The Bar Towel

I’m sitting here with my favourite beer, a Bud lime watching tennis brain-storming my next beer.

Forget about BJCP styles or any gunk like that. I’m just thinking a big, dark (blackish), ugly, roasty, malty, caramely beer with lots of BIG dry hop flavour. I’m not big on fusel alcohol so nothing stupid in terms of ABV that would take away from the hops and malt flavour.

I’m not looking for recipes….I'm just opening the line for wacked-out ideas...

The name is a working name for now but I am hoping to get a concept to the LCBO by November. Feel free to brainstorm with me……Derek…rumour has it you’re a pretty sick brewer……

Peter Chiodo
Brewer Brewer and Numb Nuts
Flying Monkeys

I think a dry stout with about 6% ABV would be great for fall, winter and spring. The name is a good one too.

I like Steel's idea a lot. Another awesome option might be a black IPA, similar to ST Iniquity or Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (aka 11th Anniversary), but with a lower ABV, would be amaaaaaaaaazing!

I'm also in favour of a stout, I can't think of many Ontario stouts that I really enjoy. And the name rules.

peterchiodo wrote:I’m sitting here with my favourite beer, a Bud lime watching tennis brain-storming my next beer.

Forget about BJCP styles or any gunk like that. I’m just thinking a big, dark (blackish), ugly, roasty, malty, caramely beer with lots of BIG dry hop flavour. I’m not big on fusel alcohol so nothing stupid in terms of ABV that would take away from the hops and malt flavour.

I’m not looking for recipes….I'm just opening the line for wacked-out ideas...

The name is a working name for now but I am hoping to get a concept to the LCBO by November. Feel free to brainstorm with me……Derek…rumour has it you’re a pretty sick brewer……

Peter Chiodo
Brewer Brewer and Numb Nuts
Flying Monkeys

Ohh and having sampled many of Derek's homebrews including his Belgian Cider, I can say his stuff does kick ass!

A nice rich imperial stout with west coast hops a la Great Divide's Yeti would rock. As does the name. And I've no doubt you would come up with some seriously cool packaging to go with it.

I really enjoyed that sample earlier this year, whatever it was. I would call it Christmas ale, if such a category exists, rich, malty with a nice fuggley finish

Personally, I'd like to see a quad, something currently completely absent from the Ontario scene.

and lumpy

Something like Three Floyds Alpha Klaus? Close your eyes and you'd never guess it was a dark beer.

Something like a black IPA (how's that for an oxymoron) would work well here. Good roast flavours and high hops.

Here's one from Southern Tier:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38 ... pr&start=0

Here's one from Victory:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34 ... pr&start=0

and here's my favourite from Baird:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35 ... pr&start=0

SteelbackGuy wrote:
Ohh and having sampled many of Derek's homebrews including his Belgian Cider, I can say his stuff does kick ass!

Thanks guys.

Some great ideas here. I'd love a local 'American' Stout or Porter.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I really liked the Boundary Bay Imperial Oatmeal, and sort of ran with that idea (but I made it bigger & hoppier):
http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic ... 64&start=0
I'm not sure how it'll turn out, but I'd be happy to give you bottle (though it probably won't be bottle-conditioned by november). I don't think I'd follow that recipe again, but it might give you an idea of some of the flavours.

A black IPA would also be great. The Phillips Black Toque is an excellent example... I think Volo has it by-the-bottle if you haven't tried it:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26 ... pr&start=0

An American Schwarzbier could be cool. I liked the Sprecher Black Bavarian:
http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/beer.php?cat=1

I would never have considered putting cascade & chinook anywhere near a schwarz (BLASPHEMY!), but this one actually worked!

Hey Peter, do an american porter!

viggo wrote:Hey Peter, do an american porter!

+1

matt7215 wrote:

viggo wrote:Hey Peter, do an american porter!

+1

It really is a sadly neglected style that can be SO good.

I love the Edmund Fitzgerald:
http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/beerPr ... ?beer_id=5

But yeah, it sounds like Peter's thinking something more along the lines of the alpha klaus (though perhaps not quite that strong).

I like the philosophy of brewing to taste, rather than style... but if you end up with something stout/porter-ish, keep Volo's First Annual Ontario Stout/Porter Cask Challenge (January 2010) in mind!