Style: Ÿber-Imperial Stout
ABV: 32%
Presentation: Single 375 ml green bottle, caged and corked
Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland, U.K.

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

As Scotland’s largest independent brewery, and certainly no stranger to the international press, it’s quite astounding that BrewDog has only been operating since 2007. The founders are two friends, Martin Dickie and James Watt, who seem to have a personal mandate of pushing the ticket when it comes to making beer.

After only 2 years of being in business and already producing a fairly solid line up of craft beer, the BrewDog crew decided it was time to tip the apple cart while doing some serious experimenting. The result was claiming the record for making the world’s strongest beer.

It takes a fairly lengthy method in order to attain the final results for Tactical Nuclear Penguin, although most of the magic seems to happen after the initial brewing process. The TNP starts out as the already notable BrewDog house Imperial Stout which clocks in at 10% abv. It’s aged for 8 months in an Isle of Arran barrel to help increase the alcohol content. Following that it’s transferred to an Islay cask to rest for another 8 months, technically making this BrewDog’s first double barrel-aged beer, which would be impressive on its own if it wasn’t for what comes next.

The double barrel aged and augmented beer is then stored for 3 weeks or so at a local ice cream factory near the brewery at a temperature of -20 degrees C. This technique of ice distillation was first discovered by accident by German brewers in the late 1800’s. There are many stories and opinions over who and where and when it happened first, but it is generally conceded to have been someplace in northern Bavaria, and many pinpoint that to the city of Kulmbach. The short version goes some barrels of Doppelbock were accidently left outside overnight when the temperature dipped down well before freezing. The seams of the barrels burst, the water content of the beer froze, however the liquid that was left in the middle of the ice was a sweeter, stronger concentrated version of beer, and was labelled an Eisbock.

This same process is applied to BrewDog’s barrel-enhanced Imperial Stout (an EisImpStout?), as it is repeatedly decanted from the ice until the final alcohol content of 32% is obtained. As of Thursday November 26th in 2009, BrewDog had set the record for producing the strongest beer in the world at that point with Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

The release of this beer didn’t come without controversy either. There were some factions who protested against the point of making such a strong beer, claiming that it would lead to excessive consumption and irresponsible abuse (as opposed to producers of cheap strong malt liquor?), even though a 12 oz. bottle of TNP was retailing for around $70 Canadian at the time. Then some of the beer geek squad questioned the validity of TNP as still being labeled as a legitimate beer, rather than some beer-based offshoot, given all the post-production necessary after the brewing process, especially all the distillation necessary from the freezing process. There were others who also wrote this all off as a publicity stunt, and the beer itself a mere novelty. Of course I’ll leave it up to you to decide what you think about either issue.

As a tongue-in-cheek marketing decision BrewDog decided to release each bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin in a brown paper bag, on which is a felt drawing of a penguin and the alcohol content. Conveniently the folks at the brewery also provided a cork along with each bottle, for the sake of helping to moderate consumption one would imagine.

The title of world’s strongest beer that Tactical Nuclear Penguin held didn’t last very long however. By December 2009 that title had been passed along to the German brewery Schorschbräu for their 40% Schorschbock. BrewDog volleyed back in February 2010
and reclaimed that title with the cheeky 41% Sink The Bismarck. In May of the same year Schorschbräu one-upped the Scots once again with another Schorschbock, this time at 43%. The Dutch brewery ‘t Koelschip chimed in on this battle with their 45% Oblix. BrewDog responded with 12 bottles of The End Of History, which had an alcohol content of an eye-popping 55%. Also grabbing the eye was the taxidermied stoats and grey squirrels the bottles were mounted in. Schorschbräu thought they had things settled with a 57% version of their Schorschbock, but the Dutch ‘t Koelschip brewery seems to hold the current title at a whopping 60% with their response to BrewDog, a beer called Start The Future.

I’m not sure about you, but it seems to me this whole strong beer race got a bit out of hand rather fast. Sure it’s exciting to push the limits of a craft, however I personally start to question the drinkability of these extreme “high test” beers, let alone whether they are still beer, or just malt-based spirits. That aside, let’s now explore this beer from BrewDog that helped trigger this whole contest of brewing muscle.

It’s entirely up to you whether you choose to refrigerate your bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin or not. Just be forewarned that earlier batches have had an intermittent issue of popping their caps or exploding when not kept chilled. This is the result of the beer being bottled at -10 C, so when it gets to warm there’s a chance of excessive carbon dioxide development. I would certainly allow it to warm up an hour or so before sampling if you do refrigerate it.

This is also a good one to consider sharing with some interested friends—plus a group of people chipping in can also help offset the price of a bottle. Since it’s in your best interest to consider a sample size of one or two ounces (although if you want to chug the whole bottle in one sitting that’s your prerogative), some different glassware selections are in order. A snifter or Whiskey tumbler are decent options, as are port or sherry glasses—the smaller the vessel the more self-control you can effortlessly enforce.

The formidable Tactical Nuclear Penguin appears in a glass as a dark brown hue, with translucent chestnut highlights when held to direct light. There is no head, and due to the alcohol content you shouldn’t expect one. The aroma is sharp, boozy and somewhat vinous at first. Behind it sits some roasted malt and coffee notes, while every inhale is supplemented with intense warm alcohol. When you’re ready to take the plunge take relief in the fact that the flavour is far more refined than the Wild West show taking place on the nose. You’re greeted with a sharp spike of raisins and alcohol up front in the flavour, then softening up with coffee, dark roasted malts and some peat on the finish. The aftertaste dries out considerably, while the alcohol heat increases. Some char, licorice root and molasses can be detected now and then as it sits and breathes. As for the mouthfeel it is on the thin side, the carbonation is absent, although the texture is slick, slippery and a bit silky.

