Flying Monkey's - Alpha Fornication

  A few months ago, the Flying Monkey's Brewery, located in Barrie, announced that they were going to brew the hoppiest beer ever made.  Brewmaster Peter Chiodo released the plans for one of the most ambitious brewing endeavours attempted by stating that this Double IPA (more like a Triple IPA) would have an ABV of 13.5% and would measure upwards of 2500 IBU's - IBU being the unit of measurement of bitterness units in beer. Your typical lager (Molson Canadian, Budweiser) may contain 10-20 IBU, a bolder pale ale around 30-50 IBU and a really hoppy Double/Imperial IPA around 80-100 IBU, meaning that this beer is around 25 times more bitter than a beer that's considered really bitter. Due to the amount of hops and the time it would take to brew something this extreme, this was not going to be a beer that would be readily available. In fact, this beer was limited to one small keg that Flying Monkey's brought to a special event in London and 6 bottles that would be made available for sale for $45.00 a bottle.

  My tasting group was able to obtain a bottle of this extremely limited beer, and on Monday the wait was finally over and we got together to open it up. Now to say that this beer is not pretty looking is a gross understatement. This is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen, with a colour that looks like pea soup and sand with floating sediment all over the place - it did not look like something you would ever want to put in your body.  The smell was unlike any IPA I have ever encountered; it smelled like a bowl of hops so much so that it initially burned my nostrils and made my eyes water. After the initial smell it actually was kind of nice with notes of pear, citrus, pine, big fruity characters, pineapple and boatloads of hops. Upon my first sip the tip of my tongue went tingly and numb for about a minute, and there was no doubt that it was the bitterest beer I may ever taste. The flavours that did accompany the sip were tons of hops, pear, black liquorice, lots of tropical fruit, pear, and honey, but mostly raw hops. The mouthfeel is quite syrupy and thick with almost no carbonation, very dry and quite warming. Overall, this is a tough one to drink because it is so bold and extreme. Certainly not a refreshing beer or one you would drink watching the hockey game - this is more of an experience for the beer connoisseur to challenge the palate.

  Even though I probably would not revisit this one, I am glad that I did get the opportunity to try something this bold. While I can not say that this was a good beer, I can say that Flying Monkey's wanted to brew the most hoppy, bitter and extreme beer they could possibly brew and in that regard they definitely hit the mark.

 

Toronto Festival of Beer

  This coming weekend the Toronto Festival of Beer will be taking place at the CNE Bandshell Park. Like every year before, thousands of people will descend upon the festival to enjoy beer, food, music and an assortment of entertainment provided by the vendors in attendance. This is without question the largest and most commercial beer festival of the summer, bringing in a mixed crowd of everyone from puritan beer geeks to beer funnelling party animals and everything in between. Don't let the commercial aspects of this festival fool you - in recent years, the craft beer presence has been growing like crazy, leaving the tents of Molson, Labatt and Budweiser scarcely populated. Even though these giant brewers put tons of money behind this festival and have without question the biggest and most elaborate tents and give out the most free swag, more and more people are spending their tokens on craft and specialty beers.  I think this is largely due to the fact that people know what Labatt and Coors taste like and when they are confronted with such a large selection of new and interesting beers, combined with the laid back festival atmosphere, they are more inclined to take a chance on a new brew.  This is great for craft brewers because, while some people might not want to spend 12 or 13 dollars on an unknown 6 pack at the liquor store, a one dollar sample token can open people up to a whole new world of what else is out there.

  Some of the highlights this year include CASKapalooza from Great Lakes Brewery, Mill St. Brewery's brand experience and local collaborations from Great Lakes, Beau's, Flying Monkeys, Black Oak, Amsterdam, F&M and Nicklebrook. I'm sure that many craft brewers will bring out some off the wall and interesting one off brews made just for the festival. Tickets for Friday and Sunday are still available while Saturday has been sold out for weeks.

