Keep Calm & Beer On

In the land of Samurai, Ramen, Craft Beer, and J-Pop, I packed as many craft bevies as my suitcase (and customs) would allow! Here they are: Red Rice Ale by Hitachino Nest Brewery, Ibaraki, Japan 7%alc. Captain Crow Pale Ale by Oh-La-Ho Brewery, Nagano, Japan 5%alc. Brown Ale by Harvest Moon Brewery, (Ikspiari) Chiba, Japan 5.5%alc. Pirkawakka Stout by Chitose Beer Works, Hokkaido, Japan 5%alc.   Yarimasho!

Mea Culpa to Rochester Mills Beer from the last episode, they are actually from Rochester, Michigan. Ramblin Road Pure Bred by Ramblin Road Brewery, ON 5%alc Hobgoblin by the Wychwood Brewery, England, 5.2%alc Keep Calm and Beer on!

Yes it is again time to beer. So without further adieu, here are the bevies: Natural Light by Anheiser Busch (cough, cough, choke) alc% (not even listed…) Rogue Shriracha Hot Stout Beer by Rogue, Newport, Oregon. 5.7%alc. Crosswinds Pale Ale by Lake of Bays, Baysville ON, 5%alc. Milkshake Stout by Rochester Mills, Rochester NY. Alc% ? Muskoka Summer Weiss by Muskoka Brewing, ON. 5%alc.   Keep Calm, and Beer On! The Maadmen & Gord  

This week we start things off with a stinker for balance and perspective. Blue by Labatt’s Mad Tom IPA by Muskoka Brewery, Bracebridge, ON 6.4%alc.  Conductors Ale by Junction Brewing, Toronto, ON. 5.3%alc.  Kilanan New Zealand Red Ale, Kilanan Brewery, Owen Sound, ON. 5.4%alc.  Hops ‘n Bolts India Pale Lager by Mad & Noisy (aka Molson) 5.3%alc.  

Aaah, the holidays! That time where good booze to drown out the inane chatter of annoying relatives is a necessity! So in that regard, here is what we have for you this week: Northeast Brown Ale by Burdock brewery, Toronto, ON  5.4% Alc. Brother Thelonius Belgian Style Abbey Ale by North Coast Brewing Co., Fort Bragg, California, USA 9.4% Alc. IPA by Burdock brewery, Toronto, ON 7.3% Alc. Evil Conscience Black IPA by Innocente Brewing Co., Waterloo, ON 6.1% Alc. Indian Brown Ale by Dog Fish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware, USA 90 Minute IPA by Dog Fish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware, USA 9% Alc. Train Hoppin IPA by Wellington Brewery, Guelph, ON 6.4% Alc. Keep Calm & Beer On! The Maadmen & Dr. Coffee

Miller Lite We thought we’d start with the biggest stinker of the night as this is not a beer that anyone should ever drink. Reverend: They even fucking spelled ‘light’ wrong. Evil: I’m looking forward to this about as much as I would a root canal.   English Bay Pale Ale by Granville Island Brewing Company, Vancouver, BC 5%alc.   Roman Candle IPA by Bellwoods, Toronto ON 6.8% alc.   Super Continental Ale by Northumberland Hills Brewery Cobourg, ON 5.5%alc   Keep Calm, Beer On!

Time once again to Bevie.  Here are this week's offerings: Waterloo Original Dark by Waterloo Brewery, ON 5%alc.   Hoppy Hefeweizen by Mad and Noisy (who we know is really Creemore, who is Molson cuz they’re just sneaky) 4.7%alc.   Innis & Gunn the original, by Innis & Gunn, Scotland. 6.6%alc.   Revenge of the Ginger (Kickin’ Ginger Red IPA) by Double Trouble Brewery Co.  6.2%alc.  

  La Formidable (American-Belgo-IPA) by Gigantic Brewing Co., Portland, Oregon 6.9%alc.   Snow Roller Happy Brown Ale by Magic Hat, Burlington, Vermont 6.2%alc.   Headstock Pale Ale by Nickelbrook, Burlington, ON   Side Launch Pale Ale, Collingwood, ON 5.3%alc. Keep Calm, and Beer On!   The Maadmen and Gord

Back to serious business! Its all well and good to review beers that lack any substance, but the real good’ns await! Big Mouth IPA by Hop City Brewery, Brampton ON   Sweet’n Sou’r (Biere de Mars) by Oast House (limited edition), Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON    Yuletide Barley Wine Vintage 2014 by Wellington Brewery, Guelph, ON   Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout by Nickelbrook, Burlington, ON   Luv The Maadmen & Gord

Here is what we would rather be doing than drinking Bud Light.

And so it goes. Our buddy Gord is with us for this weekly session in which 4 tasty beverages are judged by our musical palates. Dream Machine IPL Magic Hat Brewing Co., Burlington, Vermont.   Toil and Trouble (8% Belgian Ale) Bellwoods Brewery, Toronto, Ontario.   Dead Elephant IPA Railway City Brewery, St. Thoma,s Ontario.   Henninger Premium Lager Henninger Brewery, Frankfurt, Germany

In episode 1 of the Keep Calm & Beer On podcast, we review: Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat from Blue Moon Brewing Company, Golden, Colorado   Dam Buster from Silversmith Brewery from Niagara On The Lake, ON Therefore, sit back and we shall furnish you with our un-varnished opinions on which beers to steer clear of and which ones to imbibe with caution, impunity and gusto.