October 22nd and 23rd at Volo: Mark Your Calendars

Andicus · Post by **Andicus** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:01 pm

Jon Walker wrote:JThere has been a lot of time and effort put into working out all the logistics and trying to have this thing come off flawlessly.

It showed. Very nice setup, indeed! The food availability was well handled too, especially since I didn't have time for lunch before heading to the show. My only regret was not having my camera there to get some Bar Towel shots.

Hats off to everyone involved and a BIG thanks to Ralph.

Indeed, thanks to Ralph and the brewers for putting on a great festival. It was a big plus to see a lot of Bar Towelers again, and to meet a few new ones.

I enjoyed Black Oak's Atomic Hop Bomb and the Whisky Barrel aged Nut Brown Ale. I also enjoyed the Scotch Irish Sgt. Major's Double IPA. Maybe a bit green, but still, a nice flavour. Hard to believe it's >9%.

I also wanted to add that the little things did not go unnoticed, from the cheese sampling right down to the pamplet. Everything spoke of quality, and really showed that there was substantial effort put in by Ralph and the Volo staff to make this a class event.

Cheers!

DougShoemaker · Post by **DougShoemaker** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:53 am

Outstanding Event!

Ralph, Ina, Thomas, Julian, Carl, (sorry for the brain freeze Fenfen) Allison, Abby, Kirsten and the rest of the Volo Crew, as well as the Brewers of all those fine ales are to be applauded for the planning and hard work that was obvious in every detail. It was fabulous. Great beer, wonderful food, amazing cheese selection, terrific company.

I can hardly wait to go back today!

Many Thanks Ralph, Cheers, Doug

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:06 am

Bring on today! Yesterday was outstanding, exceeded my high expectations. Kudos Ralph and the crew, easily the best beer fest we have seen in these parts - the care and passion Ralph has for good beer really showed.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:32 am

GregClow wrote:Agreed that today was fantastic. Quite possibly the best beer event I've attended in Toronto, in fact. It went off without a hitch (or at least it seemed so to the attendees), and the outstanding complementary cheese plate was an unexpected treat that made the event even better..

I hate you all

Blankboy · Post by **Blankboy** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:18 pm

Just wanted to add my thanks to Ralph for an outstanding event. Greet beer, great food, great location, great hosts -- it doesn't get any better than that. I hope it can become a yearly tradition.

Thanks Ralph!!!

northyorksammy · Post by **northyorksammy** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:28 pm

amazing festival-absolutely first rate. The best I have ever been to in Ontario. I had one for you, Jeremy, and a Yankee gave me a sample of a hard-to-get just for the hell of it to a friendly soul.

HogTownHarry · Post by **HogTownHarry** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:04 pm

Just to add my heart-felt kudos - everthing was top-shelf, Ralph and family and crew and volunteers excelled. I lost count after 10 "samples" and had a major buzz going - got home and crashed out for 5 hours.

No WAY could I have managed a second day.

Superb! Please, please, please do it again, Ralph!

- Harry

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:08 pm

Well, Day 2: even better than Day 1. Today I sampled great pale ales: MacLean's Pale Ale was just perfect with its layer of English Goldings and the Maris Otter malt base. Still, the butterscotch note came through as in other iterations of this beer. Al's cask ale too was very good with a glittering dry hop effect, again very "English real ale".

I also enjoyed Scotch-Irish IPA, its American hop accents melded well with the malt and yeast, it had a marmalade-like taste.

Finally Mike Hancock's Dunkel was never better, albeit not (as Mike conscientiously observed) real ale.

There seemed even more people today than yesterday.

A great second day for fine beer, the brewers, Volo and beer fans.

Well done, Ralph, this won't be soon forgotten.

Gary Gillman

P.S. Nice to see Bill Metzger from Buffalo's Great Lakes Brewing News checking out what the Canucks are up to.

Jon Walker · Post by **Jon Walker** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:09 pm

HogTownHarry wrote:Just to add my heart-felt kudos - everthing was top-shelf, Ralph and family and crew and volunteers excelled. I lost count after 10 "samples" and had a major buzz going - got home and crashed out for 5 hours.

