What're you drinking right now?

[sofakingdrunk]

I was able to crush the citra grove no problem. But I can see where you guys are coming from, really no need to be in that format

[Hoppy's Tavern]

Just finished drinking a Redline Brewhouse- Double Clutch.
For a high IBU of 83 it was not overwhelming at all and I enjoyed it.

[Quotashun]

Robohop. Bitter, dry bomb... need something more thirst quenching after this. Clutch, Octopus Wants to Fight and Ransack on deck hmm. Probably Clutch time.

EDIT: LCBO strikes again. Malt bomb of a Clutch, probably at least three months old (no date stamp). Had the other day from a different LCBO, and it was juicy deliciousness. Avoid this at the Royal York/Bloor LCBO for now.

[sofakingdrunk]

This is my only beef with clutch, the date is so damn hard to find.
Drinking a robohop right now, tasting on point. Very balanced. Havnt had it for a couple years now, but tasting just as good as I remember. Had an immodest last night, and much prefer robo

[CoolB]

Agreed with Citra Grove needing to be in smaller offerings. I like it but can't drink too much. It's surprisingly sweet for a sour beer.

[GtownRandy]

This is my only beef with clutch, the date is so damn hard to find.
Drinking a robohop right now, tasting on point. Very balanced. Havnt had it for a couple years now, but tasting just as good as I remember. Had an immodest last night, and much prefer robo

the date used to be on the cans, the recent cases i couldnt find a date on the cans, but it is printed on the case itself. but who knows what cans came from what case?

[Belgian]

I'm having a Bellwoods RUNES Citra-Mosaic IPA. A serious hopheads beer with dankness and resin for miles.
Before that a Elora OBSKURA Version 1, which is excellent too and mellower than the OBSKURA Version 2 on tap at the brewery pub yesterday (see review.)

I'm feeling we are so damn lucky to have such a variety of great brews around this part of Ontario.

[sofakingdrunk]

I'm having a Bellwoods RUNES Citra-Mosaic IPA. A serious hopheads beer with dankness and resin for miles.
Before that a Elora OBSKURA Version 1, which is excellent too and mellower than the OBSKURA Version 2 on tap at the brewery pub yesterday (see review.)

I'm feeling we are so damn lucky to have such a variety of great brews around this part of Ontario.

I had a couple bottles of Runes, and for whatever reason I wasn't feeling it. I thought I was going to love the shit out of it, but it just wasn't my thing. Milkshark, on the other hand was un-fucking-believable.

[cratez]

Over the week in Ottawa:

At The Manx Pub:
Beyond The Pale The Darkness (draft)
Kichesippi Remic Rapids IPA (draft)

At Brothers Beer Bistro:
Stalwart The Zigzagger (draft)
Dominion City Two Flags IPA (draft)

At Union Local 613:
Stalwart Thriller Chocolate Porter (draft)
Stalwart Dr. Feelgood IPA (draft)

At Craft Beer Market:
Brooklyn Lager (draft)
Founders All Day IPA (draft)
Driftwood Fat Tug IPA (draft)

First time visiting Craft and, similar to the Edmonton location, I left with a very favourable impression of the place (didn't eat anything, though). Absolutely packed when I first arrived, but managed to grab one of the only remaining seats at the bar and had some great conversations with the locals over the course of the night. Every time I come to Ottawa people are always exceptionally friendly, which is one of the reasons why I love the city. Was also pleased to find All Day and Fat Tug on tap, and both were drinking well. Tried to hit Town for dinner and drinks, as per the recommendations in the Ottawa thread, but was unable to get a seat on a Wednesday night at 5:30. They must be doing something right! So Town and Beyond The Pale are on the list for next time.

[beerstodiscover]

Last night at 3030 Dundas.

Royal City Bamberg Smoked Lager
Collective Arts Collective Project: IPA Project #2
Collective Arts "Gose" - (I think it was Prophets & Nomads at about 4.5%)
Collective Arts Stranger Than Fiction

All of these beers were great. 3030 had $6 Collective Arts pints and probably 6-7 to choose from.

[darmokandjalad]

New beers over the last week:

-Åbro Bryggmästarens Premium Organic - TBS tallboy, 5%. A basic organic lager. Grainy pale malts, apples, lemon and boiled cabbage. Borderline tolerable, but not very good at all; their Premium Gold is a better lager than this one.
-Barnstormer Accelerated Stall - Maverick's IIPA - LCBO tallboy, 8.4%. The price is very reasonable, at around $3.40 per can, but I don't think the beer itself stands up to the competition. The aroma was extremely muted, and kind of dirty. Flavour was mostly citrus oils and bitter, resiny pine on the back end, with some stone fruits and caramalt backing. A shrug-worthy DIPA, neither awful nor great.
-Lake of Bays Wild North Golden Chai Ale - LCBO tallboy, 5.2%. Brewed with 'real chai tea' and orange zest. Cinnamon, cardamom and brown sugar, with hints of orchard fruit and gingerbread. Not significantly better than any of the other Wild North beers... unless you really like chai spices, you can safely pass on this one.
-Lake of Bays Switchback Pilsner - LCBO tallboy, 4.5%. A bog standard German pils. They're getting better at producing pale lagers - I remember the first time I tried Rock Cut I nearly poured it down the drain, whereas this lager is at least a recognizable attempt at the style.
-Big Rock Pilsner - TBS tallboy, 4.9%. Apparently this is just their old (Czech-style) Saaz Republic Pilz in a shiny new package. Inoffensive and drinkable, but those are the biggest compliments I can muster. About the level of effort I've come to expect from Big Rock
-Kasteel Donker - LCBO bottle, 11%. Now we're talking - easily the best new beer of the week for me. Relentlessly sweet - treacle, caramel, dates, figs, black cherry, prune and vinous red grape. Hints of sherry and cola towards the finish, with a very light spiciness and flawlessly integrated alcohol. I'm kicking myself for only grabbing the one bottle.

