Style: Czech Pilsener
ABV: 5.2%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Paddock Wood Brewing
Country: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Here’s a classical rendition of a Pilsner that arose about out of bit of necessity.  Most evident from the basis that there was no such fresh offering available at the time, at least within the borders of Saskatchewan.  Oh sure, there was a chuck wagon decorated domestic that carried the name of that style, plus a couple imports which were usually a bit stale after their long journey, but nothing local that did justice to this once ground-breaking style.

Don’t believe me?  The Pilsner, a sub-style of lagers, has only been around since 1842, when it was developed in the city of Plzen, Bohemia which is now located in the modern day Czech Republic.  Its popularity immediately caught on as the original clear and light-coloured beer, which at the time was a marvel of brewing engineering and finesse, and would become the beer of choice in the decades to follow.  If the 20^th century were to have an official beverage, it may as well be the Pilsner in all its various incarnations and interpretations, as it was the most widely produced and consumed beer style of the 1900’s.

What you most likely first used to consider “Beer” actually was no doubt the light yellow fizzy contents of mass produced domestic Pilsner-styled lagers that for the most part used to be the only available option for us folks here in North America.  From the end of Prohibition up to the late 1970’s this watered down and cheaply produced phantom of the original Pilsners was pretty much the only game in town, with very few exceptions.

In order to work his way around the lack of availability to an authentic version of the Czech Pilsner style Steve Cavan took his passion for homebrewing, and subsequent venture of running a homebrew supply business, to the next level.  That next step was setting up the Paddock Wood microbrewery, so he could afford (and justify) bringing in the proper ingredients necessary to produce the real deal similar to what was still being made back in the land of its birthplace.

The actual name of this Czech-styled Pilsner stems from one of the many other passions of Steve Cavan:  Chess!  And to give Czech Mate even more street cred the label was designed and illustrated by Randy Mosher of beer literati fame (author of Radical Brewing and Tasting Beer), a visual pun involving the knight from Alice In Wonderland.

Now to fully enjoy this Pilsner of the Prairies you’re going to want to utilize the tall fluted traditional Pilsner glass.  Another tall medium-brimmed glass will work as well, but anything too wide will thin out the head quickly and wash out the aromatics within.  Since this is an all-malt lager you don’t want to serve it iced cold either, let it warm up 5-10 minutes at least so you can enjoy the ingredients within which motivated the opening of a microbrewery.

Czech Mate is a clear vibrant gold in colour, crowned by tall tight spongy white head with good retention.  Bready malt, crisp grains and light grassy hops rise up in the aroma, clean profile.  Following suit in the flavour is an identical match of the aroma, well balanced, and delivered by a medium-bodied mouthfeel with light carbonation.  It may all sound a bit basic on paper, however with a decent Pilsner much of what makes it so good is what isn’t there.  Minimalism and simplicity is the key, and there’s no place to hide or cover up something out of place.

On its own Czech Mate is a great thirst quencher, and fits the bill for a satisfying session beer, especially on a hot day.  Speaking of heat, this Pilsner is a welcome companion next to Indian, Thai, Mexican and Cajun meals, where it compliments while putting out some of the fire.  Spicy sausage and cured, treated ham will also find sweet relief when partnered up, the Pilsner will blanket the heat and cut through the spice.  However Czech Mate is still mild enough to not overwhelm a plate of steamed clams or a basket of crab legs if you’re feeling like seafood.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
606 Ale
Bête Noire
Black Cat Lager
Double Double
London Porter
Winter Ale

In-Style:
Lagunitas Pils
Czechvar
Krušovice Imperial
Pilsner Urquell

Lateral Steps:
Creemore Springs Premium Lager
Amber’s Australian Mountain Pepper Berry Lager
Warsteiner Dunkel
Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Gold

For The Adventurous:
Schneider Weisse
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale
Fuller’s ESB
Unibroue Maudite

Winery: Sebastiani
Vintage: 2007
Location: Sonoma County, California, USA
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: 82% Zinfandel, 9.8% Petit Syrah, 7.2% Syrah
Tasting: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

We had the pleasure of tasting the Sebastiani wines a few years ago.  There was a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and a Zinfandel.  Now they make a number of other wines, but these three we had tried at the time.  After doing a little research on the winery, we discovered some interesting information about the vineyards and winery that made up Sebastiani.

