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Showing posts from December, 2012

beer geekery

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happy new year's!

inkling

for some people this is a super busy time of year not so much for me i'm without family in this province so when i get some time off work over the holidays, the time is my own i will admit to spending a lot of it in front of the tv catching up on series that i don't normally have time to watch, and gluttonously consuming all manner of movies, 90% of which i dust off every year around this time because i love them so what does this have to do with you? well, i am also trying to catch up on some things i have let slide over the past couple of months to put some check marks on my to do list and one of those items on my list is to review inkling.com 's electronic version of one of the best beer books around, randy mosher's tasting beer i have extolled the virtues of this book in previous posts and to anyone who will listen to me so let's just go with the fact that i own the paper version of this book, have read it cover to cover, and use it as a resource for

beer geekery

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too late:

legacy liquor store

new and exciting beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver: Lazy Boy Brewing Belgian Style Golden Ale - $8.15 If it ain't broke don't fix it. A Belgian style golden ale that pours amber in colour and has all the spices you would find in a beer of this style.  Lighthouse Siren Red Ale - $7.55 A dangerously drinkable Red Ale at 8%ABV. Gently hopped. Dry and fruity. Get this gem while it lasts. Steamworks Blitzen - $7.10 An extra strong winter ale. Golden, cloudy, with balanced sweetness. Cozy down next to the fire with this sipper at your side. bubbles at legacy: Miguel Torres 'Santa Digna' Estelado Rose Sparkling Wine - $27.65 Chile The first sparkling wine made from 100% Chilean 'Pais' Grape. Made using methode champenoise this rose is made saignee. Pale pink in colour with notes of dry cherry, a touch of cranberry and subtle herbaceous notes. With refreshing acidity, an elegant mousse and corresponding flavours on the palate. This s

happy holidays

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to all those who celebrate it, merry christmas to everyone else, happy tuesday and:

beer geekery

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50 book challenge

so, maybe i should have officially challenged myself to read 50 books this year - look how well i did, unofficially! (no beer books this year though... must remedy that for 2013) 1. Deborah Harkness: A Discovery of Witches 2. James Frey: A Million Little Pieces 3. Tina Fey: Bossypants 4. Malachy McCourt: A Monk Swimming 5. Adam Mansbach: Go the Fuck to Sleep 6. Steve Martin: The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten.: The Tweets of Steve Martin 7. Beth Griffenhagen: Haiku for the Single Girl 8. Jo Nesbo : The Redbreast 9. Jo Nesbo: The Redeemer 10. Jo Nesbo: Nemesis 11. Patrick deWit: Ablutions 12. Patrick deWit: The Sisters Brothers 13. Michael Connelly: The Drop 14. Camilla Lackberg: The Ice Princess 15. Camilla Lackberg: The Preacher 16. Camilla Lackberg: The Stone Cutter 17. Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games 18. Suzanne Collins: Mockingjay 19. Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire 20. Veronica Roth: Divergent 21.

legacy liquor store

new and exciting beers at legacy liquor store (aka your last minute shopping destination!!) St. Ambroise Stout Extra Forte More of what you love, but in a Extra Strong Stout and aged in Bourbon Wood...Mmmm Swans Black Swan Imperial Stout Yes you guessed it, another Imperial Stout aged in oak. This local brewery is putting out some great bottlings, come try this special one off today. Swans Seven Swans A Swimming "Tis the Saison" - Unfiltered, with the addition of raisins and spice, you know this seasonal is gonna be a beauty!

beer geekery

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beer geekery

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curious

i am curious by nature aren't most humans? and i love getting the behind the scenes stories on things like the 12 beers of the apocalypse from elysian ROBIN HOOD'S BARN Dick's Last Blog Now that the end is in sight-of the world of course, but also of the pretty substantial undertaking that has been the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse-it's probably safe to spill a little of how a lot of it has come together. Some of the beers have been reinterpretations of beers we've done in the past-Nibiru not so unlike Toro Oro, another Belgian-style golden ale infused with yerba mate; not actually so unlike New Belgium's Jonny's Voodoo Ale, for anyone who remembers that delicious and innovative beer; Doom itself a hop, skip and a jump from Sextacula, the beer we brewed for our fifteenth anniversary, which itself was a bigger version of Triacula, crafted originally for an Iron Brewer competition at the Beveridge Place. There is truly nothing new, in case you haven

end of the world

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happy end of the world everyone!!

beer geekery

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it always comes back to beer...

gifting

i hate the pressure of having to give gifts at a prescribed time i much prefer finding something perfect and just giving it for no reason but, shallow creature that i am, i love getting gifts! birthday and christmas are the perfect time to be a beer geek because it gives people a really easy target for finding you a gift so you're more likely a) to actually get a gift and b) to actually like it my beer haul so far: phillips amnesiac double ipa brassin d'hiver from france mill street beers and coasters stout jelly and one of those really cool glasses made from a beer bottle (also mill street cuz the guy making them was a toronto artiste at the circle craft fair) i hope the world doesn't end before i can get to drinking them...

