International Wines/BeerTop Stories

Now What Do We Have Here An Outlaw and His Beer

can photo

By Brian Yeo

As some of you may know, and others not, the title of this latest post is a lyric lifted from the song Paul Revere from the Beastie Boys major label debut Licensed to Ill.

It is not my intention to write a tribute here but with the much too early passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch last week I at least wanted to honour an artist whose work has been a major part of the background sound track of my life and many of my greatest beer drinking escapades. As I write this piece, I’ve paired the Beastie’s seminal Paul’s Boutique together with the Mikkeller Fresler Trippelbock and am simply enthralled by the layers of sound and flavour happening simultaneously and the general sense of fun and happiness that a Beastie Boys track will always deliver for me.

beer_bottle_boneshakerQuite typically as we move into May a lot is happening in the beer scene in Ontario with new releases aplenty coming from our Ontario Craft Brewers, the LCBO, and the Beer Store.

From Ontario, we have Amsterdam’s Boneshaker IPA hitting the shelf of LCBOs this week. This generously hopped, unfiltered IPA is probably the finest offering I have tasted from Amsterdam to date and will appeal to those drawn to Muskoka Brewery’s Mad Tom IPA and Flying Monkey’s Smashbomb Atomic IPA.

Rumours abound that upstarts, Double Trouble Brewing will unleash their Hops and Robbers IPA just in time for the May 24th long weekend through the LCBO as well. I’ve had this beer on tap numerous times (which is usually a good measure that I enjoy something) since it hit the pubs and bars back in February.

What I love about the Hops and Robbers as an IPA is its drinkability, there is a simple elegance to the balance between the malt character and hop bite which is quite refreshing and easy to keep going back to which can be a challenge with some of the hoppier IPAs.

It’s also looking like early June will mark the debut for another upstart as the crew from the Kensington Brewing Company in Toronto will bring their mantra of “Drink Good Beer” to a wider audience as their tasty West Coast inspired pale ale, Augusta Ale, starts flowing through the LCBO in 473 ml cans.

For those looking for out of province or international fare, the LCBO has released details for the upcoming Summer Seasonal feature arriving to stores beginning May 27th.

 

LCBO# Product Name

Alc./ Vol.

Size

Suggested Retail

Country

224824

Lindeman’s Cuvée René

5.5

355

  $6.95 BELGIUM

288522

ROSEE D’HIBISCUS

5.9

4 x 341

  $11.95 CANADA

283945

Phillips Ginger Beer

5

650

  $5.15 CANADA

280065

Schneider Nelson Sauvin

6.9

750

  $8.95 GERMANY

271783

Weihenstephan Kristallweissbier

5.4

500

  $3.10 GERMANY

273656

Ayinger Brau-Weisse

5

500

   $3.45 GERMANY

164046

Schneider Hopfen Weisse

8.2

500

   $3.25 GERMANY

273706

New Morning

5.8

330

  $4.15 ITALY

272369

Thornbridge Kipling South Pacific Pale Ale

5.2

500

   $4.75 UNITED KINGDOM

224600

Celt Golden Crafted Ale

4.2

500

 $3.45 UNITED KINGDOM

676858

Fuller’s Organice Honey Dew

5

500

  $3.25 UNITED KINGDOM

149773

BrewDog Punk IPA

6.2

330

  $2.75 UNITED KINGDOM

271700

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

9

624

  $7.95 UNITED STATES

 

Overall, the offerings are pretty solid from top to bottom with a strong German weisse beers cross-section ideal for warm summer days, an Italian saison, and many returning favourites including the delightfully sour Cuvée René Belgian Gueze.

To coincide with the Seasonal release, the LCBO will also showcase Tree Brewing Company from Kelowna, B.C. as the latest Brewery Showcase. The current promotion features five unique beers from this highly regarded brewery including more of the Hop Head Double IPA which was reviewed here previously.

 

LCBO# Product Name

Alc./ Vol.

Size

Suggested Retail

Country

286849

Raspberry Porter

5

650

$5.95 TREE BREWING CO.

286856

Hefeweizen

5

650

 $5.95 TREE BREWING CO.

288951

Captivator Doppelbock

8

650

  $6.25 TREE BREWING CO.

288514

Hophead Black IPA

8

650

   $6.25 TREE BREWING CO.

209346

Hophead Double IPA

8.3

650

  $5.40 TREE BREWING CO.

 

So with all that is happening it is looking like time to clear some more room in the fridge…so much to taste, so little room for food.

Upcoming Events

blackoak_summersaisonTis’ The Saison (Black Oak Brewing, Saturday May 12, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.)
 Black Oak will be launching its Summer Saison this coming Saturday at the brewery at 75 Horner Ave, Unit 1 in Etobicoke. The folks from Black Oak always put on a good party and for $20 including food and drink its good value with the opportunity to taste the regular version of the Summer Saison and the Marmalade Saison, cask conditioned and infused with fresh citrus fruit.

Kensington Brewing Company Anniversary (WVRST, 609 King Street West, Tuesday May 15, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.)

Brock Sheppard and the Kensington Brewing Company will be celebrating their one-year anniversary and its upcoming LCBO release of Augusta Ale by “Drinking Good Beer,” and eating good sausages amongst good friends. There might even be some of the highly secretive FisheyePA version 1.3 to taste.

Great Lakes Brewery 25th Anniversary BBQ (Great Lakes Brewery, Saturday May 26, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.)
Instead of their usual monthly Project X parties, Great Lakes will celebrate a milestone anniversary with a BBQ at their brewery on Queen Elizabeth Blvd. in Toronto. A day of great beer, food, and music with all proceeds going to a great cause.

cbn_logoCanadian Beer News Dinner #4 ($95, Smokeless Joe’s, 488 College Street, Tuesday May 29, 6:30 p.m.)
Continuing with their innovative moving beer dinners, Canadian Beer News will pair with Smokeless Joe’s and North American Craft for the fourth instalment of the series. Dinner #3 at Splendido was one for the ages, and this one promises to be a great evening as well.