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…)

What says celebration like bubbles?  Well, aside from bubbles with chocolate and strawberries… nothing!

We are doing strawberries, chocolate and and bubbles this week, but with a twist!  We are tasting Früli Strawberry beer and Amber’s Brewing Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout.  So I guess you could call this “Beers-day”.  No matter what you have heard, us winos like a brewsky too!

Producer: Brouwerij Huyghe
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Tasting: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Früli is a Strawberry beer.  Yup.  You read it correctly.  If you have never tried this wonderful brew, hopefully this article will bring your attention to it and you will buy a bottle or ten.  Now, there are those who would say that this is a lady’s beer.  Mind you those people are missing a few of their front chompers these days!  What the heck does that mean, anyway… lady’s beer.   Richard and I were doing an Oktoberfest event a while back and we had this as one of the brews.  Well, it was a real hit.  Now there were some women who enjoyed it, but a good number of the imbibers were, in fact, gentlemen.

This scrumptious beer is Belgian in ancestry.  It is a Strawberry White (Wheat) Beer that has been fermented with 30% pure Strawberries.  Long before the discovery of hops, the Belgians were brewing their libations with fruit.  Früli is made with water, hops, malt, yeast and Strawberries.  The alcohol is very reasonable coming in at 4.1%.  There are no additives or preservatives either.

Here is the trick to enjoying this beer once you get it home from the store.  If you look at the bottom of the bottle, you will notice sediment.  It is the wonderful strawberry bits that you are seeing.  Hold the bottle in both of your hands and gently roll it around and back and forth so that the strawberry mixture is blended back into the brew.  Don’t shake it… or you will be left with a not so wonderful surprise when you open it.  Yes this would go great with desert, but we would be surprised if you didn’t enjoy it all on its own.

CSPC:                   714841
Winesday Price:

$3.15 (Includes Winesday 10% discount)

Regular Price:

$3.50

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

Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout

Producer: Amber’s Brewing
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Tasting: Wednesday, January 4, 2011 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

“Amber’s Brewing Company is about the creative use of natural flavours in our beers and craft coolers, while being socially and environmentally conscious.  Amber’s is about family, friends, locally made products and brewing the best beer and craft coolers possible.  Amber’s is about being unique and proud of it.  Amber’s is about a lot of things but mostly we are about brewing incredibly hand-crafted beverages.”[1]

Richard and I first met Jim Gibbon of Amber’s Brewing at SIP at Capital Ex a few or more years ago.  We were both taken with the passion that this gent has for what he does.  It just completely oozed out of him.  So many times we had planned to go to the brewery, which is located on the southside of Edmonton off 99^th Street.  Well this was the week to make the visit.  Richard was unfortunately not able to make this trip with me.  I had the opportunity of tasting some chocolate barley and I have to say it was mighty fine stuff.  You can positively get the chocolate taste from it as well as some coffee ground undertones.  It was pretty good to munch on, I must say.

Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout poured its first drops in the fall of 2008.  Before we go any further, I have to be honest here.  The name is what caught me on this Chocolate Stout.  Although the name is what drew me in, the taste is what made me want more.  Oh my… the chocolate.  It is true that I am a wee bit of a stout fan, but I am also from St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador.  Kenmount Road is a main drag in St. John’s that leads to the outskirts of the city, mainly the communities of Paradise and Mount Pearl and beyond.  The first brew-master at Amber’s Brewing was also a Newfoundlander and he was from Mount Pearl.  I like the name.  It has a bit of a ring to it.

This is how Amber’s describes this beer:  “This luscious stout pours with a velvety chocolate colour and finishes with a medium density foamy brown head.  The complex brew begins with a sweet taste which gives way to a subtle bitterness as it dissolves into malty, molasses elements before finally fading into a lingering chocolate tones.”

CSPC:                   736230
Winesday Price: 

$12.59/6 pk
(Includes Winesday 10% discount)

Regular Price:

$13.99/6 pk

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

We are back enjoying wine again next week.  We hope you enjoyed our version of Strawberries and Chocolate!

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: Aztec Stout
ABV: 7.5%
Presentation: Single 355 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Paddock Wood Brewing exclusive for Sherbrooke Liquor
Country: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

“I left my heart in Tenochtitlan!”