party

oh the weather outside in vancouver is frightful but the christmas party i'll be at in an hour will be delightful so let it rain/snow, let it rain/snow, let it rain/snow

winter beeracle

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okay, let me begin by saying that i am not a big fan of winter beers feel free to write me off right now if you must but i don't like them you know why? brewers have started to equate vanilla with winter and i don't like vanilla in my beer in my cookies and cakes sure, its wonderful i can even handle it in a scented candle but keep it the heck out of my damned beer! i may be alone in this sentiment i don't care!  i don't like vanilla in my beer so why am i reviewing dead frog's winter beeracle? frankly its because the good folks at dead frog sent me some to sample yes, every once in a while it does pay off to be a lowly beer blogger sometimes people send me their beers to try in the hopes that i'll write a blog post about them and convince people to buy their beers so, thanks for the beer, and here's my review: i didn't hate it yup, sure, its quite vanilla-y but there is some balance in there there are nice rich malts and orange n

swiss, bacon and beer dip

another awesome recipe! this one from nuts and bolts - swiss, bacon and beer dip

beer cookies

craftbeer.com provides six fabulous beer cookie recipes me, i'm not much of a cook and while i can successfully bake, i don't have the patience this season so... anyone wanna make me the lambic and stout cookies?

beer geekery

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beer geekery

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legacy liquor store

new and exciting beers: Deschutes Brewery Black Butte XXIV Porter - $18.85 Using select cocoa nibs and locally roasted coffee, Deschutes partnered with equally passionate local artisans to craft this potent, colossal homage to Black Butte Porter. A final aging in aromatic whiskey barrels infuses a truly handcrafted depth and the complexity of fine wine. Evil Twin Brewing Disco Beer - $7.65 Discobeer is a vinous IPA thoughtfully aged on Chardonnay wine barrels. This rock star of a beer is a real party starter. No more shy beer geek. Drink it and you will own the dance floor. Logsdon Farmhouse Organic Seizoen Bretta Ale - $13.85 Fermented naturally with pear juice. The special Brettanomyces yeast provides added dryness and crisp complexity. Made in Hood River, Oregon. Specialty 100% organic farmhouse ale. 8% ABV. 750ml. complimentary tastings: December 2012 VINO CACAO TASTING 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Fri, Dec 14, 2012 Venue: Legacy Tasting Bar

kickstarter

got some extra funds kicking around? why not pledge it to a fledgling brewery via kickstarter? let me save you the trouble of finding one!  i got this email a couple of days ago: I'm Matej from Slovenia, a homebrewer, beer lover and beer writer for Vino (wine) magazine. As winemaking is common in Slovenia, craft breweries seem not to follow this trend despite having one of the best hops in the world. You might heard about Styrian Golding, rumor has it monks at infamous Westvleteren use it in their beers. I decided to start a craft brewery to spread the word about craft beer under family name Pelicon. My team of young talents from different professions and I launched a project on Kickstarter to crowdfund part of startup cost. Accidentally we became the first brewery in Europe who did this. Would you be kind enough to take a look and share the project with your fans or mention it on blog? That would help us a lot. As you know, beer is better with friends. So to kick start t

yaletown

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the cask tonight at the yaletown brewpub is their downtown brown ale, unadulterated see you there??? the last couple of weeks have showcased casks by cory curtis, former assistant brewer at the yaletown who left to pursue his music career but came back to cover for the current assistant brewer, nick two weeks ago it was a ginger ale - with fresh ginger in the cask last week it was a citrus ipa - with lemon, grapefruit and orange zest in the cask i really, really, really, liked them both i think nick is awesome but i sure do miss cory...

gifted

my non-exhaustive gift buying guide for the beer geek in all of us: if your beer lover has a favourite beer: -check out the private liquor stores for branded glassware gift packs legacy liquor store in Olympic Village suggests:   Sam Smith’s 3 bottles plus a glass for $20, $88.50 for 6 bottles of Westvleteren plus 2 glasses,  $11.95 for 2 tall cans of Tiger and a glass,  Chimay – red, white, and blue caps with a glass $18.85, St. Ambroise Discovery pack – $14.95 2 beers and a glass, Lindemann’s -   $15.95 two beers and a glass -go online and see if the brewery has swag for sale - tshirts, bottle openers, beer cozies, etc. Dead Frog has tees, hoodies, hats, cozies, underwear and bottle openers for sale in their on-line shop and at the brewery in Aldergrove.   If   you order online in the next couple of days, there is still time to receive your order before Santa arrives. Stone Brewing in California will ship you a pub light for $50, plus shipping and handling, but how ca

on the coast

i will be on cbc radio's on the coast tonight at 5:50 talking about all the wonderful things you can buy for the beer lover on your holiday shopping list my list of awesome gifts is very long i probably won't get to mention everything i want to in my six minutes... so tune in on the radio tonight for as much as i can cram and then check back here tomorrow for the rest of my (non-exhaustive) list!

