NutCracker Suite Tasting

Asst. Grain Shoveller · Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:53 am

Ralph will be hosting at Caffe Volo a tasting of our Nutcracker Porter.
This Friday (11/23/07)

We just won the Gold medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards in the porter category. WOW!!!!

We'll have regular draft, bottles and 2 casks:
05 Burbon Barrel Nutcracker Porter
07 Nutcracker Porter with extra cinnamon (Cinnabomb!!)

Look forward to seeing you on Friday night.

Thanx & Cheers
Ken

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:37 pm

Congratulations on the Gold!

Well-deserved... it's a great brew. (I should really pick up some bottles).

DougShoemaker · Post by **DougShoemaker** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:49 pm

Ken,
You really do make the best puns! Now what time will the tasting start please?

Cheers, Doug

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:18 am

DougShoemaker wrote:Ken,
You really do make the best puns! Now what time will the tasting start please?

Cheers, Doug

Ralph mentioned maybe starting at 7, but he didn't seem sure. Might as well turn up earlier and get the palate warmed up!

lister · Post by **lister** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:43 am

Damn, busy tonight.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:31 pm

Hope to drop by. Maybe I can debate over sematics with Pootz!

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:34 pm

Bobsy wrote:
DougShoemaker wrote:Ken,
You really do make the best puns! Now what time will the tasting start please?

Cheers, Doug
Ralph mentioned maybe starting at 7, but he didn't seem sure. Might as well turn up earlier and get the palate warmed up!

Just checked the website, and it says 5pm. Now don't y'all rush there after work and take up all the seats, because the missus gets mighty angry if she doesn't get her beer. I think the nearest approximation is

.

PRMason · Post by **PRMason** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:20 pm

Congrats Ken! Your beers never disappoint. I'm glad that you and Adrian are getting the recognition you so richly deserve.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:08 pm

It was fun. Thanks to Ralph and of course Ken for putting it on. I was surprised by just how different the four versions were. Even the kegged and bottled versions, which I presume came from the same batch (?), seemed at least a bit different from each other. Can anyone offer an explanation for that? The two flavoured, cask versions were both immediately identifiable from the nose alone.

detritus · Post by **detritus** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 3:56 pm

midlife crisis wrote:It was fun. Thanks to Ralph and of course Ken for putting it on. I was surprised by just how different the four versions were. Even the kegged and bottled versions, which I presume came from the same batch (?), seemed at least a bit different from each other. Can anyone offer an explanation for that? The two flavoured, cask versions were both immediately identifiable from the nose alone.

Hm. I didn't find all that much difference between the kegged and bottled version, except for the carbonation level. I did consure those two rather cold though, while I was waiting for the two cask samples to warm up a bit.

I did think the bourbon aged cask tasted a little different from the one I sampled at Cask Days though. Less bourbon on the nose, and maybe a little more on the palate. I wonder if these were from the same batch/barrel? Was there more than one?

-Josh

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:16 pm

midlife crisis wrote:It was fun. Thanks to Ralph and of course Ken for putting it on. I was surprised by just how different the four versions were. Even the kegged and bottled versions, which I presume came from the same batch (?), seemed at least a bit different from each other. Can anyone offer an explanation for that? The two flavoured, cask versions were both immediately identifiable from the nose alone.

I'm a bit late posting on this, as I've been knocked on my ass with a cold all week. The nutcracker tasting was extremely enjoyable, and an interesting experience. The first time I have ever done a comparison on these sorts of grounds. I spoke to Ken that evening and remarked on the differences between the bottled and cask version. He said they were from the same batch, and that maybe the difference was due to the amount of air exposure the liquid receives in the bottle. Both excellent version, but surprisingly different. Thanks to Black Oak and Volo for a fantastic evening.

jaymack · Post by **jaymack** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:04 am

Hi,

Didn't get to the Volo tasting, but I did get to enjoy this delecious brew last night at Pepperwood in Burlington.

At first, it reminded me of the Double Chocolate Cherry Stout (which I could easily make my session beer

) but it slowly changed after warming up slightly. Less cherry-esque, more bitter/coffee-ish.

Kudos again to the Black Oak crew who continue to be one of the best in the region (mill st who?) Now to get me some bottles of this.

Cheers
Jason

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:13 pm

Belgian wrote:Hope to drop by. Maybe I can debate over sematics with Pootz!

Sorry that shit is too boring when there is good beer on the table.... pondering the non existential means by which it got there seems moot at the time

tuqueboy · Post by **tuqueboy** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:16 pm

jaymack wrote: Now to get me some bottles of this.

Cheers
Jason

i don't think it's being bottled. though it should be. ken?

detritus · Post by **detritus** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:31 pm

tuqueboy wrote:
jaymack wrote: Now to get me some bottles of this.

Cheers
Jason
i don't think it's being bottled. though it should be. ken?

The (regular) Nutcracker is available in bottles, like it is every year around this time.

I think it's only available at the brewery in Oakville. That's where I picked mine up, anyway.

-Josh