Year-end Review: Best of 2019

(Part Two)

The best of the best of the best, huh?

With so many excellent breweries run by so many amazing people producing so many great beers, it was tougher than usual picking my favourite this year. Choosing my top brewery, brewer and all my other best-of winners was no easy task either.

First world problems I guess.

With all my category winners checked off in Part One of this year-end blog, it's time to pick the beers that really blew me away in 2019, a top-10 list I narrowed down to 11.

Eleven Most Delicious Beers of 2019

I think the first beer I raved about last spring was Double Jutsu from Bellwoods. I'd had it before but this batch seemed to speak to me, and in a super sexy voice too. Not long after that transcendent experience I enjoyed my first Peanut Butter Godiva from 5 Paddles and I thought I was in peanut butter heaven. An incredible beer I've had many times since.

My first trip (of several) to Fairweather Brewing in Hamilton was highlighted by a single hop Pale Ale called One By One - Simcoe (or alternatively, Menagerie - the naming conventions at Fairweather get confusing sometimes), while my second visit was capped by a delicious Porter by the very apt name of Silky. A subsequent trip to neighbouring Grain & Grit unearthed a Belgian IPA by the name of Crop Circles and you can probably see why I love Hamilton's beer scene so much.

Peanut Butter Godiva

A DIPA With Fruit, a collaboration between Dominion City (Ottawa) and Barncat (Cambridge) arrived by Canada Post later in the year and was simply divine, and that was (almost) rivaled by another IIPA, Double Descente from Boreale of Quebec. That one was a gift from mes amis Ottawa Joel. Thanks buddy.

Speaking of Ottawa, a little downtown brewery housed in the basement of an 1867 piece of history produced a beer - Waller Street Black IPA - that was incredibly impressive. And then there was Karma Citra, an IPA from Great Lakes I have been salivating over since I first got into craft beer six years ago.

That leaves me with two offerings from Little Beasts: Little Wizards, a Gose which is a collaboration with local hot spot Brew Wizards that hit all the right salty/sour notes; and Valkyrie, a Kviek-yeasted APA that I praised so much and so often that Erin & John put it in the regular rotation just to shut me up. That's the story I'm sticking with, anyway.

One of these brews is going to be my Beer of the Year.

Best Beer Writer

I read other beer writers when I can, though it's usually something I just happen upon on social media, rather than something I seek out. I catch up on international beer news through Stephen Beaumont, American beery tales through Bryan Roth and I love to read anything by Jordan St. John. I wish he'd write more often.

My Beer Bros Don Redmond and Robert Arsenault (Drunk Polkeroo) are the writers closest to my heart and both are prolific, entertaining and highly skilled at their craft and I get a little hitch in my giddy-up when I see one of them posted something new. But the star writer of 2019, in my mind, was someone who always seemed to be the first to break the story on critical issues - you know, the ones involving misogyny and racism and stuff - and was a fierce defender of all that was good in the world of craft beer.

Double Jutsu

Robin LeBlanc for the win.

Best Beer City

My travels took me to Hamilton (numerous times), Ottawa, Toronto (particularly the west side of the city) and a few other spots around the province, but the little town immediately to the west of my home in downtown Oshawa earned most of my love - and my cash - in 2019. Home court advantage to be sure, but it is what it is.

Whitby gets the nod, with Hamilton real close.

Breweries I want to visit in 2020

I have enjoyed beer from a few on this list, such as Elora, Rouge River and Wavemaker, while Badlands, Godspeed and Mascot would be brand new experiences. I also want to visit whatever brewery Jim Gorry opens in Orono next year, although we all know how the business works so there's no guarantee Jim will be open in 2020. But here's hoping.

Number one on this list, however, is Wavemaker in Cambridge. My pal Matt brews there and a group of us visited Matt and Jess (best boss ever) in 2018 - before the brewery opened. I haven't been back but I aim to rectify that in 2020.

Best Brewmaster

I know a few brewers but I don't really know what goes on every day at my favourite breweries, so there's a lot of speculation and dart-throwing in this category. But I managed to pick five brewers for my final list: Erin Broadfoot and John Henley at Little Beasts; Corey Fairs at Manantler; Mike Lackey at Great Lakes and Ram McAllister at Fairweather.

Valkyrie

In the end I went with the brewer who hasn't had a misstep that I know of in 2019 (unless you count a non-existent Twitter presence, which is not really his department so I won't): Ram McAllister (Fairweather).

Brewery of the Year

Tough call here for sure, but I winnowed the list down to five breweries that all mastered the secret art of being innovative as well as consistently awesome. Manantler, Little Beasts and 5 Paddles from my Durham Region backyard, as well as Dominion City (Ottawa) and Fairweather (Hamilton), made the final cut.

Considering it led in category nominations (9) and just may have produced my Beer of the Year as well (spoiler alert!), the choice is clear: It's gotta be Little Beasts (Whitby).

Beer of the Year

You probably know by now which beer is my champion of 2019. God, I love Kviek yeast.

Valkyrie (Little Beasts)

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Year in Review - 2019 in Beer

(Part One)

Year-end blogs are highly subjective affairs at the best of times. It's MY favourite beers after all, and you didn't get a vote.

Also, being relatively poor means my disposable income is limited, so I tend to buy a lot of what I already know or are very confident I will love. I get out and about a bit to stretch my palate on occasion and I am usually pleasantly surprised when I do, so maybe there's hope for me as a beer reviewer yet.

But I freely admit my list barely scratches the surface of the wonderful selection of beer we have at our disposal in this province. So be it. I am writing this year-end review anyway.

Besides, I have a few family members and a handful of friends who have the misguided view that I am a Beer Influencer. Bless you for that, but you are incorrect. Maybe next year.

So  I write, which is  a good thing, as I haven't written much of anything in several months. I rehashed some old blogs but produced nothing new since I wrote a story on the Downtown Whitby Beer Festival in early October. Before that it was Part One (of what was supposed to be a three-part blog) of the Ottawa Brewery Invasion in September. Parts Two & Three never saw print.

This shot from Port Credit's Stonehooker Brewery
 - brilliantly captured by Candice - sums up the
vibe we all experience at our Brewery Invasions.
The next one is next month in Kingston.

Sorry Waller Street Brewing, Bicycle  Brewing and Dominion City. My pal Don wrote about you, so there's that.