First off I must offer full disclosure here, I played a part in the production off this beer. The immodest version would be to proclaim that it was all my idea, yet the truth be told it was all one big fantastic collaboration, most of which I can’t in good conscience take credit for.

Back in 2009 I was struck with the inspiration to try combining a stout with the key ingredients that make up the old Aztec version of hot chocolate—it actually came to me in a dream, no fooling. Not wanting to miss out on all the interesting beers the store was marketing for itself, I pitched the idea to Sherbrooke Liquor. It took Sherbrooke’s brainchild Jim Pettinger less than a day to not only come up with the name for this Aztec Stout, but what would end up as the final label design as well.

The next step was to pass the idea by Stephen Cavan, the owner and head brewer of Saskatoon’s Paddock Wood Brewery, while he was visiting Edmonton in mid-January of 2010. In light of the success he had with his own Xocoatl Porter a few years ago we were well aware that Steve knew his way around brewing with cocoa, and from the moment I spoke to him he was interested in this new challenge.

What followed was for me to develop an original recipe from the ground up that could be easily transferred to a much larger commercial-sized volume. This included the brewing of two separate small test batches that I was able to produce with fellow Edmonton Homebrewers Guild member Dave Perry. Dave deserves equal recognition for his help formulating and fine-tuning this recipe, as well as for the use of his formidable homebrewing equipment.

This was the stage that took the longest of the whole process, but once we were content with the possibilities of our test batches the recipe data and samples of each trial were finally passed along to Paddock Wood in order to give them as good an idea as possible of what we were aiming for. The true finesse fell on Steve and his crew at the brewery to fine tune everything for a commercial-sized batch, while maintaining the balance of such an unconventional flavour profile.

Since my hands never touched the production of the final results, I think I can comment in a fairly unbiased manner by stating that even I was pretty floored and impressed with the finished product. So I must profess my own humble acknowledgments and appreciation to Paddock Wood for turning a whim into a reality. While I’m at it, a round of applause to John Keane for taking a hilariously gory concept and turning it into such an eye-catching label. And of course a deep bow to Jim at Sherbrooke for making it all happen in the first place.

With the anatomy of actually creating the beer out of the way, it’s time for a refresher course in the concept behind this exotic stout in the first place.

Archaeologists now have evidence dating back to the Olmec civilization of over 3000 years ago showing that a fermented cocoa beverage was being produced in the Mezo-American region. By 1400 A.D. a cocoa based drink was an essential part of the Aztec Empire’s culture. It was called Xocoatl, which means “bitter water”; a suitable label as it was described as a bitter, spicy, frothy drink. Xocoatl was considered a nourishing and fortifying health elixir, believed to prevent fatigue and to act as a potent aphrodisiac. Montezuma II was quoted describing it as: “The divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.”

The original version was said to be made from water, roasted and ground cocoa seeds, corn meal, vanilla bean, achiote seeds and hot peppers. This was whipped up into a froth, and royalty would drink it from golden goblets. Eye-witness accounts claim that Emperor Montezuma would drink up to 50 cups of this a day, and after finishing each one would throw the empty gold vessel into the lake that surrounded his elevated palace. So much for recycling…..

The goal with Heartstopper was not to make an exact re-creation of this, but to take the three main flavour components of cocoa, vanilla and chilies, and marry them with a suitable stout base. We decided on the Foreign Stout sub-style, which was initially produced in the British Isles for export to hotter climates prior to refrigerated transport, and became a favoured style to brew in the Caribbean Islands in time. As a result this is a higher alcohol stout, sitting someplace between a regular English session stout and the bolder Russian Imperial Stouts, yet typically sweeter than both. An ideal backdrop to embrace and highlight the extra ingredients.

If you’re still with me after all that background story, it’s now time to check out the actual beer itself. I’ll let you know in advance that depending on what you’d prefer to accentuate most from this stout will directly affect the serving temperature you choose to start out with. Chilled straight out of the fridge and the following 20 minutes will offer a more crisp bitter cocoa character and will mute much of the heat from the pepper. The warmer it gets, and especially at room temperature, the heat from the pepper is far more pronounced. Then again, if you sip at it slowly, you’ll get the chance to experience it all as it changes with the temperature shift.

Your selection of glassware is fairly broad when it comes to this Aztec Stout. For the traditionalists it will sit right at home within a mug or a pint glass. However as a result of the higher alcohol content and the robust flavour profile some stemware such as a large brandy snifter or oversized red wine glass will offer a bit more of a swanky presentation. And for the beer geeks in the crowd with a collection of Belgian glassware, this would be a great time to pull out one of your tulip glasses.