Over one hundred years ago is when the story of this winery began when Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from Tuscany Italy.  A mere nine years after he emigrated he started the winery.  He was a man with a vision for sure.  During the period of Prohibition in the United States (1920-1933), the winery was allowed to continue making wine because it made a small amount of sacramental and medicinal wines, which was allowed under the law.  However not all of Samuele’s neighbours faired so well.  He came up with a plan to initiate some major projects both at the winery and at the plaza around one of the churches to help keep people employed.  When there was not enough at the winery to keep his employees working, he decided to start canning fruit to make up some of the difference.  He was a hard worker himself, and he expected the same of others, but he did everything he could to help people during this period of Great Depression.

Samuele passed away in 1944.  His son and daughter-in-law, August and Sylvie, purchased the winery from the estate and thus began the next expansion of Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  August added new varietals and proprietary blends. He was a big believer in supporting the craftsmen of Sonoma and put their skills to good use at Sebastiani, which is why you still see some of the hand-carved Sebastiani barrels at the winery today.  August was also devoted to birds and their preservation.  He had a collection of very rare doves and black swans and was also a supporter of Ducks Unlimited.  Upon August’s passing, Sylvie and their children, Sam, Don and Mary-Ann took over the management of the winery.  Sam left six years later to start his own winery.  During this period, the winery grew and started a ‘value’ brand of wines which became very successful and was eventually sold in 2001 so the family could ‘refocus’ on the family brand wines.

Don eventually left to devote his time to a winery he started in 1985 with his brother-in-law Roy Cecchetti… Cecchetti Sebastiani Cellars (now called Don Sebastiani & Sons).  Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo, assumed the role of president and CEO and helped lead the company through its period of transition.  “She spearheaded the multi-million dollar remodel of the Sebastiani tasting room and hospitality center completed in 2001″.  In order to make an emphasis on small lot artisan wines, the winemaking facility underwent major renovations.

In 2008, Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines acquired Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  There is a lot of history for sure and a there are lot of wonderful wines to come in the future.   Let’s get tasting this wine…

First of all, as always, get the wine out of the bottle so it can breathe for a while.  The nice zinfandel flavours will be more pronounced.  We usually like to let this zinfandel sit for about an hour.  This wine doesn’t have huge alcohol levels.  It comes in at 13.5% ABV.   With a lower alcohol, the fruit comes shining through.  The colour is dark ruby with purple and violet overtones.  The cherry and juicy red fruit flavours are quite noticeable.  But there are also some notes of vanilla (aged in casks for 5 months).  Bam… there is that nice spice that we love about zinfandel.  It isn’t overpowering, just a wee bit of black pepper… just enough to make it interesting.

Food Pairing:

Braised, BBQ’d or roasted Italian/Chorizo Sausage, Beef, Lamb, Pork or Venison;  Ribs with a nice spicy BBQ sauce; Parmesan cheese; Manchego (Spanish) cheese; Eggplant lasagna.

CSPC:     37275
Price:

$19.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Next week is June 30^th, the day before Canada Day!  See you then.

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: McAuslan Brewing
Country: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

While it started out in 1989 during Montreal’s first wave of microbreweries, the McAuslan Brewery has exercised its staying power over the past couple of decades by producing top notch yet easily consumable beers, regardless of whatever style they tackled.  Although their beers have been available here in Alberta for a good six years now, we are still only privy to their Apricot Wheat Ale, world class Oatmeal Stout, and refined Pale Ale.

It’s this last beer that has stood out as McAuslan’s flagship beer since day one, and has managed to maintain such a lengthy reign with a bearing of subtle complexity and solid character.  After all, the style of Pale Ale is a ubiquitous mainstay within almost any craft brewery or brewpub to be found throughout North America, at times so unrecognizable from its neighbours that it sadly can be coined as the “vanilla” of craft beer styles.