We did another brewery invasion in November, hitting up five of Hamilton's excellent breweries (Fairweather, Grain & Grit, Merit, Collective Arts and Clifford), as well as Nickel Brook, Cameron's and Stone Hooker just to the east.

Not a word from me, however.

But there's a lot more to enjoying great beer than writing about it and 2019 turned out to be a pretty special year for beer and the friendships that go along with it.

Using that a touchstone, it was a damn good year for beer indeed.

I spent a day up at Lake of Bays' Huntsville Brewhouse helping to brew a beer, made multiple visits to Hamilton (I love the Hammer) and, as mentioned, sampled some of Ottawa's best during a memorable trip to our nation's capital.

I also visited my locals - particularly Little Beasts and Manantler - as often as I could afford, so I was able to get out of the house a bit.

And 2020 promises to be a much more productive year, filled with big changes. I'm moving, for one thing (although that has been delayed numerous times already so I shouldn't jinx it) and that comes with a new job and new responsibilities.

I'm really looking forward to that.

I'm also getting a full knee replacement (Total Knee Arthoplasty is the technical term) for my left knee in just over a week. Not sure I'm exactly looking forward to that, or to the physio that will follow, but it has to be done and I'm anxious to get started on this new chapter.

Maybe - just maybe - I can get back to writing on a regular basis too. I be REALLY looking forward to that.

Speaking of which, this is supposed to be a blog about beer, so let's get started.

IPAs and their friends

Karma Citra

IPA - The OG for me, and the style that got me hooked on craft beer. It's also still the most popular craft beer, and I had plenty of excellent examples to choose from this year. But for once, there wasn't a beer that stood out from the rest. I considered four from Great Lakes Brewery (GLB) - still the King of IPAs in Ontario - and 14 other beers from 13 different breweries.

The finalists included Octopus Wants To Fight, As Far Back As I Can Remember, Karma Citra and Thrust! from GLB; Roman Candle and Ghost Orchid from Bellwoods; as well as Greenwood (Left Field), High Grade (Fairweather), Headstock (Nickel Brook), On The Lam (Bicycle), Hazed & Confused (Muskoka), Australis (Elora), Fat Tug (Driftwood), In the Palms (Grain & Grit), Sunsplit (Dominion City), Square Wheels (Town), Dr. Juice (5 Paddles) and Melo (Wavemaker).

Often  a finalist but never a winner, Karma Citra (GLB) takes home the prize this year.

Imperial IPA - Could be the strongest category in 2019, with more than one IIPA also making my Best-of-the-Best list. So many impressive doubles this year, including Radio the Mothership and Big Cat Roars from Collective Arts, Double Descente fom Boreale. Unrivalled from Merit, A DIPA With Fruit from Dominion City and Barncat, Hopslam from Bells, Double Jutsu from Bellwoods, Laser Show from Left Field and Lil' Sebastian from Town.

The winner came in a box from Ottawa, via Canada Post - my one and only beer mail in 2019: A DIPA With Fruit (Dominion City/Barncat)

Triple IPA - I didn't enjoy too many Triple IPAs this past year, but there were three which stood out: Null & Void from Dominion City, Sparklepuff from Flying Monkeys - yes, if you can get a can without chunks it is a sublime beer - and Kraken from Little Beasts.

Considering Sparklepuff's controversial history, I chose Null & Void (Dominion City) and Kraken (Little Beasts) in a dead heat.

Quadruple IPA - Yes, that's a thing, though I had just one this year. But it was a winner: Cradle to Grave (5 Paddles)

Milkshake IPA -  I feel like this style suffered somewhat after the initial craze a couple of years ago as too many brewers were producing thin beers that tasted of vanilla and lactose and not much else. But there were two which stood out for me in 2019: Rumble Juice, a collaboration between Little Beasts and a couple of local homebrewers; and Peach & Apricot from Bicycle.

The winner? Rumble Juice (Little Beasts)

Crop Circles

Session IPA - Me, Myself & Mosaic (Manantler) for the win, besting Good Times (Beau's) and Paddle On (Lake of Bays).

Wet Hopped IPA - V Bines (5 Paddles)
Black IPA - Waller Street Black IPA
Nano IPA - We All Can't Be Patrick Swayze (5 Paddles)
Rye IPA - Rainbows in the Dark (Redline)

Belgian or White IPA - Three excellent examples of the style - a long-time favourite of mine - were Crop Circles (Grain & Grit), Rabbit of Caebernog (Indie Ale House) and Wag the Wolf (Beau's).

The champ is one of my favourite beers of 2019: Crop Circles (Grain & Grit).

ESB - A style I used to enjoy more often, so when I tried Mugg's Life (Manantler) I knew I had to honour it. Thanks Matt.

American Pale Ale - Might be my favourite style these days. More sessionable and so incredible delicious. If I could marry an APA, I would. Eleven made the cut in 2019, including two from Little Beasts (Valkyrie & Pinion); two from Manantler (Eastern Promises & Tunnel Vision); two from Fairweather (One By One Idaho Gem & One By One Simcoe); two from Bellwoods (Wizard Wolf Citra & Columbus and Wizard Wolf Simcoe & Mosaic); Redline (Clutch), Beyond the Pale (Yummy) and Town (Four Corners).

The winner (by a landslide): Valkyrie (Little Beasts)

The Dark Side

Imperial Stout - I spent my cash judiciously on these beers, which can be pricey, so I missed out on most of the special releases of 2019. But the ones I did enjoy? So worth it. My three finalists were Origin of Darkness - with Cannelloni (Collective Arts), Peanut Butter Godiva (5 Paddles) and Prodromus (Omnipollo).

Silky

Considering how often I waxed poetically about it, the obvious winner was Peanut Butter Godiva (5 Paddles).

Porter - Two finalists to select from, and they're both from Hamilton: Clifford Porter and Silky (Fairweather). The winner is Silky (Fairweather). So good.

Tropical Stout - Wait So Long (Little Beasts/Victor North)
Session Stout - Peanut Butter Shake (Whitewater)
Brown Ale - Barley Brown (Manantler)

Lagers, Saisons & Sours

Sours - The tangy goodness of a well-made Sour is a well deserved break after a tough day, and the market is full of excellent Sours these days. There were five  which got my attention in 2019, including two from Fairweather: Dream Pop and Kokomo. Little Beasts (Changeling - Peach/Apricot), Town (Fruit Dart) and Shacklands (Cosmic Trigger) also made the list.

