Local Beer Review: Garrison Schwarz

For a while there, everyone was talking about and brewing Rye IPAs, us included. This was due largely to the fact that this hybrid style was selected for the 2012 Garrison Ultimate Brew-Off, an annual home brewing competition in which the winning entry becomes a limited-edition Garrison seasonal. This year's competition was capped off with an awards gala on March 22, in which Niagara College student Kellye Robertson was named the victor. The gala also marked the release of bottles of last year's winning entry, a Schwarzbier under the label, 'Adam und Eric's Neuschottland Schwarz.' (Neuschottland = Nova Scotia. Nice touch!)

I see your Schwarz is as big as mine!

We were eager to check out this black lager, and picked up a few bottles at the brewery last Friday. We admit that we're not well-acquainted with Schwarzbier, but understand it to be a relative of Dunkel, with which we have some recent experience.

Also known as Schwarzpils, or Black Pils, we expected the Schwarz to be light in body, but darker in colour and taste. Off the pour, it seemed to fit the bill nicely, with a dark auburn colour that picked up a distinct reddish hue in the afternoon sunlight. The head was thick and creamy but dissipated rapidly, with a pleasant (albeit unassertive) roasty-floral nose. Taking a swig revealed a nice bitter nudge up front, which quickly mellowed into a dry, roasty-malt finish. The body and mouthfeel were light and clean, as you'd expect from a lager, giving it a sessionable quality (especially when compared to some of Garrison's other offerings - we're looking at you, Ol' Fog Burner).

Overall, the Schwarz is an excellent representation of the style, or at least what we perceive the style to be. It isn't overly complex, but it doesn't need to be. It's a refreshing lager, and offers a flavour profile that's a welcome departure from most mainstream offerings. When the warm weather from last week finally makes its triumphant return, we look forward to drinking a Schwarz on a sunny patio somewhere in the Darkside.

Local Beer Review Redux: Propeller Double IPA

If it seems like we just reviewed a Double IPA by Propeller last month, that's because, well, we did. The first release in 2012's One Hit Wonder series, dubbed the 2xIPA, enamoured us with its citrus-centric West Coast nose and flavour profile. We wanted more, but such is the double-edged sword of this type of series - they provide a great opportunity for experimentation and discovery, but if you create something truly remarkable, it exists only for limited amount of time. And then it's gone.

Or so one would think. Last week, we were pleasantly surprised by news that Propeller would be releasing a new seasonal Double IPA. Rising from the positive community response to the 2xIPA like a phoenix from a flaming mash tun, the Double IPA is a revised version of its predecessor, released last week in growlers and this coming week in 500 mL bottles. (Apparently an issue with a rogue labeller has delayed the bottle release slightly. If I was an aspiring robot overlord, I'd totally go for the beer supply first... could this be the beginning of the rise of the machines?!)

We picked up a growler of the Double IPA at the brewery on Friday, intrigued to find out how their experience with the 2xIPA and feedback from the passionate Halifax craft beer community had shaped the final product. We were pleased to find that the juicy citrus character was still prominent, as was the surprisingly easy-to-drink body belying a potent 8.2% ABV. We were less pleased, though, that the hop flavours seem to have been toned down somewhat by an enhanced malt sweetness relative to the 2xIPA. Technically, we feel that the Double IPA is more balanced, but we kind of dug the slight bitter imbalance of its predecessor. If you're a fan of something a bit sweeter, though, like Lagunitas Maximus Double IPA, you're really in for a treat.

Overall, our personal preferences shouldn't detract from the fact that the Double IPA is a great beer. It most certainly is, and we plan on stockpiling bottles as soon as they're released (please, labeller?). Kudos to Propeller for listening to the community response and giving us more of what we want!

While we were out

Things have been pretty quiet on the blog lately, as Drew and I found ourselves stretched pretty thin by our respective professional responsibilities. Sadly, these responsibilities were not beer-related, but the associated travel did provide some opportunities to sample great brews elsewhere in Canada and the US. Drew had the opportunity to sample Dieu du Ciel!'s stellar Peche Mortel (apologies for the lack of French accents... I'm afraid to use the French keyboard) on tap at their brew pub in Montreal, while I became more familiar with the American craft beer scene in the Washington, DC, area (more on this in a future post).