Once this Stout has been transferred to your glass of preference, you’ll encounter a dark dense brown body, not quite black, and it will exhibit bright garnet highlights when the glass is held to direct light. A loose creamy mocha head will crown it as it slowly settles. Some spicy heat is present in the aroma, balanced with some rich dark cocoa, mild toasted and roasted malts, with hints of vanilla and milky sweetness. Dry cocoa and sweet chocolate blend in the flavour, with some heat rising up in the middle coupled with some mild earthy vanilla. The finish peaks with bittersweet cocoa, along with the spicy heat of the pepper present in lieu of what you would normally expect from hops otherwise for balance. It’s a medium-full mouthfeel with a smooth soft texture and low carbonation that transports this all across your palate.

There should be no surprise at all when my initial suggestions for food pairings with Heartstopper Stout turn out to be Mexican cuisine. From traditional dishes like chicken or turkey with mole sauce, savoury pork carnitas, or tamales; to more Tex-Mex variations of enchiladas, spicy beef burritos, or even a simple serving of corn tortilla chips with your favourite zesty salsa. Cajun cooking is another recommendation along those lines, such a pan blackened chicken or fish, jambalaya, or a bowl of dirty rice with slices of chorizo. For those who genuinely enjoy their spice and heat, this is a beer to pair with a serious madras curry—oh, it won’t help counteract any heat at all, but is bold enough to keep up to the intensity of that dish. Lamb and game meat would also pair very well without managing to overwhelm this Aztec Stout. And if there’s still room for dessert (or you were saving yourself for it!), then bring on the cheesecake! Here’s a stout that will not only compliment, but also not back down from the richness of a chocolate or blueberry cheesecake, leaving you with the delicious quandary of which is more flavoursome.

The next steps in the cooler:

Also From Sherbrooke:
Sherbrooke Shamrock
Bad Hare Day
Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius
Neapolean Neapolitan Stout
Aaiieeeeeeeeee Caramba!
Van Helsing’s All Natural Mouthwash
Glen Sherbrooke
Ochsner’s 1905 Alberta Porter

Also from Paddock Wood:
606 IPA
Bête Noire
Czech Mate
Black Cat Lager
London Porter

Some Mexican Beers:
Corona Extra
Dos Equis Special Lager
Dos Equis XX
Pacifico Clara
Sol Lager
Negra Modelo

Other Stouts:
Jamaica Stout
DDC Aphrodisiaque
DDC Péché Mortel
Half Pints Stir Stick Stout
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Yukon Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Amber’s Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 9%
Presentation: Single 375 ml green bottle
Brewery: Raasted Bryghus
Country: Randers, Denmark

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

It’s actually quite fitting to find a hearty and intense Russian Imperial Stout that comes from Denmark. Although this British style was initially brewed for export to the Royal Court of Russia across the Baltic Sea, it didn’t take long to gain popularity along the ports of other Baltic states of the time. Soon England was exporting a similar product to the Scandinavian countries as well, although it was known as a Baltic Porter instead; however this was at a time when there was still a hazy line between the designation of Porters and Stouts, with the latter usually being referred to as a stronger or roastier version of the former.

The real shift occurred when the brewers of the countries bordering the Baltic Sea started producing their own versions of this style, but with many using bottom-fermenting lager yeast matured at higher than standard temperatures to bring about sweeter, richer flavours.

Needless to say the Baltic nations, including Denmark, have a history spanning two centuries of enjoying their strong dark beers. And with the advent of the craft brewing movement of the past 3 decades, especially the burgeoning microbrewery explosion within Denmark for the last 12 years, there is even larger cross-cultural inspiration occurring on a global scale. Case in point being this Imperial Stout from the Raasted microbrewery: a Danish interpretation of a British export style influenced by the more recent American trend of aggressively hopping practically any given style they produce. It takes a lot of hops to even remotely breach the rich intense malt and sweet warming alcohol typically found within this style, and yet head brewer Martin Jensen manages to pull that off with liberal amounts of the American varieties. Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Amarillo to be exact, all are bold with prominent citrus qualities to them.

The result is a dynamic and complex dark ale, a combination that spans cultures, centuries, and several bodies of water as well. Let’s check it out!

