So what's next? I'll tell you what's next. The beer list from the last 365 days. Here it is!
January '07
Belle-Vue Kriek
Wellington Brewery - Imperial Russian Stout
St. Peter's - English Ale
Heineken - Lager
Glenora Springs - Triple Chin Irish Ale
Mill St. - Tankhouse Ale
Robert Simpson - Confederation Ale
County Durham - E.S.B.
Scotch Irish - Sgt. Major I.P.A
Brick - Waterloo Dark
Macauslan's - St. Ambroise Pale Ale
Shiner - Hefeweizen
Moosehead - Lager
Molson - Canadian
Maclean's - Scotch Ale
Blue Moon - Wit
Widmer Bros - Hefeweizen
Duvel - Belgian Ale
Redhook - E.S.B
Shiner - Bock
Armadillo Restaurant - Armadillo Red
Sleeman - Bard's Ale
Upper Canada - Red Ale
Boddingtons - Cream Ale
Redhook - I.P.A
Hockley Valley - Dark Ale
February '07
Molson - Rickard's Red
Granite Brewing - Dry Hopped Best Bitter
Great Lakes Brewing - Black Jack Lager
Sam Adams - Boston Lager
Pilsner Urquell - Pilsner
Niagra Brewing - Eisbock
Headstrong - Pale Ale
Molson - Rickard's Pale Ale
Labatts - 50 Ale
Wellington Brewing - County Ale
Schneider & Sohns - Weissbier
Guiness - Stout
Tiger - Lager
DeKonink - Belgian Ale
Brick - J.R. Brickman Amber Lager
Steamwhistle - Pilsner
Staropramen - Pilsner
Fuller's - London Porter
Macauslan's - Apricot Wheat
Brooklyn Brewing - Brooklyn Lager
Okocim - Porter
Warsteiner - Pilsner
Paulaner - Salvator Bock
Upper Canada - Dark Ale
Great Lakes Brewing - Winter Ale
Schneider & Sohns - Aventinus
Wychwood - Fiddler's Elbow
Sheperd's Neame - Bishop's Finger
March '07
Wychwood - Hobgoblin
County Durham - Sweet Stout
Rogue - Dead Guy Ale
Fuller's - London Pride Ale
Sapparo - Lager
DAB - Dortmunder
Kronenbourg - 1664 Lager
Coors - Coor's Light
Faxe - Lager
Labatt's - Old Mick's Red Lager
Denison's - Dunkel
Heather;s Ale - Alba Scots Pine Ale
Heather's Ale - Fraoch Ale
Heather's Ale - Grozet Gooseberry Wheat
Tecate - Cerveza
Heather's Ale - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
Durham County - Signiture Ale
Newcastle - Brown Ale
Zywiec - Lager
Becks - Lager
Zlatorog - Lager
Wychwood - Black Witch Stout
Wolaver's - Organic Nut Brown
Harpoon - U.F.O. Weizen
Harpoon - I.P.A.