No WAY could I have managed a second day.

Superb! Please, please, please do it again, Ralph!

- Harry

Yeah I'll echo both the praise and the net effect. Knowing I could only make the one day I certainly, how to say it...over indulged on Saturday. I think it was the TWO samples of Perry's Imperial IPA that pushed me over the edge. My wife was very sweet and considerate when I came home pleasantly pickled...apologies if I babbled to anyone incoherently near the end...deary me. Next year I'll practice a little more self restraint.

mds · Post by **mds** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:08 pm

I can't say much that hasn't been said already. I had a great time both days - lots of nice beers to imbibe and excellent complimentary bread and cheese. I especially liked the beet and sweet potato breads.

I'm hoping that this will be a repeat event! Thanks Ralph and co.

PRMason · Post by **PRMason** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:21 am

What a show! In one corner we had the BarTowel/Ratebeer crowd, in another sat the beeradvocate group! People from Detroit and New York City. Bill Metzger, editor of all the Brewing News editions and also American Brewer. On Saturday, where i attended for all 6 hours, I didn't see a single really sloshed person. The beers were stellar, too many great ones to single any one out. And finally ( and foremost) we have Ralph, Ina, and their family and staff. The vibe in the room was perhaps the best of any festival I have ever been to.
Truly a first rate event.

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:44 am

FANTASTIC!

The whole atmosphere, beer choice and organisation would have put some UK festivals to shame! It was nice to see Ralph finally relax on Sunday and he looked like he was enjoying himself. Brava!!!!! Hopefully, the rumours regards next years festivals come to fruition as it will be a serious kick up the backside that Ontario, let alone Canada, needs to get craft/cask ales widely recognised. Kudos must go to all the brewers who supplied the wonderful ales on offer as there was not one bad ale amongst them. This weekend was maybe the best I have spent drinking beer for a long, long time. Now, lets get these ales out there and get people to realise they actually have tastebuds!!!

Well done Ralph and everyone at Volo.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:08 am

It was great to chat with some of the brewery folk as well...

If there's any other craft brewers reading this, bring yourself & a cask next year... PR just doesn't get better than that!

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this event! (Especially the whole Volo crew that put it all together).

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:30 am

I'll reiterate the comments already posted by saying that Saturday's event was absolutely fantastic. One of the best beer festivals I've been to, not only in Toronto but anywhere. The beer was great, the cheese sampling was a fabulous and welcome addition and the setting was comfortable.

It was great seeing and chatting with all the BarTowel/beer folks from the city and elsewhere and the brewers.

Thanks to Ralph, the staff at Volo and the brewers for participating and making the event what it was. It goes without saying that having this annually would be a treat.

Even though we often moan about not getting unique beers at fests, it is immensely gratifying that with this fest, although familiar, seemed like everything was new to try. Kudos for everyone involved to make this happen.

FENFEN · Post by **FENFEN** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:48 pm

Holy Cow!, or should I say Holy Smoke? -- hehe. What a great weekend!

On behalf of Ralph and the entire Volo crew we would like to thank you all for making Cask Days a memorable event. Although we had a hunch about our little beer thing, the turnout exceeded our wildest expectations. Did you feel da luv?.

Kudos to the brewers for answering the call of the beer wilderness. We know for some of them this was uncharted territory and for others it was an opportunity to have some fun with the recipe. As noted in previous posts, they did not disappoint. Indeed all 21 beers were great, and I tried them all! - woohoo! A lot of the brewers attended too; I’ve never seen so much brewing royalty before.

Finally, a super-thanks to all the attendees from near and far who braved the elements this weekend, your enthusiasm was overwhelming and infectious. It was great meeting the BarTowelers too, you’ve been so supportive (its fun matching nics to faces, that means you Lord Von Darkness, hehe) I had some great chats at my table(I was serving at table 5, where the mysterious double IPA was) especially later in the afternoon: “so many casks, so little time…man”.

All in all the weekend went very well, not a single glass broken!

I think it’s safe to assume Ralph will be doing this again, why not.

Cheerio,
-Carl

ps Ralph has a lot left over, he's going to make it very attractive...