Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale - Beau's All-Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale - Beau's All-Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.6%

Full gold in a glass, cloudy too. It totes a resilient heady of creamy white foam. A berrylike (gooseberry?) touch to the hoppy floral, herbal, pine and citrus (tangerine) aroma.


The taste is floral, spicy, herbal, resiny, sweet but perfectly bitter with a delightful berry flavour throughout that is a little tropical and never seems out of place or inappropriate. A very tasty beer. Overall the impressive ingredient list (rose hips!) and the delightful flavour combine for a spectacular beer.

Mr. Hyde - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

Mr. Hyde - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 7.0%

A polished copper colour in a glass with a bubbly, big, off-white head that faded rather quickly to a creamy but thin layer of foam over the beer.

A sweet, nearly caramelized aroma with cereal some subtle wood and earth tones, and a hint of red fruit. A bit like a bock. While it is true that everything is reminding me of autumn, since we're on the verge of full blown autumn here in Ottawa and it happens to be my favourite season, the aroma as I've described it really seems to be perfect for an autumn beer.

Unmistakable rye flavour, just like the bread: a bit of a darker grain flavour, earthy, rich and bordering on nutty but not nutty, with a bit of red fruit that lends a note that is barely tart to the beer. Quite a bitter aftertaste with a lingering roasted grain flavour. For a beer that is 7% ABV, the flavour is mild while also being multi-layered and certainly doesn't taste much of alcohol so, while Mr. Hyde is a beer deserving of slow consideration, it is also dangerously quaffable especially when it is cold. As regular readers know, I prefer my beers a bit warmer than most but Mr. Hyde especially needs to be given a chance to warm up from refrigerator temperature so that you can enjoy the full spectrum of flavours that may otherwise be missed. I don't believe I've had a Roggenbier before but if Beau's Mr. Hyde is typical of the style I will definitely keep my eye out for another: delicious!

Beau's All Natural Brewing's 5th Annual Oktoberfest in Vankleek Hill, Ontario

Beau's All Natural Brewing's 5th Annual Oktoberfest in Vankleek Hill, Ontario

This weekend Vankleek Hill was the host to Beau's All Natural Brewing's 5th Annual Oktoberfest. A shuttle from Ottawa to Vankleek Hill got me there but there was also a bus from Montreal. I attended only the Saturday and am sure to return next year.

Not only was there a wide variety of splendid Beau's beers but there was also an extensive cask section with beers from a whole bunch of different breweries. In addition to beer there were lots of different restaurants from the region slinging their wares. Being a German festival there were lots of presumably tasty meaty dishes (if you are into that sort of thing) and the vegetarian options were few and far between. However, the Brisk-ain't this vegetarian ordered from The Branch restaurant was absolutely delicious.

On the beer side, Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale was a real standout to my taste (review upcoming) so I am pleased to report that Steve Beauschene announced that this beer will be brewed regularly by Beau's and distributed along with the rest of their fine brews.

I only choose to try two cask beers and, through no fault of anybody, their flavours were a bit all over the place. I happened to order two beers that were at the very, very end of their respective casks so I ended up getting quite a bit of sediment which kind of threw off the flavours; however, many people seemed to spend all day in the cask section so I'm sure most pours were fine and tasty.

Other than food and beer there were more fun (and hilarious) activities (beer dunk tank!) than you could shake a stick at including a homebrew competition (yum). Not to mention the whole thing raises a tonne of money for the many worthwhile causes that Beau's supports. For more information on that I suggest you head over to the event's webpage.

On top of ALL that, Rich Aucoin and the Mahones took turns rocking our worlds at the main stage. The Mahones were just awesome, speed folk metal on the accordion - I mean you gotta love it. Unfortunately, the shows were a little behind schedule so, in order to make the last shuttle back to Ottawa at 9 PM, I had to leave before Sloan took the stage. I really would have to see them but that in no way takes away from this awesome event and wonderful atmosphere.