Ringwood - Old Thumper Extra Special Ale
Upper Canada - Lager
Otter Creek - Stove Pipe Porter
Golden Phesant - Lager
Unibrue - Blanche De Chambly
Mill St. - Helles Bock
April '07
Otter Creek - Pale Ale
Cafe Diplimatico - House Stout
Robert Simpson - Sugarbush Lager
Long Trail - Hibernator Winter Ale
Molson - Old Vienna
Trailhead - Lager
Tsing Tao - Lager
Sagres - Lager
Wellington Brewery - Strong Ale
Shipyard - Export
Otter Creek - Copper Ale
Shipyard - I.P.A
Sierra Nevada - Pale Ale
Cafe Diplimatico - House Lager
Great Lakes Brewing - Orange Peel Ale
Amsterdam Brewing - Dutch Amber
Long Trail - I.P.A
Long Trail - Hefeweizen
Molson - Canadian Light
Amsterdam Brewing - Spring Bock
Denison's - Weissbier
Trafalgar Ales & Meads - Irish Celtic Ale
Long Trail - Alt
Saporoni - Lager
Kilkenny - Irish Red Ale
Corona - Cerveza
Molson - Rickard's White
Murphy's - Irish Stout
Amstel - Amstel Light
Zubr - Lager
May '07
Lezajsk - Lager
Well's - Bombardier Ale
Cameron's - Auburn Ale
Niagra Falls Brewing - Gristone Ale
Mill St. - 175 Anniversay Ale
True North - Blonde Lager
Charles Well's - I.P.A
Saku - Original Lager
Sleeman - Honey Brown
Lech - Lager
Leffe - Blonde Ale
Rogue - Imperial Pilsner
Foggy Dew - Foggy Dew House Ale
Red Horse -Lager
Greene King - Abbot Ale
Anchor Brewing - Liberty Ale
Caledonian -80/ - Scotch Ale
Nickelbrook Brewing- Maple Porter
Stratford Brewing - I.P.A
Niagra Brewing - Angel's Lager
Brasserie Des Gabariers - Atlantic Beer au Pineau
Sheperd's Neame - Spitfire Kentishh Ale
Heritage Brewing - Maplebush Lager
San Miguel - Pale Pilsner
Black Oak Brewing - Lemon Pepper Ale
La Chouffre - Blonde
Fuller's - E.S.B
Sinha - Stout
Affligem - Blonde Ale
Creemore - Pilsner
Cooper's - Sparkling Ale
June '07
Wadworth - 6X Premium Ale
Maclean's - Pale Ale
Trafalgar Ales & Meads - Paddy's Irish Red Ale
Charles Wells - John Bull Ale
Saigon - Export
Trafalger Ales & Meads - Maple Bock
Old Credit - Amber Ale
Stonehammer - Pilsner
Old Mill Brewery - Irish Ale
Warka - Strong Lager
Fischer - Blonde
Lakes of Muskoka - Cream Ale
Hacker Pschorr - Edel Helle
Marston's - Pedigree Ale
Sierra Nevada - Summerfest Lager
Lakefront Brewing - New Grist Sorghum & Rice Beer
Brooklyn Brewing - 55' Pennant Lager
He'Brew - Massiah Blonde
Duckstien - Alt
True North - Cream Ale
Banks - Stout
Lakes Of Muskoka - Dark Ale
Lakes of Muskoka - Weissbier
Erdinger - Weissbier
Rogue - Uberfest Pilsner
Ommegang - Witt
Big Rock - Grass Hopper Wheat Ale
True North - Wunderweisse
True North - Alt
Merchant Ale House - E.S.B
July '07
Pearl Street Bar & Grille - Trainwreck Alt
Dogfish Head - 90 minute I.P.A
La Chouffre - Mc Chouffre Brown Ale
J.W. Dundee - American Pale Ale
Paulaner - Weissbier
Sarnac - Pale Ale
Pabst - Blue Ribbon
Bass - Pale Ale
Ayinger - Dopplebock
Rogue - Brutal Bitter
Magic Hat - Circus Boy weissbier
Forst - Premium Lager
Southern Tier - I.P.A
Grand River Brewing - Plowman's Ale
O'Hanlan's - Port Stout
Ommegang - Belgian Abbey Ale
Ellicotville Brewing - American Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot 2007
Magic Hat - Hocus Pocus Summerwheat Ale
Harpoon - Nut Brown
Two Brothers Brewing - Hop Juice
Labatt - Labatt Ice
Orval - Trappist Ale
Stonehammer - Dark Ale
Edelweiss - Weissbier Hefe Trub
Samuel Smith - Old Brewery Pale Ale
St. Pauli Girl - Dark Lager
Cuvee De Trull - Belgian Ale