Barley Days Oak Aged Series

  This past weekend I was in Prince Edward County with my girlfriend for her cousins wedding, which was quite nice, and to take in some of the attractions the area has to offer.  One of the attractions being the Barley Days Brewery, located within walking distance of where we were staying. I took a little trip over to see what they had to offer there and to just check it out in general. When I got there they had three beers they had been aging in oak barrels for the last 2 to 3 months, they were the Wind And Sail Dark Ale, Harvest Gold Pale Ale and Loyalist Lager. I have tried all three versions without oak and they have varied from mediocre to quite good so I am curious to see how these taste with the added oak.  Kayla and I also went to a restaurant that brews their own beer in house called Lake On The Mountain, I had the IPA and it was very nice and pleasantly hoppy. I would have tried a couple more of their offerings but we were both tired from horseback riding and were a little pressed for time. The county was a great place to relax and take it slow while enjoying some great scenery and some great beverages, if you can bear the 2.5 hour drive from Toronto it is well worth the trip.

Samuel Adams Latitude 48

  Today a buddy of mine brought me all 6 versions of Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA.  Sold as a 12 pack, this set contains 2 of each version of Latitude 48.  The original Latitude 48 IPA is an American IPA brewed with five hop varieties composed of Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble Hops, East Kent Goldings, Ahtanum, Simcoe and Zeus.  The other 5 versions are brewed using only one hop variety each as a way to showcase what the individual hop contributes to the beer as a whole.  It's a fun experiment and a great way to get familiar with individual hop varieties.  As someone who loves IPA, I am really looking forward to these, even if just to see if the original is better than the sum of its parts.   

Cigar City/Mikkeller Nielsbohrium

  Just wanted to post a quick blurb about one of the most recent brews I have tried that absolutely "wowed" me.  Florida's Cigar City is quickly becoming a top contender in the U.S. craft beer scene and Denmark's Mikkeller has been leading the way for a couple years as one of Europe's most cutting edge, boundary pushing breweries that have collaborated with just about every major craft brewery worth mentioning.  Earlier this year these brewers collaborated on Nielsbohrium, an American Imperial Stout brewed with raisin and cinnamon then aged in rum barrels.  Coming in at 10% ABV, this jet black stout delivers on every level.  Pouring a deep black with a ruby-tan head, this beer has an incredible nose that will make you forget that this was made to actually drink and not just to smell.  Once I did take a sip it did not disappoint at all and it was full of roasted malts, dark fruit, cinnamon, a slightly sweet sugary presence and nice notes of oak, vanilla and rum.  Incredibly complex and enjoyable, this is truly a masterpiece in its own regard.  With such a small amount bottled I will no doubt never see this one again, but I sure am glad that I did get to try it.  Thanks to Jason for bringing this one to the last group tasting.

Great Lakes One Off's

 This past Monday, following a trip to Ikea, I persuaded my girlfriend, Kayla, to make a quick stop at Great Lakes Brewery since we were so close anyway.  I wasn't looking for anything specific, just wanted to see if they had any Project X bottles for sale and maybe say hi to my buddy, Rob, who is a sales rep there.  Project X is a monthly series from Great Lakes where they hand bottle a small batch of a beer they only brew every so often - some especially rare batches are even limited to only the one release.  So I walked into the retail store and saw that there were indeed some Project X for sale, but instead of the usual one or two this time there were six.  So while waiting for Rob to come down I decided to get some shopping done and started bringing bottles two at a time to the counter.  The line up was quite stellar I must say and included Miami Weisse, Black Jacques Shellack  Belgian Brown, Great Lakes/Black Oak Etobichoker Double Belgian IPA, Lackey's Flask Citra, No Chance With Miranda Saison and Double Devil's Pale Ale 999.

 The Miami Weisse is an american wheat beer that's quite hoppy and packs a citrus punch.  Lackey's Flask Citra is a bottled version of a beer they make called Lackey's Cask that is an american pale ale, although this bottled version is made with citra hops unlike its cask conditioned original.  Double Devil's Pale Ale 999 is their amped up version of Devil's Pale Ale 666 that can be found in cans at the LCBO and I have to say that I am dying to try this, it taunts me every time I open the fridge - I am holding out on trying this one and the Lackey's Flask for an upcoming tasting group.  I am currently enjoying Etobichoker as I write this and it is a solid brew overall.  Made with fellow Etobicoke brewery Black Oak, it is a very spicy and well balanced Belgian style pale ale that bursts with lovely bitter hop in the finish.  As for the others, I will probably give them a shot this weekend to satisfy my curiosity.

