Great Lakes Brewery: Etobichoker Double Belgian IPA

 


From Great Lakes Brewery comes the legendary (well sorta) Belgian Double IPA called Etobichoker.  This is a beer that I've heard about in whispers, but tonight marks the first occasion where Etobichoker has made its way to my fridge.  It came highly recommended by the friendly crew at Great Lakes Brewery and I was promised that it would be unlike any IPA that I have ever tried before.  This is the legend of Etobichoker!

Make no mistake, this is a truly unique ale.  The artwork and the hilarious story that decorate the can are enough to make you want to dive in.  The back of the can reads:

"Legend has it Etobichoker rose from the depths of The Humber terrorizing Etobicokers and 

haunting their children's dreams.  Overwrought citizens everywhere from Sherway Gardens to Longbranch still report sightings of the hideous monster daily.  Turns out, Etobichoker is one of those oft-misunderstood monsters who simply love hops for their pungent aromas and flavours of pine, tropical fruit and resin.  Just like the rest of us!"

Etobichoker has a body colour somewhere between gold and orange.  It pours with a subtle head and packs a pungent boozy aroma with tropical hints of peach, pineapple, and melon.  Smells like the yeast also contributes a light banana nose.  

This boozy beer comes in at 8.1% and packs a dignified 80 ibu's.  On first sip, it's tartness masks the boozy undertones of this double IPA with great balance.  You can tell that this beer is strong, but it doesn't taste like you're drinking more booze then beer. It goes down easy and has a clean mouth feel. For a beer with 80 ibu's it's not actually as bitter as you would think. It tastes as though the hops and booze find a nice middle ground underpinned by a mild sweetness.

This limited run beer is awesome!  Its seasonal and ties in well with Halloween and Great Lakes Pumpkin Ale.  I rate Etobichoker an irreproachable A (81).  Remember, this beer is a limited run and its ONLY available directly from The Great Lakes Brewery.  Because it's such an easy drinking beer, I can see myself unknowingly ending up hammered after a number of tall boys.  I think Etobichoker is actually the name of the hangover you get as a result of drinking this Tank Ten ale.

Support your local brewery!

Chris

Battle of the Hefeweizens!

My choice of beer on a Sunday morning, to accompany brunch is ALWAYS a Hefeweizen. The yeast strain provides a banana & bubblegum flavour that is a signature of the style.  If you aren't familiar with the style, it's a sweet & fruity tasting cloudy ale that typically contains a high percentage (up to 50%, sometimes more) of wheat in the grain bill.

Two of my favorite Hefe's are Robson Street Hefeweizen, by Granville Island Brewing, and Hefe-Weisbier by Paulander Munchen. Both of these are excellent Hefe's and my top picks for the style.   So what's the difference between the two?  

Robson street is a Canadian west coast Hefeweizen.  I'm a big fan of Granville Island and it was a pleasant surprise when I came across this beer.  It's smooth and fruity with an effervescent flair, yet easy going nature.  There's something a little bit more new school brewing about this beer with its very banana ester forwardness.  I love this beer and it's an A (88) in my books.

I also recently discovered Paulander Munchen's Hefeweizen in an issue of "On Tap Magazine" that I picked up at my local Lcbo.  It peaked my interest so I gave it a shot.  FYI, on a side note, Robson Hefe is $2.40 while Paulander costs $2.80.   Maybe it's just because of the importing?  Anyways...

Paulander has a very distinctly balanced profile.  There's something very traditional about this beer and no particular element overpowers another.  It's a very calculated recipe that must have taken ages to perfect. The one thing that I really notice about Paulander is it's sweet mouthfeel aftertaste.   I'm reminded 5 minutes after my last sip, by the taste in my mouth, that I've been drinking Paulander.  It's delicious and leaves me wanting more and more.  I'd rate Paulander a distinguished score of A (85), slightly less then that of Granville Island. 

Both beers are excellent.  This is a very close comparison of two powerhouse brews.  As I mentioned before, I indulge in them as they were ment to be enjoyed: as a breakfast beer.  This is not a pairing for pizza and spicy wings so don't waste your time.  If you're nursing a hangover, add a pint of Hefeweizen as a good morning sidekick to your bacon & eggs to help lift your spirits.  It's a delicious treat that's a delectable alternative to IPA's and other bitter beers.  Drink it cold, drink it often.

Support your local brewery!

Chris

Bartender Blues: The Unwritten Code

I've wanted to rant about this for a little while now.

This is a message to all of the bar owners and general managers out there as a reminder.  There is an unwritten code for the end of night protocol: give each of your staff one complimentary drink.

Even if its not free make it a dollar or something.  This may sound ludicrous to some, but rewarding your hard working staff with a pint and some co-worker bonding time does wonders.  Why you ask?  Hanging out with your co-workers at the end of a long shift fosters team bonding and workplace loyalty.  These two factors are an essential part of creating an environment that people actually want to work in and lets them feel rewarded for their studious efforts.  It also makes the boss look like a decent human being.  Just imagine how it would feel if your boss took your team out for a beer every night after work?  Feels good doesn't it?  Your boss ain't such a jerk anymore now is he?

The reason that I bring this up is because I recently left a bartending job, at a big name brewhouse (that shall remain nameless), that did nothing for the staff at the end of the night.  This sent a message to us, that when you're done your cash out, pack up your crap and get out the door.  There was no complimentary round and we weren't even allowed to pay for an after hours pint.  Ridiculous!  IT'S A BREWHOUSE!!!

This really is a rarity in the industry and it's honestly the first time that I've ever experienced it. At the end of every shift I was pretty let down to know that there were no late night suds and camaraderie.  I worked with people that felt like smiles and faces but not much substance.  We never spent any time getting to know each other and figuring out better ways to improve our bar to maximize workflow.  I loved the brand, I loved the brewhouse, but they made zero effort to build even an ounce of loyalty.  I just didn't look forward to going to work.  So I quit.

The morale of the story is that a simple act goes a long way. A bartender is an usher of good times, so look after him and he'll keep your clientele happy.  Treat him like garbage and expect that you'll have quality people heading for the door.


Tip your bartender!

Chris

Hogtown Brewers: Hogtown Ale

  
I first came across Hogtowns Kolsch ale at The Banknote. This chance encounter turned out to be my first and only run in with Hogtowns Ale for quite some time. This tasty brew won big points with me on style and palette alone. It's a very different beer, and honestly, anything that celebrates my hometown with pride wins my respect. Have you tried Hogtowns Ale yet?

If you aren't very familiar with Kolsch style beer, it's heritage runs deep in the German city of Cologne. This beer is specially characterized with a hybrid of techniques that borrows a bit of aging from ales as well as cold conditioning techniques similar to lagers.

This really is a unique beer that stands out from the rest based on style alone. It tastes like an ale but it's smooth like a lager. Hogtown ale has a straw like yellow colour with excellent clarity. The aroma has hints of grain and cereal. The head has a light white colour with good retention.

Hogtown ale's taste is smooth and pleasant. It's easy mouthfeel is chased by a light hoppiness and a creamy aftertaste that has hints of honey. Style wise, this beer is not going to taste familiar to you. What this beer may lack in punch it more than makes up for in uniqueness.

I love the hometown spirit and style of this ale. It may not win a lot points with the average beer cynic, but the true craft lover will appreciate the stray from the beaten path that this beer has to offer.  I salute you Hogtown Ale with a B-(74) rating.