There’s no question that you should probably consume some food before or after consuming some Tactical Nuclear Penguin to possibly prevent some potential calamity, especially if you’re tackling the whole bottle in one go (which personally I didn’t, and nor do I recommend). As for munching on something compatible while sipping you TNP the picking get pretty slim. BrewDog recommends serving it with some vanilla bean ice cream or some dark 80%+ cocoa chocolates. Adding to that I would also suggest some roasted nuts or smoked meats to help take the edge off. As for pairing with an entree I will leave that up to your own personal discretion and exploration if you’re up for the challenge.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
5am Saint
77 Lager
Alice Porter
Tokyo
Trashy Blonde

Lateral Steps:
Ha, ha….none.

For The Adventurous:
BrewDog Sink The Bismarck (coming soon…)

Style: English Barleywine
ABV: 10.5%
Presentation: Single 500 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Bryggeriet Djævlebryg ApS
Country: Denmark

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Denmark is a curious country for the fact that per capita they have the most craft breweries of any other country in the world. The Danes are a thirsty lot who have a long history of enjoying their beer, dating back even farther than the feast halls of the Beowulf saga. Even more fortunate for them, the Danes are currently in the midst of a microbrewing renaissance—which is also fortunate for us who have access to some of their imported bounty.

The other curious fact about the Danish beer scene is that there are far more brewing companies than there are actual physical breweries. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, but it seems to have taught fellow commercially competing brewers how to share facilities and make a profitable venture out of it at the same time.

Case in point is the Bryggeriet Djævlebryg, which roughly translates into “The Brewery Devil’s Brew.” As the story goes, the roots of this small Danish brewery started with the efforts of two brothers, Rune and Stinus Lindgreen, experimenting with all-grain homebrewing in their mother’s kitchen back in 2003. Those efforts garnered them a fair amount of attention in the local community, as well as some enterprising interest from others who wanted to help offer these beers to the public.

It was in June of 2006 that their first commercial beers appeared on the local market, produced by renting use of the equipment at the Brøckhouse microbrewery north of Copenhagen. In early 2009 they switched over to the Herslev Brewery, taking full advantage of the extra brewing capacity that the facility had available.

Now, you might be wondering to yourself what’s up with all the devil talk and satanic themes they use as a company identity and to market themselves. It’s not just in the name, but their motto also translates to “Devilishly Good Beers”. On the back of the bottle it also proclaims in Danish that this Barleywine is “Drinkable Until Doomsday”. Even the name Old Mephisto stems from the name Mephistopheles, a demonic figure from Teutonic folklore, and most famous from the Faust legend. For the record the name stems from Hebrew, its root words meaning “destroyer” and “liar”. Old Mephisto was certainly known for destroying lives with his silver tongue.

However before you decide to reach for a bottle of holy water instead, understand that this whole motif is very tongue-in-cheek. The folks at the brewery claim it’s a counter-balancing response to all the craft beer being produced by monasteries in Northern Europe. Fortunately the quality of their products goes above and beyond to prove that this is all more than just a marketing gag. And as far as I know, no pentagrams seemed to have been drawn up for the production of this beer.

Taking a cue from the name of the style, Barleywines are certainly best served in some sort of stemware. A large snifter, or a tulip glass is optimum, but a wine glass—either for white or red—will do just fine. It will also benefit from warming up for a while if taken from the fridge, allowing the robust flavours to open up.

This Barleywine is oaky in appearance, and both cloudy and opaque. The head pours short with a creamy texture and an off-white colour, and retains very well. On the aroma is a bouquet bursting with notes of sweet sugary toffee, brown sugar, raisin, chocolate, Concord grape, grapefruit rind and herbal hops. After experiencing that you’ll be glad you allowed it to warm up enough to take the initial chill off. There’s a healthy presence of sweet toffee and chocolate malt up front in the flavour, followed by rummy notes, and finishing with bright citrus hops along with spicy, herbal hops. Prominent alcohol warmth lingers in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is medium-full, somewhat smooth texture, with a soft low carbonation.

Food pairings for Barleywines are always a bit tricky due to their intensity. The folks at Bryggeriet Djævlebryg recommend serving up some strong cheeses, game dishes or vanilla bean ice cream with Old Mephisto. To add to them I would also suggest considering some lamb, or perhaps a hearty beef stew loaded with mushrooms and earthy spices. Spice cake is another dessert option, or simply serve Old Mephisto as dessert itself.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Gudeløs

In-Style:
Brooklyn Monster Ale
Garrison Ol’ Fog Burner
St-Ambroise Vintage Ale 2011
DDC Solstice D’hiver
Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine
Alley Kat Olde Deuteronomy
Durham Benedictus

Lateral Steps:
DDC Péché Mortel
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
La Vache Folle Milk Stout
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend
Trappistes Rochefort 10
Garrison Grand Baltic Porter
Ragutiene
Odin’s Tipple
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
St-Ambroise Stout Impériale Russe
Thornbridge St. Petersburg Imperial Stout
Fullers Vintage Ale
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Samichlaus Bier

Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 9.5%
Presentation: Single 355 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Paddock Wood Brewing Co. exclusive for Sherbrooke Liquor
Country: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Before I go any further we’ll start off with a little bit of a phonetics lesson. The proper way to pronounce the goddess that this beer is named after is Rah-Goo-TEE-Nay. Sound it out, even say it out loud a few times to get familiar with it, as that’s the sound I’d like you to associate with every time I mention Ragutiene. It takes a bit of practice, as it even did for me in the beginning, for the spelling of this name seems a bit counter-intuitive to its actual pronunciation.

