Beer and Football go together don’t they. Budweiser always puts out some great commercials even if they are not on a Craft Beer Fans list of beers to have, Bud is popular. Here are a spot for this years Super Bowl.
BTW,
My fridge has Mill Street, Steam Whistle, Dead Frog, Unibroue, St. Ambroise, Hop City and some Alley Kat. Some fine craft beers from across Canada. I like this Blue commercial though…
Cheers,
I posted the other day that I preferred the Oktoberfest Seasonal by Samuel Adams over their Winter Lager. Today, I’m not so sure. I’m really enjoying the flavour and various spice notes. Could be because I’m drinking this Winter Lager here in snowy Central Alberta versus The Oktoberfest which I picked up while in sunny Orlando Florida.
Winter Lager Samuel Adams is considered by many to be the largest “Craft Brewer” out there. Beer nerds may disagree or agree. I know it goes good with the pot of football chilli I have cooking for Grey Cup. Samuel Adams has a flavour that is evident in every brew of theirs I’ve tried so far.
Go Stamps Go!
Cheers, enjoy the game with a cold one.
Wallace Brewing has a pretty strong headline “Beer of Historic Proportion” for a brewery that was founded in 2008.
This is another of the three beers that returned with my friend on his vacation this summer. So far this Idaho Select Lager is the winner. More flavourful than the Laughing Dog.
Flavour is reminiscent of a belgian white. Their website tells the storey of beer in Wallace. I’m curious to check out Wallace Idaho after tasting this beer, and reading their website. Sounds like a cool place. I like that they are using local malt “Brewed with Idaho grown Pilsen malt”.
Cheers.
I haven’t had the blogging inspiration lately so I’m way behind in getting some beers out there. Here’s a few that I’ve had and what I think about them.
Creemore Springs Premium Lager. The only bad thing is the use of the word “Premium”. One the most over used words to describe a beer. However, in this case it probably fits. A more caramel lager than you’d expect pouring a lager, but a flavourful beer that’s very well suited to being your go to every day beer.
Full Moon!
Ein Prosit! Well, I’m not sure I could pronounce this one correctly to order after a few.
Just ask for the Alley Kat viking dude one, and you’ll be set.
Both have distinct Alley Kat flavour and quality. Very tasty beers, the ein Prosit is a seasonal Oktoberfest brew, and good enough to be a year round favourite. One Cheers, or EinProsit.
Ein Prosit is available at many beer and liquor stores in Alberta, but if you go to the source, you can get the right beer swag to complimemt your beer fridge, cabinet or bar.
Stop by Alley Kat in Edmonton. I could have loaded up on a few cases when I was there, but I had to catch a plane to Montreal. Sorry Alley Kay, but I know where I can purchase some in Red Deer 
Montreal! I was expecting some high quality brews and a variety to choose from in Montreal. It wasn’t as easy as I would expect. Don’t get me wrong I found some good beer, but Montreal is also home to Labatt Brasserie, and Molson Coors. Both of which are considered “local” because they have a brewery there.
I suppose, Molson has a strong case because:” In 1786, John Molson founded Canada’s oldest beer brewery on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Montreal. He wrote, “My beer has been universally well-liked beyond my most sanguine expectations.” In 1959, Molson Canadian was first brewed and today is one of Canada’s most iconic and best-selling brands.”
However, if you know me, you know I’m in search of micro brews, local “craft brews” not that I don’t partake in the occassional bug brand beer, but I can have a Molson or a Labatt anywhere. So I searched for something unique and I found Les 3 Brasseurs, where I tipped back a few pints of:
Brew pub/micro brewery originally from France. I didn’t want to leave until I sampled them all a few times. An excellent variety no matter what beer is your favourite or style you’re seeking. Quality? Outstanding.
St. Ambroise, a Quebec based Microbrewery:
Delicious. A great tasting beer.
Apparently being the Good Beer Guy, also means I should try weird beer. Well at least thats what others think. I’ve learned to like different beer, tastes, and characters and I’m not afraid to try them. SOme people can’t handle hops, or appreciate them, it’s truly an acquired palate. Not long ago I was celebrating with family and friends for a birthday at Cities Gastro in Red Deer. They have a wide beer menu selection. So I had to sample…
and
I preferred the Banana bread beer over the pizza beer, but neither is worthy of a second glass nor a full pint in my opinion. You can definitely taste the pizza sauce, oregano in the pizza beer. It also had a reddish hue to it. Not a fan of pizza beer. Banana Bread beer smelled way better than it tasted. The first few sips were a bit of a treat “it actually tastes like banana bread”, but halfway in and that was enough for me.