The winners are Cosmic Trigger (Shacklands) and Fruit Dart (Town).

Saisons - Two finalists, with La Saison d'Ete (Little Beasts) edging Earl Grey Marmalade (Dominion City).

Lager - Decoy Lager (Spearhead)
Kolsch - Clean Cut (Beyond the Pale)
Gose - Little Wizard (Little Beasts/Brew Wizards)

Next up, my top 11 beers of 2019 (I couldn't stop at 10), Best Brewer, Best Brewery, a few other best-in-class winners and my Beer of the Year.

Cheers!

First published in 2013, I tweak it a bit from time to time. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all in this great city! We will get through this to hug again

The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Shwa

Not a creature was stirring, not even the law
My IPA was spiked with the finest in cheap gin
St Nicholas would know that was a win

My youngest was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of Mem Cup tickets danced in his head
And me in my boxers, the presents in a heap

Had just passed out for a short Christmas sleep

When out on the driveway there arose such a din
I sprang from the couch, knocking over the gin
Away to the door I ran but I stumbled
My boxers were tattered my fingers they fumbled

I made it outside in time to see a rare thing

The Mayor of Oshawa in full gangsta bling

He gave me a nod to say it was safe to go home

He didn’t see the sleigh all shiny and chromed

The man in the suit, I knew him straight away

I saw him downtown already today

His sleigh-pulling team, faster than eagles

Was six new Sierras and a used Buick Regal

Now Davis and Kornic! Now Giberson I say!

On Bell! On Julius! On Rosemary and Gray!
To the top of the building! To the top of the sky!
I put down the bottle ‘cause I must be too high

As dry heaves convulse me for I’ve seen far too much
I’ve seen bloody Santa Claus, his presents and such

I shielded my eyes as his sleigh-cars they glistened

I knew he was real, if only they listened

And then, in a flash I heard a noise on my ceiling
Like the sounds from the BIA, when one side’s appealing
I raced in the house in time to see Big Red

The jolly guy himself asleep on my bed

He was dressed in bright red, trimmed in black leather
He looked like he could handle any foul weather
His big sack of toys had fallen to the floor
The mud from his boots left a trail to the door

His eyes, how they sparkled! I’d say if he woke

But alas! I just hoped he hadn’t had a stroke
His face was all crimson, that was a concern

I hoped it wasn't Covid; perhaps just sunburn

His lips lacked the pipe he smoked in the day

Santa quit smoking, hip hip and hooray!
He had a kind little face and a six-pack for a tummy

He’d been to the gym; Mrs. Claus didn’t raise no dummy

He jumped to his feet; Santa was ready to go

There were kids to appease, he couldn’t say no

He gave me a smile, a nod and a wink

And said he’s off to drop toys at Harmon Park rink

He floated out the window and onto his sleigh

And revved up the engines, like’s he’s done each day

He gave me a wave and he soared o’er the trees

The Oshawa Centre be the next thing he sees

He blared all his horns as his sleigh flew away

Christmas, he yelled, comes only today
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

This Remembrance Day blog was first published in 2013 and has been faithfully reprinted every year since, with a few tweaks each time. Lest we forget

I Remember

Je me souviens. I remember.

I remember my great-grandmother’s tears when she sent four of her boys off to fight in the Great War. I remember her muted joy at seeing three of them return safe but never truly sound; her son John – my father carries his name – fought valiantly during that horrible spring of 1917 before he was left behind in the deadly quagmire that was the first day of Passenchedale.

I remember English Sally, she who married a son of Pennan, walking the length of the island from her family home in the great naval port of Southampton to the north-east coast of Scotland, just to be with her man, homeward bound from the Napoleonic Wars.

I remember Alexander Hendry of Aberdeenshire fighting for his freedom at Culloden in 1746. Life for Alexander and the rest of the Scots who fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie would never be the same.

I remember a newlywed Rozel straining to deliver her baby on the very day her husband, an American loyal to the crown and kin to my children, was fighting for Canada’s freedom alongside Isaac Brock at Queenston Heights. The soldier would return safely to meet his son; his wife would not see either ever again.

I remember my Great-Uncle Charlie, who had left his wife behind while he tried to earn a living in Malaysia’s rubber industry, struggling to stay alive in a Japanese POW camp during World War II. Charlie, who served me marmalade on toast when I visited him in Rotorua, New Zealand 44 years later, risked his life to keep a diary as he toiled daily to rebuild the bridge over the River Kwai, while the good guys rained down death from above.

I remember a son of a former classmate losing his life in Afghanistan; the shock when I read the news lingers with me still.

I remember my friend's Uncle Don, a Second World War Navigator who died in battle in the summer of 1944. Don passed on his name to his nephew and his story to you.

I remember the 3rd Canadian Infantry and Pvt George Savage - father to Jamie - braving an apocalypse of bombs and gunfire to land at Juno Beach on D-Day 1944 to begin their push into Germany.

I remember other Dads from the neighbourhood and their efforts in that war as well. Art Canfield - father of Bruce, Diane and Paul - served with the Royal Regiment of Canada and Phil Hennessey - father of John - got to meet General George S. Patton.

I remember Tom McCaw - father to Janine - enjoying great meals and an accommodation upgrade on a Canadian naval ship because crew members were convinced he was King George VI in hiding.

Passchendaele

I remember Frederick Wilmot - grandfather to Nicole - who enlisted in 1941 and rose to the rank of Sergeant.

I remember Vic Shirreffs, my first father-in-law, who served as a stoker in the Canadian Navy.

I remember Royal Navy Seaman Stanley March, great-grandfather of Josh, and I remember Bill Ryan, father of Dave, who fought with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

I remember William Findlay, great-grandfather of Amy and the youngest Sergeant Major in the British Army, being awarded the Distinguished Medal of Honour.

I remember the funeral of a young man related to me by marriage who was just beginning his military career. The sound of the pipes as they played Amazing Grace sent shivers up my spine. I will never forget that day.

I remember my friend Hago, who did two tours - the first in Kosovo and the second in Afghanistan - and continues to serve to this day.