So then, Ragutiene is the first release of a 12 beer series dedicated to the memory of beer gods from around the world, stemming from the beginning of recorded history and onwards. There are more than 12 deities of malted merriment that have been worshipped at one time or another, and many more whose name has been forgotten under the dust and debris of the past. However these 12 were chosen as being the most diverse selection to represent such a group, some were also the most interesting from cultures that had more than one god affiliated with beer, and certainly were selected for having the most information available about them.

Well, with the exception of Ragutiene when it comes to that last point. She was worshipped by the Slavic and Baltic cultures of Eastern Europe as their own personal goddess of beer. Her husband Ragupatis was known as the god of fermentation, the process essential for the production of beer. Between the two of them they represented the beginning and the end of the brewing process. Sadly this is all that’s really remembered or mentioned about them anymore, and we’re fortunate to even have these basics available today, thanks to small groups of Lithuanian neo-pagans.

Much of this absence has to do with the fact that these old Eastern European cultures passed down oral traditions from generation to generation, with no written language to provide a back-up to the unavailability of these living libraries. With the development and spreading of monotheism throughout this part of the world much information of former traditions and details about these old gods started to disappear through both attrition and focused assimilation. Due to this it’s a wonder we have any information left at all, let alone names and what these deities represented and lorded over.

The brewing of all 12 beers for this unique series has singularly been taken up by the Paddock Wood Brewery of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. These wouldn’t be the first brews they have produced for Sherbrooke, the first being the Heartstopper Aztec Stout, however it certainly marks the first of such a large and ongoing collaboration. For Ragutiene a Baltic Porter was developed to represent this goddess, with an addition of black currants and some sour cherries. Take note that this beer is not being brewed strictly to style by any means, but is a chance to experiment and create a unique modern homage to what is one of the far more obscure of the ancient beer gods.

Glassware selection for this intense beer offers a few selections. While the traditional pint glass or mug will do just fine, due to the higher alcohol content and robust flavour profile an oversized red wine glass or large snifter will help accentuate the nuances. A tulip glass would be an excellent choice as well if you own some dedicated beer glassware. Cellar temperature is the ideal way to serve Ragutiene, or allow it to warm 20 minutes to half an hour after removing from the fridge.

You’ll be presented with a very deep opaque dark brown porter, which can easily be mistaken for black due to its density. The retention is also steady, with a tall spongy tan head. Expect to find a sharp espresso character prominent on the nose, along with dry cocoa, sweet mocha, and some tart black berries. The warming alcohol content is present throughout in the flavour. Dry burnt malt starts off the flavour providing notes of espresso and charcoal, there’s some dark chocolate present, along with mild earthy, leafy hops that can easily be missed due to the bitterness of the dark roasted malt. The finish contains a quick spike of tart and mildly sweet earthy berries that make a short yet valiant attempt at balancing the intense malt. While the level of carbonation is low the mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a slick, silky texture.

Since Baltic Porters in general are rather complex and intense, food pairings tend to require some extra forethought. Smoked or grilled meats are a good start, as is game meat or goose. For a side to any of them consider some roasted sweet potatoes to match the intensity and counterbalance the roasty bitterness of the Porter. If comfort food is your racket serve up some hearty stew or braised ribs. An earthy cheese option of Camembert or Fontain will do for a light nibble. It’s also fine to skip forward to dessert as well,

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
606 IPA
Bête Noire
Black Cat Lager
Bramling Cross Bitter
Czech Mate
London Porter

From Sherbrooke:
Heatseeker
KGB
Heartstopper
Bad Hare Day
Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius
Neapoleon Stout
Van Helsings All Natural Mouthwash
Sherbrooke Shamrock
Ochsner’s 1905 Alberta Porter
Sherbrooke Aaiieeeeeeeeee Caramba!

In-Style:
LTM Porter Baltique
Baird Kurofune Porter
Garrison Grand Baltic Porter
Okanagan Old English Porter
Half Pints Pothole Porter

Lateral Steps:
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
DDC Péché Mortel
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Black Albert
Mikkeller George

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 11%
Presentation: Single 500 ml brown bottle
Brewery: HaandBryggeriet
Country: Drammen, Norway

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Odin, the All-Father, was the chief god of Norse Mythology, and held a pretty impressive resume. Not only did he really get around during his time, but he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty either, nor make personal sacrifices to advance his career. Heck, he even has a day of the week named after him. No really, it’s Wednesday. Go ask your mom if you don’t believe me.

It takes a pretty impressive beer to live up to a god such as Odin, let alone bear his name. Fortunately the folks at HaandBryggeriet of Norway pull off such a task, and beautifully at that. Located in the medium-sized town of Drammen, this small craft brewery is actually run on a voluntary basis. While a small communal core of 4 gents take care of operations in their spare time, visitors and people from the community are welcome to stop by and lend them a hand.