2 Weeks Notice (Wild Oats Series #12) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

2 Weeks Notice (Wild Oats Series #12) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 6.0%

Pitch black, completely opaque with a creamy off-white head of tiny bubbles that seems tan but with a touch of grey due to how black the beer is. Sediment remained at the bottom of the bottle but no way to tell how much made it into the glass, the beer is just too dark! A chocolaty, smoky and earthen aroma; black coffee and (faint licorice) with a touch leather too.

Creamy mouthfeel, milk chocolate at first and then dark chocolate as the bitterness builds when you swallow. 2 Weeks Notice is very drinkable; some light dark dried fruit (prunes) tones and the slightest touch of alcohol. Leather and earthy tones are still kicking around, grounding the lovely flavour in the realm of dark, delicious porters. A bitter, smoky aftertaste with a touch of acidity and lots of chocolate. Very nice.

Turned at a certain angle (see below) and you have to ask: how many weeks notice?

Smokin' Banana Peels Wild Oats Series #11 - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

Smokin' Banana Peels (Wild Oats Series #11) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 4.9%

A typical weissbier aroma of cloves, blossoms, nectar and banana; as well as a lightly smoke twist that is more like well-browned, nearly burnt toast than a smoky wood fire.

Pale gold in a glass and as cloudy as you decide to make it. Similarly Smokin' Banana Peels features a silky white head of foam that can get quite foamy if you agitate it enough to get some of the sediment.

Creamy mouthfeel, yeasty with tasty cloves, banana and nectar flavours: sweet summery wheat beer flavours all. It isn't as smoky as other rauchbiers but there is a touch there, it comes out a bit more with some sips than other, and I'm sure the smoke flavour could be accentuated by pairing with smoky food. Fortunately, Smokin' Banana Peels is a very tasty weissbier even if it isn't very smoky and I have to say the name is quite clever.

Oktobock (Wild Oats Series #24) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

Oktobock (Wild Oats Series #24) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 7.0%

A deep gold in a glass, crystal clear with a head of white foam. The aroma is sweet, lightly malty with a distinctly lager yeast touch as well as that dry, lightly spicy hoppiness of Czech or German hops.

Drily bitter and spicy hops continue in the taste but are rounded out beautifully by a robust malty body and also have a slight herbal touch. Touches of caramel, a roast glaze and grain are highlights of a malt character that suits the style perfectly to my taste. Ocktobock's has a bitter finish (again, entirely appropriate) and a malty, roasty aftertaste.

Oktobock is just about exactly what I expect when I drink a Bock: that ineffable lager taste, drily bitter and barely spicy European hops, malty sweetness (an emphasis on roasty, sugary or caramel tasting malt as the brewmaster chooses), a refreshing feel even though the mouthfeel is thicker than a lager and marginally syrupy.

In a way my expectations are a little coloured by the travel time it takes for German bocks to arrive in Canada which can cause the hops to become a bit attenuated. With a beer brewed just outside of Ottawa the blush isn't off the rose, so to speak: the beer is fresh and the hops flavours have more depth and variety. Also since Oktobock is a Maibock interpretation, it is expected to be somewhat more bitter than a Bock or a Helles Bock.

Opa's Gose (Wild Oats Series #05) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill)

Opa's Gose (Wild Oats Series #05) - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.0%

A cloudy gold in a glass with a thin head and a sour, citrusy (lemon) aroma that features tones of grain and some dry Pilsner like hops.

Quite sour with plenty of yummy yeast flavours: nectar, floral and herbal with banana as well. I grew accustomed to the sour flavour very quickly and by the third sip or so didn't really notice it much more than I would with other yeast heavy beers that sometimes comes across as a touch sour. Other Gose beers (sour ales) have been much, much more sour so this one is tame in comparison. There is sediment at the bottom of the bottle but it only adds further strength to the yeast flavours - no additional acidity. The included sea salt is fun: in small doses I found it did add to the flavour somewhat and caused some amusing but under control foaming action. But for goodness sake don't put in the whole four gram package, the baggie pictured below was photographed after I had added the desired amount of salt.

Opa's Gose would pair well with plenty kinds of foods. I found that it paired well with some greasier fare as the tart touch cut through the grease nicely and was quite refreshing.