Given the high alcohol content and multi-faceted palate I’d suggest serving this Russian Imperial Stout in some sort of glassware, be it a large brandy snifter, an oversized red wine glass, or even a tulip glass if you have one in your collection. A mug or a pint glass will suffice just as well. This is a beer you’re also going to want to let sit out for at least a good half hour to warm up, cellar temperature is desirable to start out with.

You’ll be staring into the heart of darkness once this big stout is poured into your glass, and stoically gazing back will be an opaque black presence crowned with a thin beige head. Take some time to explore the aroma. Along with some warmth from the alcohol content tickling your nostrils move in closer to discover notes of espresso, treacle, licorice, and dates, along with a floral, herbal and citrus character from all those American hops. There’s no letting up within the flavour either, where you’re greeted with layers of roasted and burnt malt, molasses, dry bitter cocoa and coffee, all climaxing with a burst of grapefruit, leafy greens and pine needles. The mouthfeel is on the lighter side for this style, medium-bodied, with a smooth texture and fuller character on the finish.

If serving this with food I am inclined to suggest serving it at the end of the meal as a digestif, or even a substitute for dessert. Working backwards from here this Imperial Stout from Denmark will boldly hold its own when paired with the most intense of chocolate desserts, or fruit and chocolate combinations. If you insist on pairing this with a main course think along the lines of a beef roast rubbed in a hearty mixture of earthy spices and herbs. Game meat will also have met its match when sipping this intense stout along with it, from pheasant to wild boar to venison. Of course at this high level of alcohol, you can also safely cellar some bottles away in order to sip and keep warm on a cold and dreary night, and use it to keep the hearth fires warm from within.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Raasted Grilløl
Raasted Hindbaer Trippel
Raasted Pale Ale
Raasted Pilsner
Raasted Vinter

In-Style:
Lost Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout
Lagunitas Imperial Stout
DDC Peche Mortel
Brewdog Paradox

Other Stouts:
Half Pints Stir Stick Stout
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Paddock Wood Bête Noire
Yukon Brewing Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Lateral Steps:
Rogue Mocha Porter
Ise Kadoya Imperial Smoked Porter
Fuller’s London Porter
Samuel Smith’s Old Taddy Porter
Paddock Wood London Porter

Style: Flavoured Stout
ABV: 6.7%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Alley Kat Brewing Co. exclusive for Sherbrooke Liquor
Country: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

“From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step.” –Napoleon Bonaparte

What does an Emperor of France and a tri-flavoured ice cream have in common? One was born in Corsica, the other originated in Naples. One conquered a large part of Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, the other conquered the taste buds of America towards the end of the 19th century. To be honest there was no real connection there, until Sherbrooke decided to step in.

This flavourful chimera of a stout is the original brainchild of local homebrewer Ernie Boffa. Apparently the concept came about at a dinner party he hosted to debut his very first homebrewing effort, which was an IPA made from a kit. The group mused about future interesting concepts for beers that Ernie could pursue while they enjoyed the fruits of his initial attempt, and after a while dessert was served. On the menu was a selection of 3 different gourmet ice creams: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. It may not come as much of a surprise that everyone present proceeded to take a sample of each one in order to produce an impromptu rendition of the familiar Neapolitan style. That was the moment Ernie decided to undertake a Neapolitan stout for his first original homebrew recipe. Not only did it garner praise and recognition from his circle of friends and the local homebrewer’s guild, but went on to win a gold medal as well in a 2009 homebrewing competition.

From experience I’ve found that a nearly room temperature bottle of Alley Kat’s commercial rendition is the best way to experience and enjoy the full flavour spectrum this stout has to offer, given the multiple layers within. Pretty much any favourite glass of yours will help deliver the goods, here’s a beer able to hold its own in anything from a mason jar to a glass slipper.

Assuming you’ve chosen a clear vessel to enjoy this in, you’ll be greeted by a pitch black opaque stout, impervious to light, crowned by a creamy mocha head. Creamy chocolate along with slight coffee notes are most apparent at first in the aroma, vanilla rises up next, while a sugary strawberry seems the faintest of the trio. The flavour matches the aroma, starting with roasted malt and bitter cocoa, although the chocolate sweetens up in the middle where it meets vanilla and continues to the finish. You’ll have to wait until the finish for a dose of strawberry, but it’s worth the wait. Similar to the ice cream predecessor, the chocolate tends to dominate the other two flavours somewhat, but at least it’s a delectable bully. The mouthfeel is not heavy at all either as would be expected for such an intensely flavoured stout, but remains medium-bodied, with a silky and slick texture.