Some great things have been happening on the home front while we were away. While the name had been out there for a bit, more details started to emerge regarding Bridge Brewing Company, an environmentally-conscious microbrewery in the vein of Les Brasseurs du Nord in Quebec, slated to begin operation this summer in north-end Halifax. We're very excited to try their Yardstick Ale as soon as possible! (Side note: I believe this beer was previously called 'Conception Ale,' as it is the beer the brewery was conceived upon. Name change due to potential perception as some kind of baby-making brew?)

As well, Garrison recently released their Ol' Fog Burner Barley Wine, and will soon release their Sugar Moon Maple Ale. The latter pairs extremely well with waffles, and is our top pick for a Haligonian breakfast beer. Both we and our waffle makers are giddy with excitement. 

Anyway, while it was great to travel and try some new beers, it's good to be back - we missed you, Halifax craft beer community!

Local Beer Review: Propeller Munich Style Dark Lager (One Hit Wonder Series)

It's no secret that we were big fans of the 2xIPA, the first offering in Propeller Brewing Co.'s One Hit Wonder Series of 2012. Accordingly, we were very much looking forward to the next instalment in the limited-release, growler-only series. Early this week, we were intrigued by a less-than-subtle (and intentionally so) note via social media that suggested the second release would be something of the 'Dark' variety. The suspense was short-lived, as it was announced the following day that the next One Hit Wonder would be a Munich Style Dark (Dunkel) Lager.

We don't have much experience with this particular style, but we knew we needed to try it, and so loaded our growlers into the Earlmobile and made our way to the brewery on the day of its release. About an hour later, we sat down with our first glasses of the dark and somewhat mysterious (to us, anyway) brew.

The Munich Style Dark Lager pours a stouty brown, with a nose of roast barley and toffee. While containing notes typically associated with darker beers, it remains light and upbeat... a hint that you've got something different in your glass. Any suspicions are quickly validated with a drink, as the body turns out to be much lighter than you would expect. The Dark Lager starts off with some light bitterness, but quickly transitions into a moderately long toffee-sweet finish. The result is a very drinkable beer, and empty glasses in very short order. And at a moderate 5.3% ABV, the refills that inevitably follow shouldn't make for too groggy a morning.

It seems that after the 2xIPA, Propeller decided to let the hops take a backseat and have the malt do the driving this time around. Overall, the result is positive, as this beer successfully melds stout flavours with a lager body. While the early March chill is still very much stout weather, this beer is a perfect bridge to the warmer days to come.

Code Name: Clifford

After taking a weekend off, Earl and I were back in the condo brewery and ready to get started on a new beer. As we recently undertook an experiment in crowd sourcing ideas for our next beer on our Facebook page, we knew it was going to be a red.  Only now am I realizing that we didn't put an end date on our poll... oh well, the beer has been brewed so I guess that means the poll is closed. Thanks to those who participated!

As we were riding high from our last two batches turning out well, we figured we'd kick it up a notch. Why not make a big red? Earl and I both love hoppy beers and also really enjoyed Garrison's Black IPA, so agreeing on a Red IPA called Clifford took no time at all. But, a plain IPA didn't seem big enough to fit the Clifford moniker... only an Imperial Red IPA would fit that bill!

Knowing we could use the help as we waded into new territory, we invited our first guest brewer to the condo for this batch. Nate is an extremely knowledgeable home brewer, and all around nice guy; his name also easily fits the four letter naming convention we have going on around here. As soon as I heard he keeps a bucket of sanitizing solution in the kitchen with beer bottles in it ready to go for bottling on short notice, I knew we had found the right guy to help with Clifford.

With the team assembled and an idea in mind, we sat down with Beersmith to craft a recipe. The result was a glorious theoretical 7.7% ABV Red with over 160 IBUs, using Nugget, Simcoe and Cascade hops in hefty amounts. The brew day went very well, and hopefully we are on target to make Clifford a reality. If everything works out as planned, it will be kegged on St. Patrick's Day. Perfect timing, if you ask me.

For the love of pilsner: visiting the Pilsner Urquell brewery and the power of nostalgia

'Nostalgia - it's delicate, but potent... a twinge in your heart more powerful than memory alone.' These words were spoken by a fictional character on a TV show set 50 years in the past (Don Draper on AMC's Mad Men), but still ring true. For those who are passionate about beer, there may be a particular brand or variety that, through some previous experience, is able to trigger something intangible, beyond the realm of sensory perception. For me, that beer is Pilsner Urquell.