The Ithica Brewing Co. - Cascazilla Red Ale
Chimay - White Triple
Unibrue - La Fin De Monde Triple
August '07
True North - I.P.A
True North - Strong Ale
Grand River Brewing - Old Stlyle Galt Knife Lager
St. Andre - Great Eastern I.P.A
Patagonia - Lager
Amsterdam - Nut Brown
Left Hand Brewing - Milk Stout
Mackeson - Stout
Caffery's - Irish Ale
North Coast Brewing - Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Mill St. - Belgian Wit
Red Stripe - Lager
Fuller's - Organic Honey Beer
Christoffel - Blonde Pilsner
Taps - Cream Ale
Boris - Lager
Holstein - Festbock
Hockley - Gold Premium Draught
Konings Hueven - Belgian Ale
Radeberger - Pils
Kostritzer - Schwartzbier
Holstien - Maibock
Wernesgruner - Pils
Walkerville - Lager
Yuengling - Amber Lager
Mill St. - I.P.A
Macaulan's - Scotch Ale
Mill St. - Organic Lager
Old Credit - Pale Pilsner
Okocim - Mocne
Triple Karmeliet -Triple
September '07
Elora Mills - Grand Lager
Unibrue - Maudite
Mythos - Pilsner
Tusker - Lager
Trafalger Ales & Meads - Portside Amber
Salva Vida - Lager
Great Lakes Brewing - 666 Devil's Pale Ale
Brick - J.R. Brickman Pilsner
Barena - Lager
St. Peter's - Best Bitter
Port Royal - Export Pilsner
Kozel - Pilsner
Trafalger Ales & Meads - Smoked Oatmeal Stout
Anchor Brewing - Porter
Tyskie - Lager
Zelta - Lager
Mill St. - Coffee Porter
Fuller's - 1845 Bottle Conditioned Ale
Deuchar's - I.P.A
Burton Bridge Brewery - Burton Porter
Carib - Lager
Brooklyn Brewing - Monster Ale
Jever - Pils
Scotch Irish - Black Irish Plain Porter
Pinkus - Organic UrPils
Great Divide - DPA Pale Ale
Dog Fish Head - Indian Brown Ale
Taps - Vanilla Wheat
Stone Brewing - Arrogant Bastard Ale
October '07
Sierra Nevada - Anniversay Ale
Black Sheep Brewing - Monty Python Holy Ale
Belhaven - Twisted Thistle I.P.A
Schlenkerla - Marzen Rauchbier
Pinkus - Organic Weissbier
Southern Tier - Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Great Lakes Brewing - Pumpkin Ale
Granville Island - Weizen
Steamworks Brewing - Raven Brown Ale
Canoe Brewpub - Pale Ale
Tree Brewing - Hop Head I.P.A
Tree Brewing - Spy Porter
Yale Town Brewpub - Sling Stout
Ommegang - Hennepin Saison Ale
Sam Adam's - Imperial Pilsner
Swan's Brewing - Pandora's Pale Ale
Philip's Brewing - Longboat Double Chocolate Porter
Great Divide - Tital I.P.A
Spinnaker's - Unsinkable Molly Brown, Brown Ale
Westmalle - Dubbel
Nickelbrook - Left Hook Barley Wine
Lindeman's - Lambic Gueze
Marcardles - Traditional Ale
Swan's Brewing - Riley's Scotch Ale
Spinnaker's - Mitchel's E.S.B
Spinnaker's - I.P.A
Swan's - Pumpkin Ale
O'Hara's - Wheat Ale
The Greenwich Brewery - Meantime I.P.A
O'Hara's - Molings Traditional Irish Red
Abbey de Rock - Belgian Ale
November '07
Stone Brewing - Stone I.P.A
Jenalin - Ambree Biere de Gaurde
Pirrat - Belgian Ale
Swan's Brewing - Oatmeal Stout
Liefman's - Kriek
Sleeman - Original Draught
Brookly Brewing - Nut Brown Ale
Rogue - Chocolate Stout
O'Hara's - Celtic Stout
Mill St. - Stock Ale
Holstien - Pils
Lagunitas - Maximus I.P.A
Harviestoun - Bitter & Twisted
Mayabe - Cerveza
Brakspear - Organic
Grand River Brewing - Mill Race Mild
Crystal - Cerveza
Moretti - Pilsner
Southern Tier - Unearthly Imperial I.P.A
O'Hanlan's - Thomas Hardy 2006
Great Lakes Brewing (US) - Dortmunder Gold
Harvey's - 1859 Porter
Black Oak - Nut Cracker Porter