If you have the desire to pair this stout with food, dessert is the course to focus on. While it would do the trick on its own, this Neapolitan stout is screaming out to be part of an ice cream float. Take your pick of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream on their own to accentuate your favourite flavour, but the truly tapped in gourmand will of course add a striped scoop or two of the eponymous ice cream itself. For presentation I would recommend either a wide mug or an oversized wine glass, whatever suites your own personal aesthetic preferences and needs. Regardless you will probably be branded as a visionary lowbrow rebel for serving this beer in such a manner, feel free to take all the credit. Cake with similar flavours would be the next best step. For those in the crowd who are not into ice cream or cake, most fresh red berries will be a good companion to this stout. And for you incorrigible carnivores out there, ribs slathered with a sweet sauce is the way to go, just make sure you have lots of extra napkins.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Alley Kat Amber
Alley Kat Aprikat
Full Moon Pale Ale
Charlie Flint’s Original Lager
Pumpkin Pi Spiced Ale
Olde Deuteronomy

Also From Sherbrooke:
Sherbrooke Shamrock
Bad Hare Day
Aaiieeeeeeeeee Caramba!
Van Helsing’s All Natural Mouthwash
Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius

Chocolate Stouts:
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Amber’s Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout
Dieu de Ciel Aphrodisiaque

Style: Cocoa and Vanilla Stout
ABV: 6.5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
Country: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

No offense, but if you’ve been living under a rock the past while please allow me to fill you in on this brewpub and microbrewery from Montreal that has become one of the darlings of the beer world, especially throughout North America.  Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel has even managed to capture the hearts, palates and wallets of our neighbours to the south in the same way Unibroue did about a decade ago.

However a quirky bit of trivia regarding this particular stout from Dieu De Ciel is that to be acceptable to the American market under some sort of curious FDA standards the name of it had to be changed to Aphrodite.  Apparently marketing an alcoholic product under the name of Aphrodisiaque (a French word no less, by no means an official language of the Republic) would in such a manner make false and inappropriate claims, and potentially incite unwanted lascivious behaviour of folks who wished to consume it, or even considered imbibing it.  Yet a quick name change to the Greek goddess of love and desire, who no less was given credit for creating aphrodisiacs in the first place and providing them her own namesake, is perfectly fine.  Okey-dokey then…..  Thanks be to the Greek god of loopholes for such matters.

If that wasn’t enough of a hassle for this alluring stout to endure, it also tends to get overlooked while caught in the shadow of its bolder and more popular sibling Péché Mortel, which just so happens to be one of the most sought after Canadian beers on this continent.  Both are strong savoury stouts, both have soft creamy textures, and both are in peak form regarding quality and craftsmanship.  And while I fully acknowledge the finesse it took to pull off something as formidable yet welcoming as Péché Mortel, it was Aphrodisiaque that truly seduced me.  I mean how often do you hear a grown man admitting that a beer made his toes curl in delight?  Yeah, it’s that good.  Plus I always tend to fall for the underdog….

Two elements that give this stout such enticing charm are the addition of premium quality vanilla beans and the use of organic fair-trade cocoa.  Only the best for you!  Add to this a silky smooth texture and you have yourself here is a date with delight.  Let’s get on to some tasting notes.

A mug or a pint glass will work fine, or if you wish to set the setting with someone special, use a pair of red wine glasses.  I’d let the bottle warm about 15 minutes after pulling it from the fridge, a bit of chill still works with this stout as it’s robust enough to handle some cold without being totally numbed by it.

Get ready for a luxuriously opaque black stout upon the pour, totally impermeable to light.  Crowning it is a thick frothy creamy sand coloured head.  It should only take a few inhales to at least pick up some notes of creamy roasted malt and dark chocolate, dry cocoa and raw vanilla bean.  There’s a bit more complexity than this, but I’ll allow you the pleasure of deciphering and discovering it on your own.  The moment it touches your tongue and rolls across your palate and through your mouth you’ll be greeted by a nearly full mouthfeel, creamy and velvety in texture, with a light rounded carbonation on the finish, a gorgeous sensual experience in its own right.  But of course the best part is the flavour.  Roasted, slightly smoked malt at first, toasted earthy cocoa and carob rises in the middle and carries to the finish, while the aftertaste is earthy with intense dark coffee notes.  Sweet earthy vanilla bean rises intermittently throughout the experience, and begins to coat the palate in its own right after a while, providing almost a bourbon-like essence.