A few years ago, I had the good fortune to travel to the Czech Republic for a conference, and was excited to visit the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Pilsen, about an hour's bus ride from Prague. Before I even got there, though, I was blown away by the ubiquity of beer in Czech culture. It was everywhere, in large volume, and relatively inexpensive (as I recall, about $1.50 or so CDN for a 500 mL bottle at any convenience store). It's really no surprise that Czechs consume the largest volume of beer per person, per year. Also, it was my understanding that drinking in public is permitted, as long as you're not a jerk about it. (It's highly possible that something in that description was lost in translation.)

Prague, Czech Republic - the consummate beer locale.

Standard pop and beer serving sizes.
Really glad we weren't driving anywhere.

Then came time to travel to the brewery in Pilsen. The best way I can describe the brewery is through the following mental exercise:

Picture Willy Wonka's chocolate factory from Roald Dahl's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Subtract the annoying children. Subtract the Oompa-Loompas. Add large volumes of fresh, crisp Czech pilsner. Then drink said pilsner in an unfiltered state, straight from a barrel in an underground cave. Think to yourself, 'This must be how Batman drinks.'

The archway marking the entrance to the brewery - featured prominently on
each bottle and can of Pilsner Urquell.  

The grounds are immaculately kept, with a nice mix of modern (like the
visitor's centre, above) and older buildings.

You get to drink unfiltered pilsner from these
massive barrels in the chilly network of
caves beneath the brewery.

Like some kind of beer-producing spaceship.

That's a lot of pilsner.

Truly, the brewery and surrounding grounds were remarkable, not only in their scope and purpose, but also in their ability to 'beerify' everything (it's a verb). Some examples of this 'beerification' below.

Massive chess game, featuring...

... you guessed it, beer bottle pawns.

This was in the visitor's centre. In case you couldn't
wait for the tour (or walk five minutes to the nearest
pub serving Pilsner Urquell)

The Pilsner bus: takes you from the visitor's centre to the brewery in style.

The Pilsner cycle: for lager-loving bad boys.

The tour itself was also very informative. When it first began operation, the brewery in Pilsen represented a significant departure from the more grass roots system that existed previously in the region, in which multitudinous small-scale brewers advertised their latest releases with wreaths on their doors (below). Further, while bottom-fermented lagers had existed previously, Pilsner Urquell really defined the style, and produced it on a sufficiently large scale to lead to its widespread popularity worldwide.

In the days before large, centralized breweries,
beer-makers would place wreaths on their doors
to announce their latest release. We're totally
getting one for the condo brewery.

I left the brewery completely enamoured with Pilsner Urquell, and with a better appreciation for both its production and history. To this day, my experience at the brewery, and with Czech culture in general, resonates every time I pick up a can or bottle of the pilsner, enhancing the overall experience. The interesting thing about nostalgia, though, is that it's not all about the past; it can also guide future judgements and decisions. I enjoy the Saaz hop flavour and crispness of pilsners on a purely sensory basis, but find that even non-Urquell offerings invoke a bit of that same nostalgia, perhaps even to the extent of being 'comfort beer.' Based on this, Halifax is truly a great place to live. Garrison Brewing's seasonal Pils captures a lot of the character of the Pilsen original, and Propeller Brewing's Pilsener is a bit maltier, but still an excellent representation of the style. There have also been rumblings that Steam Whistle, the craft-brewed Toronto pilsner, may be making its way to the east coast this spring.

If you get a chance, I'd definitely recommend taking a trip to the Czech Republic, and visiting the Pilsner Urquell brewery. If you like great beer, you're probably already a fan, but experiencing its production and culture firsthand can add that extra, powerful element of nostalgia.

Rockbottom Goes High Tech

Paper drink lists are so 1980's... you know, the age when trees were plentiful and the beer selection in Nova Scotia was anything but.  A lot has changed since then, and the Rockbottom Brewpub has joined a growing trend of replacing them using electronic lists (in this case, with an Apple iPad). This will ensure the list is always up to date, and patrons don't miss out on Nash's latest creation by mistake.

I really hope they installed Tapper on them, as well!