2014 Beer in Review

Hahaha same here!

 

I wonder about the recent obsession with chili beers...I have a high tolerance for heat, and I find most of these beers are just mediocre at best with a "burn" on the tail. Meh...give me a straight up beer that is of higher quality. No need to ruin a decent beer.

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Can't claim that there's any one brewery in Quebec that does it all really well. Since I love hoppy beers, I'll go with Pit Caribou, whose super-solid American IPA is one of the best around and whose specialty offerings can be really tasty during their brief lifespans.

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Since almost everything that isn't made in Quebec can't be bought here, this list is just huge. Right now, if there was one major brewery I wish I could find in stores it would be Lagunitas. Sixers of Little Sumpin' Sumpin' in the summer and Little Sumpin' Extra in the winter would be a most welcome sight. But I could name you lots of others...

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
To be honest, I spent most of the year drinking beer from other places, so I'm not sure how to answer this one. Pit Caribou's American IPA, Le Castor's Yakima, Brasseurs Illimité's Double IPA DH, Microbrasserie du Lac's Tante Tricotante, Pit Caribou/Castor collaboration 30c Black IPA, Jukebox Distorsion and of course DDC's Moralité are all contenders, but I can't say one of them really sticks out above the pack to me.

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Heady Topper is still the king of my heart, except for the part where I only get some about once a year. Managed to score it twice this year, so that's something!

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Pit Caribou's IIPA de la Sorcière - a very solid double IPA backbone with some funky Brett layered over top. I had one right as they hit store shelves and another a month later and both were very enjoyable in different ways.

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Double Dose probably takes this one for me, although Hill Farmstead's Harlan made a huge impression on me despite only getting a 2 oz sampler. What I'd give to have some more. And of course, this was the year that I learned about the Parker Pie Co. and all the delights contained therein. I'll definitely be going back next summer!

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT
First off, I managed to try a huge selection of American beers this year thanks to numerous trips to the US by car. I hauled back as much as I could on a few occasions and spent many happy weeks drinking it all. Second, I took a trip to some Vermont breweries, including Hill Farmstead. Third, I started making my own beer and even managed to make one batch that was actually pretty decent.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
Would you be surprised to see me say Pit Caribou?

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
The one I have my eye on currently is Stone - they've started bringing product into Alberta, is there any hope that we'll get some in Quebec?

LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
I mean, I enjoy Moralité, it's a good beer, but I think the people on BA talk it up way more than it deserves. Can't claim to have had any major disappointments with local product otherwise, except that I think Quebec still has a lot of work to do on the IPA front in general.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
I didn't know it was hyped when I bought it, but Stone's Enjoy By didn't impress me at all when I tried it earlier this year. A decent, mid-level IPA with a clever marketing gimmick - was very surprised to learn that people like it as much as they do.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
I really want to get my hands on some more Lawson's beers next year. So far I've shared one bottle of Double Sunshine, which seemed excellent from the small sample I had, drank four bottles of Double Dose, which I loved, and destroyed a bottle of Sip of Sunshine without getting to taste any. Is there a category for biggest tragedy?

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY - nothing in Niagara or buffalo really stands out, so I'll just stick with the GTA and say Bellwoods, though Great Lakes' better IPA's have been killer on draft whenever I've had them.


FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER - Hill Farmstead, with my non-Hill answer for the time being being Prairie. Aside from one bottle, Everything I've had from them this year (Various Bomb's, Fonky Gold, Cherry Funk, etc.) have all been in the very good range to higher.


FAVORITE LOCAL BEER - Again, nothing really from the Buffalo area really warrants repeat buys, so I'll go with thrust, which I had a few times when I hit Toronto.


FAVORITE BEER - Hill's S&S 5 was probably the best beer I've had all year. PseudoSue was at least 90% as good as the hype on it.


NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY - Premier stocking a LOT more bottles now - Recently additions include Prairie and Against the Grain. i'm happy about at least one of those!


