Craft Beer: What are you drinking now??

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Also been drinking stuff from this startup based in Manchester - Cloudwater. A friend of a friend is part owner. They went from zero to world-class in like two years. Their session IPA is godly and I'm not even a fan of IPAs.

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Just got back from the Picton area where I stopped in at Barley Days Brewery, I had a "one and done" Hot Rod Ale, it's brewed with 80lbs of smoked beef brisket courtesy of a local restaurant. It smelled just like a Hot Rod, that ubiquitous vacuum sealed, long pencil of smoked greasy meat goodness that used to be found on the counter-tops of finer gas stations and convenience stores everywhere (for the uninitiated) Tasted like beer and smoked meat, hence the "one and done " designation. In it's defence, the tapman and gathered staff had noted that when used in a red-eye, think Caesar using mostly beer topped with clamato, the beer shone.
The other offerings from BD were much easier drinking, 2 new IPAs one using all local ingredients with an unknown IBU (so new results hadn't come in yet) and the second with 4 different hops at 55 IBU, both were excellent, I preferred the locally grown as it was a little less hoppy.
Pumpkin Ale, pumpkin pie spices on the nose, quite subtle when tasting, some of these flavoured offerings can be cloying, but this one I could drink more than one of, and I did last night.
Almond Kolsh this was my favorite of this batch of new beers, no hint of almond when smelling it, but a nice smooth flavor of almond when drinking, nothing gratuitous, just enough to compliment the clean crispness of the kolsch. Beer and nuts go well together, why not?
These guys also brew 4 or 5 other styles regularly such as: County Light which has a label that is very similar in colour to a brand that rhymes with moors, Wind and Sail Dark Ale with deeply roasted barley which is evident in the final product, Loyalist lager, Harvest Gold Pale Ale, Royal George Brown Ale, all are daily drinkers... if you are so inclined.
I'm a longtime stout/porter drinker, so I can't wait for their Oyster Stout to come back, brewed with 1 000 malpeque oysters, may sound like an odd match, but If you like stout and oysters it really works. A good stout with slight salty, briney undertones, very subtle, I think it's out this week. I can definitely drink more than one!

Tapman is not a word but it may catch on...
 
As I came from the area, I've tried all their different beers. I liked the almond kolsch but I found it a bit less tasteful than I had hoped for. I liked Hot Rod but yeah it would be far better in another drink of some sort. Mixed with tomatoo juice, maybe.
 
Barley Days used to be excellent when their head brewer was a German guy. The recent version has gone a bit hipstery with expensive overly wanky brews. I used to go pretty regularly when in the area but I'll probably stop at Macinnon Brothers or the excellent Napanee brewing company for their beer instead.
 
Where you really want to go is Stone City Ales. A new beer almost every week and I haven't had more than two of them that I didn't think were top-shelf. A man can't like every style of beer under the sun, though... Macinnon is OK with me but I have universally found their beers a bit too malty for my taste, not a fan of cloying malts. Probably why I don't like many English style ales.
 
My last weekend was ruined due to Stone City Ales...and The Alibi....totally their fault for having beers I couldn't just drink one of. I prefer English ales, they are a little more subtle than in your face super hoppy IPAs that are all the rage. There are some IPAs that are very well done but it's not big or clever to try to ram as much hoppiness into a beer without some balance.
 
jc100 said:
My last weekend was ruined due to Stone City Ales...and The Alibi....totally their fault for having beers I couldn't just drink one of. I prefer English ales, they are a little more subtle than in your face super hoppy IPAs that are all the rage. There are some IPAs that are very well done but it's not big or clever to try to ram as much hoppiness into a beer without some balance.
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Ah, you missed the Brooklyn. :)

And yah, SCA loves their hops but I love their hops too, so .. what can I say?!

Their 12* is probably more to your liking, I would think?
 
Shaman said:
Ah, you missed the Brooklyn. :)

And yah, SCA loves their hops but I love their hops too, so .. what can I say?!

Their 12* is probably more to your liking, I would think?
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I was drinking Grizzled Hipster...ironically. Hoppy but pretty balanced. Haven't been the to the Brooklyn for a while. I like Amadeus too in the summer as it has a great selection of German beer, great patio and they actually know how to look after the beer too.
 
I can throw a rock from my office door (hard) and hit the Amadeus. Used to love their steins but I must be getting old... can't find my way to the bottom of one anymore. Usually. Paulaner is my favourite off their current menu.
 
5 paddles pumpkin pie haircutted freak
They added chipotle to it and the spice and smokiness have taken over the pumpkin component.
Still tasty though.
 
Living in Colour.Belgian pale ale from Block3 in St Jacobs.Going to follow it with a FrankenStout.
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O'Dell IPA, and a "Death Becomes Her" made by the same brewery that makes Tecate
 
I have a Southern Tier Salted Caramel Stout in the fridge. 10% ABV, and apparently tastes exactly as the name implies.
May need an insulin shot after that one.

Buddy of mine also grabbed me a Stone 20th anniversary "citracado iipa". Brewed with citra hops (my absolute fave), amd avocado flower honey.
 
I had that Southern Tier the other day and also another, which had pecans in it. Excellent. Additionally, I had a Clown Shoes pecan beer a week or so ago, also excellent.

I made a run down to Bear world for a Thanksgiving party that kinda fell apart on us with a family emergency on the wife's side, so more beer for me. ;)
 
Anyone cook with beer? Welsh Rarebit made with chilli beer is ****ing delicious, one of our favourite Sunday brunch recipes. Any other beer works pretty well but the chilli beer (lager, can't remember the name) works well when available. Mussels with beer...beer stew. All delicious.
 
I had one in Vegas a couple weeks ago. I wasn't underwhelmed, it was really great, and I like saisons in general.

I have a bottle of Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout (Winter Beard) beside me right now. Quite decent, if a little thin even warmed up a bit. However, I am waiting with bated breath for Bolshevik Bastard and Kentucky Bastard from Nickel Brook, as well as Juggernaut Bourbon Stout coming out from Stone City ales. I am on a racer diet but on the weekend there is no way I can deny myself a fair quantity of these. Wicked good.

You can find me on untappd here, if you want to compare / share: https://untappd.com/user/Sol-ip-sis-tik
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