And a few revisits:

-Hirschbräu Doppel-Hirsch - LCBO bottle. A solid doppelbock, as always. Good value.
-Sleeman IPA - From a mixed 12-pack from TBS. More of an IPA than Keith's, but that's not saying much. Objectively bad.
-Sleeman Railside Session Ale - Ditto. A tolerable malt-forward light ale with some light, leafy hopping. Marginally better than (most of) their other mainline offerings, but still pretty weak overall.
-Pommies Cider - LCBO tallboy. Good stuff - a pleasant, light, semi-dry cider. I prefer their Farmhouse Cider, but this one is a serviceable substitute.

[portwood]

-Hirschbräu Doppel-Hirsch - LCBO bottle. A solid doppelbock, as always. Good value.

I also enjoyed one of these over the weekend. Is this something that can take a bit of age in the cellar? is so, how long?

[darmokandjalad]

-Hirschbräu Doppel-Hirsch - LCBO bottle. A solid doppelbock, as always. Good value.

I also enjoyed one of these over the weekend. Is this something that can take a bit of age in the cellar? is so, how long?

I held onto a bottle for about a year the last time it showed up at the LCBO (and popped it open a month or two after the bottle's purported "best by" date). I definitely wouldn't say it had improved, but it didn't get noticeably worse, either.

It can probably withstand short-term storage, but I'd say anything over a year is pushing your luck. The best before date on this shipment is Dec 2017, so the brewery itself seems to be in the "drink it fresh" camp.

[darmokandjalad]

New stuff within the last week or so:

-König Pilsener - TBS tallboy, 4.9%. Gorgeous pour, with a clean nose of grainy, crackery pilsener malts and grassy, herbal continental hops. This pils has never been available locally, but I'm glad I had the chance to try it - I reckon it's one of the better exported German pilseners in this province.
-Sleeman 5514 Filtered Wheat Ale - Bottle from a mixed 12-pack at TBS, 4.5%. Dull and uninspired, but otherwise drinkable. Like a slightly less flavourful Grasshopper. Actually not that bad as far as Sleeman products go, but I wouldn't intentionally seek it out again.
-Big Rig Canadian Amber - TBS tallboy, 5.2%. "Canadian" amber is right; this one is all malts, with the hops barely qualifying as an afterthought. Toasted grains/bread, toffee, some nuttiness and milk chocolate. Decent enough, but not what I'm looking for in my ambers.
-Collective Project: IPA No. 2 - LCBO tallboy, 7.1%. Solid stuff. Citrusy orange/grapefruit, stone fruit and tropical fruit are all present. Some bubble gum, with a mildly resiny-bitter finish. Not as aggressively bitter as Ransack, but of similar quality IMO. Worth sampling while it's fresh.
-Bench Citra Grove Dry Hopped Sour - Big LCBO bottle, 6%. An excellent soured saison, with a grainy, crackery wheat malt backing and lots of delicious, fruity dry hop flavours. Peach, nectarine, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango and pineapple, with some grassiness towards the finish, as well as some mild Brett funk and slight lactic acidity. Sorta reminded me of Nectarous, albeit dialled back significantly.
-Outlaw 21 Lagered Ale - LCBO tallboy. Pretty basic stuff; drinks more like a blonde ale than anything. Apples, doughy pale malts and white grape. Not great, but I've had worse.

And a few revisits:

-Petrus Aged Pale - LCBO bottle, from that shipment that showed up a few years ago (2015?). Starting to show signs of age, but still very enjoyable with strong oak and hints of white wine and citrus oils. I hope this one comes back in the near future.
-Lost Craft Sirius - LCBO tallboy, now without the Dark Knight pun. Still a decent dry hopped pale ale, but nothing to get too excited about.
-Refined Fool You Are Lazy, Susan - Bomber from the brewery; a "rosemary gose". This is their third batch within the last 2-3 years and each one has been pretty darn good. I don't usually like rosemary, but it works surprisingly well with the light sourness/saltiness.
-Royal City Hibiscus Saison - LCBO bottle. A decent brew; the hibiscus gives it a nice flowery, herbal note that works nicely with the yeast. Wouldn't mind another bottle some time.

[sofakingdrunk]

Guess I better get into my Petrus sooner than later by the sounds of it