  Thanks to Rob Hern for throwing in a freebie and taking time out of his day to visit for a few minutes and my girlfriend Kayla for helping to carry one of the two large boxes to the car and letting them take up tons of room in the fridge/rest of the apartment.  Great Lakes is located at 30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd and you should check it out sometime - tell them Pino sent you......and they will be confused.

Session 99 Overview

 This past Saturday the 2nd annual Session Craft Beer Festival took place, showcasing the best of Ontario craft brewers as well as craft brewers from BC, Quebec and Nova Scotia. In addition to year-round offerings from the brewers there were many one-off's and rarities that, in my opinion, were the highlights of the day. The beer of the day for me was Beau's Bourbon Barrel Aged Festivale Plus Sticke Alt, for this they took their summer seasonal and incorporated a secret recipe and then aged it in Bourbon oak for 7 months. The result was a perfectly balanced, smooth and full bodied behemoth of a beer clocking in at 11% ABV but tasted nowhere near that. Other favourites included Flying Monkeys Big Nib Cocoa Vanilla Imperial Stout, Great Lakes Karma Citra IPA and Spearhead Hawaiian Style Pale Ale. It was also nice to see Mill Street resurrect Tankenstein, a whole hopped cask condition version of their signature brew Tankhouse. Even though this did not blow me away it was still nice to see this rarity that most thought was gone forever. Keep 6 Importers, formerly HMH Negotiants/The guys from Bar Volo, had some monsters at their booth from Trou Du Diable, Trois Mousquetaires, Dieu Du Ciel!, Phillips, Central City, and Brasserie Dunham. Hands down they had the most insane lineup of the day, but that being said there was no weak booth and at Session this year Ontario craft brewers showed that they can keep up with their American and out of province counterparts.

  The food was also pretty amazing on Saturday, provided by Cowbell, Burger Bar, Magic Oven and Leslieville Cheese Market. The pulled pork from Cowbell and burgers from Burger Bar were perfect matches for the fine selection of beer being served at the festival. The only downside at the end of the day was knowing I'm going to have to wait a year until the next one.

Rogue Invades Ontario

Ontario got its biggest order of American craft beer ever at the beginning of this month, compliments of Oregon's Rogue Brewery. Most of the release is widely available throughout the province with one more hitting shelves later this week, however the Double Dead Guy was in limited supply with only 20 cases available in the entire province. If you missed out on Double Dead Guy the LCBO has ordered 45 more cases that will probably take another 8 weeks to hit shelves, but it's better late than never I suppose. The standout for me from this release has been Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale. Its dry and hoppy, with lots of citrus balanced by a chewy malt that makes it bitter, refreshing and satisfying.

Rogue will also be at Session 99 craft beer festival June 25th at 99 Sudbury Street.

LCBO Summer Beer Release

So, the list of summer seasonal beers was announced via bartowel.com last week and it is much better than most summer LCBO releases. That being said, most of the offerings are on the safe side but there are some gems among this release.  The complete list is:

• Lindeman’s Kriek (355mL, $5.95)
• Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene Gueuze (355mL, $6.45)
• Great Lakes Green Tea Ale (650mL, $4.95)
• Dieu du Ciel! Rosee d’Hibiscus (341mL, $3.10)
• Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Blanche (500mL, $3.85)
• Brasseurs de Montreal Coeur Brise Raspberry (341mL, $2.85)
• Trafalgar Cherry Ale (650mL, $4.50)
• Schneider Organic Wiesen Edel-Weisse (500mL, $3.25)
• Schofferhofer Hefeweizen (500mL, $2.50)
• Christoffel Bier (330mL, $2.85)
• Wells and Young’s Banana Bread Beer (500mL, $3.50)
• Dark Star Sunburst Golden Ale (500mL, $3.45)
• Celt Golden Crafted Ale (500mL, $3.45)
• Samuel Smith’s Organic Raspberry Ale  (550mL, $5.50)
• Badger Golden Champion Ale (500mL, $3.50)
• Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew (500mL, $3.25)
• Southern Tier 2XIPA (355mL, $2.95)   

There are some familiar brews that have been included in the past, but there are some solid new additions from Charlevoix and Fuller's as well as Southern Tier's 2XIPA to bring some hops to the table here. 

