If you know anything about me, you know that I'm a big-time STAR TREK nerd. I love anything and everything about the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise and all of the spinoffs, and I'm not ashamed to don some pointed ears, or wear a uniform, or make the Vulcan salute.
Last weekend, I put that claim to the test by checking out the Starfleet Academy Experience, at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. I pinned on my Next Generation communicator and did what any cadet would do, including commanding a starship for the Kobayashi Maru test.
I didn't cheat, like James T. Kirk did, but I did manage to save my own ship and rescue 30 members of the ill-fated Maru before it was destroyed.
But, enough geek talk.
I also took advantage of the long weekend to indulge in another of my passions: beer. And, with a STAR TREK-inspired beer available, my weekend seemed to be looking up.
Just in time for a STAR TREK gala at the museum and for the 2016 Ottawa Comiccon, The Clocktower Brew Pub, in partnership with the Federation of Beer (Pluto's Moon Beer Company), have created a red ale concoction that uses (quadro)triticale with an old nineteenth-century recipe.
Sort of like the past meets the future.
The question I had, was, is this ale from the twenty-first century, made with a nineteenth-century recipe and twentieth-century grains, good enough for the twenty-third century?
Let's boldly go, shall we?
The Final Frontier (5.3% ABV)
Clocktower Brew Pub/Federation of Beer
Ottawa ON
Appearance: dark amber with orangy-red highlights and a creamy, light-beige head that pours a thick foam and settles to a solid cap.
Nose: floral malt, caramel, grass, and yeast, with just a touch of hops and something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Because this Kentucky Common style is made with triticale—something with which I'm unfamiliar—that could be what I'm picking up.
Palate: malty corn syrup with a grassiness that I typically associate with beer of lesser quality (think Canadian or Blue). The finish lingers, possibly well into the future.
Overall impression: there is an oxymoron quality about this beer—it pays tribute to the future by following a recipe from the past, but the grain swap that is used to tie it to STAR TREK doesn't quite seem to work. It's goes down easy enough, but there are some flavours that just don't seem right or are a little too simple for the theme.
To me, the brewers didn't seem to take much risk in brewing this ale to make it stand out, to be worthy of time and space. They didn't quote Captain Kirk when he said, "Risk is our business." I think it's a great mantra by which brewers and space explorers should live.
This ale does not boldly go. We can only hope that centuries from now, futuristic brewers come by this recipe and improve it, or fire photon torpedoes at it.
If you're a fan of STAR TREK and like simple red ales, this one may be worth a try. Make it so.
Otherwise, resist (it's not futile).
Beer O'Clock rating: 2.5
Engage... I mean, Cheers!
It sounds like a cheesy B movie.
The bespectacled, copper-bearded man on the can looks psychotic.
But it really is what's inside that counts, right?
On the day before I went on my nearly month-long hiatus from booze, I partook in various beverages that were stored in my basement from earlier in the summer. I had meant to do a beer review at the time, but because these beers were going to be my last for a while, I put down my camera, set aside my notebook and pen, and just savoured the flavours.
One beer stood out, and I promised that when I had the chance, I would give it a proper review.
That day has come.
Though this brewery is located in Guelph, I actually didn't get a chance to visit it when I was there, seeing some old friends, only the day before I first sipped this ale.
Revenge of the Ginger Kickin' Ginger Red IPA (6.2% ABV)
Double Trouble Brewing Company
Guelph ON
Appearance: unfiltered, deep amber-orange with slightly red highlights; a creamy, beige head that pours thick and settles to a solid cap.
Nose: candied ginger, pineapple, and spices (clove and cinnamon).
Palate: spiced malts hit the taste buds right away and reminded me of nut loaf. The ginger becomes more distinctive in the second sip and stays with you through the glass. There is good balance between the malt and the ginger, with very little bitterness that I expect from an IPA. There's a solid, distinct finish.
Overall impression: you've heard of comfort food, right? Well, this is comfort beer. It's full-bodied without being heavy, it cools you on a hot day or warms you on a cool day, and its easy drinkability makes it something that you could drink all night.
Beer O'Clock rating: 4
Here's the kicker, and perhaps where some revenge comes into play. This ale is a summer release, so unless your local LCBO still has some on the shelves, you'll have to wait until next year to try it.
It's worth the wait.
Cheers!
Ottawa's latest brewery is set to open its doors tomorrow, August 7, and it is taking on a theme that harkens to prohibition.
But it has no reason to hide.
Located in the dark depths under the Lunenburg Pub, where once veteran pub, Alfie's, crammed the booze faithful into its tight space, brewer Marc-André Chainey is seeing his two-year (plus) dream come true.
The suspenders-donning civil engineer, who has turned his love for beer, is opening Waller Street Brewing, starting at noon. There will be tasty treats, a live jazz band, and even an early Model A Ford.
And, of course, beer.
Marc-André has four brews on offer, for sampling or by the glass, but remember: this is a brewery and not a pub. If you want to drink it up, this is not the place. Pick up your half-growler and enjoy it at home.
The four mainstays of the brewery are as follows:
Bootleg Blonde (5% ABV)—an American blonde ale with good pepper notes and plenty of hops, this is one of the best blondes I've ever had, and I'm not into blondes (even though I married one). Easy-drinking, it reminded me of a session ale. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3)
Hideaway Hefe (5% ABV)—a German-style hefeweizen, this is my favourite of the Waller Street offerings. Big notes of banana on the nose and puréed pairs on the palate, this cloudy ale got me so excited that I drank the half-growler that I bought as soon as I got home. This hefe will be a hit for wheat-beer lovers. (Beer O'Clock rating: 4.5)
Speakeasy Red (4.4% ABV)—a complex, Belgian-American-red-rye-session-IPA. This is a mouthful, and your mouth will enjoy the many flavours that comprise this ale. "Everything is about balance and subtlety," said Marc-André, about his personal favourite of his creation. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5)
Moonlight Porter (6.3% ABV)—solid notes of coffee and chocolate nibs on the nose, with licorice and molasses on the palate, this substantial dark ale is full of hops and reminds me of an Imperial stout. I found this selection a bit lacking in carbonation, which may have made it a little silkier, like moonlight. Perhaps it was the condition of the growler from which we drank, but I'll be able to confirm that when I open my mini growler. (Beer O'Clock rating: 3)
At the brewery's grand opening, a special, unnamed, cask-condition ale will be opened.
I'm excited for Waller Street Brewing. They are off to a fine start with their beer offerings and their theme makes it a good attraction, given its location, outside the bustle of the Byward Market. Time will tell.
Cheers!