Macaulan's - St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Bucanero - Fuente Lager
Great Lakes Brewing (US) - Burning River Pale Ale
Mill St. - Frambrozen
Lagunitas - I.P.A
Mill St. - Barley Wine 2007
Dominc's Restaurant - Amber Canadian House Lager
December '07
Lakes of Muskoka - Muskoka Lager
Faxe - Amber Lager
Stone Brewing - Smoked Porter
Warstiener - Dunkel
Brooklyn Brewing - Black Chocolate Stout
Bucenaro - Max Lager
Garrison Brewing - Imperial Pale Ale
Grand River Brewing - Jubilation Spiced Ale
Anchor Brewing - Our Special Ale
Schneider & Sohn - Aventinus Eisbock
Royal Oak - Traditional Bitter
Southern Tier - Big Red Imperial Red Ale
Mill St. - Barley Wine 2004
Hockley Valley - Irish Stout
Black Sheep - Riggwelter Yorkshire Strong Ale
St. Peter's - Winter Ale
Wychwood - Bah Humbug Christmas Ale
Trafalgar Ales & Meads - Belgian Abbey Spiced Ale
Ommegang - Rare Vos Amber Ale
Petrus - Old Bruin
Brakspear - Triple
Flying Dog - Double Dog Double Pale Ale
Real Rock - Lager
Great Divide - Yeti Oak Aged Imperial Stout
Southern Tier - Blackwater Imperial Coffee Stout
John Evan's Home Brew - Winter Ale 2007
Great Divide - Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Pearl St. Bar & Grille - Saber's Edge Double I.P.A
De Konink - Blonde Ale
Samuel Smith - Old Brewery Taddy Porter
Brooklyn Brewing - Local 1 Saison
January '08
Brooklyn Brewing - East India Pale Ale
Mahr's - Der Wiesse Bock
Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale
Red Hook - Winter Hook Winter Ale
So there it is. The beer list from my past year. Now before anyone gets all huffy about it, I know that some of the beers are actually the same. Not in name, but in brew. Amsterdam Dutch Amber is the same as Cafe Diplimatico's House Amber. Blue Moon is the same as Rickard's White. But to be fair, I didn't know this when I drank them and only learned it after. So the spirit of my quest was still there. To my knowlege I was drinking a different beer, so I'm cool with that. My main objective was to try as many beers as I could this year and I did that. There are 365 days in a year and 365 chances to try something new. I believe I held true to that.
I also realize that not all my numbers are going to add up to the ones I posted yesterday. They may be off by a few here or there, but what's the big woop. I wrote down the beers in a calander for chrissakes. I should've done what my wife said and put it in a spread sheet. But I didn't, I was lazy. This would've been way easier to do now, but you know what they say about hinde sight? And again, it's just beer people. It's no big deal. So if you got a problem with it, you can go take a flying fuck at the mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!
So what did I learn from drinking 365 beers in 365 days? Well....there are certainly a lot of good beers out there. Only twice did I dump the beer out. Golden Pheasant, it was skunky and Monty's Python's Holy Ale, because it was ass. Other than that I made it through each beer.
Obviously some days were harder than others. Choking down a beer after a kick-in-the-head hangover can be tough, but sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered.
Oh, I learned that buying a beer a day starts to wear on the wallet. It can get pretty pricey. I just took a trip to Buffalo to buy a few beers....$80 for 15 beers! Ouch. But what are you going to do?