Other notables that I failed to get a photo of:
Granville island Cascadian Dark. Quite enjoyable. An IPA like dark ale.
Deckhand Belgian Saison, I think I’m a Lighthouse Brewing fan. Another outstanding beer from them. Why didn’t I buy more of this?
Cheers.
One beer by two different names? Why not!
The Beach Blonde is a lager by Tree Brewing. It is a golden-yellow beer with a white foamy head.
The Granfondo Lager is the Beach Blonde with a new label in support of the 2nd annual Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx bike ride in Penticton BC. Tree Brewing sponsored the event and was serving up the Granfondo Lager version at the finish line as part of a post ride reward.
What’s a “Granfondo”?
It’s a cycling event. Granfondo is an Italian word for a cycling event that is a short to long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling event. It is not a “Tour” or a highly competitive race but more so a mixture of skill levels and distances.
After a hot sunny day, an ice-cold Granfondo or Beach Blonde Lager is a tasty reward indeed. The Golden yellow lager is smooth with a clean, crisp finish. Not overly strong with hops but a good balance. It was the recipient of a Bronze Medal at the 2012 Canadian Brewing awards. So some other beer loving folks also liked it.
The TreeBeer.com web site suggests the proper food pairing would be: Barbecue, Burgers, Chili, Mild cheese. Sounds like summer beer material to me.
Wanting something different from your typical Kokanee or Molson Canadian but you don’t want to big of a change, then you’ll like this Beach Blonde lager.
Cheers,
Patrick the Good Beer Guy
@thegoodbeerguy
Hoodoos can be found in the badlands and other river valley’s.
However this HooDoo Hefeweizen can be found at the Wild Rose Brewery for a limited time or if you’re lucky, at a liquor store near you.
This is a fantastic brew. Don’t be alarmed by the sediment in the bottle. That’s part of the character of this unfiltered wheat ale from Wild Rose. It pours a hazy cloudy gold colour with a nice frothy white head of foam. The flavour is some what characteristic of the Belgium Dubbel, but that is purely because of the yeast that Wild Rose uses. As like many breweries they have a signature flavour that comes thru. Also because Wheat beers (“Weizen” is German for “wheat”.) are usually top-fermented, and this one is.
Wild Rose released this seasonal Hoodoo Hef mid June and they describe it as:
“HEFEWEIZEN
Inspired by traditional weisse beers of Bavaria, this wheat ale is hazy gold and naturally cloudy. Canadian malted wheat blends with a specially selected yeast to give clove-like spiciness to the aroma and flavour. A refreshing thirst quencher for warm Alberta summer days.”
It comes in a big bottle, 650 ml, so sharing with a friend is encouraged. 
Enjoy.
Cheers
Patrick
@thegoodbeerguy
I may be a sucker for a sampler pack, but getting to try 3 or 4 different beers in one case is a good thing.
Phillips beeris also a new one for me. This fun case I spotted when looking for a new Paddock Wood beer to try. I did pick up some Black Cat Lager by Paddock Wood, but I also managed to secure a 12 pack of Phillips. Phillips Beer is brewed in Victoria BC
The Phillips Showcase Sampler Pack is a showcase mix pack has 3 bottles each of four different beers – Blue Buck Amber, Slipstream Cream Ale, Phoenix Gold and special rotating guest bottle.
The Blue Buck:
The Blue Buck is a solid amber beer. There was nothing really stand out about it, but it was good.
The Slipstream Cream Ale:
The Slipstream was my hands down favourite in this sample showcase. If the Cream Ale was available in Red Deer in a 6 pack or 12 pack I would definitely pick some up. Phillips describes it as “Duck into the slipstream and enjoy the rich flavours of a BC original! Medium bodied and smooth like pedal stroke.”
The Phoenix Gold Lager:
This Phoenix is an easy drinking gold lager.
and the rotating guest bottle … The Coffee Stout:
Rich and flavourful stout with plenty of coffee aroma and flavour. Not for every palate but if you like a Stout, then this one is worth a try. All four of these Phillips beers are delicious, do yourself a favour and pick up a Phillips Beer Showcase.