Proper glassware won’t be too big of a concern for this St-Ambroise Pale Ale, it’s pretty versatile, so the standard mug or pint glass will serve well.  Even with the nuances to discover within a fairly chilled temperature is recommended, so let the bottle sit out for 5-10 minutes before opening and consuming.

Gorgeous from the get go, what splashes into the glass is an appealing clear vibrant copper beer capped by a creamy off-white head that never fully dissipates.  To follow is an aroma of grassy and floral hops, some light orchard fruit, rounded out with some light biscuit malt.  No disappointment in the flavour either, it delivers what the nose promises with a seamless blending of malt and hops.  Assertively crisp biscuit and caramel malt up front with hints of peach arising in the middle, while dry floral hops round things out accompanied with some light pear and fresh grass.  All this riding on a creamy smooth and lightly effervescent mouthfeel.  All in all a classy session beer.

If pairing with food, it would be best to stick with milder fare as to not overwhelm this St-Ambroise Pale Ale.  Chicken, white fish, and pasta dishes with white sauce is safe ground.  For a more ethnic twist consider mild curried dishes, along with Vietnamese or Mexican food so long as the chilies aren’t too intense.  For those planning a session with this ale and only considering finger foods you can’t go wrong with salsa and tortilla chips, or a platter of mild and tangy cheeses to munch on between sips.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

In Style:
Mill Street Tankhouse Ale
Yukon Gold
Pike Pale Ale
Tree Cutthroat Pale Ale

Lateral Steps:
Lagunitas Censored
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale
Erdinger Weisse
Duvel

For The Adventurous:
Tree Hophead
Wild Rose IPA
Anchor Liberty Ale

Distiller: Cointreau
Location: Angers, France
Alcohol: 40 %
Tasting: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

First of all, before we start anything here, I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Diana for taking care of everything while Richard and I were in Europe.  Thank you for being so amazing, Diana.

Now on to our feature this week:

In 1849 in Angers, France, Adolphe and Edouard-Jean Cointreau opened a distillery to create spirits from local fruit.  Now you may not think that is too unusual.  What you don’t know is that Adolphe and Edouard-Jean were very famous master confectioners.  Going from making bonbons to making spirits is quite a leap.  I for one am very glad they made that jump.  In 1875 Edouard-Jean’s son, Edouard, not only distilled the sweet and bitter orange peels and the other ingredients to make Cointreau, but he also invented the square-sided amber bottle, which is the signature look of Cointreau today.  Cointreau is referred to as ‘the original orange liqueur.

Cointreau (kwan-tro) is a liqueur made from a secret family recipe.  It is made by distilling sweet and bitter orange peels, blended with natural alcohol, sugar and water.  It is referred to as ‘the original orange liqueur.  That is the technical speak part of this article.

When people first see Cointreau, they are quite surprised by the colour.  Well, lack of colour, I should say.  Yes it is made out of sweet and bitter orange peel, but it is totally clear.  Most people expect to see a brownish or orange-brown type colour.  By it being clear, it makes it very attractive as a mix in drinks.  And it does a lot of mixing:  Margarita, Cointreau Bubbles, Side Car, B-52, Cosmopolitan, Champs-Elysées, Kamikaze, Spanish Sangria and Daiquiri to name just a few.

It is amazing how many people think that a Margarita comes out of just one bottle that says ‘Margarita’.  It is such an easy drink to make and it tastes to darn good.  Just look:

Margarita

- 20ml (1oz) Cointreau
- 40ml (2 oz) tequila
- 10ml  (0.5oz) lime juice

Shake and strain into a salt rimmed margarita glass

Trick: Garnish: lime slice

Now how simple is that!

Cointreau isn’t just for drinks either.  There are some fabulous recipes for food.  Something as simple as a nice vinaigrette.  I don’t know about you, but I make my salad dressing on a regular basis.  It is so simple and it takes only a couple of minutes.  Once in a very blue moon I buy one, but it is so easy to make on your own and you can experiment.