Beaver River I.P.Eh? - Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.6%

Beaver River I.P.Eh? - Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. (Canada - Ontario - Vankleek Hill) 5.6%

A glowing amber gold colour in a glass with a finger of frothy off-white resilient foam. A really resiny, cedar aroma with just a little bit of citrus (lemon) as well as sweet sticky malt backing.

The taste of Beaver River is quite bitter and hoppy. There is some lemony citrus, a green flavour and some grain; maybe even some alcohol coming through. Resin and cedar are there, and perhaps most prominent, but there is also quite a malty body, more than is suggested by the aroma. More of an American Pale Ale than an IPA (maybe that explains the '?' in the clever name) in both taste and alcohol content but pretty nice.

Saint Peter's English Ale (England) 4.5%

Saint Peter's English Ale (England) 4.5%

Very dry, sweet malt aroma with a touch of creamed corn and hones. Some hoppy wooden tones. Slightly roasty. Full gold in a glass.

Warm toasty toffee malt taste to go along with quite a bitter finish. Roasty, a slightly herbal spice touch along with quite a punch of hops for a beer that isn't dominated by hops though that must be what explains why it is as bitter as it is.

A great ale overall: nice tasting, nicely delivered in its cool bottle, nicely bitter, nice on the world (organic) and even a nice story.

Mongozo Premium Pilsner (Belgium) 5.0%

Mongozo Premium Pilsner (Belgium) 5.0%

Gold in a glass with a little less than an inch of off-white head that was fairly resilient for a gluten-free beer. Smelled quite a bit like a typical pilsner at first, a dry sort of hops aroma with some malt-like aroma, sort of like a American Adjunct Lager. Then the slightly sour and a little cheesy aroma I've found in many gluten-free beers. Wow, it tastes remarkably like a typical pilsner or Euro Lager. There is a faint sourness but other than that it's hard to tell the difference between Mongozo Premium Pilsner and any other gluten bearing pilsner: quite impressive.

Note: Brewed in Belgium under license for a brewery from the Netherlands.

Wee Heavy Bourbon - Le Castor (Canada - Quebec - Rigaud) 11.0%

Wee Heavy Bourbon - Le Castor (Canada - Quebec - Rigaud) 11.0%

A very dark chestnut colour in a glass. Lots of bourbon-esque wood character and barrel notes of spice and vanilla in the aroma. Something vaguely nutty as well dark fruit notes: cherry and cranberries. Slightly reminiscent of not quite chocolate but a bit of some flavours of chocolate and the kind of dark syrup you find in a dark fruit filled chocolate.

Plenty of barrel notes, wood, oak presumably, spice and vanilla and bourbon in the flavour. Sticky sweet syrupy taste with an alcohol burn, some blonde molasses flavours, sugary glaze and an often hidden nutty characteristic. Very sweet but doesn't taste sweet like refined sugar because there are so many strong malt flavours. The nice barrel flavours make this a delightful bourbon barrel aged ale. Oh and it's certified organic too!

Four From Fullers (England)

Fuller's London Pride (England) 4.7%

A hoppy green aroma at first. As the head fades the aroma changes to one of sweet lightly bitter maltiness. The taste is sweet and roasty with hints of caramel but also lightly spicy with hops and some mild wood tones. The moderate bitterness and the half-watery, half-smooth mouthfeel keep the beer refreshing as a good pub beer should be. An glowing orange colour in a glass.

Fuller's ESB Champion Ale (England) 5.9%

Malty and quite sweet but with a bitter finish and quite oaky. Many of Fuller's have stronger wooden tones than most. Pretty mildly carbonated. Tastes a little like Innis and Gunn's Rum Cask, which is high praise indeed. Best served warmish (8 to 10 C'). Mix of coffee/chocolate and plum sherry (alcohol and fruit).

Fuller's Organic Honey Dew (England) 5.0%

A sweet malty aroma that is lightly hoppy with cedar and a touch of fresh cut grass. Gold in a glass.