I also learned that there are lot of breweries out there doing their very best to put out some crazy ass beers just to keep us crazy ass beer drinkers happy and sated. It's wonderful. It's impossible to get bored if you just look around!
But mostly I learned that pairing beer and food is absolutely fan-fucking-tastic. I started out just having the beer by itself, but as time wore on it became more and more difficult to find the time to just drink a beer. So naturally the beer made it's way into dinner. By the end of the year, I could scarcely have dinner without a beer. Not everything went together like Bogie and Bacall, but when it did, let me tell you what! A medium rare, blue cheese burger and Irish Stout....orgasmic. Pad Thai and weissbier....outstanding. Vindaloo and I.P.A....awesome. Porter and Chocolate...get me a kleenex!
Lastly, I learned that having a beer each day makes it extremely difficult to stop drinking a beer a day. Around 3 pm in the afternoon I start thinking about what beer I'm going to have that night and what I'm going to eat it with. Sometimes I'd call my wife and ask her what we were having for dinner and then I'd just start thinking of the beers I had in my fridge and what would go best with it. Beer addicting? No way. Impossible!
Anyhoo, that's that. I hope you had fun cause I certainly did.
So what's next?
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
A Year of Beer - 365 different beers in 365 different Days
What's next? I'll tell you what's next. Drinking a different beer everyday for a full year.
Yes in 2007, (minus the first four days of 2007, which were picked up on the first four days of 2008) I drank a different beer each day. I didn't think that it would be a particularly difficult task and in some respects it wasn't, in fact it was quite a joy. But in other respects, it sucked major ball sack.
Firstly, in Ontario we are pretty much relegated to buying whatever the Beer Store and Liquor store has on stock at the time. The Beer Store may tout the fact that they have three-hundred-and-some-odd different types of beer for sale, but for the most part that's just a bunch of hogwash. Mostly because, of those three-hundred-and-some-odd "different" beers, 295 of them are the same generic-yellow-tasteless-fizzy-lager-style beers. So how much fun would it be to drink the same goddamn style of beer everyday for a year? Not too much I'm afraid. And truthfully, I despise that particular style of beer. Lagers can be great. They can be refreshing and they can be full bodied, they can be bitter and they can have a delicious whisp of hops across the nose. But sadly this is not the case for many of the lagers available at the beer store. Because many of them are the lowly "buck-a-beer" dealies that frankly taste like the under side of a donkey's cock. Now don't get into the whole, "how do you know what the under side of a donkey's cock tastes like?" argument....let's just let that one ride and we'll move on with the post.
And another thing about the Beer Store! I can't count how many times I walked into different beers stores across the city, took my time scouring the wall of labels looking for something different, something new and exciting, finally find one, only to be told that they don't have it in stock. Many times I had to revert to my third and fourth choices! What kind of way is that to run a business? Well what does it matter to the Beer Store? They are a fucking monopoly! And since they have no real competition, they don't really care. It's ridiculous. It's pathetic. It's Ontario.
Now the LCBO has done a good job this year picking up the slack. They seem genuinely interested in supplying different beers from around the world to the beer purchasers in Ontario.
Their shelves seem, more and more, to be stocked with some interesting beers from some very interesting places around the globe. With new releases seemingly popping up each month. They still have a long way to go, for evidence, just pop into any LCBO and see how many of the imports are again just lagers from other parts of the world, but at least they are trying.
The price point maybe different from the Beer Store, which maybe part of the reason that the Beer Store doesn't stock to many imports or Micros, but again that is just our wonderful government at work. Now don't quote me on this, but I've been told that on a percentage basis, Canada is the second highest taxed country in the world when it comes to beer and liquor. WTF? I can see the argument in that I would gladly pay a little more for beer and liquor if it means I get free health care, but come on. It's getting ridiculous.
Anyhoo, enough of the ranting and raving. Truth is, if you want to find good beer there are many options available to you. Especially here in Toronto.
