The Bar Towel

old faithful wrote:Just back from Mill St. and its cask IPA has never been better. A very English pint.

Yea, I shall heed the Faithful One. Thanks for the tip G.

I just killed off my last St. Bernardus Tripel (exp 05 2008) which was simply wonderful, I just don't know how they make such complex interesting beers that age with sophistication.

(A number of Abt and Prior await me as well, I bought many mix-packs.)

Started off slow with a Okanagan 1516 lager and a Guinness draught. The Guinness was left at my apartment months ago and it was one of those procrastination drinks that I finally killed off tonight. Picked up the game by having a couple Tree Brewing Hop Head IPA's. These were as good Canadian brewed IPA's as I've ever had. Thinking about where to go next.

Sake... we've just decided to go Japan in 2 months. I've asked for the vacation time, so hopefully we'll be set to go soon. I did a little research... $10 for a beer in Tokyo?!

boney wrote:Started off slow with a Okanagan 1516 lager and a Guinness draught. The Guinness was left at my apartment months ago and it was one of those procrastination drinks that I finally killed off tonight. Picked up the game by having a couple Tree Brewing Hop Head IPA's. These were as good Canadian brewed IPA's as I've ever had. Thinking about where to go next.

How was the Okanagan?

the okanogan lager is fairly bland...

Tree makes fantasic beer. The Thirsty Beaver from them is also fantastic, and yes the Hop Head is great.

I second the compliments on Tree beers. Whenever I'm on the West Coast I seek them out. Very good stuff.

The Okanagan 1516 was OK. Aroma was mostly grainy but also had some nice fruity esters in there too....intentional or not, I can't say. Importantly, there was very little cooked veggie/corn dimethyl sulfide that I hate and find so prevalent in macro lagers. Grain followed through in the flavour, with sweet light malts and a very mild bitter finish. Not outstanding, but it did the trick for a quick lager primer for the evening. It was one of several beers the GF brough back for me from BC, the Tree Hop Head being by far the best. Now I'm dying to try Tree's Hefeweizen.

Charlevoix La Vache Folle Milk Stout. Really nice stuff, the lactose gives this Imperial Stout some delicious sweetness, and over-all it's surprisingly drinkable for something at 9% abv. Very similar to the La Barberie Stout Impériale I had the other night, just sweeter with less intense bitterness (and the La Vache is higher rated on RB).

Ahh Jesse, I've wanted to try that one,
where did you pick it up?

My parents brought it back for me along with a few other things from a trip they went on last week to visit Family in Ottawa. I was working and couldn't go, but they offered to get me some beer from Quebec. I gave them directions to Marche Jovi in Gatineau, and they brought me back some interesting things. Sorry, I wish I could say I have a huge supply of stuff to share but unfortunately most things they brought back were just single bottles .

Bobsy wrote:Sake... we've just decided to go Japan in 2 months. I've asked for the vacation time, so hopefully we'll be set to go soon. I did a little research... $10 for a beer in Tokyo?!

if you can, check out Baird Brewing (BA info). some friends visited there a few months back. they brought back some bottles and shared the tasty midnight oil export stout. definitely worth checking out.

grub wrote:

Bobsy wrote:Sake... we've just decided to go Japan in 2 months. I've asked for the vacation time, so hopefully we'll be set to go soon. I did a little research... $10 for a beer in Tokyo?!

if you can, check out Baird Brewing (BA info). some friends visited there a few months back. they brought back some bottles and shared the tasty midnight oil export stout. definitely worth checking out.

Thanks for the heads up, Grub! I've actually spent most of the day trying to work out which beer locations look the most promising, and Baird made the list with their taproom in downtown Tokyo, which has the brewery's full range on. The best spot looks to be Popeye (www.40beersontap.com), but just look at those prices! Make mine a Nasu Kogen Nine Tailed Fox!

J.R. Brickman Pilsener, in the can.

An interesting beer. I find notes of lemon, German pils hops and something drying at the end, as if wheat is added malted or other (but it might be Canadian malting barley). The hop flavour is something often encountered in German beers, which is an earthy, almost truffle-like taste. Like truffles, it will please some and not others. I am not sure what the hop type is (Perle maybe?).

A good effort but not to my taste.

Gary

Drinking lousy coffee. Damn silly office rules. But I'm planning on a ST IPA when i get home

Hate to admit it but I am on the "girly" white wine. A wonderful, oakey, crisp Chardonnay from Best's of Australia. For a white it's pretty darned good!!