What're you drinking right now?

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 12:37 pm

Over the weekend at Milos' Craft Beer Emporium in London:
Collective Arts Saints of Circumstance (draught)
Broadhead Dark Horse Stout (draught)
De Molen Bommen & Granaten (bottle)
Black Oak Nutcracker Porter (draught)

Then at 7 Deadly Pins:
Black Oak Black Lust Black Tangerine IPA (cask sample)
Black Oak Greed Smasher (cask sample)
Black Oak Hubris Season Spiced Belgian Ale (cask sample)
Black Oak Barrel-Aged Saison (bottle sample)
Black Oak Sloth Bomb (cask sample)
Black Oak Wrathberry (cask sample)
Black Oak 10 Bitter Years (cask sample)
Black Oak Oaktoberfest (cask sample)

Not surprisingly it was an excellent, well-organized event with some of my favourite people.

Torontoblue wrote: Nutcracker Porter by Black Oak - 2009 bottle. Big notes of cinnamon, little nutmeg, cocoa powder. Good bitterness, herbal hops. Aged fantastically well!

Michael by Hair of the Dog - Wonderful sour citric aroma. Flavours don't live up to the aroma. Very woody, herbal, medicinal, back sweetened. Slightly disappointing.

Doggie Claws (2009) by Hair of the Dog - Oh man! It's like sucking a Barley Twist sweet. Spicy, sweet, slight bitter, sweet, sugar, hops. Lovely!

The Nutcracker truly is one of Ontario's great beers, and for me it's become synonymous with winter in this province. I had no idea that it aged well; I might put a couple aside this year and see how it goes. Very jealous to hear about your Hair of the Dog finds. I've wanted to try their stuff for years but have yet to come across any of their beers in the States. I'm guessing they have mostly/all West Coast distribution?

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:22 pm

cratez wrote:
Torontoblue wrote: Nutcracker Porter by Black Oak - 2009 bottle. Big notes of cinnamon, little nutmeg, cocoa powder. Good bitterness, herbal hops. Aged fantastically well!

Michael by Hair of the Dog - Wonderful sour citric aroma. Flavours don't live up to the aroma. Very woody, herbal, medicinal, back sweetened. Slightly disappointing.

Doggie Claws (2009) by Hair of the Dog - Oh man! It's like sucking a Barley Twist sweet. Spicy, sweet, slight bitter, sweet, sugar, hops. Lovely!
The Nutcracker truly is one of Ontario's great beers, and for me it's become synonymous with winter in this province. I had no idea that it aged well; I might put a couple aside this year and see how it goes. Very jealous to hear about your Hair of the Dog finds. I've wanted to try their stuff for years but have yet to come across any of their beers in the States. I'm guessing they have mostly/all West Coast distribution?

The Black Oak beers have always surprised me how well they age, considering they are a low 5.5%abv. I guess keeping them in a controlled environment helps? The only HotD beer I can claim was the Doggie Claws, and even that was gifted to me 3 years ago. HotD has very, very limited distribution; Washington, Oregon & NY is it, I think. It's still a long ass drive to Washington to get some, though!!

boney · Post by **boney** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:00 pm

Moon Under Water Year One Red Wheat Wine. One classy barley/wheat wine. I could drink this all day long.

phirleh · Post by **phirleh** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:37 pm

Picked up 2 Nickel Brook / Sawdust City "11/05" Barrel-Aged Barley Wines and had a sample at the brewery, tasted pretty nice, but seems to be pushing the upper envelope of Ontario prices at over $18 a 750 (not as pricey as Mill Street's and it did spend a year in a Buffalo Trace barrel).

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:54 am

Going through my 'cellar' at the moment, and after a mini vertical of Jewbelation last week, it was time for another mini:

Ola Dubh 12 Year Special Reserve by Harviestoun Brewery - Bottle 45294 from 2009. Weirdly enough, the Highland Park is shining through more. The peat/iodine is stronger than a year ago.

