Bog Father - Beau's All Natural Brewing Co.
The mighty Beau's of Vankleek Hill certainly are having fun while storming the Ontario craft-brewing scene. While their Lug-Tread lagered ale is now widely accepted and consumed, it's worth remembering, for most people, it was their first exposure to the Kolsch style of beer. It's easy to take for granted now, but it was remarkable when it made it's appearance (especially when it's very first appearance was actually an Eis-Kolsch, or Kolsch-Bock as they called it). If you've been following their story for a while now, though, you know that this is just how they roll. "Hey our Kolsch is doing okay, what other styles should we try out?" Altbeir, another new one for most people (and the close cousin of Kolsch); Gose, a beer style I had never heard of before consuming it for the first time; Sticke, a German brewing tradition worth repeating; and Gruit, a traditional ale made with no hops (Bog Myrtle was the bitter leaf of choice in Bog Water, harvested locally in Eastern Ontario). Now they're just getting crazy. IPAs are cool, but imperial IPAs are really sexy. Just turn them up to 11, right? So why not sexy up the Gruit, and turn the Bog Water into the Bog Father? Where it gets really silly, is that guits don't have hops. But this one does. And in the words of Rob, friendly Beau's rep and gentleman "We don't care". So what you get is a double-mashed brew made with Bog Myrtle and hops, and fermented with Belgian yeast. Incidentally, this was one of the beers that was served at the Burger Bar CASK Social this past weekend. Sadly I missed it, but am getting a make-up taste now. Let's do it!
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From a labeless 650ml bottle with a bottled-on date sticker on the cap and little neck-hanger with info, the beer poured a hazy chestnut brown. An off white foamy head dropped to a decent film that stayed nearly the whole way through the glass. The aroma is immediately Belgian yeast, rum and some nuttiness. Maybe a little medicinal. Taste is again that distinctive spicy Belgian yeast, dark berries and nuts, a bit of licorice and cola and a bit of cantaloupe on the finish. There's an earthy bitterness throughout, that is there in the finish, but not prominent. Quite nice. It's silky on the palate, without being heavy; medium bodied with a nice dose of carbonation. Thinking of it in terms of a winter-warmer type beer (at 8%, it's certainly got the balls), it's quite drinkable. The 8% is well concealed though does come out a bit more as it warms. The layering of flavours gives it a depth that you could really spend some time with, perhaps with a nice book. A lovely beer indeed.
Cheers to Rob, and the whole Beau's crew!