biercraft

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biercraft has lots going on this holiday season: This is a busy time of year for everyone Don't forget to take time out for yourself We have a ton of things going on this month, just like you do, so try and slow down and have a beer or 2 when you can and remember what this time of year is all about. Family. Friends. Good Beer. Find us on Facbook Follow us on Twitter Our Holidy party menu is now available for groups of 8 or more. Where else can you have a certified Cicerone plan your food and beer pairing? Please call your preferred location for details and bookings. Tired of spending lots of money on New Years and getting nothing but "party favors" and a glass of sparkling wine? Why not stay local this year and come party with us for New Beers Eve ? No more waiting hours for a taxi to take you home. Just all you can eat food, oyster bar, DIY poutine station and of course a boat load of really goo

beer geekery

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beer geekery

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legacy liquor store

new and exciting beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver: Driftwood Old Cellar Dweller 2012 Barley Wine - $13.45 Three times the malt bill and five times the hops of a normal strength beer, this Barleywine tests the limits of our brewhouse and our backs! But the real struggle is in getting this massive brew to completely ferment, a true test of our skill and the vigor of our yeast. Central City Thor's Hammer Barley Wine 2011 - $15.75 Our limited edition bottle conditioned Thor's Hammer is matured for almost 1 full year. Mahogany in colour, this award-winning barley wine is crafted from fine barley malt exuding deep, rich notes of dried fruit, plum and candy with a walnut ester. Phillips Trainwreck Barrel Aged Barley Wine 2012 - $7.05 Here's a little something to stoke your boiler. This year's barley wine is full of rich malt flavours and aged in bourbon barrels. Mildly carbonated, Trainwreck should be served at cellar temperature (8C). Careful not t

rogue in richmond

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the beerthirst rogue tour de richmond was a whole lotta fun! the concept alone guaranteed a good time:  rogue beers paired with a sandwich at every stop with a school bus to get you from pub a to pub b (c, d and e) first stop:  hogshack beer:  st. rogue red ale sandwich:  sliders with kimchi and spicy carrots (my veggie option was a beet and quinoa patty) pairing:  it worked, the spicy toppings with the rich red ale worked like a charm - the judges chose this as the best pairing  the meat slider (and beer) the awesome veggie slider  second stop:  buck and ear beer:  cpt. sig's northwest pale ale food:  halibut, prawn and shrimp tacos with mango salsa, fried potatoes pairing:  to be honest, i was so much all about the amazing flavours bursting in my mouth while eating the taco that i forgot to drink my beer with it, but this pairing won the people's choice, so it musta pleased people!  damned delicious fish taco.  if it's not currently on the menu, the

thursday

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tomorrow evening i will be at portland craft for the modern malt ipa mingler which is a sold out event... but for the rest of you, don't fret, you can still get your american beer on by going to the new oxford for the deschutes/phillips tap takeover anniversary party: The New Oxford Two Year Anniversary Party Thursday December 6th - 5pm - late Two years, two breweries taking over. Join us on Thursday for complimentary canapes & drink samplings as we host you alongside representatives from Deschutes & Phillips breweries to celebrate two years in Yaletown. Both breweries will be taking over six taps and will feature notable and rare craft beer selections all evening. $5.15 featured craft beer sleeves. Please RSVP to ts@donnellygroup.ca The New Oxford Public House 1144 Homer St., Yaletown 604.609.0901 www.donnellygroup.ca/n ew-oxford

do you give a damn?

charlie papazian wants to know if you give a damn about who brews your beer and frankly, i'm curious to know too so go and vote in the poll, wouldya?

VIB hermannator anniversary release

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Vancouver Island Brewery DECEMBER 3, 2012 Media Release! Greetings! Our Brewery Elves have been hard at work dipping collector's edition Hermannator bottles by hand for your cellaring pleasure... 25 years and multiple world class brewing awards later, Hermannator is bock...in a collector's edition bomber! For a limited time Vancouver Island Brewery is offering its Hermannator Ice Bock in collector's edition 650 mL bomber bottles. These 25th Anniversary Edition bottles celebrate an unprecedented beer legacy and are a return to the vessel the beer was originally sold in back in 1987. When Vancouver Island Brewery first brewed Hermannator in 1987 it was intended as a special winter batch for the breweries closest friends and family. It quickly became evident that this beer was something special as year after year the number of people demanding a taste of this unique brew grew after each limited release. Now 25 years and multipl