Ola Dubh 16 Year Special Reserve by Harviestoun Brewery - 2010, bottle 16480. Mellow whisky & dark chocolate aromas. Slight bittersweet chocolate flavour with hints of peat whisky.

Ola Dubh 18 Year Special Reserve by Harviestoun Brewery - 2009, bottle #592. Peat, iodine, oak, sweet chocolate, whisky aromas & flavours. Subtle spicy whisky finish.

I was really tempted to carry on with the 30 & 40.....next time.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:03 pm

Drinking 750ml bottle of last year's BBA Deviator...seems to age nicely...I like this a lot better than when it was fresh - still a bourbon bomb, but the malts are more up front. My be worth buying one or two of the new ones to see how they compare.

I'd be interested in knowing if the barrel is more subtle in these new bottles.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 2:37 pm

Over the last few nights at home:
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale - a classic, natural-tasting, English-style warmer with notes of apple, cherry, grassy hop, and sulphur; I look forward to this one every year
Collective Arts Rhyme & Reason Extra Pale Ale - a deliciously bright, fruity, and sessionable APA, more please
Wychwood King Goblin - underrated, complex ESA and no doubt the best beer from this brewery
Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA - strange beer in it that it's aromatic and bold-tasting but the flavours are neither well-integrated nor on style; reminds of Dead Elephant in that regard
Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout - what the fuck is this? A sickly sweet, unbalanced mess...don't waste your money!

heebes · Post by **heebes** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:23 pm

Anybody pick up Great Lakes Lake Effect yet?

Grabbed a few when I went by the brewery. I find it creamier in nose and taste than last years (?) Karma Citra bottles.

I think I prefer KC as far as G Lakes ipas go. But sure does hit the spot being so damn fresh! I only ever pick up Tank 10 beers from their store since they're guaranteed fresh.
Not much in the way of Project X lately though. Harry Porter would of been nice lately.

Hopefully Bellwoods still has some Cat Lady ipa on monday when I roll by. Interested in tasting it fresh too.

Kekumba · Post by **Kekumba** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:37 pm

Looking forward to it. I had it on nitro a few times over the summer, but I'm not big on nitro.

I like to dream about GLB having this master plan all along to get Karma Citra canned and in the LCBO year round.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 10:23 pm

Had a Lake Effect last night - awesome!

And Cat Lady tonight - their best IPA!

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 12:51 am

With DaPan, Sprague11 and Lamber

Homebrew Vatted Porter
Tempest 2011
Tempest Fall 2012
Tempest JD Barrel 2012
Black Butte XXV
Indie Zombie Apocalypse
Homebrew Orval Clone

Hard to pick a favourite, but the JD Barrel and 2011 Tempest topped the night for me

spinrsx · Post by **spinrsx** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:03 pm

drinking my first founders all day IPA.. I'd buy this by the truckload if it was available to me locally. It might just be the perfect beer for me, something I can drink a lot of based on the ABV and lots of hoppy scent/flavour.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:13 pm

spinrsx wrote:drinking my first founders all day IPA.. I'd buy this by the truckload if it was available to me locally.

But would you drink it all day, and what would Founders be forced to rename the product for the highly suggestible LCBO consumer posessing no free will but to obey completely literal meanings of product labels...

Excuse me now, I'm putting on my Santa suit to enjoy a 2012 Samichlaus.

JeffPorter · Post by **JeffPorter** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:13 pm

Tempest v2 (June of 2012?) - the 10% one...still my favourite version.

Yesterday on tap at the Bramalea Legion Hall after a cold Remembrance ceremony:

Old Credit Amber

Not great but it's the one day a year you get to have a pint at the Legion (with your kids running around) and only $4 a pint!

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:20 pm

JeffPorter wrote:Yesterday on tap at the Bramalea Legion Hall after a cold Remembrance ceremony:

Old Credit Amber

Good for them for having that on, at least (and good for you for being there). Better than Coors Light!