My personal favorite from this release, aside from the Southern Tier, is the Lindeman's Cuvee Rene Gueuze. This is a pull no punches authentic sour lambic. What makes lambic beers so special is the difficulty of making them due to the fact they are made using wild yeast that is airborne in these Belgian breweries. These don't come around that often in Ontario, in fact this is a first. For what this costs it is an absolute steal when you consider this beer can withstand about 15 years of cellaring. Then Lindeman's Kriek is also worth a try but it is a sweeter lambic, comparable to Mort Subite that is currently available. 

Not the best release but certainly not the worst, lots to be excited about beer wise in Ontario right now.

Back from a super long break!

Hello there!


So, I know it's been a while but just a few updates to post in the happenings of the beer world as it relates to Toronto. The Session Craft Beer Festival returns June 25th at 99 Sudbury. Last year was amazing even though it rained most of the day. This year Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery will be attending the festival to conduct the opening ceremonies. In addition to Brooklyn Brewery there will be a few new breweries this year including Central City, Phillips, Howe Sound, Microbrasserie Charlevoix, Dieu Du Ciel!, Trou Du Diable, Trois Mousquetaires and Rogue. Also, the 3rd annual Ontario Cask IPA Challenge takes place May 14th and 15th at Bar Volo. It will be a single elimination, 3 round blind tasting of IPA's from all over Ontario. "My Bitter Wife" from Great Lakes will defend its crown against IPA's from Flying Monkeys, Black Oak, Muskoka, Scotch Irish, House Ales, Beau's, Duggan's and more.

Ola Dubh

  The latest installment of brewery features at the LCBO kicked off today, focusing on the Ola Dubh line from Harviestoun brewery. If you are unfamiliar with Ola Dubh, it is a split venture between the brewery and the Highland Park whisky distillery. The premise is that Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil is aged for 6-8 months in Highland Park casks that contained 12, 16, 18, 30 and 40 year old single malt scotch. The result of this is a rich, full ale that is perfectly balanced and mind-boggling in terms of complexity.

  Today I was able to sample the 12 and 40 side by side. The 12 year old is rich and chocolaty while taking on subtle notes of the oak that it's aged in and sets the bar really high for the older Ola Dubh beers. Now, on to the 40. It looks identical to the 12 in terms of appearance but in terms of smell and flavor this is a monster in comparison. This has the nose of a fine single malt but is not over the top. The taste is so smooth with notes of peat from the oak casks coming through followed by a long smoky finish. A slight bitterness is present that compliments all the complex earthy flavours present here. This beer is world class, one of the best I have ever tasted.

  This beer line up is sure to please the craft beer enthusiast and scotch aficionado as well as everyone in between. However, the downside is that these may set you back a few dollars - the 40 year old retails for $18.95 for a 330ml bottle and the 30 is $14.95 but the rest range from $5.95-7.95. They wont be around long and are worth picking up if you want to try something that is both unique and delicious.  

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

 This week the LCBO received Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout again. You may (or may not) remember seeing this last year and because it did so well its back again. Brewed only once a year this ink-black imperial stout is the perfect winter warmer. At a whopping 10% ABV it warms in addition to being loaded with flavor.

  The chocolate flavors are front and center here - considering that this is not brewed with any actual chocolate is impressive. It also has notes of coffee in the nose and palate that conceal the taste of alcohol almost completely. Very drinkable considering its strength - in my opinion this is a world class stout that ranks right up there with Peche Mortel and Stone Russian Imperial Stout. 

  If you have the patience you should grab a few extras to age for a couple years. With its high alcohol content it will hold up for years to come. Also its only $2.55 a bottle so it doesn't break the bank either. Great value for a great beer, go out of your way for this one because its worth it.

IPA's worth picking up

 
  So as you may have noticed in the last little while there have been a few really good beers available through the LCBO. But for all of the hop heads out there some IPA's have made there way to Ontario with perfect timing. Now that Dogfish Head can no longer keep up production of the 60 Minute IPA there is a huge void of hoppy beers available. Southern Tier's IPA is outstanding and available year round as are Duggans #9 and Tankhouse but thats where it ends really.