This stuff is ambrosia, and is easily satisfying on its own.  If you feel a deep and utter necessity to pair it with food, then stick to desserts.  Heck, Aphrodisiaque can fill in as a dessert unto itself.  Once again, if feeling peckish while consuming this stout, chocolate and chocolate based desserts will be the ticket, however a chocolate cheesecake might be too overwhelming, you’ve been warned.  Fruit and fruit based desserts will provide a pleasant contrast in turn, although you might want to avoid the citrus variety which will do nothing but clash.  If feeling even more adventurous try chasing Aphrodisiaque with a high quality bourbon for a match made in…er…the classy part of Purgatory at least.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Blanche Du Paradis
Corne Du Diable
Dernière Volonté
Fumisterie
Paienne
Péché Mortel
Rosée D’hibiscus
Route Des Épices

Chocolate Stouts:
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Amber’s Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout

Other Stouts:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Half Pint’s Stir Stick Stout
Yukon Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Jamaica Stout
Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout - North Coast

Lateral Steps:
Rogue Mocha Porter
Paddock Wood London Porter
Fuller’s London Porter
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Chimay Blue
Unibroue Trois Pistoles

Style: American Stout
ABV: 6%
Presentation: Single 650 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Rogue Ales Brewery
Country: Newport, Oregon, U.S.A.

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Believe it or not there are 6 different styles of stout, let alone stouts out there other than Guinness.  Although it’s sort of an umbrella term for craft stout variations produced within the U.S. the major separating factor that defines an American Stout is the quite noticeable inclusion of hops, usually the types with distinct citrus characteristics.  The result is a bold dark ale that remains intense from start to finish, while taking a 90 degree turn in direction about halfway through.  With Rogue’s Shakespeare Stout we have an exemplar of the style, I know this was the first time I ever tasted hops in a stout, with a bit of surprise at first.

This is a stout that can stand up to being served fairly chilled, while the roasted malt and citrus hops will mellow out and balance more as it warms.  The glassware for this one is dealer’s choice, although mug or pint glass will serve well.  You know the old tired stereotype of all stouts being black as heck and thick like motor oil?  This one does a fairly good job living up to that.  Jet black in appearance on the pour and impermeable to light, it also has a tall spongy tan head that will settle slowly, great retention.  Rising from that seemingly impenetrable darkness are aromas of dark chocolate and coffee, with citrus and dandelion greens from the hops.  A velvety, creamy mouthfeel delivers a dry bitter chocolate followed by roasted malts and coffee notes, finishing with that surprising herbal and citric finish.

What this stout screams out to be paired with are mussels and oysters.  Barbecue is a no-brainer, while smoked meats will be complimented and contrasted at the same time.  Dishes prepared with a prominent black bean sauce will shine, let alone a beef and black bean burrito accompanied with sharp cheddar or jack cheese.  Speaking of cheese, the earthier the better to pair up with this robust American Stout.  The recommendations found on the bottle from the brewery itself include beef and desserts.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
American Amber
Kell’s Irish Lager
Brutal Bitter
Chipotle Ale
Chocolate Stout
Dead Guy Ale
Double Dead Guy
Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Juniper Pale Ale
Mocha Porter
Morimoto Black Soba Ale
Shakespeare Stout
Summer Orange Honey Ale
Yellow Snow IPA
Santa’s Private Reserve
Younger’s Special Bitter
XS Imperial Porter
XS Imperial IPA
XS Imperial Red
XS Imperial Stout
XS Old Crustacean Barleywine
XS Younger’s Special Bitter

Other Stouts:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Stir Stick Stout - Half Pints
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout - Yukon Brewing
Bête Noire - Paddock Wood

Lateral Steps:
Fullers London Porter
Road Dog Porter - Flying Dog
Coney Island Human Blockhead - Schmaltz Brewing

For The Adventurous:
Olde Deuteronomy - Alley Kat
Jewbelation 12 - He’Brew
Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head

Style: Dry Irish Stout
ABV: 5.6%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Half Pints Brewing Company
Country: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

After honing his chops as the head brewer at Regina’s Bushwakker brewpub for a few years Dave Rudge officially opened his own craft brewery in Winnipeg in August of 2006.  The fruit of that labour turned out to be the Half Pints Brewing Company, winner of several brewing awards already and continuing to go strong by producing original interpretations of traditional beer styles.  One of the first two flagship beers that helped to develop their reputation is the Stir Stick Stout, which continues to maintain its popularity and convert newcomers to the fold.