Take a look at this vinaigrette:

There are so many food recipes like:  Strawberries Romanoff (sounds complicated, but it isn’t and it is yummy), Dutch Apple Pie and my husband’s wonderful Cointreau Cheesecake (no bake variety).  All of these recipes, of course, have no calories in them (wink wink, nudge nudge).

Now you can try one or all of these recipes or just simply just sip on the Cointreau all on its own, or over ice.

Today we are going to have a wonderful drink called “Cointreau Bubbles” or, if you like, you may try the Cointreau all on its own.

Come by and enjoy.  We’ll be waiting for you.

Thank you to www.cointreau.com for the wonderful recipes.

CSPC:     6502 (750 ml)
Price:

$34.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

CSPC:     10322 (375 ml)
Price:

$18.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing.  Price subject to change without notice

Next week we are travelling back to the United States of America.

Jason Foster

Check out more of Jason Foster’s beer news and views at onbeer.org

So in the last few “Beer 101″ I looked at beer freshness, staleness and how to determine its age, all for the purpose of helping you determine when your beer is at its best. This month I want to finish this particular unit by looking at special beer meant for storing over many years.

Twenty years ago a western Canadian was unlikely to find any beer appropriate for cellaring. However, times change and today your favourite beer store (and we know which one that is) stocks dozens of beer appropriate for storing until a special occasion. These are beer that will not only survive, but get better with age. And, no, it is not O’keefe’s Extra Old Stock (can you even buy that stuff anymore??) .

What makes a beer age-able? Two features. First, is alcohol content. Most cellared beers have an alcohol content above 7-8%. The alcohol acts as a preservative by killing any invading life forms, and allowing the beer’s natural components (like residual sugar) to persist over a longer period of time.

I should quickly mention that there are a few exceptions to this rule. Lambics and Bieres de Garde, which are spontaneously fermented and taste quite tart and sour, can also last decades, despite being only 4-5% alcohol. They are the exception. Their high acidic environment is just as lethal to unwanted organisms as alcohol, and so they can age for years. The perfect example is the new line available at Sherbrooke from Cantillon in Belgium. While expensive, they provide the best example of lambic I have tasted.

But I digress. The second necessary quality is complexity. The beer needs to be brewed with an eye for a multi-dimensional richness - with a number of malt varieties, interesting hops and other flavours. The key here is that you need a lot going on in the beer if it is going to survive the aging period.

Because what happens during aging (just like wine) is the flavours blend, mellow and shift. Hops become less assertive, malts take on different qualities and new flavours introduce themselves. If a beer is one-dimensional (even if well-made), there is little to alchemize and the beer will not improve. So, you need to start with a bold beer, one that has the fortitude to stick its chest out at Father Time and declare “do your best!”

It can be a magical process. Malts that at first seem too overpowering in their diversity blend and mellow, forming a symbiotic sweetness. Hops that early on rip the skin off the roof of your mouth become less aggressive and submit to a supporting role. Even the dreaded oxidation (when beer reacts with oxygen to create off-flavours) works. Instead of turning into some insipid liquid cardboard, like most beer would, in an aging beer oxidation creates sherry and dark fruit notes which add complexity and a wine character.

So what are the main styles that can be aged? It is important to divide them into two categories - medium-term aging and long-term aging. Medium-term aging beers are Dopplebocks, Strong Scotch Ales, Baltic Porters and Imperial IPAs. These are all beers with higher alcohol content which allows them to survive for a year or maybe two. But each carries a characteristic that does it in eventually. For example, Imperial IPAs depend on a big hop aroma and bitterness. That fades with time. Dopplebocks are rich and sweet, but do not have sufficient bitterness to prevent a breakdown of the malt quality.