  For a limited time this is no longer the case. The Dieu Du Ciel! release brought Corne Du Diable, an off-balanced but blindingly bitter west coast IPA that has sat in my top 10 list since first trying it over a year ago. From the east coast there is Garrison Imperial IPA that has an incredible hop presence but is refreshing and drinkable despite its 7% alcohol volume. Representing the west coast is Mt. Begbie Brewing Nasty Habit IPA - this is a much more traditional IPA that still incorporates subtle traits of the west coast style. Nasty Habit may not be as bitter as the other 2 but its still exceptional.

  It's easy to see why IPA's have been the most popular style among the beer crowd. Enjoy these while they are fresh and while you can still find them!

Pumpkin Beers Are Back!

  Now that Fall is here in full effect so are the Pumpkin beers. Now even I, at first, was a little apprehensive when I initially tried one but they are fantastic and now I look forward to them every year. This year there will be 5 pumpkin beers in total available in Ontario. So far 2 are available right now - Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale and St. Ambroise Pumpkin Ale. The offering from Great Lakes is mellower on the pumpkin and spice than the St. Ambroise but would be a great introduction for anyone that has never had a pumpkin beer before. The St. Ambroise is heavy on the spice, most notably the clove, and like every year its outstanding. 

  The other 3 pumpkin beers should surface in the next ten days or so and include: Grand River Highballer Pumpkin Ale from Cambridge, Southern Tier Imperial Pumking and Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale (both Pumking and Post Road Pumpkin hail from New York). So look out for these in the coming weeks as well. 

  Anyway I hope you all had a good holiday weekend and try some pumpkin beers this fall while they are still here.

"We're The Weakerthans, We're From Winnipeg"

 Hey, just a bit of news if anyone is a Weakerthans fan out there. On Monday, October 18 at The Royal Theater in Toronto they will be screening "We're The Weakerthans, We're From Winnipeg" for one night only. This documentary follows the Weakerthans on their cross Canada tour in support of their album Reunion Tour. The film is directed by Caelum Vatnsdal who will also be there for the screening. Also, before the film John Samson will be preforming a solo acoustic set.

  In addition to that The Weakerthans will be the supporting band for Jim Bryson the following evening at The Horseshoe Tavern. The show is free and it is also the release date for The Falcon Lake Incident, the new album from Jim Bryson & The Weakerthans.

  Hopefully some of you can make it out as this may be your only chance to see this documentary in theaters.

Muskoka Harvest Ale

 So I was excited this week to see that this has made its way to LCBO shelves. After hearing so much about it from last years run and from the release parties that took place over the last few weeks I couldn't wait to try it. For starters, this comes in the nicest bottle that I have ever seen. Its like a wine bottle with a swing top with a very understated label that is still very eye catching. They spared no expense packaging this, certainly worth the $7.95 based on looks alone.

  It pours an intense copper colour with a fluffy white head that left a thick lace on the glass right away. It smells very rich with a thick hop aroma coming through instantly. The aroma ends with a malty character that has a subtle grassy note coming through. The taste is very hop forward at first followed by a pronounced dryness. The grassy elements revealed in the nose reveals itself further on the palate while still maintaing a dry, hoppy presence. The mouthfeel is quite full but not overbearing and is amazingly refreshing for it being so dry. It drinks very, very well even though it comes in such a large bottle.

  This beer is outstanding. Everything form its packaging to how the beer itself fully embraces the season it was made for makes it nearly perfect. This might be the perfect Ontario autumn ale - everything about this makes you think of the autumn harvest. Pick this up while you can, this beer is the ultimate companion for a long fall afternoon.

Pints and Po'Boys plus my general overview of the dining establishments in my neighbourhood

  Today I am going to blog about something totally different from all my other posts up until now, thus making this my first entry that is not directly about beer (I guess this falls under the “things” category in my blogs title). I am going to talk about a number of the places to eat in my neighbourhood.

  The Annex is a pretty safe bet when it comes to finding something to eat. There is a great selection of various cuisines on Bloor street between Spadina and Bathurst. Another thing to note is that there is no McDonnalds, KFC, Wendy’s or any other large fast food chain here (sorry Justen). Pizza Pizza is here but who doesn’t like a greasy slice of pizza every now and then.

