It’s one of the harder parts of running a beer blog: heading down to sensory evaluation room B at the LCBO offices, to sample the specialty beer releases. All those beers, in pristine glassware, with sinks for rinsing and natural light on white walls. While a couch or two would make it perfect, it’s still not a bad way to spend a Wednesday lunch-time. Today was a big day, as there were three beer program releases on sample, the Fall Seasonal, the Shipyard Brewing Brewery Feature, and the Halloween Seasonal. Read this as about 26 different beers. I decided to not actually sample them all, but only check out ones I hadn’t had in past releases. And rather than giving you reams of brief tasting notes, I’ll just give you some good advice for each group. As and aside, the fall release will roll out September 17th, as will the Shipyard Feature. The Halloween beers normally turn up around the end of September, early October. Be quick, some of these brands will move fast!
Fall Seasonal Release
If you haven’t had Pauwek Kwak or Tripel Karmeliet from Bosteels Brewery, now is your chance. Easily worth the $3.50/bottle, though the Kwak won’t be quite right if you don’t happen to have one of their unique glasses (complete with stand). The Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weisse, while not super rare, is an incredible beer, and one we should buy lots of to encourage getting it a regular listing. Box Steam Funnel Blower is back, and if you didn’t get some last time it was here, don’t make the same mistake twice. We have access to another St. Peter’s beer, this time their The Saints Whisky Beer, which shows a heap of peat smoke, yet is still quite drinkable. If you’re a fan of whisky as well as beer, do get some. Koningshoeven have their La Trappe St. Isid’Or Belgian Pale Ale which was quite an interesting ale, with big yeasty spices and nice fragrant hops. Top picks for me were Rennaissance Craftsman Oatmeal Chocolate Stout from New Zealand, Southern Tier Mokah (coffee chocolate stout) and Ayinger Celebrator (killer doppelbock). Just buy these, trust me. Meantime porter will be in too, but it wasn’t ready for the tasting today. I’ve had it in the past, and it’s something you’ll want to get more than a few bottles of. Oh and Garrison Imperial Ale is back. You probably shouldn’t buy any (until I’ve picked up a few cases….)
Shipyard Brewery Feature
Consisting of four brands, each is a 625ml bottle priced at $7.95. The Smashed Pumpkin returns, this time in the brewery feature (last year it was part of the Halloween release), and is as good as I remember it. New to most Ontario drinkers will be the Imperial Porter, XXXX IPA, and Barley Wine. Of the three, the Barley Wine was weakest. Not bad, but not as sweet and boozy as I would look for. I’ll probably get a few bottles and put some age on them to see what happens. The Imperial Porter was roasty with a touch of licorice, and hid it’s 7.1% very well, beware! The XXXX IPA was a beautiful DIPA, big juicy hops, hinting at lemons and flowers, with a vinous note both Josh Rubin and I took for Nelson Sauvin (it’s not, though there is an impressive list of hops in there). On the palate there was a generous sweet malt profile to balance the huge hops. On a day where most of the beers were north of 6.5%, it was a nicely sessionable drop of ale!
Halloween Seasonal Release
Once again, lots of pumpkin beers to choose from, which is probably either very good for you, or very bad (I find this style is quite polarizing). Aside from pumpkin beers, Dieu du Ciel! Corne du Diable IPA and Mt Begbie Nasty Habit are both back and will fill out your ghoulish hop needs. I’ve reviewed no shortage of pumpkin beers, but new to me were Chatoe Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale, which was much more subtle than a lot of it’s Rogue siblings. It was quite nice, bright with something a little citrusy and a nice pop of cinnamon. There was also Black Creek Pumpkin Ale, which intrigued me. Pumpkin beer is an historical style that fits with the Black Creek time period. Ed and the crew have done well, making a pumpkin beer that is clearly rich with pumpkin yet lacking any cloying sweetness or heady spices. Just a solid drinkable beer that tastes of pumpkin. Highballer from Grand River is also available, and while it’s another Grand River label that could use the loving touch of a graphic designer, the beer inside is good. Tasting more of cooked pumpkin, it is mellow and sweet, with a nice pop of pie spice. Lastly Post Road (by Brooklyn) is back, as is St Ambroise Citrouille by McAuslan and Souther Tier Pumking, all of which I’ve reviewed, and all of which I quite like. I noticed Great Lakes isn’t on the list. Perhaps their third anniversary selection will include the big orange squash?
All told, it’s a good looking release; another in the line of great specialty programs the LCBO has undertaken recently. For all the flack they get as a government organization, they really are working hard to bring interesting quality products into the Province, and for that I’m thankful.