I remember Mark; and I won't forget Scottie, who earned his Marksman Award four years running in Pettawawa. I remember the future pilots at the old Portage la Prairie air base in Manitoba; and the men and women from the local armoury who come out to Karaoke at Stag's Head in Oshawa on Tuesday nights.

Commemorating the 100th anniversary
of the Armistice. Oshawa, 2018

I remember Vimy Ridge, the four-day battle in the spring of 1917 that marked - at a cost of 10,000 soldiers killed or wounded - a coming of age for Canada as a nation, as well as the end of our innocence about wars and the people who profit from them.

I also remember my friend Sandi's simple description of four members of her family who served in both World Wars: "Heroes. Each and every one."

I remember the Remembrance Day service held a day early a few years ago in downtown Brooklin for the benefit of the school children. After being so many generations removed from war it was important the kids knew what their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were fighting for, and that they would have a better understanding of what they were supposed to remember.

I  remember every soldier I have ever known and I remember those who fought and died for me and my family and for our freedom, and for the freedom that we all enjoy and too often take for granted.

I remember the families and friends of those soldiers and the tears that were shed for fallen loved ones.

I remember the blood spilled by innocents, and I remember the heartbreak of everyone affected by war.

I remember like it was yesterday the signing of the Armistice to end the Great War. One hundred and two years ago today.

I remember. So I won’t ever forget.

Downtown Whitby, Little Beasts in the spotlight

It was quite a couple of days for Little Beasts Brewing.

First up was the Ontario Brewing Awards, where the two year-old Whitby micro-brewery - last year's Best Newcomer winners at the Golden Taps - took home three silvers for Nihilist (American Porter & Stout), Strange Aeons (Strong American Ale) and La Petite Duchesse (Strong Belgian Ale).

The two-day Downtown Whitby Beer Fest immediately followed and the brewery capped the weekend by winning the People's Choice Award and the hideously adorable trophy that goes with it.

Time to take a bow, Erin & John.

Marie enjoying a pint at the Downtown
Whitby Beer Fest

Speaking of the Downtown Whitby Beer Fest, Marie and I took in the festivities on the Friday night and we both came away super impressed.

Plenty of breweries - ten, plus Social Lite Vodka - and plenty of beery options coupled with a really cool vibe.

It was supposed to rain all evening and I figured we'd get wet for sure but Mother Nature gave us craft beer lovers a break and the rain held out until the very end. It turned out to be a beautiful night to drink beer and listen to great live music.

It was my first night-time beer festival and it was really quite magical. Marie and I spent most of the evening under the big top, which was festooned with hundreds of white light bulbs that gave the feeling we were at a concert at a candle-lit street party.

Sort of like that scene in the Daredevil Netflix series (Season 2) when Karen takes Matt on a date to an outdoor restaurant lit up by hundreds of multi-coloured light bulbs shaped like hot peppers.

The Big Top

Except our bulbs were white and shaped like regular light bulbs and I'm not Daredevil.

Still pretty cool.

But before we found our seats we made the rounds of the festival, which is held in the town's Celebration Square, part of Whitby's Central Library grounds.

(Disclosure: Any positive comments on this library, which was built in 2005 because City Hall is way up on Rossland Road and the Town needed a downtown 'anchor' for special events, should be taken with extreme bias. My mother-in-law, Lene Otbo-Rozel, was a key member of the award-winning interior design team.)

Manantler's main man Matt 

The first brewery on the tour was Manantler, so Matt Allot's smiling face was the first face we saw. Marie and I were off to a good start, I reckoned, and I started with an OMG Beckie! Look at her Brut, while Marie opted to go big with a Seismic Narwhal IIPA.

All of Nothing from Oshawa was in the house, as was Brock Street, and I congratulated the Brock Street team for the their four medals at the OBAs, including a gold for their Scotch Ale.

Little Beasts was also down the first aisle, conveniently found near the porta-potties. More importantly, John had stocked his booth with kegs of my beloved Valkyrie - which was conspicuously absent from the brewery just a few days before - as well as Little Wizards, a 'Margarita Gose' that was the result of a collaboration with Brew Wizards and was ranked high on tonight's to-do list.

But we were still sipping on our first sample, so we told John we would see him real soon.

(Pacing is important at these events, especially as the sample glass handed out wasn't your usual five-ounce taster, but a mug that held 13 ounces of brew and the six-ounce recommended pour was often closer to eight.)

Jesse Dynes of the Jesse Dynes Trio, now
re-named (in mid-session) Zack Honey.
The band, not Jesse

We walked through the tent to the other side of the festival next and said hello to Jeff, who was the hands-on owner-operator of the Town Brewery booth this night.

Jeff brought two new beers to the event: Dockside, a Citra dry-hopped Blonde (4.5 per cent) and Couch Full of Dads, a juicy 6.3 per cent IPA. Both were delicious and while my IPA was lacking a little in carbonation the aromatics were on point and the taste delivered more than enough mango and pineapple for my needs.

We stopped for a chat at Paniza, a Toronto-based homebrewer turned contract brewer currently brewing out of the Junction Brewery, and then visited the 5 Paddles booth for some of their dessert-in-a-glass Coconut Cream Pie.

After spinning the wheel and winning a free taster, I would later return for some In Your Face IPA, but the rest of the night was spent relaxing under the tent listening to great live music and making several trips to the Little Beasts booth.

But not just for Valkryrie. Little Wizards, that Margarita Gose I mentioned earlier, was a big hit for both of us but especially Marie, who raved about its orange-lime tartness and salty finish.

Dynamite carbonation too.

So that's how we nursed a couple of hours, sipping on a few Little Beasts brew and listening to a couple of bands. We really enjoyed the bluesy Jesse Dynes Trio and when the band joined our table after their set we learned from bassist Ben Green that he and drummer Jason Potash orchestrated  a coup and changed the bands name to Zack Honey.

Hideous but adorable. But not cake

Jesse, who was listening, laughed and said he was perfectly okay with it.

Safe as Houses followed, and this eclectic band (there was a cello!) was getting near the end of their  set - and the evening session - when Mother Nature came crashing in to the party.

We knew it was coming and most of the crowd was happy she held off as long as she did, but it still caused a bit of a panic when the thunder and lightening interrupted the show with Thor-like passion.

It was quite a capper on a wonderful evening.