  I want to start with the place that sparked my idea for this entry. Southern Accent is located on Markham St. in Mirvish village just west of Bathurst. They serve up some of the finest Cajun/Creole/Soul food in the city and have done so since 1984. The atmosphere is all New Orleans from the pictures on the wall to the mardi gras masks hung around the dining room. Aside from the décor the small things they offer accentuate the whole southern vibe. The cocktails they make, the music they play and things like bourbon tastings really make this place feel like a little piece of Louisiana.

  Aside form the charming aesthetics, the food can hold its own. The first time I went there was with my girlfriend and I had the prix fixe menu. It was superb with corn bread to start, their famous voodoo pasta as my main with a scoop of homemade ice cream for dessert. I decided then that I would be back. That last statement is a bit of an understatement. Since that day I have been there almost every Tuesday throughout the summer. Why Tuesday? Well, on Tuesday they serve what in my opinion is the best deal in the entire city.

   I present to you the Pint and a Po’boy. Every Tuesday they serve up Po’boy sandwiches a la carte with a pint of either Hoptical Illusion, Creemore or Dennisons Dunkel. These things are seriously addictive and come in shrimp, blackened chicken or tofu served on a fresh bun with lettuce, tomato and their Po’boy sauce. The best part about this is that its only $10. If you go with a couple friends get the calamari as an appetizer – it’s fantastic as well. For $15 including tip you can get a complete meal with a pint of beer. I don’t that this can be topped anywhere. Also, my neighbors and I have developed what you can call “regular” status and the staff are super nice and know exactly what we’re ordering as soon as they see us. Don’t worry though; if you’re not a regular they are still really nice.

  As for the rest of the Annex there are some gems here. Tonight I went to Jerk King for some spicy jerk chicken and rice and the chicken was cooked perfectly with tons of spice – I couldn’t be happier that we finally have a spot for jerk chicken here. If you like sushi you are in luck. There are more sushi places on Bloor between Sapdina and Bathurst then there are bars. It’s actually ridiculous sometimes. Sushi on Bloor is excellent, fast and priced very well – the only downside is that it is always super busy and you may have to wait a while for a table. Kayla and I opt for take out because we live so close and we don’t have to wait for a table that way. Wok In Wok Out has become another local favorite of ours. You pick out any rice or noodle, beef, chicken, pork or shrimp and whatever veggies you like and any of their homemade sauces and then they cook it up in front of you. It also comes in one of those Chinese food take out containers that look cool. Rounding out my list of favorites is Burrito Banditos. If the name isn’t a dead giveaway they make burritos and they make them well. It’s your standard burrito place – small, warm and loud but they make best burrito I have ever had.

  So that’s it if you have the chance to go to any of these places do it and tell them Pino sent you…..they will be confused but you will be fed well. Also stay away form Yummy B-B-Q because it is just awful. Also, I hope you are all enjoying Toronto Beer Week!

An evening with Dieu du Ciel! at Bar Volo

 While Toronto Beer Week is looming just around the corner, Bar Volo got things started a little early this past week. The brewers and founders of Dieu du Ciel! were in Toronto this week to officially celebrate the release of Dieu du Ciel! into the LCBO as part of their brewery feature. The Dieu du Ciel! crew were at various establishments in Toronto with fresh kegs of beer which include everything that is part of the release plus a bunch of other stuff. So, there were a bunch of meet and greets, a pub crawl and a brunch this afternoon at Beerbistro but last night was the main event - 10 kegs of Dieu du Ciel! alongside 2 Bar Volo/Biergotter collaboration casks.

  I got to Volo around 6 pm and things were running just a touch late so I mingled with the other beer geeks outside a little bit and met a bunch of people who I had only talked to on Bar Towel and Beer Advocate. Its nice to be able to put some faces to names (or online nicknames anyway).

  So we got in and got our sample tickets and programs and headed to the bar to sample some of the offerings. The first thing that I tried was Rigor Mortis, a Belgian style quad. It poured a deep caramel colour that was similar to a barley wine with a half-inch of tan head that started to leave lacing on the glass right away. It smelled similar to any Belgian quad with a forward presence of citrus and belgian yeast that left a lingering scent of alcohol in the back. It had a sweet malty taste up front with a little caramel present that was followed by a bitter yeast that complimented the sweet characters of this brew quite nicely. The mouthfeel was quite creamy with a medium to full body leaning more towards medium. This was very nice fresh and I feel that it could improve a great deal with some age on it. Another thing to note about this is that once it starts to warm the complexity really opens up here. Its going to be nice to see this on LCBO shelves in the coming months.