These brewers aren’t afraid to experiment either, and make full use of wild yeast strains, exotic ingredients, and the occasional ancient brewing technique. That being stated, the results obtained for Odin’s Tipple were done by fairly straightforward means: just the skill of the brewers, and the assistance of a specifically chosen strain of wild yeast. I must admit that the finished product is nothing short of mind blowing regardless of the means used.

Although this is a stout, the complexity and the high alcohol content certainly calls for some stemware, don’t even look at your pint glass unless it’s the only thing in your cupboard you have to drink out of. My personal pick is a Belgian chalice or goblet, but you’ll do no wrong with a large red wine glass or a snifter. I would also allow this ale to sit out at least half an hour so Odin can wake up a bit and start to flex his muscles. It’s certainly worth the wait.

Now before you go flicking the light switch a few times or making an appointment to get your eyes checked I’ll warn you right now this is one of the darkest beers you will ever encounter, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you and the power didn’t go out. This Russian Imperial Stout is an incontestable opaque pitch black, and utterly impermeable to light. I wouldn’t be surprised to witness an event horizon forming around the lip of the glass as a result of this black hole of a Stout. Also expect a pretty impressive dense mocha coloured head that will linger for a few minutes before it too falls prey to the event horizon.

I admit, I sat there and just smelled this ale for close to 15 minutes the first time I tried it. Seriously, not only is it that good, but also that complex. I nearly called the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew to help me out on this case, before I remembered they were under-aged—I don’t want to condone that sort of behaviour. So I don’t end up writing an essay on it, here is a list of aromatics that are the tip of the iceberg: sweet malt, peaty Whisky, tobacco, leather, black cherry skins, dark dried fruit, woody vanilla, espresso, Kahlua, cocoa nibs, licorice and molasses. This is pretty much mirrored in the flavour, along with welcome additions of roasted malt, charred wood, toffee, and dried sugary plums. Some evident alcohol warmth too. There’s more, but I don’t wish to bore you already, but leave room for more of your own discoveries. As you can imagine, this is a big full-bodied ale, although the texture is slick for the most part, with some sticky patches. Very low level of carbonation.

Some careful thought should be taken into consideration if you choose to pair Odin’s Tipple with food because of its intensity and complexity, otherwise it’d be akin to playing the xylophone with a sledgehammer. Driving a steamroller through a china shop. Wild game meat or a roast lamb would be intense enough to withstand the presence of Odin. If it’s been well herbed a beef pot roast or a hearty stew will stand its ground. A better match would be with dessert though, with some dark bitter chocolate, or rich fruit pastries.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Dark Force
Norwegian Wood

In-Style:
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Black Albert
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Mikkeller Black Hole
Lagunitas Imperial Stout
Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout
DDC Péché Mortel
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Lateral Steps:
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Trappistes Rochefort 10
Pannepot Old Fisherman’s Ale
Thomas Hardy’s Ale
Gulden Draak
Brooklyn Monster Ale
Samichlaus Bier
Mill Street Barley Wine
Alley Kat Olde Deuteronomy
Durham Brewery Benedictus
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

Style: : Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9%
Presentation: Single 750 ml brown caged and corked bottle / 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Unibroue
Country: Chambly, Quebec, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Here is the dark beauty from Unibroue’s regular line up of beers. I think I fell in love with Trois Pistoles the first time I tried if, and even if that’s not the case (it was quite some time ago!) I was still seduced by it fairly quickly. Trois Pistoles has been in production since 1997 after all.

This self-proclaimed Abbey Style Strong Ale is named after a small Quebecois village that has been sitting on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River for over 300 years. Trois Pistoles translates into “Three Coins”, which as legend has it is a name derived from the exclamation of a sailor who accidently dropped his silver goblet overboard into the river. He was pretty choked that he lost his 3 pistoles (a common form of Spanish currency of the time) that he had paid for the drinking vessel.

As with all Unibroue offerings there is a story behind the image on the label. This one in particular is a famous one from the village of Trois Pistoles. Regarding the church in question on the label it was said that the villagers of the time could not agree on the right spot to start building it. One hot summer day in August they woke up to find a perfectly square block of snow sitting on a particular site in the middle of town. Taking this as a divinely ordained decision they decided to start construction at that location.

To maintain the supernatural tone of the church’s origin one of the local bishops summoned the devil himself in the form of a large black stallion, in order to assist in hauling the large stone bricks that were chosen to assemble the church from. A holy blessed bridle was used to keep this momentarily benevolent devil steed in check and complacent for the industrious task at hand. Day after day this supernatural black horse toiled, delivering each one of the formidable building blocks that went into this structure of worship. However before this beast could deliver the final stone someone accidently removed the holy bridle, and it bolted off immediately, never to be seen again. No one was strong enough to move that final brick, and to this day the church in Trois Pistoles stands there missing that last brick in its structure.

When executed properly this style, the Strong Belgian Dark Ale, can possess as much complexity of flavour as the finest of red wines. Even surpass them. As such an easily accessible example of this style, let alone a Canadian produced one, Trois Pistoles delivers the goods. Yet unlike a devil horse, it follows through to the end.

Stemware is the glass of choice to enjoy this dark ale from. A snifter, chalice or an oversized wine glass is what you’re aiming for, or a tulip glass if you own one. Slightly chilled will be the optimum temperature range for serving Trois Pistoles, in order to discover all it has to offer. Allow it to warm maybe 20-30 minutes, although if you can’t wait that long the flavours will still open up in time. This is a pretty big, bold beer that you’ll be sipping on rather than chugging, so there will be time enough one way or another.