You can visit many of the local Craft and Micros across the GTA and purchase directly from them. Mill St, Magnotta, Great Lakes Brewing, Steamwhistle, Black Oak, Cameron's, Trafalgar Ales & Meads, Old Credit Brewing...and the list goes on. There are a lot of great beers to be had if you just go out and take a look.
There are also many great beer bars across the GTA. Cafe Volo, C'est What?, The Rhino, Victory Cafe, The Beer Bistro, Michelle's Brasserie, the Mill Street Brew Pub, The Granite Brewery and Pub, just to name a few. And many of these bars offer great events throughout the year. Cafe Volo hosts a cask day each year. C'est What? has there spring and fall craft brewing festivals. The Granite has Robbie Burns day and other brewing focused dinners.
And if you really feel the need to try something different, take a drive down the QEW, pop across the border and just inside State side, there is a great little place in Buffalo called, The Premier Gourmet. They have an extensive beer list, many of which are unavailable to us in Canada. And with a strong dollar it maybe worth the trip.
So I may complain about the beer selection, but truthfully there are many options, case in point, my 365 different beers.
Now I also had many friends who just happened to be travelling last year bring me back beers from the many locals they were travelling too, and I myself picked up some great beers from my West Coast visit this year, but for the most part, the beers were purchased here in Ontario.
So with out further adieu, here is the break down of the beers I enjoyed over the past year.
Oh, and one more thing. This list is in no way the only beer I drank over the last year. Many times I would have 2 or more different beers in a day, but these are just the ones I wrote down, or at least remembered.
What were they?
Ales - 247
Lagers - 115
Lambics - 3
How did I drink them?
Bottles - 266
Draught - 55
Cans - 35
Cask - 8
Growler - 1
How many Different Countries?
37
What Countries were they from?
Canada - 137
U.S. - 80
England - 40
Germany - 25
Belgium - 18
Poland - 8
Ireland - 6
Scotland - 5
France - 5
Cuba - 4
Czech Rep - 3
Honduras - 3
Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico, Italy, Jamaica, Philippines - 2
Singapore, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, China, Portugal, Hungary, Estonia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Vietnam, Barbados, Austria, Argentina, Trinidad & Tobago, Holland, Greece, Kenya & Latvia - 1
How many different Styles?
67 (If they didn't specify, I would try to decipher it myself or I just put it in a generic Lager or Ale category. There are also, many subcategories of styles.)
What styles were they?
Lager - 55
Ale - 27
I.P.A. - 20
Double or Imperial I.P.A. - 1
Pale Ale - 23
Double or Imperial Pale Ale - 3
E.S.B. - 6
Best Bitters - 3
Brown Ale (including Nut Browns) - 8
Indian Brown Ale - 1
Milds - 1
Porter (Including Smoked)- 13
Coffee Porter - 1
Double Chocolate Porter - 1
Stout (Including Irish, Oatmeal & Smoked) - 15
Russian Imperial Stout - 3
Chocolate Stout - 2
Imperial Coffee Stout - 1
Barley Wine - 7
Scotch Ale - 4
Strong Ale - 3
Winter Ale - 10
Red Ale - 6
Amber Ale - 2
Cream Ale - 6
Dark Ale - 11
Belgian Ale - 16
Triples - 3
Dubbels - 2
Saison - 2
Kriek - 2
Frambrozen - 1
Geueze - 1
Belgian Wit - 5
Weizen (German) - 8
Weizen (U.S. or North American) - 8
Weissbock - 1
Bock -4
Eisbock - 2
Dopplebock - 1
Hellesbock - 1
Maibock - 1
Festbock - 1
Vienna Lager - 1
Pilsner - 18
Imperial Pils - 2
Dortmunder - 2
Dunkel - 3
Schwatzbier - 1
Alt - 5
Export - 2
Bier Du Gaurde - 1
Dark Lager - 3
Red Lager - 1
Amber Lager - 4
Light Lager - 4
Cerveza - 7
Stock Ale - 1
Pumpkin Ale - 3
Orange Peel Ale - 1
Lemon Pepper Ale - 1
Vanilla Wheat Ale - 1
Apricot Wheat Ale - 1
Honey Brown Lager - 1
Maple Lager - 1
Sorghum & Rice Gluten Free - 1
Organic Ale or Lager - 4
So there you go. That's the break down. I know that there are many mistakes in there. The styles are kinda mixed up and aren't perfect, but you know what? Cram it with walnuts mister! It's beer! Take it easy. We aren't saving lives here.
