I love to share.
Be it a good meal, a great bottle of wine, or excellent beer, I find the experience of it is heightened when you have someone sharing it with you.
Or a group of folks sharing it.
Yesterday, I had the honour of sharing 13 different bottles of wine at Ottawa Bottle Share, an event that was organized by the folks of Ottawa Beer Events, my friends Katy Watts and Sasha Dunfield. Drawing on a similar event that is held in Toronto (and most likely other cities around the globe), Bottle share gets beer enthusiasts to gather in a casual setting and offer a beer that is not commonly available.
Each person arrives with a bottle that is big enough to share with everyone at the table (if the bottles are small, say 341 ml, two bottles are brought). The ideal amount is 600 to 750 ml. The beer must be uncommon, rare, or not easily obtainable in the region from which the event is held. For us in Ottawa, it can't be from the LCBO or from any of the Gatineau beer stores.
We had beer from all over the United States and a couple from Nova Scotia. We did have one beer from an Ottawa brewery, but it was one that was a limited edition and was no longer available.
I don't want to write about each of these beers and I won't provide a review. When I brought Beer O'Clock back from the dead, I promised myself that I wouldn't write about beers that the bulk of my readers wouldn't have access to. For me, it's like I'd be rubbing your noses into the fact that I had something and you didn't.
But the purpose of this post is to notify you, my wonderful readers, that you should keep your eyes out for future Bottle Share events, be it in Ottawa or in whatever city you live in. Because you can enjoy some pretty special beer.
Ottawa Bottle Share will be coming back in November, and there is limited seating. To learn about the next event, follow the Ottawa Beer Events blog. On Twitter, follow Katy and Sasha, and follow the #OTTBottleShare hashtag. And I hope to share with you next time.
Cheers!
I love it when my friends travel and think of me when they're gone.
I mean, it would be kinda creepy if I was in their thoughts when they were away from home. It's nice to be missed, but only when I've been away and my friends haven't seen me, are wondering what I'm up to, and are wishing me well. If they're the ones who left Ottawa, and they missed me, that would be kind of weird, wouldn't it?
But no, I like it when my friends are travelling and they come across a beer and they think of me. And they think: I bet Ross would like this. I'll bring him some.
That's the best way to think of me when they're gone.
Not that long ago, two of my friends went down to The States, on separate trips, and kept me in mind when they were beer shopping. One of them returned with my favourite beer of all time, plus a couple of extras. I'd like to look at one of them now, especially because of my hankering for IPAs.
India Pale Ale (6.2% ABV)
Wagner Valley Brewing Company
Lodi, NY (Finger Lakes)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: copper-orange with an off-white head that quickly dissipates to a fine lace.
Nose: whisky, oak, and orange zest.
Palate: an oaked, bourbon punch with a nice balance between the citrus flavours and hops.
Overall impression: there's something about this ale that reminds me of a rustic farm scene, much the way that some old red Bordeaux wines have an air of barnyard. This is not a bad trait: some of the best French wines have this classic tone. I think the barrel fermentation lends to these classic flavours, especially in the oak (surprise, surprise) and to the whisky-bourbon flavours.
This is a truly enjoyable IPA that is a must-try. I will keep my eye out for more when I next travel through the Finger Lakes region.
The other IPA came with an outrageous name, and because I didn't know what style of beer it was until I did some digging, I was glad that it fit in with my latest brew kick.
Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga' Substitute Ale (7.85% ABV)
The Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: an effervescent, clear deep gold, with a lively, foamy, sudsy head.
Nose: pineapple, honey, and mild hops.
Palate: solid hop flavours with mild citric grapefruit in the finish.
Overall impression: this is a solid American double/Imperial IPA. While it is a memorable beer and worth trying, I think I'll remember it more for its name than how it went down. Unlike how its name suggests, this IPA does not suck.
That's the best kind of false advertising.
This is the type of review that my manager dislikes. He reads my blog from time to time, but he gets discouraged when a beer attracts him, only for him to learn that he can't get it here.
But if you're in an area that offers these selections, get your hands on some.
And thanks to Katy and Chris for bringing these beer treats to my attention.
Cheers!
I should never drink beer while painting.
It's not that I'm worried about becoming impaired and spilling paint on the floor—or worse, in my beer—or about some other mishap. I'm also not worried about getting paint on my face—I can do that without drinking.
The problem with me painting a room (in this case, my ensuite bathroom) is that I tend to focus on the job, taking as few breaks as possible. And so, with this weekend's reno, where I spent a couple of hours painting, I shouldn't have poured myself a glass of beer because it took almost four hours to drink it.
Luckily, the beer held up the entire time. I also had another bottle, that I could enjoy last night, after the painting was done.
My friend and fellow beer blogger, Katy Watts, was recently in New York and brought me a seasonal that will most likely be gone by the time I hit the Big Apple in May.
Sorachi Ace (7.6% ABV)
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY, U.S.A.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Appearance: rich gold and cloudy, with a thick, foamy-white head that dissipates slowly and leaves a fine lace.
Nose: pineapple and orange, with a touch of honey.
Palate: orange rind, spices, flint, with dry hops and another touch of honey in the finish.
Overall impression: this traditional Belgian-styled saison, which is fermented in its 750-ml bottle, is a refreshing ale that will welcome in the spring, hopefully in time for patio season. This saison, along with the recent one I tried from Beau's, are changing my mind about this type of ale, which I tended to shy away from.
If you can find some (none in the LCBO), stock up. Savour it. Just like I did when I was painting, and the next evening.
Cheers!
In a follow-up to my review of the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, I wanted to let you know that I had my second bottle on Saturday, at breakfast. My wife made me a fried-egg sandwich with Swiss cheese and tomatoes. We didn't have any bacon or other tasty meats, which I typically add to these sandwiches, but I didn't need it. The beer more than made up for its absence.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the beer with my breakfast sandwich, I can't say the same for the accompanying fruit. Smoke beer does not go well with sweet, ripe, freshly chopped pineapple. The sweetness and acidity clashed with the smoky bitterness.
But it was a worthwhile experience.