While not quite as dark as the horse of legend or the one on the label, this offering from Unibroue pours out a deep cloudy walnut brown, and will show garnet highlights when held to direct light. Expect a frothy beige head. Some time spent focusing on the aroma will offer up rewards of cherry and Concord grape, dates, apple skins, caramel, dark bready malt, hints of chocolate, dark spice, and mild grassy, floral hops. After enticing you in, the flavour then serves a combination of caramel and bready malt, chocolate, dark spice, cherry and dark fruit, brown sugar, mild grassy hops, and a dry sherry-like alcohol warmth. There’s a medium-bodied mouthfeel to it, smooth yet dry, with a healthy level of carbonation.

While perfectly satisfying on its own, here is an ale that works overtime when served with food. Think big and bold, like hearty roasts and stews full of herbs and earthy flavours. Game meats as well. Caramelized grilled meat is also high on the list. Then there are strong and rich cheese varieties to keep in mind, the carbonation level of this beer will do a beautiful job scrubbing your tongue and palate while the flavour rises up to match the intensity. If dessert is in order then try this with some dark chocolate, rich chocolate cake, or a spice cake.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Blanche de Chambly
Chambly Noire
Don de Dieu
Éphémère
La Fin du Monde
La Terrible
Maudite

In-Style:
Chimay Blue
Trappistes Rochefort 8
Gulden Draak
Nostradamus
Brooklyn Local 2
Gouden Carolus Classic

Lateral Steps:
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Trappistes Rochefort 10
La Trappe Quadrupel
DDC Rigor Mortis Abt
Pannepot Grand Reserva
Ayinger Celebrator
DDC Péché Mortel
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Rogue Imperial Stout
Black Albert
Mikkeller Black Hole

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

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Some may remember the initial incarnation of this beer as the Snow Blind IPA for Sherbrooke Liquor that allowed Yukon Brewing to test the Alberta market for its reception of an India Pale Ale of their devising. It was an instance where all signs pointed to yes.

It didn’t take long for the locals to get restless either. The talented folks at Yukon Brewing had made some modifications to the Snow Blind recipe and were offering it directly from the brewery in growlers under the new name Ice Fog. For those reading who are unfamiliar with that term, a growler is a 1.9L glass jug (visualize a “moonshine” jug and you’re pretty close) that a customer can get draught beer filled with to take home, either from a brewery or a brewpub that offers the service.

While it’s great to be able to get fresh draught beer to take home straight from a brewery, there is however one stipulation: you need to have regular access to the source in question. So when the fans of Ice Fog in the Yukon managed to convince Yukon Brewing to finally bottle their favourite IPA for greater access and distribution, Alberta shared in this boon shortly after.

What makes this particular IPA stand out from most of the other North American-made hop bombs is its possession of balance. In that sense it immediately enters the realm of an English-style India Pale Ale, providing a solid malt backbone that waltzes pleasantly with the hop content, rather than being over-run and terrorized by those green cones of goodness. The result provides a great option for the uninitiated and the wary to get familiar with the India Pale Ale style without being completely overwhelmed by the inherent hops at first.

If you don’t wish to put much thought into glassware, then you’re in luck as your trusty pint glass has already saved the day in this case. Let it sit out about 10 minutes to allow the malt to open up a bit, although the hop content is ready to go no matter how chilled it is.

What you’ll encounter is a clear bright gold IPA with a short creamy off-white head. The aroma releases fruit esters from the yeast, floral, citrus and herbal notes from the hops, and toasted biscuity malt. This leads to the flavour delivering notes of sweet orange, mild toasty and caramel malt, with a blend of grassy, citrus and herbal hops—all well balanced. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and quite smooth, finishing with a kick of carbonation.

The balance within this Yukon Ice Fog IPA opens up more food pairing options than you would normally have with lopsided hop-bomb. When it comes to pub style food you can close your eyes and point to practically anything on the menu. From burgers and sandwiches, salty and/or deep fried finger food (nachos, fries, spare ribs, even calamari), and of course the token platter of fish and chips. For cooking styles this beer will help you enjoyably explore the savoury and spicy dishes from Cajun, Indian, Thai, and Tex-Mex. Beyond that the malt will meld beautifully with grilled or roasted meats while the hops provide equally welcome herbal contrast.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Yukon Gold
Yukon Red
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Deadman Creek Cranberry Wheat
Discovery Honey IPA
Lead Dog Ale

In-Style:
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale
Samuel Smith’s India Ale
Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted
Marston Old Empire

Lateral Steps:
Fuller’s ESB
Duchy Originals Organic English Ale
Propeller Extra Special Bitter
Wild Rose SOB
La Vache Folle ESB
Red Racer ESB

For The Adventurous:
Red Racer IPA
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Anchor Liberty Ale
Rogue XS Imperial Red
Lost Coast Indica IPA

Style: Fruit Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Presentation: Single 550 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery
Country: Tadcaster, England, U.K.

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Some people giggle and snort when they see this particular fruit beer on the shelf. A few of them tend to do the same when I confess to enjoying it from time to time. Well, that is until I flash them a dirty look to let them know I’m not kidding. This can lead to some confusion.