Anyhoo, I've wasted enough time with this today. Tomorrow or possibly next week, the entire list of beers!
So what's next?
Yes in 2007, (minus the first four days of 2007, which were picked up on the first four days of 2008) I drank a different beer each day. I didn't think that it would be a particularly difficult task and in some respects it wasn't, in fact it was quite a joy. But in other respects, it sucked major ball sack.
Firstly, in Ontario we are pretty much relegated to buying whatever the Beer Store and Liquor store has on stock at the time. The Beer Store may tout the fact that they have three-hundred-and-some-odd different types of beer for sale, but for the most part that's just a bunch of hogwash. Mostly because, of those three-hundred-and-some-odd "different" beers, 295 of them are the same generic-yellow-tasteless-fizzy-lager-style beers. So how much fun would it be to drink the same goddamn style of beer everyday for a year? Not too much I'm afraid. And truthfully, I despise that particular style of beer. Lagers can be great. They can be refreshing and they can be full bodied, they can be bitter and they can have a delicious whisp of hops across the nose. But sadly this is not the case for many of the lagers available at the beer store. Because many of them are the lowly "buck-a-beer" dealies that frankly taste like the under side of a donkey's cock. Now don't get into the whole, "how do you know what the under side of a donkey's cock tastes like?" argument....let's just let that one ride and we'll move on with the post.
And another thing about the Beer Store! I can't count how many times I walked into different beers stores across the city, took my time scouring the wall of labels looking for something different, something new and exciting, finally find one, only to be told that they don't have it in stock. Many times I had to revert to my third and fourth choices! What kind of way is that to run a business? Well what does it matter to the Beer Store? They are a fucking monopoly! And since they have no real competition, they don't really care. It's ridiculous. It's pathetic. It's Ontario.
Now the LCBO has done a good job this year picking up the slack. They seem genuinely interested in supplying different beers from around the world to the beer purchasers in Ontario.
Their shelves seem, more and more, to be stocked with some interesting beers from some very interesting places around the globe. With new releases seemingly popping up each month. They still have a long way to go, for evidence, just pop into any LCBO and see how many of the imports are again just lagers from other parts of the world, but at least they are trying.
The price point maybe different from the Beer Store, which maybe part of the reason that the Beer Store doesn't stock to many imports or Micros, but again that is just our wonderful government at work. Now don't quote me on this, but I've been told that on a percentage basis, Canada is the second highest taxed country in the world when it comes to beer and liquor. WTF? I can see the argument in that I would gladly pay a little more for beer and liquor if it means I get free health care, but come on. It's getting ridiculous.
Anyhoo, enough of the ranting and raving. Truth is, if you want to find good beer there are many options available to you. Especially here in Toronto.
You can visit many of the local Craft and Micros across the GTA and purchase directly from them. Mill St, Magnotta, Great Lakes Brewing, Steamwhistle, Black Oak, Cameron's, Trafalgar Ales & Meads, Old Credit Brewing...and the list goes on. There are a lot of great beers to be had if you just go out and take a look.
There are also many great beer bars across the GTA. Cafe Volo, C'est What?, The Rhino, Victory Cafe, The Beer Bistro, Michelle's Brasserie, the Mill Street Brew Pub, The Granite Brewery and Pub, just to name a few. And many of these bars offer great events throughout the year. Cafe Volo hosts a cask day each year. C'est What? has there spring and fall craft brewing festivals. The Granite has Robbie Burns day and other brewing focused dinners.
