La Trappe Tripel

Before even taking the top off of this tall Dutch beauty I'm struck by what this bottle involves. The contents were brewed by men of silence in the Netherlands before being sent across an ocean and delivered to a shop in my small town in rural Ontario. And it's still remarkably fresh. The only judgment I'm willing to pass on these glorious circumstances is that this arrangement cannot go on indefinitely. We have to break some serious new ground in how we operate as a global society for this level of luxury to persist. Meanwhile, there is beer of remarkable taste to be had so indulge!

La Trappe is a sample of what is becoming my favorite style. Trappist ales are powerfully alcoholic, but more than that they present some of the most nuanced palates and exquisite crafting available in the beer world. There must be something of value in being able to focus on a task in silence.

Cloudy, voluptuous, yeasty. Try it. If you don't love it send me your leftovers.

97/100

County Durham Signature Ale

"British Style" the label confidently proclaims. I've been hurt before. The full bottle shrink-wrap label is a mite tacky. One of the many things I loved about the UK during a trip several years ago was the local ale. Not overly gaseous, full flavored without being brash. Let's see what Durham County Brewing Company means when they say "British Style".

Tart to the point of nearly sour, but softly effervescent and refreshing. The head and the color have an air of high breeding about them. In the end I'd have to agree, British Style is what this is, not quite the genuine article but not Coors Light either.

77/100

Unibroue Grand Réserve 17

Let's make something clear. Adorning a bottle with things like "Belgian", "Trappist Monks", "French Oak", and "Platinum Medal Winner" doesn't tend to leave much to the imagination. Nonetheless my imaginations while toting my new purchase home were full of sugar plums. Lees cloudy. Deep auburn. Molasses scented. A full tenth of mind altering alcohol. This beer might normally and properly be labelled "barley wine" but then the imagination would be as idle as the Canadian Senate. Quebeckers it seems brew beer with the same passion as they apply to college football. Google Laval Rouge et Or. Twelve years in existence. Eight national championships. Beer enthusiasts get in the game, this one is lovely. Ab initio enthusiasts exercise caution and prepare to have your expectations reset. 99/100

Rogue Dead Guy Ale

So after much wringing of hands and what can only be described as a long and agonizing absence for you all, the big beer poobah is back. My apologies. 

The claim that sold me on this bottle (visible in the label shot) of course being "It Glows". Moments after spilling beer all over myself in the dark, it occurred to me that perhaps it was referring to not the beer but the bottle. Slowly but surely I do sometimes get somewhere. (to borrow from the eloquently confident style of Rob Ford)

So yeah the label glows. Kinda, sorta. Big whoop. How's the beer? Good dose of alcohol. Six and a half percent. Cloudy. Ruddy brown. Bitter for the Coors Light confederate. A sniff of yeast. Bit of a wallflower in the micro-brew aisle, one quickly gets a good idea why Mom put this little number in a glow in the dark dress before sending her to the school social. Not a life changing beer by any measure. Six and half points for the C2H6O. Half a point for the "glowing label". Carry the one, multiply by a hundred, seventy. 70/100

Samuel Adams Little White Rye

So it's beer blog time again! And this edition features a Little White Rye from my good friend Samuel Adams. With orange peel, coriander and sage this white is hitting all the notes for today's beer enthusiast. Crafted with gastronomic verve, this beer is tasty without being too edgy. I can't recall a rye beer ever passing my lips before but this is quite nice. 

The alcohol content comes as no surprise, 5.3% yeast effluent explains the lovely warm sensation. 

Little White Rye is a tad darker than most "white" beers and the orange peel is really prominent. It isn't unfair in my opinion to think of this one as a terrific twist to a patio pleasure. Summertime Sam's got you covered!

83/100

Old North Mocha Porter

Brewed by: Lake of Bays Brewing Company
Brewed at: Baysville, Ontario, Canada
Type: Porter
5.2 A/V

First Impression
A nice fashionable label design. A big, thrill inducing bottle. Water, Malted Hops, Barley and Coffee. What else do you want. Makes me wonder what the caffeine content might be?

First Sip
Yep. Water, Malted Hops, Barley and Coffee. Emphasis on the coffee. Excuse me! Barkeep! May I get some cream and sugar over here?

Halfway
It settles down quite nicely, the coffee now playing well with the malted barley et al.

Bottoms Up
Good not great. I enjoy coffee but too much upsets my belly. There is definitely caffeine in this one, so probably drink it early in the afternoon.

68/100

Cobblestone Stout

Brewed by: Mill Street Brewery
Brewed at: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type: Stout
4.2% A/V

First Impression
Mill Street is the home of some of Canada's finest craft beers. The can virtually cries "Stout!" from the chilly depths of the fridge. Okay an uncommon moment of honesty here for me... Opening the can, the nitrogen load scared the hell out of me. When pouring this, treat it as a you might a Boddington's - or dare I say a Guinness?

First Sip
Lovely. Simply stoutish loveliness. A little roasty and nicely malty and soundly bitter.

Halfway
Regretting deeply that there was only one of these treasures in my fridge.

Bottoms Up
If Guinness is the standard bearer for stout this upstart "Cobblestone" is doing the old man proud. The head is very much like that of the revered "Black Stuff". As the next generation at times builds properly and productively on the advances of the last, "Cobblestone" pays an honest and loving tribute to great stout. Well done. Indeed, very well done.

99/100