If you like hops and an authentic Hop characteristic of an IPA then you’ll want to check out…
The Phillips Hop Box:
More to follow.
Cheers,
English Bay Pale Ale by Granville Island
and The Island Lager
The English Bay Pale Ale is lightly hopped and a smooth caramel coloured ale, while the Island Lager is a clear golden crisp lager with a hop finish.
What I find surprising is the low carbonation and small head these produced when pouring them. The Island Lager is very drinkable and easy-going right out of the bottle and one you could picture tipping back around a campfire or other social get together. Both seem to be the kind of beer that you could drink all night.
So far out of the seasonal mixer I would have to say that the Winter Ale is the stand out. While these two are tasty and good beers, the Lions Winter Ale is a cut above in my opinion.
Cheers,
Early December i attended a Christmas gathering of real estate freiends. The Chinese gift exchange revealed a Import Beer three pack with glassware. Unfortunately I didn’t walk out with it that evening, however Sandra noticed my level of excitement and interest for the beer gift and dropped on off last week in time for my birthday.
Thanks Sandra
Peroni, Grolsch and a Pilsner Urquell. Premium brand names and all around European beer.
Grolsch Brewery, known simply as Grolsch, is a Dutch brewery founded in 1615. It is located today in Enschede and offers brewery tours all year. Honey, add that to my bucket list. A trip to the home land and a tour of the Grolsch Brewery. The Flip top lid, one of the characteristics that make this beer stand out for some folks, but it’s what’s inside that old school flip top bottle that matters.
Peroni Brewery (Birra Peroni), is a brewing company, founded in Vigevano in Lombardia, Italy in 1846. Currently brewed in Rome.
Pilsner Urquell a Bohemian Pilsner beer by Plzensky Prazdroj (SABMiller), a brewery in Pilsen, The “Original Pilsner”. This is the Pilsner by which all others are compared to. If you haven’t tried one, you should and see what all the fuss is about. “Urquell” means “original source”, and Pilsner Urquellis the original pilsner and first pale lager beer. It is said that 9/10 beers produced in the world are derived from the original Pilsen beer.
All three are part of the SABMiller beer family. SABMiller is huge. The opposite of a Microbrewery if ever there was one.
Cheers,
@TheGoodBeerGuy
If you like to, scratch that if you love trying different beers you have to pick up a sampler pack.
Try A Mill Street Brewery Sampler and you’ll be treated with a great variety of gold crisp Lagers, Pilsener and Ales. If you like a darker amber ale you won’t be disappointed. If you like something unique, well they have that as well. ”Bodacious Batch Crafted” beer from Mill Street in their Mini Brew Pub Seasonal Sampler. I’m glad I picked up this sampler. I previously tried the Organic Lager and loved it. So I was eager to tip back a few others.
Stock Ale from Mill Street.
Mill Street brews award winning beer and the Stock Ale won a gold medal in 2008 for the “North American Style Blonde or Golden Ale” at the Canadian Brewing awards. So I guess you can say they can rightfully state that the Stock Ale is Sensuous and the they brew Bodacious Batch Crafted Beer. The Stock Ale is a light golden blonde ale. Lightly hopped with a smooth finish.
I’m a fan of the Organic. It’s a lighter beer but full of taste.
Going slightly darker golden with a Pilsner.
Sticking with light colours but unique, then try a Lemon Tea Beer. That’s right Lemon Tea, more specifically a blend Orange Pekoe and Earl Grey teas. Pairing citrus flavours with beer is nothing new but adding in Tea, well then that’s something different and more rare especially in Alberta.
Brewed ginger beer originated in England in the mid-18th century. Today you’re more likely to Ginger Ale sitting on the shelf as a soft drink next to a Pepsi or Coke. It got its start as beer. Trying this one and you just might conjure up images of stir fry dishes or “ginger beef”. The fresh Ginger taste is notable for sure.
Reddish, copper coloured Pale Ales are quite common today. The taste of a Mill Street Tankhouse Ale is not common or average it’s a tasty treat. The online description boasts the “Mill St. Tankhouse Ale raised the bar for flavour in Ontario”. Try one and see if you agree.
Pick up a Mill Street beer next time you’re grabbing a six pack. One of Canada’s top microbreweries.
Cheers,
@TheGoodBeerGuy on Twitter.