Fuller's Organic Honey Dew tastes sweet and a little spicy. The hops are certainly in there, bringing that spice and moderate bitterness, but you certainly wouldn't call this beer hoppy. The honey is also there, smoothly sweet and building in a sweet crescendo from the initial taste, where it is masked by the bitterness, towards the end of the drink where the whole flavour becomes sweet warm honey before the slightly metallic and slightly bitter aftertaste. A very pleasant organic beer with a cute and interesting bottle cap.

Fuller's London Porter (England) 5.4%

Sweet classic porter aroma: hints of molasses, maple, coffee and barley candy, with hops hints that come across as lightly wooden. Amazing coffee flavour at first and then it changes a little towards the chocolate end of the dark malt spectrum before fading into a bitter aftertaste of hops and smoke. There is a taste of a pleasant taste of oats throughout. Dark in a glass to point of being nearly opaque with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

Fuller's London Porter is perfectly executed and tastes just like actually beer blended of coffee or chocolate and yet it is made only from malt, water, hops and yeast. Porters like this make me feel that other porters that use actual coffee or chocolate in the brewing process are not only "cheating", but doing so completely unnecessarily.

Organic Old Ruby Ale 1905 - Duchy Originals from Waitrose (England) 5.0%

A full amber that seems to glow the way it catches the light. Ruby seems a bit of a stretch but (if it is meant to describe colour rather than style) as suitable a word as any. Quite a sprucy flavour paired with plenty of sweet roast stickiness, a mild touch of citrus in the middle and hops comes through on the back-end with a fairly bitter finish. A lively ale, the taste seems to change with each second as it passes from lips to belly.

Certified organic this ale is one of many varied organic products by Duchy Originals from Waitrose a partnership founded by HRH The Prince of Wales. More information can be found on the link below. I wonder if they'll knight me for linking to?

www.DuchyOriginals.com

Happy Fourth of July!

For this Independence Day I thought it would be a good for me to post a bunch reviews of great American beers I've tried over the last year or so. Cheers!

Allagash White (USA - Maine - Portland) 5.2%

Smells very fruity and floral, hint of banana. The taste is also floral, orange, spicy, coriander, bitter, a little yeasty. The suggested technique of pour most of it then swirling & pouring makes a great frothy head. Very cloudy gold or pale gold in a glass. A great Belgian style white beer.

Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale - Berkshire Brewing Company (USA - Massachusetts - South Deerfield) 5.3%

A heady mix of nutty and spicy malt and hops. Caramel sweetness and a perfect bit of bitterness. Described on the label as what the water in heaven should taste like and I am inclined to agree.

Pennant Beer - Brooklyn Brewery (USA - New York - New York) 5.1%

Caramel aroma and taste, quite sweet but also tangy with hops and a little bitterness that lingers on. Quite nice and well balanced. I drank this at the Cheers bar in Boston.

Gritty McDuff's Red Claws Ale (USA - Maine - Freeport)
A caramel and toasted bread aroma with some bitterness. Sweet caramel flavour with a spicy green hops bitterness. The warm round tones of toasted bread and caramel are nicely contrasted with, and the sweetness is cleaned out by, the spice of the hops and fairly bitter finish. Very enjoyable and drinkable. Would go well with food or on its own. An amber-brown colour in a glass.

Old Plowshare Stout - North Coast Brewing (USA - California - Fort Bragg) 5.7%

Not quite opaque, A roasty, chocolatey, oatmeal scent. A milk chocolate taste, sweet and smooth, some wood tones also. Has tiny bubbles, as a proper stout should. A pleasant slightly chalky mouthfeel with mild bitterness. A very pleasant stout; for those who favour organic food and drinks this one mustn't be missed.

 Redhook ESB (USA - New Hampshire - Portsmouth) 5.8%

A deep pumpkin orange. Sweet, earthy tones at first; a bitter tangy almost coppery finish that is quite hoppy. Sweet caramel malt combines with the mild earthy and wooden tones as well as a fairly pronounced hops taste for a pleasant-drinking and somewhat rustic beer which seems appropriate for a beer from northern New England.