Tag Archives: hops

2XIPA – Southern Tier Brewing Co.

By chris | Published: July 20, 2011
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.

By chris | Published: July 2, 2011
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.

By chris | Published: June 20, 2011
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

By chris | Published: June 19, 2011
DSC08315

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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Johnny Simcoe A.P.A. – Great Lakes Brewery

By chris | Published: June 17, 2011
Johnny Simcoe APA - Great Lakes Brewery

I almost feel like it’s silly mentioning, but I guess you can’t say it enough.  I love Great Lakes Brewery.  Mike Lackey at Great Lakes is producing some amazing wonderful beers.  Now with Adrian (formerly of Black Oak) taking over as Brewmaster and Plant Manager, things are going to get crazy!  Many of the best beers are one-offs or adaptations for their monthly event, Project X, a night of fun, food and beer at the Brewery in Etobicoke.  If you haven’t been to one and you like beer, get to one as soon as you can (check http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/ for details).  While it hardly replaces being there and drinking casks of amazing beer, they often have bottles in their retail store….  [Read More]

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Beau’s Screamin’ Beaver IPA available today

By chris | Published: June 2, 2011
Beau's Screamin' Beaver IPA

Just in for our friends at Beau’s, good news if you’re a fan of big bad ass double IPAs. “Screamin’ Beaver” biggest beer yet from Beau’s Oak-aged Double IPA with 9.9% abv. and 99 IBUs is big, bold and delicious OTTAWA — (May 31, 2011)  Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company is challenging palates of local drinkers yet again this Thursday June 2, with the release of an oak-aged, big hoppy beer called Screamin’ Beaver. Part of the limited-edition Wild Oats series, this specialty brew from Beau’s All Natural will once again be limited to 1000 bottles, available for sale beginning Thursday. Beau’s will celebrate the release with an open house at the brewery this Saturday June 4, with free brewery….  [Read More]

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Dernière Volonté – Dieu du Ciel!

By chris | Published: May 21, 2011

So the rapture is happening anytime now.  Apparently.  So, just in case, I thought it appropriate to review a relevant beer.  Two obvious choices would the either La Fin du Monde or Maudite by Unibroue, but that’s sort of been done.  Instead, I’d like to offer a blessing, or a last rite.  Which is what Dernière Volonté translates into in English.  Last rite.  Seems fitting.  As a side note, I’ve actually had this beer since last August from my pneumonia-fated epic Montreal trip with my bro, Rob.  I had actually lost track of this bottle; it was hiding behind my last Garrison Imperial Ale. Hoping it’s held up okay.

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Pale Ale – Black Oak Brewing Co.

By chris | Published: March 30, 2011

So, hopefully you all read my post on The Brewer’s Plate, happening next Wednesday, April 6th, in support of Not Far From the Tree.  Over the next few days I’m going to post reviews about beers by some of the brewers who will be taking part in this year’s event.  It’s going to be an awesome time, with a massive list of beers, and a veritable who’s-who of food in Toronto.  It would be worth the cost of the ticket just to take part in the evening, but as it benefits an excellent charity, Not Far From the Tree, it is basically your responsibility to be there.  If the cost is just out of your range, do make sure you….  [Read More]

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Gemini – Southern Tier Brewing Co.

By chris | Published: March 27, 2011

So, if you’ve been buying beers at the LCBO in the past two years or so, you might have noticed a brewer from Lakewood, New York, called Southern Tier.  For a while, they had their IPA regularly available on shelves.  A bit more costly than the average 6-pack, it was one of the few true American IPAs available in Ontario.  It appears it is no longer listed, but the LCBO continues to bring in a lot of Southern Tier’s products as seasonal releases.  Their Creme Brulee Stout is a winter favourite of many, and their Yellow Snow IPA was just incredible.  Often overlooked, because the bottles are generally around $10/bottle, they are one of the American breweries a lot of….  [Read More]

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Ol’ Fog Burner – Garrison Brewing Co.

By chris | Published: March 11, 2011

Here’s a question for you:  Does Garrison own a filter?  I know this sounds silly, but I’ve only had two Garrison brews, and they were both unfiltered.  The Imperial Pale Ale was magnificent, in all it’s unfiltered glory.  What does the Ol’ Fog Burner have in store?  Incidentally, unless you’re on the east coast, you likely won’t find this beer.  Possibly at a specialty beer bar like Volo, but certainly not at the LCBO (yet).  My bottle came from friend and blogging cohort, Troy Burtch.  Troy gets around, when it comes to beer.  Thanks bro!  Incidentally, this bottle is from their February 2010 batch.  It’s about a year old.  This might seem strange, to the unitiated, but barleywines are one….  [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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