NEW DISCOVERY - Willey's and Parker Pie for bottles - if you miss out on some of the wider distributed Hill and Grassroots collabs (Black nitro, Vermontoise, Nordic Saison, etc.) there's a decent chance you'll find them at one of these two smaller stores. Four Winds has impressed me with what i've had from them.


NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT - 900 unique reviews, and 1200 total including ticks.


LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH - Nothing within transit distance catches my eye. maybe Silversmith, but not for any of the right reasons.


BREWERY TO WATCH - De Garde, though I'm betting Jester King comes out with a new sour with some sort of fruit that blows most others out of the water.


LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER - I don't think Silversmith or Flying bison have any hype on them, probably with good reason. Community BeerWorks' The IPA won a medal for something or other but I'm still trying to determine why after re-visiting it a few times. Not sure I get the crazy love for some of Nickle Brook's beers.


BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER - Bourbon County Barleywine - though it seems quite a few people agree with me on it. Nice beer to split with friends, but this was approaching Mikkeller levels of sweetness. Voodoo's pub in Meadville is probably not worth visiting unless something barrel aged is on. Le Grimoire's label artist messing up my tattoo (inside joke).


MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!) - Anything from Side Project - I'm not terribly picky. Otherwise, I should probably start saving some paychecks so I can try to hunt down Ann.

 

Bomb was actually pretty good. Prairie seems to realize you never go full Chili

 

No love for Resurgence? I've yet to try them. Turned down a $15 bottle of their Sponge Candy stout last time I was at Premier. That pricing was way out to lunch.

Community Beer Works is ok, but I agree nothing to write home about. Hopefully Buffalo's beer scene continues to grow as Toronto's is...

 

When I was in Fort Collins I went to Coopersmith's Brewpub and tried their Sigda's Green Chili beer. My first chili beer. It was hot! It was OK but I don't think I'll bother trying any more chili beers.

 

Re: Resurgence - Not much opportunity to try them. Had their Resurgence IPA and it was good but not great (Buffalo guys are probably as bad as Hamilton/Burlington guys at over-rating locals but still nowhere near as bad as Ottawa guys). Their Porter

Getting their name out there is going to be the battle. Right now they have very VERY few taps in the Buffalo area, and the brewery is in an area of town that I hope my vehicle never breaks down in. Picture a microbrewery opening in Malvern or having a brewpub in a shitty part of Lower Town Ottawa.

Buffalo has far better bottles than Ontario, better selection of American breweries on tap at our bars, but that's it. Our breweries are nowhere near Bellwoods and probably do not rival Great Lakes or Amsterdam's best offerings.

 

This made me laugh. Have you heard that Nckelbrook Immodest IIPA is as good as Heady?

You make some good points about Buffalo. And about Resurgance, the only reason I haven't ventured there yet is because of the inconvenient (and sketchy) location.

 

So @yasky ...why the hate for Ottawa? I mean besides Beaus which deserves it.

 

Really, the only things I do not like about Ottawa are the Senators and the Chimo. Otherwise I've had many great trips up there and wouldn't be opposed to living in the area if there was ever the opportunity. As for Beau's I don't hate them per se, I just find the prices on their products somewhat out of whack.

What days do they deliver to LCBO's at the Golden Horseshoe? I'm not above following the truck to multiple stores. Or is it better to wait for the truck sale and line up early? *lol*

 

I have no idea what "Ottawa guys" overrate. I mean, really, I hope you're not referring to Beau's...

 

Fair point, I'll admit that the NCR people that post here are far more objective in their reviews for their locals.