Long-term beer are Old Ales, Barley Wines, Russian Imperial Stouts (RIS), and Belgian Dubbels, Tripels and Quadrupels (and their relatives). Each is age-able over the long term for different reasons. Old Ales and Barley Wines have a malt complexity that grows old with wine-like grace. RIS’s are just so honking big that it takes time for all their flavours to come to compromise. And Belgian beers have their funky, spicy yeast qualities which keep working on the beer over time. How long is long? Well let’s talk about 10 to 50 years.

What are some good examples of cellar beer? I personally keep a few bottles of every Olde Deuteronomy from Alley Kat for aging (for three reasons: it is local, it is relatively inexpensive for a barley wine and it is a great example of the style), but also collect Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Fuller’s Vintage Ale, anything big from St. Bernardus or Westmalle, or the many quality seasonal offerings, like Wild Rose Barley Wine, Half Pints Burley Wine and Brooklyn’s Local series (One and Two). Plus there are a number of worthy RIS’s and other Belgians you could put aside if so inclined.

So finally, how best to store cellared beers. Keep them upright in a location where they are not exposed to light. Cellar temperatures are best (10-15 degrees Celsius), which means pick the coolest corner of your basement. The best strategy is to buy a few bottles, so you can sample them over time. Plus, if you have bottles from multiple years (many cellar beers put the date on their label) you could do a vertical tasting to see how the beer progresses over time.

I warn you of one risk in aging beer. You may never want to open that 20-year-old Thomas Hardy’s Ale, believing that a better occasion might come along in a few years. I have certainly befallen such a fate. This is the risk you take.

Style: English Strong Ale
ABV: 7%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Yukon Brewing Company
Country: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

An aptly named dark ale, this one easily remains at the head of the pack.  It even has the credentials to prove it.

In the Spring of 2009 Yukon Brewing’s head brewer Alan Hansen was invited to take part in an annual Real Ale competition in England, the J.D. Wetherspoon Beer Festival.  It was there with the drawback of using foreign equipment and ingredients that he managed to brew up two improvised batches of Lead Dog Ale to naturally condition in casks and enter into this 18 day international invitational.  Not only that, out of the 50 breweries represented Hansen managed to bring home a 2^nd place win with the Lead Dog Ale, no small feat against the home turf competition.  All things considered, a silver medal under such circumstances is as good as gold.

Then again, this is also a fitting style to win over a crowd of classic British ale drinkers.  Also known as Old Ales or Stock Ales, Lead Dog Ale emulates the robust and malty strong dark beers that were traditionally nursed in front of a fireplace to help satiate the spirit and take a bit of chill out of the bones during the winter months.  Variations and interpretations abound, it seems that an Old or English Strong Ale tends to fall somewhere between regular strength Pale Ales and high alcohol Barleywines, with a brewery’s seasonal Winter Warmer much of the time getting lumped into the mix, additional spices and all.  The major prerequisite however is that it has to taste good, not any old generic high test will do.

Because it’s such a hearty ale Lead Dog will do well in almost any beer glass you choose, be it mug, pint glass or brandy snifter.  Yet because of the rich and complex flavour profile I’d let the bottle sit out a good 20-30 minutes before opening and serving.  If you have the discipline then slightly chilled beyond room temperature is a more traditional approach.

Once in the glass Lead Dog is a deep russet brown in colour, nearly but not quite opaque.  There won’t be much of a head retention beyond the quick splash of a spongy tan cap.  By allowing your nose to follow that receding foam an encounter with notes of roasted malt, toffee, dark dried fruit, treacle, some earthy, spicy hops, as well as a bit of alcohol warmth will ensue.  Whew, and that’s just brushing the surface, feel free to finish that list off from your own experience.  Not one to tease, this dark ale delivers a flavour of robust roasted malt at first, followed with toffee, molasses, figs, a bit of nut, finishing with some dry wood and faint spicy, grassy hops.  To match it all is a full, creamy mouthfeel with low carbonation and dry finish.  Really, an ideal companion for a cold winter night.  And if I had to play favourites I will openly admit that Lead Dog is easily my favourite beer from Yukon Brewing, although the remaining competition from them is by no means a push over for my affection.

