North Shore Santa Got Blitzen

Another home-brew from she shores of lake Erie, SGB is a complex winter spiced ale.  There's pretty much everything in here but the kitchen sink, but it really works.  This beer has multiple personalities as it warms to room temperature - unveiling the layers hidden beneath the surface of this lovely liquid creature.  Almost black when it pours and light carbonation, this beer is a masterpiece! 

Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot (aka WTF)

After a brief hiatus from blogging thanks to the flu and traveling, I'm back on the proverbial horse.  Beer #6 came to us all the way from Petaluma, California - via Buffalo, via Rick. Another sampling on the night the BrewJam (aka Molton Stanley) rocked the Vaughan area. WTF was a monster of a beer packed with strong malt and hop flavours.  A very dark amber colour, there were also smokey caramel notes in the aroma and taste.  Thanks for the contribution, Rick!

Southern Tier IPA

Southern Tier IPA has to be one of my favorite IPA's of all time.  As someone who enjoys hoppy beers, this is a treat I do not get very often as it is not easy to find north of the border; so whenever I get my hands on them I am grateful.

It pours a deep reddish amber and has a light frothy head. To the nose, it has a hoppy-caramel aroma and the taste is pure gold. "It's gold Jerry, gold!". A very nice blend with a real hop kick in every sip!  My girlfriend refers to these beers as "ass-feet" beers, but that's okay, more for me :-)

North Shore Jalapeno Peppercorn Bock

This formidable brew was concocted by the evil brain over at North Shore... (aka my friend Kurt's home-brew).  I must admit that this beer came with fair warning from the brew-master, but apparently some bottle conditioning was just the remedy to tame the beast.  It was actually pretty good.

It poured a dark translucent colour and had a peppery jalapeno nose with a light and limited head.  To taste, the jalapeno was prominent (but not dominant, as advertised) and there was a pleasant peppery finish. There was actually a very nice balance of flavours in this beer. I would definitely drink this again, but only one at a time.  On a side note, it went very well with the meats and cheeses in the background.

Read Rick's review of this beer here: 
http://www.overanything.com/2011/02/06/beer-3-of-28-north-shore-jalapeno-peppercorn-bock/

Duchy Organic Old Ruby Ale 1905

Okay, back to the world of real beer... this one was a pleasant surprise because I find organic ales can be hit and miss.  Duchy pours well with a light head and remains true to its name, sporting a ruby-amber colour.  The nose is a malty caramel and the taste reflects the nose.  It also has an earthy taste, but not in a bad way.  You do get a mild hop flavour, but nothing overpowers anything in this beer - it is very well balanced.

Coors Light

Ummmmm?

Not a proud moment, but when your options are limited, you capitulate and take one for the team. The good news is that it was "cold certified", so I couldn't really taste how bad this creature actually was. When left to chance in a hockey dressing room, you take your chances with beer selection and after a healthy workout, any libation will do.

Flying Monkeys Netherworld Cascadian Dark Ale

One of the newer additions to the Flying Monkeys' bottle roster, NCDA is classified as an Imperial Indian Porter.  While light for a porter, this beer is packed with great flavour and a hop punch.  It was certainly a good way to start off 28 IN 28!