A fine specimen of Dry Irish Stout on its own, Stir Stick Stout contains a subtle extra ingredient that’s alluded to in the name, and brings it all to a new level.  More than just any old plain java, Half Pints adds a cold infusion of the prized and sought after Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee to the final maturation tank, a bean said to possess notes of chocolate and citrus to it.  Although roasted at and obtained from fellow Winnipeg business Black Pearl Coffee, the beans originate in the green mountains surrounding the town of Yirgacheffe in Ethiopia, a town so small that sometimes it doesn’t appear even local African maps.  Obscurity aside, this coffee comes with quite a pedigree, as the Ethiopians have been cultivating and brewing coffee longer than anyone else on the planet.  According to legend, around 850 A.D. an Abyssinian goat herder, in what is now present day Ethiopia, was said to have discovered what we recognize as the modern coffee plant through curious means.  It was by tracking down the cause of the peculiar behaviour of his flock, which would act nearly possessed when they would ingest the red berries of the indigenous Kaffa trees.

With that little aside out of the way let’s see what Stir Stick Stout has to offer.  Your favourite glass will do just fine to serve this in, even better if it’s a mug or pint glass.  A cool temperature rather than a cold temperature will allow for the intricacies found within to become more apparent, maybe wait 10-15 minutes before pouring it after you pull it out of the fridge.  This stout itself is a dense dark brown, it appears nearly black, however if you hold it up to direct light you’ll notice a slight translucency with deep oaky highlights.  Crowning it should be a fairly tall spongy beige head that will leave some chunky lacing as it settles and you start to empty the glass.  By this point there should be absolutely no surprise in coming across the robust coffee aromas that you’ll be encountering, along with some dry roasted malt and a pleasant blend of espresso and dark chocolate.  Moving on to the flavour, if you also can’t taste the coffee profile almost immediately then I think you may be drinking the wrong beer.  There will also be a bit of grainy bitterness and dark chocolate, however in the aftertaste things sweeten up with mocha highlights.  Transporting this all is a somewhat light mouthfeel, low carbonation, a bit slick at times but starts to feel fuller near the finish.

On the side of the label Half Pints suggests matching their Stir Stick Stout with a barbecued buffalo burger or sweet desserts.  I agree, the coffee notes will greatly accentuate grilled meats, especially with a bit of char, or even dishes with some blackened seasoning.  With desserts the same attributes will emphasize a more savoury nature, baked goods with prominent cocoa or dark chocolate, or act as a minor contrast to sweeter offerings.  Or even the next time you have a hankering for a cuppa joe with a friend, pull out a couple of bottles of this stout instead and see if it livens up the conversation more.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Burley Wine
Humulus Ludicrous
Phil’s Pils
Little Scrapper IPA
Sweet Nikki Brown

Other Coffee Beers:
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Rogue Mocha Porter
Mill Street Coffee Porter

Other Stouts:
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Guinness Extra Stout
Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout
St-Amboise Oatmeal Stout

Lateral Steps:
Lobkowicz Baron
Warsteiner Dunkel
Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter
Fuller’s London Porter

For The Adventurous:
Aventinus
Samichlaus Bier
Trois Pistoles

Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10%
Presentation: 650 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Alley Kat Brewing Co.
Country: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

“We have ways of making you drink, comrade.”  Or so states the label.  No need to take it personally or show your papers comrade, you’ve been cleared to try this locally produced Russian Imperial Stout, several times over.  In fact get ready for something special.  This KGB has everything to do with the ABC.

Now in this case ABC stands for the Aurora Brewing Challenge, a homebrewing competition hosted by the Edmonton Homebrewers Guild since 1999, and the 2^nd largest of its kind in the country.  Plus ever since 2006 the Alley Kat Brewery has been brewing a beer chosen from the winner’s portfolio for mass consumption, along with the Sherbrooke Liquor Store jumping in to carry it in 2008 as an anniversary exclusive to the store, last year’s being the surprisingly successful Heatseeker coconut curry porter-surprising how tasty and how well it sold for such a unique beer style that is.