If you’re looking to pair this ale with something beyond a comfy chair, a roaring fire and some good company, consider a platter of assorted nuts along with some earthy and tangy cheeses.  When finger food just won’t cut it the rich and roasty character of Lead Dog is a welcome companion to almost any grilled or roasted meats.  Gamier meats such as venison, pheasant or duck are also worthy options if they are available to you.  This Lead Dog Ale will definitely not lead you astray.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Yukon Gold
Yukon Red
Chilkoot Lager
Yukon Cranberry Wheat
Discovery Ale
Ice Fog IPA
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout

In-Style:
Cooper’s Extra Strong Vintage Ale
Wellington Iron Duke
Fuller’s Vintage Ale

Lateral Steps:
McEwan’s Scotch Ale
Unibroue Trois Pistoles
Rochefort 10
Traquair House Ale
Paddock Wood London Porter

For The Adventurous:
Rogue Imperial Porter
Thomas Hardy’s Ale
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - North Coast

Winery: Bonterra
Vintage: 2007
Location: California, United States of America
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: 86% Zinfandel 11% Petit Syrah 3% Syrah
Tasting: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Bonterra - good earth - well that just about describes it in a nutshell.  And that is just what this company is all about.  They make wine out of organically grown grapes.   Now I know some people out there think that that is a bunch of baloney, but that fact of the matter is organically produced products overall are on the rise and many consumers are demanding them.  It just so happens that in the wine part of things, Bonterra was ahead of a lot of other winemakers in producing and marketing their organic wines.

“Decades of learning and winemaking accolades have reinforced our passionate belief that our organic grapes make better wine.”   Now they ought to know, as they started this practice in 1987.  I am trying to think back 23 years ago to see what wines were being marketed as organic and I’ll be darned, but I cannot think of any right off the top of my head.  Today we are seeing many more people asking for organically grown products and it is nice to know that some companies have had a leg up for a while.

Sherbrooke carries many of the Bonterra wines.  Now some of you know that we are Zinfandel fans, so the fact that we picked the Zinfandel out of their lineup of wines to do may not be a big surprise.  Frankly, we have not had this Zin in quite some time, so it is a real pleasure to taste it again.

The grapes used to make this wine are mostly from dry-farmed fruit.  Now what does that mean to you and I?  Well, it means that the vines have to dig deep into the ground to search for that water.  What that gives the wine is more depth and character, generally speaking.  More fruit that is concentrated and less watered down.  We think of growing vegetables and fruit in our back yards, and we water the plants, right?  Well believe it or not, you don’t want do do that with your grape vines.

The grape vines that are used to make this wine are about 35 - 40 years old.  And that is a good thing.  As we humans say ‘with age comes wisdom’ and ain’t that the truth.  So it is also true that the fruit that you get from older vines, well they are going to be a little more complex and give lots of wonderful flavours.

Okay let’s tasting this wine.  Now you know that I am a big fan of decanting, so get this wine out of the bottle and let it breather for awhile.  It will bring out all the wonderful fruit and spicy notes that are so characteristic of Zinfandel.  Red Raspberry, blackberry along with some nice spicy pepper is what you will notice right off the bat.  Try it along with Diana and see what you think.  On to the food…

Food Pairing:

Spicy beef fajitas (or some other Mexican foods); BBQ beef (of course); hard cheeses; spicy spaghetti and meat sauce; turkey

CSPC:     530139
Price:

$20.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price subject to change without notice.  Price correct at time of printing.

Style: Witbier
ABV: 5%
Presentation: single 500 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Microbrasserie Charlevoix
Country: Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

We take things for granted here in Alberta at times when it comes to our beer. At the moment there are around 650 different kinds available from all over the world, starting with a few local breweries represented right here in Edmonton, stretching to Japan, Australia and Russia. Not every beer available in the world, and maybe not some personal favourites that we pine away for, but all things considered we still have it pretty good.