As to that People's Choice Award, John said he was proud to win it, but initially disappointed when he got to see the trophy up close.

"I thought it was cake."

613 Brewery Invasion? What a Capital idea!

(Part 1)

The weekend of the 613 Craft Brewery Invasion ticked off all the boxes for me.

There would be beer - great beer - and there would be conversation with great friends.  Wonderful conversations, in fact, that would be equal parts funny, poignant and slanderous, but always entertaining. And there would be laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.

There would also be stories - some true, some not - about legendary St. Lawrence River Water Snakes; about Cornwall; and about the history of this great nation.

Tales would be told of adjustable prosthetic legs, and trademark issues (Juteuse et Nebuleuse AF™ is off limits, you hackers) would also come up in the chatter. There would also be (I'm told) claims of snoring. Lots of snoring.

Allegedly. But you can ask Paul about that. On second thought, don't. Suppressed memories are the best memories.

But you're not going to get all of this goodness here; sorry and all that. It's taken me more than a month to get this far.

The Parliament Buildings. Canada's most
famous phallic symbol

The weekend had been talked about since the core of the group came back from Huntsville in late April, where we took full advantage of the hospitality provided by Lake of Bays Brewhouse staff to have a marvellous time, culminating in an after-party in Phantom Donnie's hotel room.

And we returned the favour (sort of) by helping brew an awesome West Coast IPA called Bucket List.

It was an amazing weekend meeting new friends and two of the them - Ottawa Matty and Ottawa Joel - declared that the next beer adventure had to be in Ottawa. Natch.

"Our nation's capital is home to more three dozen breweries," enthused Joel. "And they're "Juteuse et Nebuleuse AF," chimed in Matt.

And there they go again, speaking French knowing I can't understand a word. I also heard Joel muttering "Glenn est bel homme" a few times over the weekend and I'm sure he was talking smack about me.

Still, they're great guys and I was quick to tell them I was in. Just let me know when, I said.

I never tire of running this image

It would be a couple of months before the date was finalized - trying to get as many people as possible to agree on a weekend is tough to do, what with work and family commitments, and it's especially difficult in the summer -  but eventually August 17 was fixed.

Now I just had to figure out how to afford the trip, especially since I sold all my credit cards and most of my worldly possessions few months before to try and corner the market on Kveik yeast.

I failed. I'm gonna need a roommate.

As luck would have it, my pal Paul (@bigpeezy) was on Twitter begging for someone to share a room. As I was unable to secure one on my own (see financial issues itemized above), I figured this was a perfect match.

So I grudgingly agreed to share a room with Paul. (But I want that begging thing noted for the record.)

And as Ottawa is a bit of a jaunt from Oshawa, I decided to book off my usual three-hour Saturday morning shift and head out on the Friday, an unusual bit of good judgement on my part.

Especially as Friday, August 16 turned out to be a beautiful day for a long drive. About four hours from Oshawa, I figured, and even quicker if you do a steady 125, which I did.

But it still took me four hours-plus, 'cause I had to make a few pit stops.

For beer.

A recent addition to Manantler's Bottle Wall of
Fame shelf. I can dig it

The first stop doesn't really count, as it was just a few minutes down the highway at Manantler in Bowmanville, and I needed to pick up a few gifts.

Most of the guys on these beer excursions send beer mail to each other on the regular. It's like Christmas, but every couple of weeks. I'm not in that snack bracket, unfortunately, but I do try and bring a few samples of the great beer we have here in Durham Region. I hit up Little Beasts the day before for some Valkyrie and now it was time to pay a visit to my once and always, Manantler, for some Eastern Promises.

Gotta make sure Durham's fine ales are represented in our nation's capital.

Turned out I wasn't the only member of the 613 Brew Crew to visit Bowmanville's OG brewery that morning.

Norm was working the bar when I arrived, and after serving me my pint he went back to working on his podcast or some other entrepreneurial thing, leaving me to chat with Corey, Manantler's talented and extremely chill head brewer.

The next time I saw Norm, who was one of the founding Wizards in downtown  Oshawa's Brew Wizards Cafe and now runs Manantler's tap room while he gets his business, North Brothers Films, up and running, was as I was leaving.

"Your roommate was here earlier," he said, in that trademark dry, slightly very sarcastic tone. "He says he is looking forward to a wonderful weekend sharing a room with you."

"He said that, did he," I responded, thinking, that's how it's going to be, huh? as I gathered my rapier-like wit about me. "Wait until Paul finds out I'm broke and I'll have to owe him for the room."

Honest. That was the best comeback I could come up with.

At Gananoque Brewery, located
in the town's historic Bell Tower

But it was still good for a laugh and I was in good spirits as I headed to my car with my purchases, with only the open road between me and my friends in Ottawa.

It was a gorgeous day for a drive and it was ... refreshing to not have to deal with traffic. Just a straight cruise through familiar places from my reporter days like Port Hope/Cobourg, past the Big Apple in Colborne (What's up Kyra?) and on through Trenton, Belleville and Kingston, where my youngest and I spent an enjoyable weekend not too many years back and where the Brew Crew looks to be headed in the new year.

It was after Kingston when I saw my gas gauge getting dangerously close to 'E' and decided a fill was in order. With the next town on the highway being Gananoque the timing couldn't have been better.

Steve, my Beer Bro and my old college roomie, is from this little St. Lawrence River town (the gateway to the 30,000 Islands), and though he now lives in far-off Wellington, New Zealand, he still has fond memories of his hometown.

A lot has changed in Steve's life since then, most notably the fact that he no longer has either of his legs, the result of a genetic nerve disorder called Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy (HSAN) Type 1.

He was diagnosed with HSAN in 2001 - not long after he arrived down under - and was in and out of the hospital 20-plus times before an infection suffered nine years later forced the amputation of his right leg.

My pal Steve enjoying Wellington's
top notch ales, as well as its views

Two years after the surgery his left leg suffered the same fate and my mate now sports nifty prosthetics that are adjustable and currently allow him to stand 6'6, which is just an inch short of his former height of 6'7, or Five-foot 19, as he calls it.

It's a story I share with you now, and I also chose to share it with Lydia, who was running the tap room at the town's own brewery, the aptly named Gananoque Brewing Company, where I stopped for a beer after filling up my tank.