KGB is just as cryptic at first as the ABC, representing the old Edmonton-area powerhouse brewing team of Kevin Zaychuck, Glen Hannah, and overall winner of this year’s Aurora Brewing Challenge Bruce Sample, who chose this particular recipe and style from his personal brewing portfolio to represent himself and as a tribute to this classic homebrewing monopoly.  I know you’re a swift crowd and have already put together the fact that KGB represents the first initial of the first names of these fine homebrewers.

This particular style came to prominence in the 1700’s thanks to Russia’s Czarina of the time, Catherine The Great, and her unquenchable taste for strong dark beer.  What initially started as the commission of a British brewery soley for the Russian Imperial court became such a ragingly popular style that it was named after its initial customer.  I’ll go into more depth on this history in a forthcoming column.

Whether you are familiar with this style or not we are talking about an intense dark 10% ale brewed with 6 different malts and 3 separate hops.  In fact I was shocked and surprised to see such a hop bill for a stout, as it was enough to power your average hoppy India Pale Ale into a bitter pine sap and grapefruit rind orbit of bliss.  However with such an intense density of malt it’s all that can be done to simply balance it all out to prevent an overload of sweetness and astringent grainy bitterness.  The result is a magic show of sleight-of-hand, what you get also includes what you don’t see. Think of it as a stout and then some, and then some more.

Let this bottle warm up a good 10-20 minutes before cracking it open, trust me on this.  There is so much malty goodness to be had and enjoyed that it’s worth the wait.  While you’re doing this you can take the time to choose your favourite mug, the bigger the better.  Of course a pint glass will also serve well as a trusty stand-by.  When you pour it into your chosen glass be prepared to stare in the heart of darkness, true to form this stuff is opaque pitch black and impervious to light.  At first the head will be a tall dense dark sandy mound that appears with the pour, slowly settling down to a tight creamy beige cap that will linger for almost the whole time it takes to empty the glass.  A few lingering inhalations should deliver up some notes of a sweet mocha, light molasses, and dark roasted malt.  The flavour continues along this motif with sweet treacle at first, dry dark roasted malt, even a bit of smoke and wood if your taste buds are in tune, with the roasted malt rounding it all up as well, although if you’re really good you may even pick out some spicy herbal notes from all the hops that were use.  And even though it may look like thick gooey motor oil this KGB Stout has a much lighter mouthfeel than anticipated, mid ranged with low carbonation and a bit of stickiness that will coat the palate.  A great local introduction to this style for people who have never ventured this far to the dark side before.  It’s a limited edition, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Stouts tend to be great to pair with grilled red meat, and this Russian Imperial Stout is big and bold enough to match and harmonize with game fowl and animals too, so consider this the perfect bottle to bring along for dinner if your friend has a freezer full of deer or moose.  Another classic pairing is with oysters, dressed up or in their own briny goodness.  KGB will also be your best friend when it comes to dessert, paired with anything of a chocolate base, or gourmet and handmade chocolates and truffles.  Fruit-based dessert can’t lose either, especially dark berries from cherries, strawberries to blackberries.  Cheesecake anyone?  Don’t forget that this big bottle, so grab a good comrade and feel free to share!

The next steps in the cooler:

In-Style:
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout - Lost Coast
Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout
Lagunitas Imperial Stout
Peche Mortel - Dieu Du Ciel
Pike Entire-Wood Aged Stout
Brewdog Paradox

Other Stouts:
St-Amboise Oatmeal Stout
Bête Noire - Paddock Wood
Stir Stick Stout - Half Pints
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout - Yukon
Jamaica Stout
Pike Street XXXXX Stout
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Spell-Binding Stout - Wychwood
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Rogue Chocolate Stout

Lateral Steps:
Brooklyn Monster Ale
Mill St. Barleywine
Olde Deuteronomy - Alley Kat
Double Double - Paddock Wood
Old Crustacean - Rogue
Jewbelation 12 - He’Brew
Palo Santo Marron - Dogfish Head

For The Adventurous:
Humulus Ludicrous - Half Pints
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. - He’Brew
Tree Hophead