Let’s look at the belle province of Quebec in contrast, where you are lucky to find any beers produced in another province, let alone international imports. There’s no surprise then that to counteract such a bleak market Quebec has in turn sprouted a plethora of innovative and high-quality craft breweries and brewpubs over the last couple of decades. This DIY approach and attitude has sparked and cultivated one of the most impressive beer cultures our fine nation has to offer, much of them emulating many of the exotic styles that originated in Belgium.

Microbrasserie Charlevoix is no exception, a microbrewery that has been around since 1998, and recently expanded in 2009 to help keep up with demand and provide extra space to produce more unique beers.

Their Dominus Vobiscum Blanche is one of my favourite interpretations of the classic Belgian Witbier. Wits (which simply means “white” in Flemish) are a Belgian variation of the wheat beers produced by their German neighbours to the East. Yet rather than utilizing the unique yeast strains common to German Wiessebiers or Weizens with their telltale notes of clove and banana, Belgian Wits hearken back to a time before hopped beer. In turn these light ales are spiced with coriander and orange peel most commonly, along with one or two extra secret ingredients that tend to differ from brewer to brewer. The result is a light, spritzy, quenching beer that can find accommodation in almost any circumstance.

As a side note, for those light in the Latin department, Dominus Vobiscum is an ancient salutation and blessing that is traditionally found in Roman Catholic mass, however it also found its way into a Frank Zappa song too. Into English it translates as “May the lord be with you”, so consider yourself in good company when drinking this Blanche.

It’s practically dealer’s choice for glassware with this Witbier, whether you want a pilsner glass, pint glass, tall Weizen glass, mug, chalice or oversized wine glass, none of that will cramp its style. Keep the beer nice and chilled as well, not ice cold, but best results will come from letting the bottle sit out of the fridge 5-10 minutes before opening and pouring.

Prepare to be greeted by a cloudy, deep honey golden hue that begins to approach amber. There’s also a massive tall white spongy head, so depending on the glassware you chose it may take 2 or 3 attempts to completely empty the bottle into the glass. All that head releases an intense bouquet of tart citrus notes like lemon and rosehips, a little bit of spicy chamomile, with faint orange and wheat grain in the background. It only takes a couple of sips to full realize a light citrusy tart wheat canvas embellished with light spice, with citrus notes of tangerine, lemon, and most predominantly that of key lime. All this accompanied by a dry and quenching finish.
The full, lush, creamy smooth mouthfeel is contrasted with the lightest of pinprick carbonation on the finish.

This is a gorgeous ale to enjoy on a hot sunny patio, even a margarita chased with a dry martini won’t slake your thirst with such delicious and refreshing ease. For those hot days when you feel like eating light, you’ve just found yourself an ideal beer to go with a hearty salad. When a more substantial meal is called for there are massive options from almost any fish or shellfish you can prepare (including sashimi and sushi!), to cutting through saltier pork based dishes. It will also provide a good contrast for sharp, tangy and earthy cheeses. And if the heat from the chilies and spices aren’t too intense, this Dominus Vobiscum Blanche will match the citrus notes of most Thai, Indian and Mexican foods while cleansing and resetting the palate.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Dominus Vobiscum Blonde
Dominus Vobiscum Double
Dominus Vobiscum Triple
La Vache Folle Double IPA – Simcoe

In Style:
Hoegaarden Original White Ale
Unibroue Blanche De Chambly
St. Bernardus Witbier
Wittekerke
Hitachino Nest White Ale
Lost Coast Great White
Mill Street Wit

Lateral Steps:
Mt. Begbie High Country Kölsch
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse
Schneider Weisse
Erdinger Weissbier

For The Adventurous:
Aventinus
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Samichlaus

Winery: Baron Phillippe de Rothschild S.A. Mouton Cadet
Location: France
Alcohol: 13%
Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

When one utters the name ‘Rothschild’, people automatically think of history, luxury beyond imagination and everything expensive.  Quite frankly that is true.  Although Baron Philippe de Rothschild was a member of the banking dynasty family, he was also a Grand Prix racecar driver, a screenwriter, a film producer, a theatrical producer and, one of the most successful wine producers in the world.

