Clipper City Multi-Pak

Clipper City Brewing Company is located in Baltimore, Maryland. They make a variety of beers. This multi-pak included four of their beers from the Heavy Seas series which included the Peg Leg Imperial Stout, the Small Craft Warning Uber Pils, the Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale and the Winter Storm "Category 5" Ale.

I did not know what to expect from any of these beers. I had never heard of Clipper City before but since this multi-pak included a range of beer styles I thought what the heck. Plus this was recommended and if you don't try new stuff, you never discover what's out there. So this is how it went.

The Peg Leg Imperial Stout had the taste of molasses and sweet smoke with low carbonation. It smelled of dark malt and a hint of smoke. It was very dark black/brown and opaque, no light coming through this one at all. Over all, it lacked the balance to carry the amount sweetness it presented. I would not recommend this one.

Small Craft Warning Uber Pils is golden/dark honey in colour with 7% alcohol it also is a very sweet brew. Lightly hopped with low carbonation, it had a honey flavour and a slight orange zestiness. A bit too sweet for the style, it smelled of cantalope and citrus.

The Winter Storm "Category 5" Ale was much more satisfying. This 7.5% alcohol imperial IPA was sweet but hoppy all at once. It's juicy malt, long citrus finish ends with a mouth puckering grapefruit with a bitter after-taste. There was a medium hop oily mouth feel and a hoppy citrus aroma. There was almost no head or lace and it had a slightly cloudy copper/red colour. I wish I had another one.

Saving the best for last, the Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale is a dark golden amber. At 7.25% it had a gentle, sweet floral nose. Hoppy and citrusy, tart and crisp, it is well balanced with some maltiness. Although it is not a session beer, I could definitely have more than one. Delicious, I thought this was the best one of the pak.

For more on Clipper City, go to www.clippercitybeer.com

Black Oak Double Chocolate Cherry Stout

How many opportunities do you get to taste 4 versions of a rare & seasonal specialty beer side by side? Well last night Ralph of Cafe Volo offered another exciting session of lateral tastings. Available last night were the cask-conditioned, 2006 draught, 2005 draught and bottled versions. Black Oak Brewery (http://www.blackoakbeer.com/) make their dark Double Chocolate Cherry Stout with cocoa and juices extracted from real fruit grown by a local cherry farmer, explained Arian Popowycz, head brewer. It's always a treat when you can chat up the experts. He spoke in detail about the brewing process.

Although some of the technical details were difficult for me to follow, what I got out of it was this: making beer consistently is a science where many variables come into play with every batch; making good beer requires a crazy, almost obsessive attention to detail & it demands high quality ingredients. Adrian tastes every ingredient, the hops, the wort, the water. He spoke of the how important the timing & exact temperature are to the process. He said even if everything goes perfectly and the batch is just right, if the gods are not looking favourably on you on bottling day, there is the potential to spoil the product. All the hard work is really a labour of love. Like many small operations of any business, the people couldn't do it unless they had a real passion for what they do.

Opinions varied but I thought that the cask version was lightest in body & chocolate flavour but had the strongest aroma. The bottled version was more carbonated. The chocolate & sour cherry notes came through more strongly. The third 2006 draught version was very close to the bottle. I didn't get to the 2005 draught, but there's always today...

Relish a Future Visit

I met some friends for brunch last weekend at a little place on the Danforth called Relish Bar & Grill (2152 Danforth Avenue, tel.416.425.4664). It is a very pretty place seating around 25 or so with a cozy lounge area in the rear. While there I noticed their tap offerings: Stella Artois, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune, Hoegaarden and Bellevue Kriek - ahh, a Belgian five-some.

It warmed my heart finding that even a small, local restaurant made an effort to offer draught selections with some character. I will have to come back for a pint soon...and maybe try their cheese plate too...mmmm...

p.s. BTW, brunch was excellent!

Williamsville Adventure

It was February 24 and Bier Goddess was sick of the cold weather that had her trapped inside. She was itching for an adventure. What is far enough from Toronto to feel like you're getting out of town but not so far that a one day round trip would wear you out? Consumer's Beverage in Williamsville, NY at 8580 Transit Road.

The hour and a half car ride was well rewarded. There was a good selection of bottled American micros (Rogue, Stone, Great Divide, Avery, Victory, Bear Republic, Ommegang, Middle Ages, Clipper City, etc.) and bottled imports. The bonus was the tap station where there are 12 drafts to choose from for a take-home growler. (http://www.consumersbeverages.com/brew/new.html)

And it was at the tap station that we began chatting with a very patient gentleman named Tom who helped us navigate through the choices of beer - choices of which is not to be had in Ontario.

After a lengthy visit we checked out, giddy with excitement. Between the two of us, we agonizingly made our final choices. The cart was full and we were getting hungry so this was the result of the check out: 68 bottles (fifty 331 ml bottles and eighteen 650 ml bottles), $260 USD and $65 CAD taxes at Canadian customs). Just a sidebar about wine. We found out that there was a recent change to the duty charged on wine. I had purchased four bottles, each priced at $15 USD. The duty on these four bottles of wine was $50 CAD!! The customs agent explained that the LCBO got wind of Canadians going across to NY state to buy higher priced bottles because the duty was approximately $2 per bottle. Now the duty is calculated on the price point versus the volume. An expensive lesson to learn but at least I didn't buy a case.

With hungry stomachs we made our way down Transit Road a couple of minutes to Pizza Plant.





(http://www.pizzaplant.com/)
They are famous for their gourmet pizza & pods (calzone type stuffed pocket) and a good selection of micro drafts. I had a pint of the Rogue cask-conditioned Charlie and Beer Guide had an Avery IPA.



This was the take out...the pods are BIG. The marinara sauce that comes with it is so yummy. I should have asked for an extra for my leftover.



At home with a growler...or two...cheers to a good day out!

Volo's IPA Challenge

Cafe Volo is a favourite restaurant of the Bier Goddess. Volo has hosted many beer & wine events and won the Golden Tap Award in 2006 for Best Beer Bottle Selection. (http://www.barvolo.com/) The owner, Ralph,is a real supporter of local beer makers, wines & cheeses. There is always a rotating selection of Southern Ontario micros on tap for you to enjoy as well as one or two cask-conditioned ales.

On March 3 & 4 there was an IPA contest open to anyone who wanted to take their best guess at 6 local beers plus one 'mystery beer' not from Ontario. The results of the contest are posted on the Volo website. A member of Bier Gotter, Beer Guide and Bier Goddess Alexa all gave their best shot but alas, only 4 were accurately identified. These were the beers: 1. Tankhouse 2. West Coast Pale Ale 3. Great Eastern IPA 4. Headstrong Pale Ale 5. Hop Addict IPA 6. Sgt Major IPA 7. (The Mystery Beer!) Brooklyn Lager

Despite the low rate of the participants' accuracy, the IPA Challenge was definitely worth it. It only cost $12 to participate and whenever you get a chance to sit with other beer-minded people, it's an opportunity to learn, teach & commune. Not to mention the healthy competition that these kind of events inspire.


Some of the comments around the table were about how similar the IPA's were and why that is. As time went on and several passes were had among the 7 beers, palates got muddier - the differences between each dimished. We heard from the grapevine that the brewers were invited to take part but none did.

Another afternoon with good friends, good drink. It never fails to delight because the world of beer is so vast and varying, just like the people who seek them out!