beernesday

if, for any reason, you'll be in the burlington, ontario area on november 7th you should go to this: we will rock you! the music of queen concert & craft beer tasting a live symphony orchestra playing queen songs craft beer tasting beforehand omg, sounds like a reeeaaallly great night! and only $38

hoppy canadian thanksgiving! appropriately enough for my cbc column tomorrow, the 21 best pumpkin beers in america according to thrillist cigar city comes out on top also from thrillist, the best beers in america as judged at gabf and the full list of winners huge congratulations to one of my faves, breakside brewing for their win in the coveted american style ipa category! the next beer trend?  red ipas? and from my hometown, a story about a guy i used to know barry imber, designer hard ciders that are as good as beer (the articles says better, but what do they know) a potential downside to the current craft beer boom ? a bust caused by too many new brewers who haven't learnt their craft before unleashing bad beer into the market be sure to read to the end of the article, where the doom and gloom is lifted! like i always say, the good breweries will remain those who can't put a quality product out there will not survive, boom or otherwise from pike brew...

i'm back from my whirlwind tour of burlington, hamilton and toronto! two quick observations: 1. there is a much more vibrant craft beer community in the lower mainland than in megacity 2. i was only gone for a week, but while i was away did the cascadia ever hit the nitro! and quickly, before i get back to work the ginger pale ale cask at the yaletown brew pub last night was delicious! in a cameo appearance, cory brewed this one with a big bag of fresh ginger and he hit one outta the park!  it was not too gingery, no other spices to mess with the big ginger flavour, it was just right! more when i've had a chance to catch my breath (and unsprain my poor liver)

i am off to onterrible tomorrow i am excited to go to grey cup and to see my family but, what am i going to drink while i'm there? does anyone make a west coast ipa out there? will i be in hop withdrawal? i have already googled which lcbo stores carry the double trouble hops & robbers session ipa because i know i like that... and i'm lining up a tour of nickel brook brewing in burlington... but what else is there to drink?