The company today is still a family owned company.  The Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, the Baron’s daughter, is the majority shareholder.  In this day and age when so many large family companies have gone by the wayside, that is quite wonderful.

The Rothschild family has been making wines that have been lauded for many years. For example Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild have been mentioned in just about every wine magazine you can think of.  At the same time as making these incredible wines, they have also been making some very approachable wines at very reasonable prices.  The Rothschild Escudo Rojo wines from Chile are fabulous wines, and are priced reasonably.  Then there is “Mouton Cadet”.

Can you believe that Mouton Cadet is celebrating 80 years this year?  In honour of this celebration, we thought this would be a great time to sample two of their Bordeaux wines… a little red and a little white.  Come join us in France on this little birthday trip.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild was known for making exceptional wines that fetched a very good price.  In 1930, however, Baron Philippe Rothschild felt that the vintage was not up to snuff to put the Mouton Rothschild name on it.  It was still a nice wine however.  So he decided that he would come up with a new wine line called Mouton Cadet.  Baron Philippe was the youngest child, so he put the French term for youngest on the label… ‘cadet’.  The wine became an instant hit.  The following year, 1931, brought a high demand for this new label.  So much so, that the Rothschilds had to purchase grapes from other growers in neighbouring vineyards to keep up with the demand for this new wine.  Grapes came from Pauillac, Ste. Estephe, Haut-Medoc to name a few.  After the Second World War the wine was given AOC status.  The popularity of the wine grew immensely and before you knew it, a white Mouton Cadet became part of the family in the 1970’s.

The red wine is a blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 65% Merlot and  15% Cabernet Franc.  This wine is easy drinking and what I like to call, as I said before, very approachable. It is not matured in oak casks, so the fruit is more evident when you taste it.

The wine has nice aromas of red berry fruit (raspberry, cherry and strawberry) and even a wee touch of mint.  The tannins are not over abundant, so it feels nice and ‘round’.

This wine has been around for 80 years, that is true, but it is still very popular.  On their website it says Mouton Cadet “The world’s leading Bordeaux AOC”.  See what you think when you try it.

Food Pairing: 

Lamb; medium to older aged hard cheese; veal (especially either grilled or done in a light tomato based sauce); and of course the perennial favourite… beef.

CSPC:     943
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price subject to change without notice.  Price correct at time of printing.

Winery: Mouton Cadet
Location: France
Blend: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Tasting: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Just like its red brother, this wine is meant to sit back and enjoy.  When people think of Bordeaux, they usually think of just red wines.  Don’t forget about the whites!!  Think about where Bordeaux is located and what kind of food one would likely have there.  It has a strong influence not just from the land, but also from the sea.  Lots of fish!  So red wine with scallops just isn’t gonna cut it, no matter how much you may want it to.  That is where the Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc come in.  They are very good friends not just to fish, of course, but to other foods as well.

The home of Sauvignon Blanc (pictured left) is France.  It thrives here and it makes some of the most incredible wines, from very dry to some of the most expensive and delicious dessert wines you have ever tasted (quite often paired with Semillon).  We are talking about the dry wine today.  The taste you can get from this grape can go from grassy crisp and acidic to almost tropical flavours.  It just depends on where it is grown.  Different areas and climates produce different types of wines.  In the Bordeaux region the Sauvignon Blanc has a fruitier characteristic to it so that works very well with its partner in this wine… Semillon.  Semillon is a relatively easy grape to grow (don’t tell the winemaker’s that I said that, though).  Semillon (pictured left), Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle are the three white grape varieties allowed in the Bordeaux region.  In this particular wine, the tropical flavours are abound.  Freeze some grapes and put them in the glass to keep your wine chilled when you are sitting out on the deck.

So let’s look at the food pairings for this pleasant wine:

Food Pairing:

Goat’s cheese (used in a sauce or just on a light cracker); light tasting Brie cheese; Scallops and other shellfish just steamed;  Scallops/shellfish done in a light broth or butter/cream sauce;  Broiled fish; light chicken dishes.

CSPC:     323105
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price subject to change without notice.  Price correct at time of printing.