h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When you Do get back here, I've just had a very nice unfiltered Pilsner with a chicken Quesadilla at The Pourhouse. Although I'm sure it would've been a fine accompaninent to the Bratwurst or the Chicken & Havarti sandwich. The Pilsner was a 5.5% Franconian-style(as I said, unfiltered)Pilsner-or Kellerbier-from Quebec brewery Les Trois Musketaires(sp?). Very nice-mind, 750ml(after a 9% Fin du MondeVery inebriatedly nice! True though, it Did seem to lack the Saaz hops-either that or they were a small portion of a hop blend. Quite a nice beer though - $10 for 750ml, on top of $6 for the Fin du Monde & $10 for the Quesafilla(plus a bit of a tip), perhaps a 'once-a-month thing. Although I noticed that they have $6 Stella Artois & Hoegarten, Fri.'s...summer around the corner, I'm partial to the Hoegarten myself. Although, they'd be PACKED(hangin' from the in' rafters)during The Fringe!

Oh the Big letdown, they were according to Jason Foster & Stephen Beaumont, supposed to have-I was certainly Eagerly anticipating-a Norwegian Wheat ...yes, an Imperial Wheat Stout. However Accent, just around the corner was also signed up to the DeLancey Direct Subscription program. As I passed by Accent I noticed a poster promoting the Pike Double IPA(the second beer scheduled for April). However Nothing whatsoever announcing the availability of the Haandbryggeriet Wheat Stout http://www.beergeeknation.com/?p=1203 . It's Very possible that Delancey Direct were unable to secure sufficient quantities of the Dark Force*faint sobs*.

Beaumont's announcement should be back 3 or 4 pages on his http://worldofbeer.wordpress.com blog(it seems he posted that in late Nov.) ...it also contains a link to the schedule.

Yes it's back three pages, well fourth entry/item on that third page(titled 'For Western Canada, a Laudable Initiative').

Hmm, cause for optimism I suppose. I notice on the DeLancey Direct schedule that the Pike Double IPA is one of their March beers...could it be that there was some delay in getting the Dark Force? One can only , er hope!

I just bought myself a case of Steam Whistle on the way home. I just felt like a different ~Pilsner from the ones I'm usually having.

I'm seriously `promising myself that I'm going to sit down this week and get some things done instead of just wasting my days visiting with `peo`ple in the neighbourhood --

wait --

that's not wasting time!


But, I am going to try to sit down to get some art work done for a deadline at the end of the month, get my taxes sorted for the end of the month, get some bureaucratic Government `phoning and `pa`perwork done concerning the kid's medical situation, and, yes, get this tasting notes entry reformated and u`pdated.

~Plus I have to get `planning for Taliesin's visit in the summer and even more `planning and writing done for my intended writing tri`p to Hell's Gate this summer.


But for now I think I'll just drink Steam Whistle.

I was noticing that the Urban Diner on 109th has Steamwhistle Pilsner as well as the Mill St. Organic Lager as the light end of their beer(on tap?)spectrum. Most likely two or three Sapporo-Sleeman Honey Brown for me at The Pourhouse tomorrow. Haven't had one of those in at least 6 years now...if not longer. They(The Pourhouse)have 12oz glasses at $2 each tomorrow.

Bit of background - the latest Alley Kat/Sherbrooke collaboration uses Alley Kat's Three Bears Oatmeal Stout as a base. It then undergoes two months of ageing in an original Jack Daniels whiskey barrel. The name Single Star was chosen as representative of the original Confederate flag during the American Civil War(which began 250 years ago yesterday, April 12, 1861. Oh yes, 6.8% abv.

The pour

Identical to the Three Bears needless to say. Good finger of tan head, that dissipates to half a finger of tight foam Some carbonation discernable. Nice thick/dense though transitory lacing.

Aroma

A bit of whiskey is the initial scent, yielding to a woody barrel character.. A second whiff brings distinct whiskey and alcohol...not Too much more. Perhaps a bit of dark fruit - think rum or brandy-soaked raisins.

The taste

A definite whiskey taste up front with a smooth alcohol presence-no 'burn' or warming. That fades to a chocolatey and somewhat vinous(a bit of that alcohol/raisin from the aroma)character. A pleasant clean finish, not all that dry. Wonderful! An improvement on a very decent/above average stout.

And actually, very nice indeed with this 49% Chocophilia Fleur de Sel bar from Kerstin's- it seems to highlight or accentuate the vinous quality!

But, on that same barrel-aged note(or as BrewDog states "specially selected Scottish Grain whisky casks" ), the BrewDog Paradox Grain, 10% abv

The pour

Quite a dark cola brown, light showing through at the base of the bowl. Minimal....oh, half a finger of head that fades to a ring of very tight-micro-bubbles-off white foam. Not much discernable carbonation. Fair bit of very transitory lacing.

Aroma

Very similar whiskey aroma...bit of cask/woodiness..hints of vinous dark fruit-figs, dates & raisins.

The taste

Quite fruity initially, almost(Almost) an apple juice taste, but with darker fruits in there as well. That fades or sgues into a vinous smoothness with a bit of alcohol noticeable. Nice clean drier finish...well done lads!

Hmm, alternate effect with the Fleur de Sel chocolate. The Paradox Grain seems to bring out or slightly ampplify the pinch of Maldon's sea salt in the chocolate...in a rather congruent and relatively natural way -quite unique really!

