Andy's Belgium Tripel

My neighbour, Andy, was at it again. He is a home brewer and in the past has given me a stout  and an IPA to try. Both were delicious! This time he came up with a Belgium Tripel.

So what is a Belgium Tripel? According to Craft Beer.com:

Complex, sometimes mild spicy flavor characterizes this style. Yeast-driven complexity is common. Tripels are often on the higher end of the ABV spectrum, yet are approachable to many different palates. These beers are commonly bottle-conditioned and finish dry. Tripels are similar to Belgian-style golden strong ales, but are generally darker and have a more noticeable malt sweetness.

So how is this one?

Andy's Tripel poured golden, maybe light amber in colour. It was a lighter colour than I had expected. This ale was bottle conditioned, meaning some yeast was left in the bottle so the beer could ferment further as it ages, and poured with a generous white head. It is interesting that I sensed white wine in the aroma.

I had expected a heavy, funky tasting ale but was surprised that the flavours were not overpowering. Again, like in the aroma, white wine seems to come through when I sip. It tastes clean and fresh, with some funk in the finish.

This is a very well balanced and delicious ale. I quite enjoyed it.

Hey Andy! When you brew your next batch, don't forget about me!

Beer of the Week - Andy's Stout

Before Christmas, my neighbor Andy, who is a homebrewer, gave me a bottle of his IPA to try. It was fabulous. I could only hope that one day he would give me another of his brews to taste. Last week he called me up and gave me a bottle of his newest brew, Andy's Stout.

As I poured it, I could smell dark chocolate tones coming off my pour. The head was silky brown like a stout should be until I tipped the glass upright too quickly and lost that creamy head. As for the beer itself, it was either a deep deep brown or black.

Andy's Stout is full of rich tasting dark chocolate flavour. Normally I will notice some coffee tones in a stout but not here in this one and really not missed. There is a nice little bitterness that comes in through the finish.

It's a wonderful tasting beer, one that I would be only able couple of pints of due to its richness.

I know that homebrewers will have some less than successful creations, that comes with the learning and experimentation process. I also know that I will only ever get to taste his successes, that is what I would do, but the two beers that Andy has given me shows me that he knows his stuff.

Not only am I looking to getting another from him in the future but when summer comes around, sitting on his or our patio and trying some different beers that I have cellaring and if he should bring a few of his own brews, they sure would be welcomed.

By the way, Andy, the bottle has been rinsed well and ready to return to you.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 343 
Breweries 314 
Countries 49

Beer of the Week- Andy's Everyday IPA

Last week Teena and I bumped into one of our neighbours, Niki. She mentioned that her husband, Andy, brews beer. He had been doing that for years.

I never knew that. And they never knew I have a great fondness for beer.

Niki sent Teena a Facebook message saying that Andy had a beer for me that would be ready on Friday. Last night I got that beer which Andy calls his Everyday IPA. He uses Grolsch bottles for his brews as they are easy to cap, with that special Grolsch flip top and are very strongly-made which is a necessity when dealing with carbonated liquids.

So, how does it taste?

I'm not saying this because Andy is my neighbour and a nice guy but when I walked in the front door after taking pictures and having my first sip of his IPA, I exclaimed to Teena, "This is one friggin' delicious IPA!"

When I cracked back the Grolsch bottle cap, it jumped off with a loud pop. It poured light amber with what I can only call an orangy hue. As it is bottle conditioned (yeast left in to allow the ale to continue fermenting), there is yeast left in the bottom of the bottle so I poured very carefully.

The head was nice and frothy and quite meringue-like. The aroma that comes off is an interesting combination of a little pine and citrus. Although I sensed pine in the aroma, I did not taste it in this IPA. It starts with a nice citrus bitter bite which increases in intensity through the long finish.

Some citrusy IPAs are quite light in mouthfeel but this has a much heavier density to it. There's nothing wrong with that as I thoroughly enjoyed every sip.

Andy, I hope you have this recipe in a very safe place,as this is an IPA worth making again. Maybe you'll make an extra one for me!

