HOGTOWN

Hogtown is one of the newest local beers to hit the streets of Toronto. I was invited by the owner's recently to sample a pint of their pride and joy at The Duke of Devon, it's first client of Hogtown Draught. On it's debut night, it easily stood out along the bar counter with its distinct ass-tattooed pig brand logo stamped 'I HEART T.O.', and it's simple, and comfortably drinkable glass.

Hogtown's debut beer is Kolsch-style (lagered ale). This means that it is warm-fermented like an ale, and then it is cold-fermented like a lager. Kolsch is traditionally native to Cologne, Germany (my favourite city in Germany). However, Kolsch is a style that is becoming much more popular around the world in craft brewing as it attracts both bold, hoppy ale-loving drinkers, as well as crisp, simplistic lager-loving drinkers. Beau's is probably the most popular lagered ale in Ontario today, but please keep an eye out for Hogtown.


Hogtown is a simple, nifty Toronto-brewed beer that you can drink throughout the evening, and not feel bloated. It's not an award-winner, but definitely one to give a go, and see what you think.

Slainte

Spearhead - Hawaiian-style Pale Ale

Spearhead - Hawaiian pale ale 
6.5%abv
Toronto, Ontario

Picture sipping a mouthful of Sam Adams Boston Lager, but with a punch in the face of pineapple.  Spearhead is a surprisingly really good Toronto-brewed pale ale that only started brewing in 2011 for us lucky drinking people.  It is made at Cool beer's brewery in Etobicoke.  I first heard of Spearhead's pale ale concept through word of mouth, and the Hawaiian pineapple thing sounded a little ich dont think so.  However, I'm so pleasantly surprised.  It has the girth at 6.5%abv, the body and the dimensions that are all expected in any good pale.  I like the bit of fruitiness that hits the pallet like a bomb.  The tropical fruits suit this style of beer down to the ground.  On another note, I don't like the glass.  It looks like a pina colada glass, not a beer glass, and feels very thin when drinking from it.  They say stems are best for drinking beer, but I 100% disagree.  A pint should be enjoyed as a pint in a pint glass, period.


Overall, I highly recommend trying this beer. My first sample was at this year's Beer Festival last Sunday, where I spoke to Julian representing the brand, and a few days later I came across it on tap at 'The Dizzy' on Roncy.  I'm sure it's popping up even more around town as we speak.

Well Done Spearhead.

Slainte or Aloha

Halifax Beer Weekend

Why does beer taste so much better when we go on our holidays?  Is it the taste of a beer that you wouldn't normally drink in the domestic comfort of your normal routine?  Or perhaps it is the surroundings that make the beer taste better.  That first sip of a cold beer while the sun beams down on you in a pool bar in an exotic spot like the Dominican or somewhere like that, and an air of some Calypso or Reggae channels through your soul and into your bottle of beer may feel different to normal everyday surroundings.

As I write this I am flying at 25,000 feet on a Porter flight headed to Halifax for a long weekend holiday.  I am enjoying my complementary can of Toronto-brewed beer, Steamwhistle.  Thank you Porter for calming my ever-present flying nerves.  I'm also listening to Bob Marley's Exodus album.  What is it about Bob Marley that can take us to another place?  In just a few verses and choruses, he can make my holiday to the cold east coast of Canada feel like I'm headed for the tropics.

I have Keith Richards' autobiography 'Life' sitting patiently on my mini plane desk, but I can't find the motivation to continue from where I left off, which is page 123.  I think it's the mix of beer/Bob Marley/turbulence.  As we descend for a quick pit stop in Montreal, my Steamwhistle has being converted from a glass to a plastic cup, which I'll tell you right now was a challenge to hold and drink out of while hitting the runway, even for a bartender.  Two old French-Canadian ladies across the isle from me got a good chuckle as we landed and jerked (a porter flight trait of landing), and I managed to not spill a drop from my plastic cup, which i had raised up in the air trying to preempt the Canada's Wonderland-style flight landing.