I ordered a pint of Cooper's Hawk, an American Pale Ale (4.2 per cent) that not only sports a super cool name to a Raptor enthusiast like me, but was also delicious and I asked Lydia if she knew of my pal.

No, she had not, she said.

He grew up here before moving to New Zealand, I told her.

'Course he had legs when he lived here
Say what now?
Yeah, he lost both his legs due to a genetic nerve disorder
Get out!
He has prosthetic legs now. They're adjustable
Get out!
So he's actually an inch shorter now
Get out!!

So I did, but not before buying a few beers to go from the fridge, including several Cooper's Hawk APAs.

And saying goodbye to Lydia.

The next landmark was Brockville, and then it was the hour drive on Highway 416, which heads north off the 401 to Ottawa.

I wasn't pulling over to check on my friends' whereabouts, so I set a course for Beyond the Pale (BTP) - a must-see brewery that was only on the "we're gonna try a squeeze it in" part of the itinerary - before calling my pals to see where they at.

My good friend Shannon - World's Greatest Bank Teller - had transferred to Ottawa a few months back and landed a part-time job at BTP, so I was trying to make a connection before the weekend was out.

I knew she was working Saturday night, but it was worth a shot to see if she was there Friday, and if I'm going to stop somewhere in Ottawa , Beyond the Pale seemed like a good place to drop anchor.

A typical Beyond the Pale lineup

Besides, Corey at Manantler had asked me to pick him up a couple of beers, and the brewery - perhaps the best known in Ottawa - was on his list.

Shannon wasn't in when I arrived, but the place was buzzing and there were plenty of hoppy beers on tap and in the fridge. So I bought my to-go brews (including a can of Project, their single hop pale ale series, for Corey), had an Aromatherapy - one of Ontario's OG Hazy IPAs - at the bar and called the gang.

"We're in Orleans, at Orleans Brewery," said Matt, my helpful Ottawa tour guide. "Go north to Scott Street and ..."

"Hold up," I said. "I don't know where north is. Strange town and all. Which way to the St. Lawrence River?"

"The what?" was Matt's response. "The St. Lawrence is like a hundred miles away."

"I just need to get my bearings," I answered, asking again where the river I left over an hour before was, knowing I was in for a weekend of ribbing over this.

Anyway, after a few stops and starts and at least one more phone call to Matt ("my GPS wants to send me to New Orleans!"), I eventually made it to suburban Orleans and the brewery.

Spearhead Brewery President Josh getting the rundown
from Orleans Brewery Head Brewer Adam on how to
perform T-Rex dance moves

The boys - those who were arriving Friday anyway - were on the patio enjoying the late summer evening when I arrived. Matt and Joel - our hosts - were there, as well as Paul, my Beer Bro Don and Spearhead Brewery (Kingston) owner Josh Hayter.

Orleans Brewery owner Yann Lemieux was also at the table and we shared stories and pints (Billy Bob Bison Pale Ale for me) for a while until Danny, who was coming all the way from Sudbury, arrived.

We made sure our boy from the Nickel City had a beer in his hands and then Yann passed us off to Adam, who took us on a tour of the brewery and let us sample a Double IPA straight from the brite tank.

I seem to remember having to drag Don away from that tank.

I also remember us being a happy bunch as we left Orleans and headed to our respective hotels to rest up for what would be a busy five-brewery Saturday.

What else did I remember from a memorable day? I remember Paul being completely oblivious to what he would have to endure over the next two nights with me as his roommate.

But that's for another blog.

The Bucket List Beer love-fest

If there was a beer I had looked forward to trying more than Lake of Bays Bucket List IPA I couldn't remember what it was.

The beer was created by a team of experts - 13 in all - who travelled to Lake of Bays Brewhouse in downtown Huntsville last April to show veteran brewer Andrew Walsh how to properly and ethically take credit for brewing an IPA.

Because despite the heroic efforts of myself and other members of the ragtag pack of (alleged) beer influencers to perform vital duties such as dumping the malt in the tank (without losing the bag in the process) and cleaning said tank out of spent malt after the first boil, it was Andrew who did all the important stuff.

I still want a medal though.

Anyway, it was a fantastic day filled with great hospitality from the brewery staff - including owner Darren Smith - and good friends and we ended up brewing a West Coast-style IPA that we all knew would be the best IPA ever because we brewed it.

The original art - credit David (top left) - depicting
the remaining members of the Huntsville
Brew Crew in Phantom Donnie's hotel room

With Andrew's help of course.

But that was back on April 13, while the ice was still on the surrounding lakes and the promise of summer seemed so far away.

Fast forward to July and still nothing but crickets from our friends at Lake of Bays, so one of our group - Ottawa Matt, I'm pretty sure - asked what was up with Bucket List?

I'm glad you asked, replied Jackie and Emma, the brewery's social media mavens: "You all will be receiving packages in the mail very soon."

Except for you, Glenn. Could you send us your address again? We seemed to have misplaced it.

Turns out the shit-ton of hops we threw in the tanks made the beer a tad pricey to make on a large scale so they just made the one batch; intel which was unearthed by the investigative skills of my pal Don, who used to  work for newspapers back in the days before #fakenews, so you know you can trust it.

I do, anyway.

(Lake of Bays has said  they might make the beer their regular West Coast IPA in the future - probably with a tweak to the hop recipe from 'shit-ton' to 'lots and lots' - so perhaps we will see this beer again one day.)

In any event, packages were indeed sent out to the lucky 13 via Canada Post and on July 25 Sudbury Danny was crowing about his shipment of three cans, each adorned with a Broken Axe Pale Ale label.

Wait, what?

The same day he posted a new pic on Twitter, this time with a label - designed by artist extraordinaire David Buist - depicting an epic moment near the end of that wonderful night when the five of us (of 13) who were still standing (and drinking) invaded Beer Bro Don's hotel room.

(Don - hereby known as Phantom Donny - had disappeared - 'Phantomed' - about an hour before. We tracked him down and after banging on his door long enough to wake him - and an irate motel manager as well - we watched the Leafs-Bruins game and drank Lake of Bays beer for an hour while Don slept. And then we got kicked out by the aforementioned motel manager. Good times, good times.)

Danny (bottom central in the pic) had taken it upon himself to 'personalize' his cans with David's art, which was a stunningly brilliant idea. I don't know how many others in the group followed suit, but I know I did.