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 339 
Breweries 311 
Countries 49

Rob's English Brown Ale

I met Rob a few years ago at a fencing tournament in Kingston. We have some interests in common including fencing and beer.

Yesterday we were both fencing in a tournament in Newmarket. Usually we have close matches but he took me apart in the direct elimination match 10-1. I forgave him for the drubbing, though, as he had brought with him a couple of bottles of an English Brown Ale that he had brewed.

Now not only is Rob a home brewer but he also grows his own hops on his property. He has vines that are three years old and five years old. The hops in this English ale are from his vines. Talk about the 100 mile diet.

It was a busy day and I didn't have too much time to talk to Rob (above) about this beer. He had some kids he coaches in fencing with matches coming up and I had to hit the road to get home, as Teena and I were heading to Hamilton for supper with my son, Ken. So we hustled out to his vehicle, just as it was just starting to snow, where he gave me the beers, and we headed off our separate ways. Rob did have time to  explain how I was to keep the beer cold and give it a day to settle, which I did.

And the taste?

I admit that I was a little nervous in trying this. What if I don't like it? What if it is a well-made beer but not my style? Turns out I had no need to worry.

The English Brown pours, as its name explains, brown in colour, with a light brown foamy head. As it is an unfiltered beer, it is cloudy and there is a little bit of sediment left in the bottom of the bottle. I notice a bit of caramel in the aroma.

Normally I find brown ales a little on the sweet side but not this one. My sip starts with a hint of sweetness before all those fresh, homegrown hops come through. The ale finishes with a nice hop bite, not overpowering but very enjoyable.

Rob had asked me for a true opinion and if I had some suggestions to improve this. I really enjoyed this beer and have no suggestions as I love it as it is. The only thing I can say, Rob, is that I wish you had brought me more than just two!

I just started the second and am really enjoying it. Thanks Rob!

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 295
Breweries 266
Countries 45

Beer of the Week - Harvey's Bitter

For Christmas this year I received a very unique beer from Teena's sister Sarah, and her husband, Joey. They live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Joey's boss ,Justin, is a home brewer.

In 2009, Garrison Brewing held their very first ever Garrison Ultimate Brew-Off. The style of beer for the 2009 brew-off was Standard/Ordinary Bitter. Participants had to brew a 20 litre (5 gallon) batch of beer for the contest. When the judging was over, Brian Harvey has won with his Harvey's Bitter.

So what do they win, besides the glory? The winner goes down to the brewery and has their winning brew replicated, labeled and bottled for sale. They did that in the spring of this year.

I'm not sure that Justin had a hand in developing the award winning recipe but he was in on the brewing. After all he is mentioned on the side of the bottle:

"Harvey's Bitter" is a premium small-batch brew in the "Standard/Ordinary Bitter" style and winner of the 1st annual "Garrison Ultimate Brew-Off"! Homebrewers Brian Harvey, Justin Lockhart and Steve Trickett worked with Brewmaster Daniel Girard to produce & package the winning recipe. Mild in maltiness & hop aroma, this highly "sessionable" brew delivers on taste & character. Cheers!"

What a thrill for a home brewer!

So Christmas Eve when I opened up a certain gift, there was a bottle of Harvey's Bitter and I knew what this week's beer of the week would be.

And how does it taste?

The beer pours an amber, maybe dark amber colour, with a nice head. I let in sit for a few minutes and found the head stayed well. The beer has a nice aroma. Maybe a little nutty but the malt is coming through.

At 3.8% alcohol, I was very surprised at how much flavour there is throughout this beer. In true tradition of a bitter, the hops are present from start to finish but not in an overpowering way, but very present.

I love a beer like this and certainly can see why this was a winner. I would have this beer anywhere anytime.

At 3.8% APV, this would be considered a light beer. It begs the question, how come other breweries cannot come up with light beers with flavour like this? Only this beer, Muskoka Cottage Brewing with their Pilsner Light and Grand River Brewing with their Mill Race Mild have ever come up with a great light beer.

I would drink this often if it was available.

Sadly, and I hate to bitch about a present received, but Sarah and Joey only gave me one!