For anyone that is unfamiliar with Halifax, it is the largest city in the province of Nova Scotia, which is located in Atlantic Canada.  It is a beautiful spot that easily reminds me of Ireland - the hospitable nature of the locals, the wet climate and the coastal surroundings.  Halifax has a vast selection of pubs, and I attempted to frequent as many as possible while there for four days.  One of the best spots I tried for a pint or two was the 'Hart and Thistle'.  This brewpub is located right on the water and has some great house-made beers, as well as local brews such as Garrison and Propeller.  My choice, a house-made IPA eloquently named Tiny Dancer, was recommended to me by the owner.  It was excellent and packed a perfect punch of citrus, spices and honey flavours, as well as 6.4% abv.  Definitely recommended.  Other pubs worth a visit include The Old Triangle, Durty Nelly's, and The Celtic Corner.

Halfway through my weekend I wanted to do something touristy, so my Halifax-local friend, Rae, took me to
the Alexander Keith's Brewery.  Now, for anyone who knows Alexander Keith's, these days it has become less east-coast-authentic and more mass-produced-InBev-marketed-blockbuster-premium-but-really-domestic (shhh) beer.  However, with that said, the Halifax brewery is still the sole producer for Nova Scotian Keith's products.  The brewery tour was a surprising success.  At a rate of one tour per hour, it is definitely on a smaller scale than other brewery tours.  Also, a tour guide crew of three brings a 'shut up and listen, will ya!' approach.  This is all good in my eyes, however, the tour began on the corny side of things.  They attempted to reenact the time of Alexander Keith (mid-1800's) being in charge, alive and well. Unfortunately, it felt more like a performing arts audition for Pioneer Village.  The second half of the tour was excellent. We were led to Alexander Keith's 'personal' pub underground, which was a beautiful cave of stone, old wooden benches and tables that perfected the art of authenticity.  While pouring us our steins of beer (2 of them), the crew broke into song, story and dance.  It was feckin fantastic.  It was what Alexander Keith's should evoke, and better represents how InBev should be marketing their east-coast product.  Old sailor jokes were yelled, Barrett's Privateers was sung, a jig was danced and the craic was had.  Just a brilliant ending to the tour.

Slainte
Conor

My Hood - Roncesvalles

Alright. So it's been about a year and a half since I have been living out west here on Roncesvalles Ave. I have explored my new hood from top to bottom, and have decided to show my gratitude to my street by compiling a list of the best of Roncy. Forget Now magazine, or DineT.O. This is unfiltered, unbiased opinion.

So, here we go....

The Best of Roncesvalles.....

Best Beers - The Local

The Local has a great selection of Ontario brews to choose from. There is always a few beers from one of my favourite Ontario breweries, Great Lakes Brewery. Usually a seasonal, and a year-long standard. They also carry Wellington, and Stratford. However if Ontario crafts aren't your thing, Guinness is also on tap. All in all a great place for beer choice. Definitely recommended.

Best Value - Inter Steer

Inter Steer is the kind of place you want to tell everyone about it, but then you also kind of want to keep it to yourself. My newest local watering hole is a unique spot with its own style. It carries a Polish feel, but is still very friendly and welcome to everyone looking for food and drink. You will usually spot me sitting at the bar with my Roncy Polish beer - Zywiec, or playing pool in the back.

The food menu never goes higher than 12 bucks, and its excellent pub food. There are a few standards like wings, nachos, and chicken fingers. However, the crispy chicken sandwich, schnitzel sandwich, and the perogies take the simplistic-written menu to a different dimension. Please look out for a Special that they offer once in a while - Fried chicken on top of baked gooey macaroni and cheese on top of swiss chard. Amazing, and how much? 12 bucks. enough said.

Best Greasy Spoon - Ari's

I know my blog states that I only write about beers, bars, and bartenders, but if I am going to talk about Roncesvalles, then I have to mention Ari's. Without doubt, the best greasy spoon on the strip, and possibly in Toronto. It has a truck-stop/cottage feel along with staff that are older, and naturally very witty. Ari's has a bar licence, which is always a thumbs up. The menu is massive from breakfasts to souvlaki to corned beef sandwiches to steaks. I try to switch it up when I go, but when hungover an old-fashioned, no frill - Grilled Cheese and fries is the money. Most of the menu is under $10, and you pay at the door with the cooks. Please note: There are 2 Ari's on Roncy (i believe a family dispute seperated them). Please make sure you go to the Original Ari's, which is more south.