  After Rigor Mortis I decided that I wanted to try something hoppy and seeing that the fine people at Dieu du Ciel! brought an Imperial India Pale Ale this was a no brainer. Chaman looks very similar to Corne Du Diable, their regular IPA, from the colour to the head they were indentical on looks alone. They even smelled similar although Chaman has a little more of a pine scent to it. It tastes very, very malty up front and the hops don't reveal themselves until the finish. It is drinkable and in many ways very good but to me, personally, the ABV of 9.1% was very noticeable and overall fell short of my expectations.

  Now even though I was slightly let down by Chaman the next two offerings that I tried were fantastic. Aphrodite - this is the beer that due to label issues has not made it to LCBO shelves yet even though it was to be released as part of the feature. This cocoa vanilla stout pours a nearly jet black colour with a tan and white head on top. It smells strongly of vanilla bean and chocolate with coffee hanging around the back. The taste of this beer was unreal...I'm not kidding either. At first its all smoked vanilla, then chocolate and coffee and then vanilla again - and that is just in a single sip. It has a light body that is very milky and drinks like a dream. This stout is outstanding and will not last long once it makes its way into the LCBO.

  I also tried Grand Noirceur, a russian imperial stout that was described to me as Peche Mortel without all the coffee. Now let me just say that if you describe any beer to me  as similar to Peche Mortel I am going to be interested. It's jet black with a tan brownish head and smells of chocolate and coffee. The taste is all earthy chocolate with notes of coffee that come across in its finish. It is unbelievably balanced and very drinkable and the alcohol is hidden very well here. Overall a great imperial stout.

  This was a great night overall and anyone who was there will tell you the same. The beer was fantastic the atmosphere was great and the smoked meat sandwiches catered by Caplansky's were to die for. This is the kind of event you know is going to be amazing before you even get there. The best brewery in Montreal comes together with the best bar in Toronto - it doesn't get any better than that.

Wychwood-Wychcraft

  Alright now, slowly but surely the LCBO autumn ales are starting to surface at stores. Wychcraft is the second I have come across so far - the first did not warrant a review. I was moderately interested in trying this because I like Hobgoblin and Black Wych, both of which are made by Wychwood. That being said, Wychcraft is a blonde ale with an ABV of 4.5%, lets do this.

  Wychcraft pours a deep golden colour that is quite pale with a slight head that retained only for a short period of time. A sweet caramel scent is present right away followed by a bitter hop presence at the end. The taste is very straight forward for the style. There is a sweet malt flavour that is at the forefront of the profile followed by hints of corn and a slight bitterness that does not overwhelm the refreshing qualities of this ale. It has a thin to medium body and mouthfeel that leaves a little to be desired. It drinks fairly easy though.

  Overall its good but not great. It reminded me of Budweiser or any other similar lager with the noticeable corn taste to it. To be honest I would not buy this again - for $3.45 you can get something far better than this. I would still say this is worth trying though, but do it soon because it would be most enjoyable while the weather is still kind of warm because of its light and refreshing qualities.

Derniere Volonte

  So, this is the first beer that I am going to review from the Dieu du Ciel! LCBO release. This is made in the Belgian abbey pale ale style which is similar to Leffe or Affligem. This is one of my favorite beer styles so to say that I was happy when I saw that this was going to be available in Ontario is an understatement.
  It pours a hazy orange colour with a decent head that pancakes on top of the beer for the entire time. The nose has a lot going on here. Green apple, citrus and a floral scent are front and center here followed by the familiar aroma of Belgian yeast. The taste is a little hoppier than most beers of this style - not a bad thing though. The citrus comes through again here followed by a clean grassy finish. Lots of carbonation in this one but still very smooth.
  Overall I was quite happy with this one and I will most certainly have it again. Like most of the offerings from Dieu du Ciel! it is very unique in its take on the style. A very solid Belgian pale ale that you should pick up while they are still available.