And if you really feel the need to try something different, take a drive down the QEW, pop across the border and just inside State side, there is a great little place in Buffalo called, The Premier Gourmet. They have an extensive beer list, many of which are unavailable to us in Canada. And with a strong dollar it maybe worth the trip.
So I may complain about the beer selection, but truthfully there are many options, case in point, my 365 different beers.
Now I also had many friends who just happened to be travelling last year bring me back beers from the many locals they were travelling too, and I myself picked up some great beers from my West Coast visit this year, but for the most part, the beers were purchased here in Ontario.
So with out further adieu, here is the break down of the beers I enjoyed over the past year.
Oh, and one more thing. This list is in no way the only beer I drank over the last year. Many times I would have 2 or more different beers in a day, but these are just the ones I wrote down, or at least remembered.
What were they?
Ales - 247
Lagers - 115
Lambics - 3
How did I drink them?
Bottles - 266
Draught - 55
Cans - 35
Cask - 8
Growler - 1
How many Different Countries?
37
What Countries were they from?
Canada - 137
U.S. - 80
England - 40
Germany - 25
Belgium - 18
Poland - 8
Ireland - 6
Scotland - 5
France - 5
Cuba - 4
Czech Rep - 3
Honduras - 3
Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico, Italy, Jamaica, Philippines - 2
Singapore, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, China, Portugal, Hungary, Estonia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Vietnam, Barbados, Austria, Argentina, Trinidad & Tobago, Holland, Greece, Kenya & Latvia - 1
How many different Styles?
67 (If they didn't specify, I would try to decipher it myself or I just put it in a generic Lager or Ale category. There are also, many subcategories of styles.)
What styles were they?
Lager - 55
Ale - 27
I.P.A. - 20
Double or Imperial I.P.A. - 1
Pale Ale - 23
Double or Imperial Pale Ale - 3
E.S.B. - 6
Best Bitters - 3
Brown Ale (including Nut Browns) - 8
Indian Brown Ale - 1
Milds - 1
Porter (Including Smoked)- 13
Coffee Porter - 1
Double Chocolate Porter - 1
Stout (Including Irish, Oatmeal & Smoked) - 15
Russian Imperial Stout - 3
Chocolate Stout - 2
Imperial Coffee Stout - 1
Barley Wine - 7
Scotch Ale - 4
Strong Ale - 3
Winter Ale - 10
Red Ale - 6
Amber Ale - 2
Cream Ale - 6
Dark Ale - 11
Belgian Ale - 16
Triples - 3
Dubbels - 2
Saison - 2
Kriek - 2
Frambrozen - 1
Geueze - 1
Belgian Wit - 5
Weizen (German) - 8
Weizen (U.S. or North American) - 8
Weissbock - 1
Bock -4
Eisbock - 2
Dopplebock - 1
Hellesbock - 1
Maibock - 1
Festbock - 1
Vienna Lager - 1
Pilsner - 18
Imperial Pils - 2
Dortmunder - 2
Dunkel - 3
Schwatzbier - 1
Alt - 5
Export - 2
Bier Du Gaurde - 1
Dark Lager - 3
Red Lager - 1
Amber Lager - 4
Light Lager - 4
Cerveza - 7
Stock Ale - 1
Pumpkin Ale - 3
Orange Peel Ale - 1
Lemon Pepper Ale - 1
Vanilla Wheat Ale - 1
Apricot Wheat Ale - 1
Honey Brown Lager - 1
Maple Lager - 1
Sorghum & Rice Gluten Free - 1
Organic Ale or Lager - 4
So there you go. That's the break down. I know that there are many mistakes in there. The styles are kinda mixed up and aren't perfect, but you know what? Cram it with walnuts mister! It's beer! Take it easy. We aren't saving lives here.
Anyhoo, I've wasted enough time with this today. Tomorrow or possibly next week, the entire list of beers!
So what's next?
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