What're you drinking right now?

jibblypop · Post by **jibblypop** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:42 am

Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale.

I've got a cold so I wanted something really smooth and easy to drink. I find that beer is the only thing that helps me get over a cold (or maybe just masks the symptoms... har har)

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Thu May 12, 2011 5:14 pm

Grabbed a couple Creemore Keller as my local LCBO has a ton of them.

robinvboyer · Post by **robinvboyer** » Thu May 12, 2011 5:38 pm

sprague11 wrote:Grabbed a couple Creemore Keller as my local LCBO has a ton of them.

Are they brewing that on a constant basis now?

I managed to find a fresh 6er of Hoptical Illusion up here in North Bay. Most of the time the 6er they carry are old. The hops are dead and its basically an earthy amber with a touch of hops, kinda like all the tankhouse i find up here. But this one was bottled april 14. Still some great hops in this one.

Ale's What Cures Ya · Post by **Ale's What Cures Ya** » Thu May 12, 2011 5:59 pm

cratez wrote:Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale

This beer has improved substantially since it was first released and is now one of the better APAs available in Ontario. Lots of grassy, floral, citrusy, and fruity hops on the nose and palate with a balancing caramel sweetness, slight trace of diacetyl, and some tea-like flavours from the malts. Body and mouthfeel seem beefed up as well, the hops are more juicy, punchy, and resinous than before. Great thirst-quenching ale.

If you were put off by the relatively hop-less version released in 2009, give this another shot and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I now prefer Hoptical over Duggan's #9, Black Oak Pale, and Tankhouse.

I am drinking one right now and I agree 100% with this statement. This beer is way better than the first time I had it.

robinvboyer · Post by **robinvboyer** » Thu May 12, 2011 6:57 pm

DragonOfBlood wrote:
cratez wrote:Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale

This beer has improved substantially since it was first released and is now one of the better APAs available in Ontario. Lots of grassy, floral, citrusy, and fruity hops on the nose and palate with a balancing caramel sweetness, slight trace of diacetyl, and some tea-like flavours from the malts. Body and mouthfeel seem beefed up as well, the hops are more juicy, punchy, and resinous than before. Great thirst-quenching ale.

If you were put off by the relatively hop-less version released in 2009, give this another shot and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I now prefer Hoptical over Duggan's #9, Black Oak Pale, and Tankhouse.
I am drinking one right now and I agree 100% with this statement. This
beer is way better than the first time I had it.

Hmmmmm, maybe the ones i had in the past wern't old......

Torontoblue · Post by **Torontoblue** » Thu May 12, 2011 9:17 pm

Sierra Nevada Ovila. Nice tripel that hides its 7.5% too well!!!

Roland + Russell · Post by **Roland + Russell** » Thu May 12, 2011 9:21 pm

Deus at Le Sélect Bistro.
Fantastic!

Ale's What Cures Ya · Post by **Ale's What Cures Ya** » Thu May 12, 2011 9:33 pm

robinvboyer wrote:
DragonOfBlood wrote:
cratez wrote:Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion Almost Pale Ale

This beer has improved substantially since it was first released and is now one of the better APAs available in Ontario. Lots of grassy, floral, citrusy, and fruity hops on the nose and palate with a balancing caramel sweetness, slight trace of diacetyl, and some tea-like flavours from the malts. Body and mouthfeel seem beefed up as well, the hops are more juicy, punchy, and resinous than before. Great thirst-quenching ale.

If you were put off by the relatively hop-less version released in 2009, give this another shot and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I now prefer Hoptical over Duggan's #9, Black Oak Pale, and Tankhouse.
I am drinking one right now and I agree 100% with this statement. This
beer is way better than the first time I had it.

Hmmmmm, maybe the ones i had in the past wern't old......

There's a definite chance of that. The beer was devoid of hops the first time I had it.

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Thu May 12, 2011 9:35 pm

Revisiting some OCB stuff I haven't had for a while lately. Tonight it's Wellington County Dark Ale. I used to love this stuff when I was first getting into craft beer, but I remember being extremely disappointed with the early canned versions which seemed watered down, or something. But this one is pretty solid and a lot like what I remember the bottles being like.

I recall a period when I found that Wellington in general seemed to be going downhill. Everything I had from them seemed like a shell of its former self, and then there was the stupid Silver Wheat waste of time and energy. But I enjoyed the IPA, and all of their regular offerings seem to be as good as ever so I guess they either turned it around or I was imagining things. The Imperial Stout is also worth having a few when you can find it (I think the UW grad pub is the only place near me that has it).

JesseM · Post by **JesseM** » Thu May 12, 2011 10:06 pm

On to some Nickel Brook Organic lager. It's just okay, sharpish hop aspect blends somewhat well with the cooked vegetable/barley soup malt character. I liked the unfiltered version they did of this one a while back. NB is kind of a weird, inconsistent brewery.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Thu May 12, 2011 10:24 pm

Ithaca Excelsior 13
Three Floyds Alpha King

jimmay · Post by **jimmay** » Thu May 12, 2011 10:34 pm

Red MacGregor from Orkney Brewery - what a dynamite 4% beer!

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:14 pm

Galt Knife (a reliable standby)
Plowman's (see above)
Hoptical (see above)
Canuck (picked up at the brewery last week, drinking really, REALLY well. Hoping this shows up in the LCBO SOOOOOON - supposed to be last week, then this week, then...? - so I can stock my fridge).
Wind & Sail Dark (is it just me, or is this beer really good? Recent brews out of Barley Days have been really nice. I think this brewery's finally turned the corner).

And on a whim I ordered a skateboard online. After not having skated for 5 years. A midlife crisis at 31? Can it truly be?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri May 13, 2011 12:18 am

velovampire wrote: Wind & Sail Dark (is it just me, or is this beer really good? Recent brews out of Barley Days have been really nice. I think this brewery's finally turned the corner).

It is really good - yes that's Ontario for you, a brewery like Glenora which (in)famously made rancid infected beers back in 2005 finally makes good stuff & changes their name to protect the formerly guilty, ha ha. Well good for them I say.

Today I tried the Muskoka Cabin Fever IPA - guys, this is really good stuff, very much like something Sierra Nevada would make. Possible re-try for some early raters? I thought it had this great stone fruit (peach & apricot) aroma and flavor, and the citrus was tasty. This could KILL in our limited market.

S. St. Jeb · Post by **S. St. Jeb** » Fri May 13, 2011 12:33 am

Belgian wrote:
velovampire wrote: Wind & Sail Dark (is it just me, or is this beer really good? Recent brews out of Barley Days have been really nice. I think this brewery's finally turned the corner).
It is really good - yes that's Ontario for you, a brewery like Glenora which (in)famously made rancid infected beers back in 2005 finally makes good stuff & changes their name to protect the formerly guilty, ha ha. Well good for them I say.

I got 12 bottles of Wind & Sail Dark about a year and a half ago and agree that it is really good. I also enjoyed their Harvest Gold Ale at that time.