sometimes over ice).  But an 8.2% monster?  Not the norm, I know.  But I’ve had 2XIPA waiting for review, and if I didn’t get to it soon, I was likely to just drink it.  So I did, but I reviewed it too.

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Golden Rule – Short’s Brewing Co.

Golden Rule - Short's Brewing Co.

Another bottle my dear Mum brought me from Michigan (thanks again, Mum!), so yeah, you won’t find this at the LCBO, sorry.  Short’s is a very well-respected brewery in Michigan.  I thought Golden Rule was a good choice today, as it’s pride weekend in Toronto.  While I won’t pin all the blame on one person, there certainly has been a disturbing amount of homophobia in the mainstream this year in Toronto.  As upsetting as it it, it is also a good reminder of just how far we have come as a community, and how fragile that progress is.  And regardless of sexuality or creed, the Golden Rule is a good starting point.  Let’s do unto others as we would have….  [Read More]

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Hawaiian Style Pale Ale – Spearhead Brewing Co.

Hawaiian Style Pale Ale - Spearhead Brewing Co.

As you’ve probably heard if you follow these types of blogs in Toronto, Spearhead Brewing has launched their first beer, their Hawaiian Style Pale Ale, just in time for OCB week.  It was this time last year (actually, during an OCB week event, Cass and Troy’s Pub Crawl), that I first met Dimitri van Kampen, and heard his plans to start a brewery.  In the ensuing year, he’s grown his company, secured a great brewmaster, coordinated brewing facilities, and launched a new beer.  The beer, called “Hawaiian Style Pale Ale” features a touch of pineapple in the brew, which adds a sweet depth to the beer.  It’s currently available at a variety of bars throughout Toronto on draught.  There are….  [Read More]

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IPA Impériale – Microbrasserie du Lièvre

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My wife goes out for a bachelorette (or a hen party, if you prefer), and what do I do with my solo evening in?  Watch Ronin?  Play guitar for 5 hours straight?  Sit on the balcony smoking a cigar and reading a book?  Ogle a Victoria’s Secret catalogue?  Sear’s catalogue?  No.  I do a beer review.  But I needed to get a monkey off my back.  If you’ve been following this blog or my life in general, you’ll know I took a day trip last August, to Montreal with a dear friend, and came down with pneumonia on my way home.  Well, this is the last bottle that I bought on that trip.  To be fair, I generally wouldn’t review….  [Read More]

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  • Chris Schryer

    Chris SchryerI regularly describe myself as an "ardent supporter of beer", which pretty well sums it up. While I'm not working or busy being a husband and dad (okay, honestly, sometimes while I'm doing those things), I am drinking beer, attending events, visiting pubs, and thinking about beer. I work at Castro's Lounge, my local bar in the Beach, where I host beer events and take part in most things beer-related.

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