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
Bellwoods (Toronto), Indie Ale House (Toronto), Muskoka Brewery (Bracebridge), Great Lakes (Toronto)

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Dieu Du Ciel, Brooklyn, Dogfish Head, Le Trois Mousqueteries

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Great Lakes Ezra, Great Lakes Thrust, Bellwoods Bimini Twist, Bellwoods 3 Minutes to Midnite, Great Lakes Apocolypse Later, Local 7 Session Sasion, Indie Ale House Roll In The Hay, Griffin Summer Stout, Beau's Ashnan, Beau's Siduri, Muskoka Winter Jack, 5 Paddles Midnight Paddler, Amsterdam Fracture, Oast House Dunk "Ale", Oast House Hef's Big Wood, Collective Arts Rhyme & Reason, Indie Ale House Camp Out Stout, Oast House Kanichiwa Peaches, Innocente Conscience

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Brooklyn Black Ops, Dogfish Head Bitches Brew, Hatachino Nest Espresso Stout, Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti, St. Bernardus Abt 12, Brooklyn Sorachi Ale, Midtfyns Bryghus Imperial Stout (Denmark), Amager Bryghus Imperial Stout (Denmark), Nogne Sunturn Brew (Norway)

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
Indie Ale House (Toronto) , Innocente Brewing (Waterloo), 5 Paddles (Whitby), Oast House (Niagara), Collective Arts, Block Three Brewing (St. Jacobs)

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
Midtfyns Bryghus Imperial Stout (Denmark), Amager Bryghus Imperial Stout (Denmark), Nogne Sunturn Brew (Norway)


LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
5 Paddles, Indie Ale House, Bellwoods, Collective Arts


LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
I normally don't like to bash beer or brewers but I will say that I'm generally disappointed in anything Trafalgar Brewery does. As well, Flying Monkeys has let me down lately.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
LCBO & Beer Store for obvious reasons

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)[/QUOTE]
Hoping to make it to Germany this year where I look forward to trying EVERYTHING. If I don't make it to Germany, Montreal is always a nice short trip. Dieu Du Ciel never disappoints.


Hope I didn't forget anyone!!!!!!!!

 

FAVORITE LOCAL BREWERY
5 Paddles Brewery is my Favorite Local brewery in Durham

FAVORITE BREWERY - OTHER
Bellwoods, just too great I love most of what these guys do, Best brewery in Ontario

FAVORITE LOCAL BEER
Home Sweet Home, Favorite Things and Hugs and Kisses all from 5 Paddles brewery

FAVORITE BEER - OTHER
Is definitely something from Bellwoods, is hard they make many great stuff. Id Say "Bring Out your Dead", "Grandmas Boy", or "Skeleton Key"

NEW LOCAL DISCOVERY
There Are Very Few stuff in Durham to Discover, So Im going to say that the best discovery is fullers Imperial Stout in Thickson St at the LCBO in Whitby

NEW DISCOVERY - OTHER
"Bocas Brewery" In Bocas del Toro, Panama; Decent beer, is pretty much impossible to find craft beer out side of the Capital (which has some decent international and Local beer) and to find a Brewery in a Island in one of the most alienated province if a true finding.

NOTABLE BEER-CHIEVEMENT

When i move to Canada From Pamama I found a totaly new Beer world.

LOCAL BREWERY TO WATCH
5 Paddles, They grow slowly but they have some cool beer worth trying

BREWERY TO WATCH - OTHER
"Quinta Esencia" and "Casa Bruja" from Panama City, Panama new but also the first crafts to bottle in Panama, they have some decent and some good stuff, also the most innovative breweries , worth buying, definitely the best breweries in Panama.


LOCAL BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED BEER
Nothing really Durham is Small and what Ive had is been nice. Ill mention Something not to local; Zomby Apocalypse From Indie Ale House, Ive w8ed for months for this beer and ended up being a pretty averge.

BEER DISAPPOINTMENTS / OVERHYPED - OTHER
Mill Street Barely Wine, the ceramic bottle and the price made me think is would be good, ended being one of the worst barely wines Ive had

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING (OR HOPE TO TRY!)
Probably a Bottle of Wesvletern at Bellwoods or Bar Volo, Id love to had som 3 Minutes to Midnight or Winey Bastard.