I've cut that `post and `pasted it into a notepad document, j_z_d. I'm falling way behind on this `project. There was quite severe (but transitory) illness in the house starting Sunday night -- it hit me, too, which is unusual. I'm still trying to catch up on things that have actual deadlines. I got my taxes out of my way today, and I've done all the paperwork for the art submission I have to have in by the beginning of May (now I just have to finish the actual work) and I've made a good start on some major legal paperwork involving having a disabled kid turning into a disabled adult (AISH and Guardianship). And, I managed to penetrate the telephonic defences of Alberta Aids to Daily Living and convince someone to send a necessary `piece of `pa`per to someone else.

And all while trying to contain what seemed to be a multi-pronged flow of digestive fluids and repetitive demands to 'do something funny!!' The latter was usually satisfied briefly with something as simple as shouting 'more cowbell!' or yelling 'eleven!' with a Scottish accent ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFRoYhTJQQ )

Hopefully things will start to get back to normal soon.

And*sigh*a ratther sombre and heartfelt toast(wordless though it be)to the residents of Japan in these troubled times. The beer, Kurofune Porter from http://www.bairdbeer.com ...6% abv - 360ml bottle

The pour

Very dark cola brown, minimal-half a finger-of tight off-white head. A bit of carbonation evident. Nice dense, slowly fading lacing.

Aroma

Hmm, roastiness with a bit of an oriental component-although that may be a psychosomatic thing, but I sense a faint rice/fish sauce aroma.


The taste

A distinct roastiness...some hints of chocolate, A second sip reveals hints of earthy coffee...either a medium roast Vietnamese or Indonesian - too faint to say for sure. A nice, although rather abrupt drier finish...actually, not that bad(the dryness lingering a bit).

Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius note, something in the cherry component made me think of this Pineapple & Cashew Zotter bar http://www.zotter.at/en/home.html (hand scooped category). The cherry and the pineapple-much like in a fruit salad-seem to go pretty much hand-in-hand. Once again, thanks Kertstin/Kertstin's Chocolates!

I'm a little worried about something: my recent illness seems to have robbed me of much of my `pleasure in beer. Over the last few days I've been drinking a great deal of . . .









herbal tea!



The Horror!

*gasp*Say it isn't so!

Hopefully only a temporary condition/

I *was* `pretty sick. Who knows what might come of it?

I'm trying one of my home-made `pilsners right now and it seems much more interesting than the . ~Perha`ps there is ho`pe yet.




I should take this netbook in for a cleaning.

Brewsters Terminator Doppelbock(a limited-time or seasonal release) 7.2% abv

Appearance

A beautiful burgundy brown when my server Meghan brought it to the table. No actual head, a very tight ring of fine bubbles. I was quite impressed with the colour, so didn't really notice carbonation. A bit of very transitory lacing.

Aroma

Very nice, malt and dark fruit...a bit of roastiness.

Taste

Pleasant fruit flavour-darker fruit, raisins and prunes. Fuller bodied, with some carbonation evident. A hint of plum and a nice malty caress. Hmm and very faint undertones of banana bread. A drier finish, quite interesting. The fruit component was a nice complement to my pulled pork stromboli sandwich.

Oh & I notice on the website that they've added a 'Curly Horse IPA' to their regular selection. 6% abv, 60 ibu.

what were you doing having beer at five in the morning?

Just taking advantage of a bit of insomnia to transfer(type out)my notes from earlier in the day.

On the topic of the Brewsters limited-time/periodical/seasonal releases. Their Chocolate Brown , an English style brown ale brewed with chocolate malts & then aged with cacao/cocoa nibs was so immensely popular(last month)that it sold out before I was able to secure even a sample. So I'll have to be vigilant from now on if the Espresso Porter & the Terminator Doppelbock are any indication in terms of quality. Their next 'seasonal' is a Coconut Porter-actually better than it might sound, hopefully they haven't messed with last years recipe. They have a Steam Beer scheduled for May, but they're a bit behind schedule now. An American Amber is due in June(or mid June). And a highly hopped Apricot Pale is slated for a July release, but I assume 'highly hopped' is debatable-time will tell.

On the topic of , something I spotted in my online glancing at The Journal.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Edmonton+writer+dips+into+Bruges+chocolate+story/4622744/story.html?cid=megadrop_story

I had a 650 bottle of He'brew Jubilation 13 (13 malts, 13 hops, 13% abv) last night before bed. I feel very this morning.

Now that I've tried pretty much the whole range of Schmaltz's brands my final review would have to be . . .



never again!




They really aren't very good: I could barely choke down the syrupy stuff (but I persevered). If there every was a gimmick label, He'brew is it.

I've decided, as one of my-possibly the 'biggest'-'approaching the 55th birthday' bottles to open one of my two Mikkeller Black Hole's. http://www.beerisseur.ca/2011/03/02/mikkeller-black-hole/ & http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13307/33929 Thankfully it's not http://www.youtube.com/?v=dHdSPF3Y8YM ...a 'drain-pour'. It's actually Quite enjoyable, I'd say that it crosses the line between the initial Three Bears Oatmeal Stout and the Single Star(Jack Daniels barrel aged version. It has of course, none of the whiskey characteristics, yet it posseses a distinct vinous quality, that leans decidedly in that direction...Very nice! And I'm only sips away from finishing my 375ml *big sigh*such is life, eh.

Actually, getting back to the He'Brew, I really enjoyed the 4 bottles of the Bittersweet Lenny's(rye-based)IPA that I had. I suspect that if I'd waded further into He'Brew watersOy Vey!, that I would've regretted doing so.