Head to Head: Trappistes Rochefort 8 vs. Chimay Bleue Trappist Ale
There’s nothing quite like a Trappist ale. Boldly yeasty, intensely fruity, lushly carbonated and indulgently alcoholic, these beers are a class unto their own. Not just any brewery can call itself Trappist either – no, in fact there are numerous strict qualifiers, which leave only…
B-Side’s La Formidable is a Gigantic Success
While Beau’s and B-Side only released their latest beer project La Formidable — an American-Beligo IPA with Gigantic Brewery — in February, I’ve been looking forward to it since December. After being blown away by B-Side’s first release, Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale, I was compelled…
Behind the Beer: BRU-V is Setting Out to Save Your Beer
Everyone has experienced skunked beer. I remember spending most of my adolescence hating the European lagers my dad used to drink because they smelled so… off. For many, this is just an inevitable tasting note in their green-bottled beer. For others, it’s an unacceptable and avoidable…
Behind the Beer: Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium is Building Community With Beer
It’s generally a point of contention in any city: “What’s the best place to grab a beer?” But in London, it’s no competition. If you’re a patron of the pint, an imbiber of the brew, a connoisseur of craft, Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium on the…
Bomb’s Away! Combining Flying Monkey’s Chocolate Manifesto and Smashbomb to make the “Chocolate Bomb”
It all began when a guy in line at the LCBO was asked about what he was buying by the customer behind him. In this case it was nearly a dozen Flying Monkeys Chocolate Manifestos. Rather than just answering the question and not stirring any curiosity, he had…
Behind the Beer: Collaborative Craft Brews from Waller St. Brewing
Despite adopting the theme of a prohibition-era speakeasy, Ottawa’s Waller St. Brewing wants absolutely nothing to do with secrecy. Rather than keeping their recipes locked away from prying competitors, Waller St. is intending to publish (at least some of) their recipes to hear back from…
Behind the Beer: Beau’s Brewey CEO Steve Beauchesne on the New B-Side Brewing Label
When I first ordered a B-Side Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale a couple of things became readily apparent: it was served in a Beau’s glass, and it was among the best pale ales I’ve ever tasted. With strong herbal and floral notes, fresh invigorating hops and even…
Head to Head: Russian Gun vs Tempest Imperial Stout
Winter means stout season — a season I have grown to love since I cultivated a taste for these fantastic black beers (which you can read about here). Nothing shoos away the winter chill better than a high-alcohol Imperial Stout, so I saw it as…
Behind the Beer: My Exclusive Interview With Muskoka Brewer Sean Campsall
It’s easy for beer drinkers to sit around and talk about it until they’re red in the face (and frequently they do.) It’s simple — and often fruitless — to try and guess the next big trend or jabber about tasting notes. But for true insight, you have…
A Cold Weather Classic: Great Lakes Brewery Winter Ale
With pumpkin beer season fading into a distant memory, it’s time for the rise of the latest seasonal brews, known collectively as “Winter Warmers.” Generally, Winter Warmers are high alcohol, low bitterness and rich with malt character. Some may even be spiced, as is the case with…