No fooling though, it won me over the first time I tried it. This is certainly not a beer I tend to drink on a regular basis, however I’m still inclined to take it upon myself to stick up for it, if not quite champion it.

The basis for that stems from two entirely separate reasons. Perhaps I don’t wander through country fields or visit the farmer’s market often enough, but the first time I tried this fruit beer from Samuel Smith was the first time in nearly a decade it felt like I tasted what a real strawberry should taste like. A real one, like the juicy, small, satiating ones that grow wild, or in the back gardens of people with a mind for that sort of thing. Not the large, bland, water-saturated abominations you tend to get in the supermarket these days, which smell like artificial strawberry flavouring that has been so overused in processed foods.

Maybe write that off as irrational nostalgia, but it’s a strong enough impression that I’m sticking to it and not budging. The other reason is a technical one. For a fruit forward beer this one is well put together. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still somewhat one-dimensional, but is not cloying or overwhelming. There is enough to go by to tell that some thought and effort went in to the base beer that delivers that big soul kiss of strawberries, what I read as low-hopped golden ale.

What also makes this strawberry ale special is that it is handcrafted at the tiny historic All Saints Brewery in Stamford, England, that was restored by Samuel Smith’s in the 1990’s. The brewery was actually founded as far back as 1825, yet between 1869 and 1974 it was known as the Melbourne Bros. Brewery, and acquired by Samuel Smiths after that. In a sense it is now an operational brewing museum, operating with the original Victorian aged manually operated brewing equipment.

When it comes down to the actual fruit content, pure organic strawberry juice is blended into the matured ale that has been transported to the Tadcaster brewery location. Not only are all the ingredients used 100% organic, to top everything off this is also a fully Vegan approved beer selection, for those who take extra caution in what they ingest.

This is a brew that will be served comfortably from a mug or a pint glass, however if you choose to get fancy feel free to grab a white wine glass, or even a tall champagne flute. The flavour isn’t overly complex, so glassware selection this time around is more for aesthetics or comfort rather than accentuating the content. Well-chilled is also an ideal serving temperature, you can open it straight from the fridge, or let it warm 5 or 10 minutes. Really, it will just get sweeter as it warms, without much other change to the flavour profile.

What you’ll find is a hazed yet translucent amber body, which turns to a ruddy deep golden hue when held to direct light. There’s also a loose, creamy off-white head that retains for a few minutes. The aroma is very direct by disclosing straight-forward light malt and a more prominent natural strawberry bouquet. I won’t beat around the bush with you, all you will taste in the flavour is strawberry. The key here is how that strawberry flavour is presented and executed, which starts to enter a realm of subjective nuance rather than quantitative description. So in the end take it from me, it all comes together and works. Well, unless you dislike strawberries in general, then this will be a definite pass for you. There’s a medium-bodied mouthfeel to this fruit ale, which is well carbonated, and offers a crisp, dry finish. Far from being jammy and sticky, as one might assume at first from the aroma and flavour.

Pairing this with food proves to be a bit tricky though. You could make yourself a nice spinach salad with chopped bell peppers (the bright coloured ones, avoid the more astringent green ones), and a handful of slivered almonds and dried cranberries or blueberries (or why not, some fresh or dried strawberries instead!). You can even get away with additions of soft or sweet cheese. Rather than topping it all with a dressing you could take a sip of this strawberry ale after each bite in lieu. Other than that I would stick to pairing this with dessert. It will go very well with chocolate desserts, and with most berry-centric cakes and pastries. Or really, save the effort and the extra dirty dishes and serve this for dessert as a digestif instead.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Old Brewery Pale Ale
The Famous Taddy Porter
Imperial Stout
India Ale
Nut Brown Ale
Organically Produced Lager
Oatmeal Stout
Organically Produced Ale
Winter Welcome Ale

Strawberry Beers:
Früli

Other Fruit Beers:
Cannery Blackberry Porter
Unibroue Éphémère
Aprikat
Lindemans Peche Lambic
Liefmans Cuvee-Brut
Wild Rose Wraspberry
Yukon Deadman Creek Cranberry Wheat
Pump House Blueberry Ale

Style: Extra Special Bitter
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Yukon Brewing Company
Country: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

The Yukon is a region with a history of rough and tumble pioneering trailblazers, and this is a beer that can rest easy in that sort of company. While it’s recently received a name change and a bit of a facelift, Yukon Brewing’s Discovery Honey E.S.B. hasn’t lost it approachability nor its edge as a result.

Formerly known as Discovery Fireweed Honey Ale, this was the first beer to be released by the brewery back in 1997 when it was originally known as the Chilkoot Brewing Company. That’s a pretty impressive pedigree, until you take into account that Discovery was the first beer commercially produced in the Yukon Territory since the end of Prohibition. It sort of puts things into a much grander perspective.

Discovery was re-brewed in 2007 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Yukon Brewing, and they’ve kept it in their regular line-up since. It was in 2010 that they decided to rename it Discovery Honey E.S.B.

What makes this English Bitter so unique is the use of locally produced Fireweed honey, which is added with the hops during the boil in the production of this beer. Fireweed is a hardy plant with bright magenta blossoms that grows practically everywhere in the Yukon. No small surprise that such a ubiquitous plant is the official Territorial flower of the Yukon Territory. Fireweed honey is the clearest of the monofloral varietals, and is highly prized as a premium level product. It helps to add sweet, tangy, and bitter characteristics to Yukon’s E.S.B. from its own unique natural composition.

