As we hit a couple breweries the other day we wondered how one place taste so differently, and maybe even better, than another? Kind of a silly question, but when drinking two different company's same beers, say two brown ales, why is one so much better than the other?
There are a couple of obvious reasons and they boil down to one does it better. Or in other words they use the correct amount of the right flavours, time, and love. It's like why you can eat one chocolate cake and another chocolate cake and although they are identical, you like one better.
Maybe one person added an ingredient the other did not.
Or maybe it was you.
How much does your own personal likes and dislikes come into play? Let's use black liquorice as an example, some love it some do not so if it's my beer or cake, I'm not liking it, but someone will. I personally do not like winter porters with vanilla but they seem pretty popular. Anyway, there's that ingredient aspect of why one brown ale may taste better than another. The style may match, but that flavour they enhanced, I may not like.
Could timing come into it?
What if I was simply in the right mood for this brown versus the other? What if the ambience was set right that I was already predisposed to liking that one? How does that translate to other things I like?
What if my having a beer already primed my palate and mental space to like the second. Maybe that first one was never going to go well becasue I ate a samosa in the car right before and that ruined my taste for a brown ale. Maybe it was my fault and now I'm taking it out on the brewery.
What a tough business. You have a one shot deal to make me love that beer.
How do you set me up for success?
Should you have me rinse out my mouth somehow?
Should tell me what to look for, smell for and taste so it's already in my head before I even get it to my lips? Is that cheating?
At the very least should you ask what style I gravitate to so the one I pick is generally not off-putting?
Is all that my responsibility before I give you a try?
Monday, December 31, 2018
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Loving shopping again
It's so fun going into local liquor stores now. So many are supporting AB breweries with shelf space.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, January 1, 2018
Albeerta
Well 2017 was one for the beer books and it looks like 2018 will continue. With another 5 or so breweries coming there is talk now around saturation points.
Recent interviews and pieces say there's still market for these new beers and people to buy but when will we hit saturation? I think SK has room and MB, though we're only talking Winnipeg but AB has many breweries now. Hitting about 80 breweries this coming year
seems like 3 million people can drink more but where does it go? Check the map - Canadian craft map
I feel the saturation is in shelf space and pub taps. A bar with 10 taps welcomes local craft - we're seeing it, 10 taps is still only 10. The fight for tap space is here. Shelving, too. Tough to give all your space to only craft, only local. AB interprovincial tax has helped local beers here as we don't see much of SK, MB ON beers as we once did. BC still arrives.
What will happen?
I think we'll see two things.
We'll see some crafts not survive. That's sad to say as we love to see them come, but likely.
We'll see super local now form, too. We'll see brewpubs stay neighbourhood craft pubs. Like a lot Quebec brasseries they'll make their beer and sell in house. Hopefully the local sustains. This will see those in small AB towns do alright and make local Calgary/Edmonton strive for area business. There's got to be a Bowness brewery coming. Anyway there's the prediction.
We'll keep supporting local craft coast to coast and we hope you do, too.
Recent interviews and pieces say there's still market for these new beers and people to buy but when will we hit saturation? I think SK has room and MB, though we're only talking Winnipeg but AB has many breweries now. Hitting about 80 breweries this coming year
seems like 3 million people can drink more but where does it go? Check the map - Canadian craft map
I feel the saturation is in shelf space and pub taps. A bar with 10 taps welcomes local craft - we're seeing it, 10 taps is still only 10. The fight for tap space is here. Shelving, too. Tough to give all your space to only craft, only local. AB interprovincial tax has helped local beers here as we don't see much of SK, MB ON beers as we once did. BC still arrives.
What will happen?
I think we'll see two things.
We'll see some crafts not survive. That's sad to say as we love to see them come, but likely.
We'll see super local now form, too. We'll see brewpubs stay neighbourhood craft pubs. Like a lot Quebec brasseries they'll make their beer and sell in house. Hopefully the local sustains. This will see those in small AB towns do alright and make local Calgary/Edmonton strive for area business. There's got to be a Bowness brewery coming. Anyway there's the prediction.