After I finally received my beer mail the next day.

And here is the art immortalized on a can of
Bucket List IPA (delicious!) and on my
personalized glass too!

Actually, I was sure I wasn't going to get my beer until the Monday because it wasn't on my porch when I got home from work, nor was there a note from Canada Post telling me to pick up my package from the nearest outlet.

And then Roy and Kat, who live upstairs, handed me a package that was delivered to their unit by mistake.

The truth is I was a little hesitant to get too excited about the beer because I've gone so deep into the Hazy IPA craze that true, piney West Coast-style IPAs have been leaving me, not exactly cold, but cool at best these days.

Would I love the beer we made?

If my post on Twitter was any indication, yes. Yes I did.

Gorgeous pour, with pine, a little ripe citrus and some back-end bitterness. I think I did a great job brewing this!

My post also earned high praise from Ottawa Matt, who has been scoring our beer pics on Twitter ever since Huntsville: Level 166 glassware combo. New high score bonus. Carves himself off and puts himself front and centre bonus hahaha. Palm tree of sorts foliage bonus. 1 ups Danny bonus.

I actually loved this beer. Almost as much as I loved taking credit for brewing it.

Thank you Huntsville Brew Crew. And thank you Lake of Bays Brewhouse.

Cheers!

A Spiegelau story

My love affair with Spiegelau glassware didn't last long, as I discovered mere weeks after I purchased my first (and only) four-pack of the glass (designed with IPAs in mind) in 2014.

The glass was created in collaboration with American craft beer legends Sam Calgione (Dogfish Head) and Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada) to support the "complex and volatile aromas" in IPA-style beers.

Something about the beer re-carbonating itself and re-releasing the aromas every time you raise the glass to your lips, if I recall.

Broken dreams...

They also break really, really easily, and three-quarters of my initial purchase (on sale at The Bay) came out of the sink in pieces (despite my best efforts to be gentle) really, really quickly.

My last glass stuck around for another six months or so, and then I was Spiegelau-free until I started acquiring brewery glassware a couple of years later.

My beer brothers seem to have a love-hate relationship of their own with the glasses. I know Don owns a bunch and is forever breaking them but still buys them. Polk, on the other hand, seems to be singing their praises a fair bit. So maybe it's just me.

Last weekend, all three in my collection - from Town, Muskoka and Manantler breweries - ended up in the dish rack at the same time. The Manantler glass, by the way, went home with me after my last visit to my once and always favourite brewery just a  couple of days before.

The legendary Spiegelau glass

The glasses were braced in the rack by a large baking sheet, and when dumb ass me removed the sheet, catastrophe ensued. Two of the glasses fell in the dish rack - which seemed innocent enough - while my Manantler glass cleared the rack and allowed gravity take it down.

I got a foot out quickly to cushion its fall, but it still hit my ceramic tiled floor hard.

And it didn't break.

I was shocked, but pleased at the turn of events, and I quickly put all three glasses away safely before anything else happened. And then I, bare of foot as I was, looked back at the floor and saw the two broken pieces of glass.

Damn. So I retrieved the three glasses and looked at them, carefully this time. And it was the Town glass, which appeared to have been struck by the baking sheet in just the right (or wrong) spot.

And now I'm short one more Spiegelau glass.

Hammer Time!

I really, really dig Hamilton's beer scene.

My most recent trip to the Hammer was my seventh by my count (keeping in mind I spent three years in Grade 11 Math) in the past 18 months or so, which is a lot of trips for a beer loving but budget conscious fellow such as myself.

My frequent visits is a reflection both of the local beer scene - hopping! - and of the people in the GTA's second city.

I've been there to see friends and my tribe (four times), as well as trips with friends AND to see friends (three times). And each and every time I paid a visit
to at least two and usually four of Hamilton's six world class breweries.

I had been talking up Hamilton so much my friends Candice and Marie finally snapped and told me they would seal my mouth shut with duct tape (Candice) and zip ties (Marie) if I didn't take them there and show them what the fuss was all about.

Wrong Hammer? Sorry...

Well, twist my arm (much less painful than the previous suggestions - zip ties? - geez, Marie) and call me thirsty, I'm in, I said, and on July 20 we piled into Candice's truck and headed west to Hamilton.

With a quick pit stop at Little Beasts Brewing in Whitby first to whet our whistles and to stock up on Valkyrie, the official beer of summer in Asgard for the last millennia, and now my beer of summer for the millennia to come.

(I don't want to harp on how much I love this Kviek-yeasted ale - John and Erin at the brewery are well aware - but I really, really love this beer.)

Also there were pop-ups - Pierogi Me (sooooo good), Pretty Pennie Jewelry (somebody got new earrings) and Smiles Apparel - to help entice us in. And Erin was there slinging suds, so there was that too.

Getting the party started at Little Beasts

Our thirsts quenched, we hit the road once more, with the plan to hit up west end Hamilton breweries Fairweather and Grain & Grit first - they are practically right across the street from each other - and, if time permitted, detour a few minutes further west to the historic village of Dundas (now part of Hamilton) to meet up with Marie's friends Lynn and Kerry at Shawn & Ed Brewery.

But we all know what Robbie Burns said about the best laid plans of mice and beer drinkers, and despite Candice gently urging fellow Hwy 403 and QEW travellers to "pick up the pace Grandpa" and "get out of the passing lane if you're only gonna do 130," time did not, in fact, permit, so when we arrived at Fairweather I suggested to Marie that maybe her friends could meet us here instead?

Fairweather Brewery

"Already on it, " she said, and shortly after we got her drinks in and had a look at the brewery's bottle shop, her pals arrived to help us sample Fairweather's fine selection of beers.

This brewery has always been a favourite of mine, mostly because they deliver consistent winners - High Grade IPA, for example, is world class - and I was glad I was able to share the experience with my friends.

Also, Fairweather is dog-friendly and who doesn't like to pet a few pooches whilst enjoying a beer?

The two standouts at Fairweather this day (besides High Grade) were One By One Idaho Gem (part of their single hop pale ale series) and Silky, a coffee and cacao Porter that was my pal Don's Porter of the Year last year and is likely to be my selection in that category this year.

