Sunday 21 January 2024

January 19, 2024

25/4252) Home:  Super Dope by Town Brewery of Ontario:  ***1/2; 6.4%; West Coast IPA; hopped with Columbus, Azacca, Citra, Zappa and Comet; pours translucent; bitter lemon nose; notes of lemon, lime and citrus zest; not exactly a throw back but rather an alternative to today’s NEIPAs;



January 18, 2024

24/4251) Home:  Bourbon Barrel Bestowed (Gold Wax) by Third Moon Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ****1/2; 13%; from Third Moon's Third anniversary pack; an Imperial Stout aged 14 months in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels; nose is bourbon and alcohol; tastes of bourbon, oak, vanilla and roasted malt;

January 17, 2024

23/4250) Home:  Time Takes Time Blend 1 by Third Moon Brewing Co. of Ontario:  ***1/2;  13%; blend of Heaven Hill 14 month barrel aged Imperial Stout and Buffalo Trace 14 month barrel aged English style barleywine; pours very dark with a thin, wispy head; nose is very strong bourbon which seems to overpower all else; strong boozy bourbon flavours with dark chocolate and roasted malt; it’s an odd blend and very nearly too much; 

This is among three from their third anniversary pack that I chose to age until a cold snap.



January 14, 2024

21/4248) Home:  Little Thrills by Grain & Grit of Ontario:  ***; 4.8% German Pils; four ingredients; clear, soapy head; nose is bready; mildest hint of Saaz like hope bite, bready, grainy, malty; a solid pilsner;

22/4249)  Home:  M31 Sirrah by Wellington Brewery of Ontario:  ****;   10.9%, 60 ibu Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with cinnamon, cocoa, vanilla, chillies; wheat and  oats; nose is primarily sweet bourbon and especially vanilla; tastes of sweet cocoa, vanilla, muted cinnamon with chillies, especially in the finish and after taste; masterfully done; 

From the M31 Gift Pack, which was called UVB-76 at one time but things Russian are out of fashion these days.  This beer reminds me of Mikhail but it is listed separately at the same sources that point out that M31 Andromeda was formerly UVB-76 Roman.  M31 is another name for the Andromeda Galaxy.


January 13, 2024

19/4246) Home:  Double Choc Hazelnut Brown by Bad Shepherd Brewing Co. of Australia:  ***1/2; 7.2%, 32 ibu; with Pahto hops, which as far as I can recall are new to me, hazelnuts, and cocoa; a double chocolate variation on their Hazelnut Brown; pours a deep rich brown with a pale tan head; nose is chocolate and hazelnut; tastes of semi sweet cocoa, sweet hazelnut with faint roast notes;

20/4247) Home:  Tropical Feel by Grain & Grit of Ontario:  ****; 6.3% India Pale Ale with wheat and sugar; tropical fruit nose; similar flavours; very pleasant;


January 12, 2024

17/4244) Home:  Winter Wizard by Nickel Brook of Ontario:  ****; 6.2%, 52 ibu “Magical India Pale Ale”; grain bill includes wheat and oats; pours hazy; nose of resin, zest and tropical fruit; tropical fruit is more forward in the flavours with citrus zest, grapefruit and resin;

18/4245) Home:  Chocolate Milk Peanut Butter Porter by Imperial City Brewhouse of Ontario:  ***; 6.2%. 30 ibu; brewed with lactose, natural flavours and artificial flavours; nose is primarily peanut butter; tastes mostly of peanut butter with notes of chocolate, caramel, espresso; a bit sweet for me;


A couple of sweet dark beers.

January 11, 2024

15/4242) Home:  Nautical Disaster by Lake of the Woods of Ontario:  ****1/2; a 7%, 55 ibu Double IPA version of an earlier entry; with “Triple C hops” which I take to be Cascade, Centennial and Columbus; translucent, nearly clear; grain bill includes malted barley, malted oats and flaked corn; resiny, grapefruit nose; tastes of resin, pine, grapefruit; very old school;

16/4243) Home:  Gus by Volo of Ontario:  ****; 5.4%, 30 ibu Porter in the English style; “Named after Grandpa Gus who loved dark ales”; sweet coffee, mocha nose; roasty, mildly sweet coffee notes with a hint of mocha;

Purchased at Bar Volo and recommended by the barmaid.