We'll keep supporting local craft coast to coast and we hope you do, too.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Beer Pairing Dinner
We recently hosted a pot luck where invitees were instructed to bring a dish as well as a beer they would pair with it. If you have the chance to, I totally recommend this undertaking. It doesn't take too much planning as you can find beer score ideas on the net as well as pairing hints. We ranked aroma, mouthfeel, taste and overall impression as well as pairing. Depending on your guests you can take all or some scoring from the bjcp program.
We paired Fernie's grapefruit IPA with samosas and it worked well. The grapefruit worked well with the spice. We also paired pulled pork with Longboat chocolate stout and, well, it won.
We paired Fernie's grapefruit IPA with samosas and it worked well. The grapefruit worked well with the spice. We also paired pulled pork with Longboat chocolate stout and, well, it won.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Best Canadian 2, 4? An exercise in coaching
I was asked recently to offer suggestions of craft beer to buy for Thanksgiving guests. I get excited about these questions.
When answering, one should be wary of immediately advising and giving suggestions. You should remember to ask questions first.
Who are they buying for and what do they normally drink? You can then start offering craft related alternatives.
What is the goal? Trying new and adventurous? Impressing guests with table beer?
You don't want to turn people off of craft when they're looking to explore. Don't tell them to buy a double west coast ipa because you like it when they drink bud light. You lost them on their first sip.
Offer a comparable.
It seems logical, but I hear people do it all the time.
Lends me to think what my personal 2-4 would look like. And how it would differ from others.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
When answering, one should be wary of immediately advising and giving suggestions. You should remember to ask questions first.
Who are they buying for and what do they normally drink? You can then start offering craft related alternatives.
What is the goal? Trying new and adventurous? Impressing guests with table beer?
You don't want to turn people off of craft when they're looking to explore. Don't tell them to buy a double west coast ipa because you like it when they drink bud light. You lost them on their first sip.
Offer a comparable.
It seems logical, but I hear people do it all the time.
Lends me to think what my personal 2-4 would look like. And how it would differ from others.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, July 31, 2017
Crossing Canada
The quintessential Canadian road trip. A right of passage of sorts for all Canadians.
I like themes and what if beer was the theme? We did it 10 yrs ago now and thought we could but 7 kids later, 5 within the last 2 years says we need to wait.
It'd be a lot harder now. The growth in craft brewing these 10 yrs has been exponential! Hitting ON alone would be difficult. But what if?
Been working on a find beer app and mapped Canadian craft. It's here:
Canadian Craft Beer Map
That would be an endeavour
Then started thinking... what about those other great crafts? Spirits, ciders, meads and wine - the original. Also great trip reasons.
Even if you're not going coast to coast, maybe just finding local drinks when you are traveling in Canada is wanted. Really it's part of being elsewhere.
Drink local!
Maps of others follow:
Ciders: Canadian Craft Ciders
Spirits: Canadian Craft Distillers
Wine: Canadian Craft Wineries
Meads: Canadian Craft Meaderies
Enjoy local
I like themes and what if beer was the theme? We did it 10 yrs ago now and thought we could but 7 kids later, 5 within the last 2 years says we need to wait.
It'd be a lot harder now. The growth in craft brewing these 10 yrs has been exponential! Hitting ON alone would be difficult. But what if?
Been working on a find beer app and mapped Canadian craft. It's here:
Canadian Craft Beer Map
That would be an endeavour
Then started thinking... what about those other great crafts? Spirits, ciders, meads and wine - the original. Also great trip reasons.
Even if you're not going coast to coast, maybe just finding local drinks when you are traveling in Canada is wanted. Really it's part of being elsewhere.
Drink local!
Maps of others follow:
Ciders: Canadian Craft Ciders
Spirits: Canadian Craft Distillers
Wine: Canadian Craft Wineries
Meads: Canadian Craft Meaderies
Enjoy local
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Canada 150
I suppose I should have started this post a hundred plus days ago and posted a Canadian favourite a day, but as usual, didn't have the idea till too late
But my plea for now is to think through your beer of choice this Canada day weekend. If not beer then a Caesar or caribou. Prairie it up, too. If it's a vodka Caesar than use Last Mountain dill pickle vodka - great in the drink and very local. If a gin Caesar than maybe Park gin from Banff. If you're making caribou there are a lot of good Canadian ryes but use a Canadian wine please
Anyway, see the answer to what drink takes care and consideration to answer.