Silky drew rave reviews from all of us, in fact. Marie said she had a mic drop moment, declaring it would be her favourite beer of the day.

(By the end of the day we weren't able to change her mind. Of course, no one tried. It was super delicious.)

With the glasses empty and the dogs petted we walked/drove the 80 meters to Grain & Grit for our second stop. I chose the drive because it was really, really stinkin' hot. You may judge me if you want, but I repeat: it was really, really, stinkin' hot.

Grain & Grit was - of course - packed inside so we baked in the heat out on the patio (karma?) while we enjoyed our pints. It was debatable if inside was any cooler anyway.

I know at least one of these is mine...

The beer was on point.  In the Palms IPA was its usual delicious self, while Cherry Picker Sour and Hop Charmer, a new IPA, also stood out.

The company was first rate as well and I got along famously with Kerry, who appears to have the same sense of humour I used to have, back when I was capable of a relationship married.

It seems to be working for him, but I'm twice-divorced, so far be it for me to offer any advice...

But we had to break up the band at this point, as Kerry and Lynn had to get back to Dundas and the rest of the Musketeers had a scheduled celebrity date downtown at Merit Brewing and we didn't want to be late.

See, I know a couple or three beer 'influencers' in the Hamilton/Halton area and I promised the ladies I'd try to arrange something to spice up the day.

So I got in touch with my Beer Bro and college chum Don - who Candice knows well from our Barrie adventure last December - and also reached out to the Polks - Drunk Polkeroo and Lady Polk, as they are better known - who are essentially beer royalty in these parts.

Robert (Drunk Polkeroo) and Kathryn (Lady Polk) with
Merit co-owner Tej Sandhu

They're all smashingly awesome people, as well as my really good friends.

Don, unfortunately, was working this day, so I promised we would stop in at his Beer Store in Oakville on the way back to say howdy and maybe drop off a couple of beer goodies.

But the Polks - Robert and Kathryn - were available, and Kat and I agreed on 4:30 at Merit Brewing in downtown Hamilton to catch up and to meet my friends. And it was already four.

So we piled  our purchases into the truck, and headed into the core of the Hammer for our rendezvous.

Merit Brewing might not be the most well known Hamilton brewery outside the Steel City, but in the Hammer this two year-old brewery is the bomb diggety for the twenty-something and thirty-something downtown crowd. They're attracted by the big open concept space inside, with views of James Street at one end and the brewery at the other; the delicious sausages and other delectables on the menu; and, of course, the beer.

Candice, Robert, Kathryn, myself and Marie at Merit Brewing

You won't see Merit beers in the LCBO, Beer Store or grocery stores and you will find them in only a select few local bars. You want Merit beer? The brewery is where you'll get them.

It's popularity means it's usually super busy and it took a bit to find five spots at one of the communal tables after we are all assembled, but with all Merit had to offer and great friends for company, it was more than worth the wait.

(Really, though, it was just four spots and I was squeezed very tightly between Lady Polk and Marie, which I suppose is actually a good thing.)

The beer was the bomb, with Take a Knee Hazy IPA, Young Rival IPA and Takes Two to Mango the memorable brews for me. Unfortunately they were out of Waves & Waves & Waves, a raspberry, blackberry and vanilla Sour brewed in collaboration with Dugges Bryggeri of Sweden.

(Marie, being Swedish and all, really wanted this beer. Candice, being a lover of awesome fruity sour beers, really, really wanted this beer. So it was a good thing I got her a bottle two weeks before when I was in town visiting my friend Shona. Sharing is caring, Candice.)

So there we were, talking beer and life with the Polks, enjoying dinner (butter chicken sausage with mango for the win) and some fine ale, and it occurred to me that catching up with old friends and meeting new ones is a pretty special way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

But we had one more brewery on our agenda and Robert, who had already worked an eight hour shift this day, had a date with a backyard swimming pool back at the Grotto.

Two beauties. Marie and Candice in front
 of the Liquid Arts mural at
Collective Arts Brewery

(The Grotto, by the way, is located mere minutes from the one Hamilton brewery I have yet to visit: Clifford Brewing. But I did get to enjoy some Clifford brews, as Polk gifted me a couple of cans of Artificial Paradise, a 7.1 per cent IPA made with Citra, Amarillo & Galaxy hops. He received a bottle of Valkyrie from Little Beasts in return.)

So we said our goodbyes and drove the three kilometres north to Hamilton's harbour area and our final beer stop: Collective Arts.

This is the brewery that has the most exposure in LCBOs around Ontario and as it's located in a former Lakeport Brewing facility, it has the most capacity to do so. And with boy wonder brewmaster Ryan Morrow at the helm, Collective Arts has been conjuring up delicious brews since its inception six years ago.

And we wanted some of that.

Polk had tipped us off to two beers we should try if given the chance, though the brewery's fame meant the brews go fast. So we missed out on Orange Chicken IPA, a collaboration with Jing-A Brewery of China, which is too bad, as it has been my life mission to drink an IPA made with one of my favourite Chinese dishes.

The Collective Arts beer fridge

Maybe not life mission, but since I heard of it (today) anyway.

But no Orange Chicken IPA left, and none of the Surround Sound Version 4 (Chinook & Citra) either, but they did have it on tap and it was delicious.

Candice, who was driving, limited herself to a taste of mine and agreed.

We did leave with Peak of Fluorescence, a new 8.1 per cent Imperial Pale Ale made with Citra & Nelson Sauvin, as well as Pina Colada Sour and a few other goodies. Marie picked up Thought Patterns, a dry-hopped Lager, as well.

And at that we left Hamilton behind, with just one brief stop in a certain Oakville Beer Store before the long drive home.

Candice and Don

Don, my Beer Bro and college chum, was at work but hardly working, so he spent a few minutes with us chatting about beer, children and more beer.

I also gave Don a can of the new Hop Charmer IPA from Grain & Grit (released the day before) and a bottle of Valkyrie. Natch.

Previous brewery invasions came up in our brief talk - Candice, Don and I were willing participants last December in Barrie and in December, 2017 in Whitby as well - and Don and I talked about the upcoming 613 Craft Brewery Invasion coming up in Ottawa next weekend.

And then customers started coming into the store and the man had to go back to work.

Next stop: home.

It was a helluva day with great beer and even better friends. 'Till next time Hamilton!

Cheers!