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

AndI was thinking, after I made that comment about becoming a regular at Brewsters. I'm a semi-regular as it is...a familiar face at two different locations. Not that I'm counting the days until they put my name on a barstool or anything.

Last night when I mentioned(& posted a link to)40beersat40, saying there Is a Delirium Christmas I meant that he has a podcast devoted to the seasonal . They exchange comments over said & .

And no that tulip glass of mine isn't a Corsendonk glass...or at least I didn't buy it as such.

I'm just finishing up Alley Kat's 15th Anniversary Belgian Style Tripel.

I've added the notes.

A formatting thought as I finish a Three Bears Oatmeal Stout (very nice!):


Should I put the 'signatures' in italics? They just don't seem to stand out, and I think it worthwhile to distinguish who is reviewing what.

Or in bold?

In bold, I'd say. Review of Lanigan's Irish coming up...

That's one I'm looking forward to trying.

I'll work on the tedious bold thing sometime. I don't know if it will be tonight.


I did Amber's Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout (or did it do me?) and I think I did something else.

Have I mentioned Alley Kat's Oatmeal Stout? I think that's what I've had: the Belgian tripel and Oatmeal Stout from Alley Kat and the Stout from Amber's.

Now I'm going to spend some quality time in the bathroom and seriously consider bed.

Brewsters Lanigan's Irish Ale, 4.7% ABV

The pour

A lovely dark reddish brown, red beyond a doubt when held to the lightr. Finger and a half of head, which gradually dissipates nut never quite disappears. ,Nice strong lacing.

Aroma

Sweet toffee with a hint of malt...possibly a bit of roastiness.

The taste

Initially sweet though not overpoweringly so. That transitions quite seamlessly to a briefly lingering maltiness and a quick exit/smooth finish. An easy drinking ale, a rotating or occasional favourite of mine at Brewsters.

bloody 'ell! I was hoping to rest for the evening!






I expect I'll get it GuideMLed and added before bed, but one of us better slow down.

Brewsters CFlying Frog Lager, 5% ABV

The pour

A very clear brown with e=a finger of head & significant lacing.

Aroma

I found it quite subtle...maybe some malt.

Taste

Hmm, I found a bit of subdued hops initially, which rolled into a bit of maltiness and then it's gone.(Rather abrupt finish.) Pleasant hop aftertaste but a bit too easy drinking for me,then again one man's meat...

Hmm, 'CF'....Brewsters makes a Canadian Forces Lager?

Must be a Quebecois Air Force unit.

I might not get to this tonight. Please check and remind me tomorrow.

That was a two finger head on that one.

The Flying Frog? Two fingers?

I accidentally ended up at Brewsters again this afternoon. I left with six Pilsner, a River City Raspberry Ale, one of the Gunther's things, another Bow Valley Brown Ale, and the last bottles of the Irish Ale that they're expecting to have.


I've added Wild West and my notes on the brown ale.

Yes I believe you got that right, it somehow came out as(something like)'#@= finger head'., thanks btw. Was at Sherbrooke last night, so expect reviews this evening. Do we want/need another Alley Kat ? I was somehow drawn to a bottle of their KGB-for homebrewing team Kevin, Glen & Bruce, whose recipe was used-which is also quite decent &-at 10%-may've improved somewhat with *scratches head*about 14 or 15 months aging.

I had a brief conversation with a Toronto beer drinker, triggered by a mention of Mill St.'s Barleywine. I got the impression that he was out here visiting his girfriend. But later he sought my advice when choosing an Edmonton beer. I pointed out the Alley Kat name on the bottle cap of the KGB & of course the Three Bears just happened to be staring us in the face from the shelf. So he ended up walking out with that...I'm hoping I recommended the right 'A/K'. Our previous conversation had also touched on the Half Pints Stir Stick with Ethiopian (which seemed to catch his attention). Should I have suggested the Porter?

I don't know what to suggest. So far I think Alley Kat has the most success with the Stouts. I've got a bottle of KGB, but I haven't tried it yet.

I was at Amber's for a moment today and had a taste of two versions of a garlic beer. I guess Sorrentino's had Alley Kat do it for them (garlic festival, and all) but Alley Kat doesn't want to do it any more, so they've asked Ambers. One version is based on pale ale and the other is based on the maple lager. It's very much still in development, but I found the pale ale version better, as the garlic was far more noticeable, which seems to be the point of a garlic beer for a garlic festival. The maple one smelled of garlic but hardly had any garlic taste -- only maple. I think if the garlic were a bit stronger, the maple/garlic combination would be a winner.

I also brought up our little project and another visitor whose name I didn't catch was very interested in getting cyber directions to the notes.

Aha, was also-to an extent, since they're not geographically an Alberta brewery-wondering if you'd want my notes on a couple of Yukon Brewing's beers. I've just returned from the Urban Diner on 109th, they have Yukon's seasonal Porter on tap right now(2 kegs, as of 4pm). I was reasonably impressed with that. The Urban Diner would seem to be attempting to forge ties with Yukon, which I see as a good thing. Oh & Yukon had a keg of their Lead Dog Ale at the Urban Diner in Nov. & recently hosted a food/beer pairing dinner there. Honourary Albertans?

What I think we could do is hang on to your notes on Yukon -- post them here if you'd like -- and use them for comparative purposes. I was thinking I'd pick up s some Newcastle Brown Ale and some Pilsner Urqual soon to do a comparison to Brewsters Pilsner and Brown Ale, etc. What type of ale is the Lead Dog? Their Porter could be put beside the Oschner's from Alley Kat/Sherbrooke.

Good idea! The Lead Dog is very much a traditional English as I remember it(you might check Jason Foster's comments-I believe he 'did'/posted something. The first of my three pints this afternoon was one of their Discovery Fireweed Ale(an interesting Honey ESB), Fireweed being the provincial flower of the Yukon.

I expect it was flavoured with actual fireweed honey. I understand that honey made (by the bees) from the nectar of fireweed is a particular Yukon speciality.

I'm just having Brewster's Lanigan's Irish Ale. I find it very, very nice, but so subtle as to leave little to say. I've found that about a few of Brewster's items so far: they seem to have tried so hard to make a product that many will happily drink, they've brewed much of the character out of things.