This style is one that is traditionally served in pint glasses or mugs, so let that knowledge set you free from having to dig around for other glassware. Allowing it to sit out for 10 or 15 minutes will allow the malt to open up a bit more, however as long as it’s not ice cold you’ll still experience most of the goodness it has to offer.

Discovery Honey E.S.B. greets you with a slightly hazed translucent amber hue, capped by a short creamy white head. The nose exhibits a medley of caramel and biscuit malt, some herbal honey and grassy hops. This is practically mirrored within the flavour profile, along with the addition of bready and toasted malt notes, and some herbal spiciness provided by a combination of the honey and the hops. Expect this all delivered by a medium-bodied mouthfeel with a slick texture and brisk carbonation.

With traditional English flair Yukon Brewing suggests a pairing of their E.S.B. with curried dishes. They go on to recommend salmon or poultry, along with cheeses such as Camembert, Feta, and Fontina. I would add to this list pasta dishes with a pesto base, plus Thai and Cajun cuisine. For more casual options the hops and carbonation will balance out salty pub food selections, living up to its tradition as a classic English pub style ale, yet with a Yukon twist.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Yukon Gold
Yukon Red
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Deadman Creek Cranberry Wheat
Ice Fog IPA
Lead Dog Ale

In-Style:
Fuller’s ESB
Duchy Originals Organic English Ale
Propeller Extra Special Bitter
Wild Rose SOB
La Vache Folle ESB
Red Racer ESB

Lateral Steps:
Fuller’s London Pride
Marston’s Pedigree
Amber’s Lunch Pail Ale
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale
St-Ambroise Pale Ale
Lagunitas Censored

For The Adventurous:
Red Racer IPA
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Anchor Liberty Ale
Rogue XS Imperial Red
Lost Coast Indica IPA
He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.

Style: Fruit Ale
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Alley Kat Brewing
Country: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

I admit that over the years I haven’t given Alley Kat’s Aprikat the credit it deserves. Originally marketed as a “beer cooler”, I deemed myself as not within its target demographic back when I started my journey into craft beer. Which was very close to when this fruit beer first hit the market. Oh sure, I never turned down a cold bottle of it when offered one, although it seems I never really went out of my way to seek it out. Some sort of “image” issue I suppose….

The thing is that I must be in the minority, as Aprikat is one of the top sellers for the Alley Kat Brewery, and has been for almost 15 years now. While not one of the original first 2 beers Alley Kat released back during their inception, Aprikat still made the scene within that first year.

The inspiration for Aprikat was actually Pyramid Brewery’s Apricot Ale, which Alley Kat owners Neil and Lavonne Herbst first tried at a pub down in Sandpoint, Idaho. It took them 6 months’ worth of sample batches and experiments to reach the version they were aiming for, which is very similar to the way it is to this day. Time grants the privilege of fine-tuning after all. Aprikat was the first seasonal release for Alley Kat, sold in 650 ml bottles, and received such a popular response that it soon entered the brewery’s regular line up in 6 packs.

An American Pale Wheat Ale style is used for the base of this fruit beer, made with the Alley Kat house ale yeast. This provides a light, sweet, crisp canvas that allows the apricot addition room to shine. Forget about artificial flavours or extracts, Alley Kat uses only apricot concentrate straight from the Okanagan.

This is a decent summer quencher, and can be served in any glassware of your choosing, from a pint glass to a white wine glass. Chilled is the way to go for a serving temperature, not iced cold, but certainly chilled. The fruit character is evident, and will get more intense as it slowly warms.

True to its name Alley Kat’s Aprikat presents itself as a hazed golden apricot hue, with a short lasting white head. There is an inviting aroma of apricot that is the dominant character, however you can also pick out some mild sweet wheat and bready malt as it warms. Okay, it’s not that complex, but the sweet fruity apricot steals the show in the flavour as well, although there is also some clean wheat and mild bready malt in the background, and light traces of floral hops on the finish. The mouthfeel is light with a good presence of carbonation to help quench.

Although the apricot character is most prominent, this is still a fairly light beer, which must be kept in mind while pairing with food. The book-end approach is a good one to keep in mind, sticking to the appetizers and desserts on both ends of a meal. Salad topped with crumbled mozzarella rather than dressing is a great place to start. Of course fruit-based desserts can’t be beat either, yet anything with a rich chocolate base may be too intense.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Alley Kat Amber
Charlie Flint’s Organic Lager
Full Moon Pale Ale
Olde Deuteronomy

Apricot Beers:
St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale
Pyramid Apricot Ale
Cannery Apricot Wheat Ale
Chapeau Apricot Lambic

Other Fruit Beers:
Cannery Blackberry Porter
Unibroue Éphémère
Samuel Smith’s Organic Strawberry Fruit Beer
Lindemans Peche Lambic
Liefmans Cuvee-Brut
Wild Rose Wraspberry
Yukon Deadman Creek Cranberry Wheat
Pump House Blueberry Ale

Style: Gueuze
ABV: 5%
Presentation: Single 750 ml green bottle
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Country: Belgium

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Allow me to start off here by letting you all know how very, very, VERY lucky we are to have some Cantillon available here in Alberta. No, I’m not trying to flagrantly bump up my word count, but to emphasize that point. Of how absolutely lucky we are. Fortunate and privileged in fact.