Best Bartender - Jay

Roncy has some good lasting bartenders throughout the bars such as Aggi from Inter Steer (always in a happy mood), and the recently left Jasmine from Loons (always a good chat). However, I think Jay at The Local is the best on Roncy. A chatty, speedy bartender who holds his bar well. Always a good laugh, and knows his beers, as well as the area.

Best Patio - Loons

Roncesvalles is not the greatest street in Toronto for patios. Its an old-fashioned street with generally small sidewalks, and alot of road and foot traffic. Therefore, the best patios are usually hidden away at the back of the bar. The local's patio is small and cozy. Inter Steer's patio is ok. But the King of Patios on Roncy is Loons. In the winter, Loons hosts a small loyal group of regulars. I consider myself to be a once-a-week regular usually. Its a good neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall in the winter. However in the summer, the back of the bar opens out on to a huge deck that spans probably double the size of the bar. Now - Its nothing special to be honest. Its a little dirty, and backyard-style, but it can have a great atmosphere when full and busy in the summertime. The staff are great and attentive at Loons, and the wings are half-price on tuesdays. Recommended.

Best Live Music - The Local

Gate 403 is a popular Jazz bar located just south of Howard Park on Roncesvalles and hosts some great live acts twice a day. I usually head down there once every 3-4 weeks. But for me, The Local is more my cup of tea. It hosts live music 5-7 days a week, it's always good and worthwhile. The stage position is good for most seats to watch in the bar. I always prefer a bar stool over a table seat, but thats just me. The music style ranges from bluegrass to folk to rock, so always an uppity rhythm.

More Best of to come.....

Slainte

Over The Christmas in Chicago

Christmas this year took me to Chicago, IL and Grand Rapids, MI, and while on my travels I was trying to really take in the success of craft brewing in the USA today. I took every opportunity throughout the holidays to try a wide variety of American beers that I either hadn't heard/or hadn't tried.

The first night of the holidays was spent having dinner and drinks at Lillie Q`s in Wicker Park. Our plan originally was to check out `The Southern`, which had many good reviews, but it just wasn`t looking that appealing from the exterior. Just one block down we found Lillie Q`s. It is a creatively built, very wooden, and almost ranch-like joint. The beer list was quite extensive and impressive. The choices made were:
1- Dogfish Head`s Midas Touch Ancient Ale
2- Breckenridge Brewery`s Vanilla Porter
3- Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale

First of all, Dogfish Head`s Midas Touch Ancient Ale. Dogfish Head is a brewery based out of Delaware (hi, i`m in delaware - wayne`s world) and is one of the fastest growing breweries in the USA today. You can currently watch Dogfish Head present a series called 'Brew Masters' on the Discovery Channel (excellent show). They also recently featured in the 2010 Toronto Beer Week Festival. I ordered it completely based on its name, and knowing of Dogfish Head Brewery. I had no idea what to expect, and I must tell you it is one of the most exciting beers I have drank in my life. According to their website, Midas Touch is a `strong ale based on residue found on drinking vessels from the tomb of King Midas, dating to the 8th Century BC. The recipe is claimed to be the `oldest-known fermented beverage in the world`. The bottle states that it is made with barley, honey, white muscat grapes, and saffron. A crazy concoction that just works so well. Everything about this beer was a whole new experience of beer drinking for me. Weighing in at 9% alc, it carries a strong right-hook to the face, however its flavours are subtle, yet long-lasting. Every ingredient that is used is clearly tasted after a few sips of the Midas Touch. Just simply pure brilliance.

The next beer was Breckenridge Brewery`s Vanilla Porter. This Brewery is based out of Colorado, and has been brewing since 1990. The Vanilla Porter has a deep, rich colour and texture that resembles an A&W Root beer. A Porter is a dark beer usually brewed with brown malts. Stout comes from the Porter family, and is known as double-porter. The Vanilla Porter is made from red vanilla beans, and you immediately get a whiff of a sweet vanilla-chocolate-mocha sensation. It has a rich lasting coffee-hazelnut finish. This is not usually a beer that I would choose from a fridge first. However, I did enjoy it, and sitting warm in the winter inside from the cold is a perfect setting for the Vanilla Porter.