The Canadian beer you drink will depend on the availability in your area. For us it used to be that we'd buy a couple of favourites from all the AB breweries but that's become a large endeavour. Heck I remember one year way back 10 years where we had On, MB, SK and BC represented too.
If you try this, and are fortunate to live in Alberta, you can still do well
I haven't seen Quiddi Vidi in AB in a long time so Nfld may be tough and you used to find Propeller from NS and Gahan from PEI at Sobeys, but again, been a bit. You can still find Pumphouse and Moosehead from NB so that's a start.
Quebec's Unibroue has a great presence (I'll let you determine their fit based on parent company) but my go to is McAuslan's St Ambroise stout. Delicious!
ON comes and goes like those others with AB out of province tax, but I see Flying Monkey, Steamwhistle around still and Collective Arts from Hamilton a lot and they're good. Mill Street's got nice beers too but similar parental patterns as Unibroue
Manitoba has become tough. Half Pints would be nice to see a lot of again. Good luck it's worth the search
SK's most prevalent may be Great Western's Brewhouse but I see Black Bridge still around from speedy creek, too.
Alberta's rep in your cooler will be the toughest choice. I'll leave it in your capable hands. I'm leaning toward a Wild Rose / Big Rock staple cooler, but if I was bringing a bbq host gift I like Banded Peak or Hell's Basement. Dandy for that beery friend. All good as are the ones not listed.
BC still brings a lot here and if you haven't had a Fuggles and Warlock get one, otherwise Nelson, Tin Whistle, Howe Sound, Red Truck and more are all great picks
You can't loose
As long as you read the label and keep it Canadian this weekend (and the weekends to come)
But my plea for now is to think through your beer of choice this Canada day weekend. If not beer then a Caesar or caribou. Prairie it up, too. If it's a vodka Caesar than use Last Mountain dill pickle vodka - great in the drink and very local. If a gin Caesar than maybe Park gin from Banff. If you're making caribou there are a lot of good Canadian ryes but use a Canadian wine please
Anyway, see the answer to what drink takes care and consideration to answer.
The Canadian beer you drink will depend on the availability in your area. For us it used to be that we'd buy a couple of favourites from all the AB breweries but that's become a large endeavour. Heck I remember one year way back 10 years where we had On, MB, SK and BC represented too.
If you try this, and are fortunate to live in Alberta, you can still do well
I haven't seen Quiddi Vidi in AB in a long time so Nfld may be tough and you used to find Propeller from NS and Gahan from PEI at Sobeys, but again, been a bit. You can still find Pumphouse and Moosehead from NB so that's a start.
Quebec's Unibroue has a great presence (I'll let you determine their fit based on parent company) but my go to is McAuslan's St Ambroise stout. Delicious!
ON comes and goes like those others with AB out of province tax, but I see Flying Monkey, Steamwhistle around still and Collective Arts from Hamilton a lot and they're good. Mill Street's got nice beers too but similar parental patterns as Unibroue
Manitoba has become tough. Half Pints would be nice to see a lot of again. Good luck it's worth the search
SK's most prevalent may be Great Western's Brewhouse but I see Black Bridge still around from speedy creek, too.
Alberta's rep in your cooler will be the toughest choice. I'll leave it in your capable hands. I'm leaning toward a Wild Rose / Big Rock staple cooler, but if I was bringing a bbq host gift I like Banded Peak or Hell's Basement. Dandy for that beery friend. All good as are the ones not listed.
BC still brings a lot here and if you haven't had a Fuggles and Warlock get one, otherwise Nelson, Tin Whistle, Howe Sound, Red Truck and more are all great picks
You can't loose
As long as you read the label and keep it Canadian this weekend (and the weekends to come)
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