The Cantillon ales are in a sense living fossils in a bottle. No, they’re not millions of years old, or even hundreds of years; however the nearly obsolete method to produce them is a throwback to how most beers were made on a regular basis hundreds and hundreds of years ago before technology and science offered more control over the finished product. That’s not to say the ales from Cantillon are made in a haphazard manner, there’s simply more artistic craft involved to nudge things along towards the desired results; it’s just that there’s a bit of an X factor involved.

That X factor is the unique and specific strain of wild yeast that is only found in the region around the Cantillon Brewery in the Anderlecht district of Brussels. This small family owned traditional brewery was founded in 1900 on the exact same spot it sits today, and also continues to make its unique beers the very same way as well. Of course the most important element stems from the spontaneous fermentation of the special yeast from the air in and around the brewery itself. In fact the Cantillon Brewery itself is considered by the city of Brussels as a functional museum dedicated to the production of Gueuze and Lambics.

It’s one of those special beers I’d like to share with you this time around: the Lou Pepe Gueuze. This one in particular because it made me a believer, a convert. I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m not a big fan of Gueuze in general, or most Lambics. All that extra acidity just doesn’t agree with my system in anything except very small doses. This is one of factors why I eventually immersed myself in the realm of beer, rather than wine. However once in a while something comes along that makes the effort of toughing it out well worth it. That something is Cantillon’s Lou Pepe Gueuze.

The Gueuze style tends to be a bit of a mystery, if not a wholly unknown style, to nearly all but the most ardent fan of it. It doesn’t tend to have a huge following, but those who enjoy it are passionately devoted. It’s an acquired taste, that’s for sure. The traditional Gueuze is a blend of 2 or more Lambics, usually a combination of young and old varieties. These aren’t Lambics that haven’t been infused with any fruit, and the final result tends to be the most sour and tart of modern known beer styles. A great crossover beer for those who adore puckering, acidic white wines.

With all that in the open I still consider this Lou Pepe Gueuze a true work of art—I would dare go as far as to refer to it as a masterpiece. The name Lou Pepe itself is considered a special term of endearment for Grandfather in the Bordeaux region of France, an area that also holds a soft spot for the Cantillon family. This particular Gueuze is a special blend of 3 separate two-year-old Lambics, and then allowed to completely referment in the bottle again.

What sold me about this normally intimidating beer style, well, this Lou Pepe Gueuze in particular, is the amazing depth to it, this is a layered thing of beauty. Let’s get down to checking it out.

Don’t even consider drinking this out of anything besides stemware. While worth every drop, this is a pricy bottle of artisanal ale, your trusty pint glass just won’t do this time around. Buy a proper glass for this one if you have to. That said, consider your top pick something with a wide rim, a Belgian chalice or an oversized red wine glass. A snifter of a tulip glass will do the job too. Consider allowing it to sit out and warm for at least half an hour, even an hour if you are serious about getting to the heart of it. Or if you’ve cellared a bottle of this, consider the opposite by allowing it to chill in the fridge for a half hour to an hour. Straight room temperature is also a viable option.

It’s show time now. While it may seem a bit underwhelming, this Gueuze will pour into your glass a cloudy pale honey wheat hue, topped by a thin splash of large bubbled white head. Oh, but it gets better. Acidity is present, although it has more of a rounded, tempered edge to it rather than a ripping sharpness. There is also a medley of citrus fruits that reveals itself in layers, personally I pick up lemon rind, lemongrass (okay, not a fruit but you get the point), tangerine, white grapefruit and pomelo. There are traces of light mild spice as well. A full description of the flavour fails me, there is something different mingling and intertwining with each sip. Intense citric tartness co-mingles with toasty, bready malt, while different combinations of citrus fruit, tropical fruit, apple and pears skins, nuts, and dry light spices reveal themselves in waves and layers. If you weren’t so busy enjoying this you’d be inclined to draw up a web chart to keep track of each sip. In contrast to the complex flavour the mouthfeel is light-bodied with low carbonation, some stickiness on the finish, and it starts to coat the palate after a while.

While this Lou Pepe Gueuze is complex, what you need to keep in mind is the intensity as well when choosing the proper food dishes to pair with it so they don’t get steam-rolled. For many the intensity of a Barleywine makes them ideal to pair with old and Bleu cheese, and that’s okay, but this Gueuze will totally own a platter of Stilton and Gorgonzola, while being able to match their inherent funk toe to toe. Another match made in beer heaven is the classic Belgian dish of steamed mussels, not only paired with this ale, but also steamed in it. Forget the lemon wedge and the hit of Tabasco sauce, all you need to dress a plate of freshly shucked oysters is a sip of this Gueuze to follow. Perfection can also be attained with a pairing of lox, capers and cream cheese on a toasted bagel. And for dessert? Believe it or not this ale will make your toes curl served alongside fresh baked apple pie, the more caramelized and spiced the better.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek
Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise
Cantillon Iris
Cantillon Bio Lambic Gueuze
Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus
Cantillon Vigneronne
Cantillon Saint Lamvinus
Cantillon Cuvee Saint Gilloise

Lambics:Liefmans Cuvée-Brut
Boon Kriek
Boon Framboise
Lindemans Cassis
Lindemans Faro Lambic
Lindemans Cuvée Rene
Mort Subite Kriek

Lateral Steps:
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Verhaeghe Echte Kriek
Petrus Oud Bruin
Liefmans Goudenband