Last, we have Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale. Lagunitas is based out of California, and was founded in 1993. I like the humourous, and eye-catching style of Lagunitas branding and packaging. The smiling chick on the Sumpin Ale could be a sketch drawn from the Beach Boys song, California girls. The Little Sumpin is a hoppy pale ale that combines with a good dose of citrus fruitiness. It is more of a summer beer, but it was still enjoyed in December.

Slainte

Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale

Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale
Vankleek Hill, Ontario.
5.2% Alc
$15.60 4-pk of 600ml bottles

I was recently requested to rate Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale, and I managed to find it in stock at the King and Spadina LCBO. Beau's is an Ontario brewery located very close to the border of Quebec at Vankleek Hill. Beau's brew over 8 different beers most of them being seasonal, however they claim the Lug-Tread to be their flagship beer. It recently won `Best Beer in Ontario` at the 2010 Golden Tap Awards, so with that being said I was very interested in giving it a sip or two.

The bottle itself is very old-school and almost looks like they are using old pop bottles from the `1970`s. Big and bold is what I mean, resembling more a wine bottle, than a conventional beer bottle. The branding is quite in your face - ALL-NATURAL, ORGANIC. Wow! It resembled a box of Muesli. The beer has a rich golden colour, however I found it to pour with little or no head, and quite flat - which was disappointing. Perhaps I need to try a pint of draught somewhere to fully evaluate the head. According to Beau`s, the Lug-Tread is a `tribute to the classic beer of Cologne, Germany.` I am a big fan of Cologne, having travelled and camped there in 2003, so this really intrigued me. I had no idea what a classic beer of Cologne meant. So after looking it up I found that Cologne`s local beer is called Kölsch. This means the brew is top fermented at a warm temperature (like an ale), and then cold aged (like a lager). Although I was disappointed with the appearance (flat) of the Lug-Tread, I was quite impressed with the flavour. It is hoppier than a typical golden lager or ale, and very crisp.

Overall -

Beau`s Lug-Tread Lagered Ale was certainly interesting - almost disguised. It appeared to be a flat, generic looking lager, but it tasted of rich hops, with a crisp bitterness. It would not be my first choice to buy, but I am really excited to see that Ontario breweries such as Beau`s are growing in creativity, and choice. GO ONTARIO!
3 out of 5


Slainte

Celts Pub

Celts Pub
2872 Dundas St West, Toronto. (Near Dundas West and Keele St)

A real proper dive bar, but a dive with great potential.

The Potential -

* It's located in the increasingly popular, but refreshingly still not mainstream area, The Junction

* The bar structure has a traditional set-up with a 10-stool length bar counter, and a half-dozen booths running parallel to the bar counter across the room. As well, there are two mob-style table booths by the front windows that could fittingly be the setting for Joe Pesci to whack a bartender over the head with a beer bottle, or for Christopher Walken to play Russian Roulette with some local Vietnamese

* The back bar hosts a pool table, dartboard, jukebox, and a sniper arcade game, hence it has a decent amount of space

Celts Pub is the kind of place where you definitely stick to drinking bottles. God knows what their draught has in store - possibly an unpleasant party in your mouth, where nobody was
invited. I think their draught list consisted of beers such as
Guinness, Kilkenny, Strongbow, Keith's, and some domestics. The reason I say "I think" is because the taps were so dark and greasy, I would've needed Mr.Clean to help me out in the situation. The bartender was friendly, a young woman who was trying to help us decide on a bottle of beer to drink. However, I spotted the dusty array of bottles showcased on the mirror shelf like a proud collection of sporting trophies. Molson Stock Ale. Done. A perfect domestic suited for the experience.

Overall -
This pub has great potential to be something really distinct and genuine, and has the ability to be a damn good place to drink and socialise. I mentioned in my review for `The Hole in the Wall` that Celts Pub was used for a scene in the film `16 Blocks`. For this reason alone, it is worth checking out
and having a bottle of beer (note: the scene when Bruce Willis shoots the cop in the leg). I like the existing lighting, which is nearly too dark for most pubs, but somehow suits this room. The size of the room is perfect for a pub to create a
rowdy, but friendly and cozy atmosphere. Celts Pub is a pub
that I would love to take off the current tenants. So Mr.Owner
if you are reading, which you probably aren't, I would like to
take up a new lease on your pub. If not me, then please
someone else. This place could be so good.
1.5 out of 5 for its the potential.

Slainte