My March 2017 Canada Craft Club Delivery

Every month I some fun mail comes to our door from Canada Post which is my Canada Craft Club delivery. I have been receiving this for some time, a present from my fabulous wife, Teena.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Each month I receive two 650 ml or 750 ml bottles from breweries, most of which I had never heard of. This month both bottles (650 ml) came from the U.S.

I received a Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale from Ninkasi Brewing of Eugene, OR, and a Mikkeller Hop Geek Geek Breakfast Black IPA from Mikkeller Brewing located in San Diego, CA.

Beer for breakfast. Hmmmm. I don't think Teena would let me go for it but I bet it's going to be good no matter what time of day I have it.

Beer of the Week - Bomber Brewing Choqlette Porter

February features Valentines Day and in my Canada Craft Club package was a Bomber Brewing Choqlette Porter. Everyone knows that Valentines Day and chocolate go together. Yes, I know it's now March but I didn't get to it right away.

Bomber Brewing opened its doors in Vancouver in February 2014 by three friends who all played hockey together, COO Don Farion, Creative Director Cam Andrews, and Head Brewer Blair Calibaba. They have a tasting room that is open seven days a week and a place I would like to visit should I ever get back to Vancouver.

And the beer?

Animal lovers, especially dog people, will adore the art on the label. Perfect for Valentines Day

The Choqlette Porter was made with three (yes, three!) additions of chocolate in the brewing process. Dutch chocolate powder was added to the mash, then it was dry hopped with cocao nibs then four more kinds of nibs were added to the conditioning tank.

The porter pours very black with a slightly brownish head. There is lots of chocolate in the aroma. It is more creamy than a porter usually is. On my first sip, the chocolate comes through right away, followed by just a little coffee, then more chocolate  brings me to the finish, which has a delightful and surprising hop bite.

It's a very enjoyable porter and one that I would not hesitate to have again.

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 345 
Breweries 316 
Countries 49

My February 2017 Canada Craft Club Delivery

Teena was home today when my Canada Craft Club delivery arrived which meant I didn't have to wait an extra day and head up to the post office to pick it up.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Each month they send two 650 ml bottles from two different breweries. There is a card included for each. One side describes the beer.

The other side has tasting notes.

So what did I receive this month?

I received a bottle of Bomber Choqlette Porter from Bomber Brewery in BC. The other is a collaboration brew, a Belgium Tripel called Friend from two Alberta breweries, Village Brewery and Banded Peak Brewery.

Every month I look forward to my delivery and I look even more forward to tasting them.

Beer of the Week - Brasserie Dunham: The Second Coming of Broderus Christmas Saison

In my latest Canada Craft Club delivery, I received a Christmas Saison from Brasserie Dunham. The brewery is located just outside of Montreal in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. It opened in 2011 and features a pub which serves snacks and, of course, pints of their beer. The patio looks like a great place to have a pint in the summer.

The Second Coming of Broderus is a Collaboration beer between Kissmeyer Beers and Brasserie Dunham. Anders Kissmeyer from Kissmeyer Brewing was one of the founders of Denmark's Norebro Bryghus in 2003 but was fired from the company in 2010. After his firing, he created Kissmeyer Brewing as a one man gypsy brewery that collaborates with other breweries around the world.

Why the name Broderus? This is due to the fact that when this beer was first test brewed with Kissmeyer, it was on the sixth of October back in 2011. It was brewed again this year for bottling and once again it was on October the sixth.  In Denmark, October 6 celebrates an old Viking King Broderus! That makes this the Second Coming of Broderus.

So how does it taste?

The beer pours light amber in colour with a small white head. Saison yeast has a very distinctive aroma which is present in this. I notice some spicy notes too.

On my first sip and ones after, an excellent sourness hits me right away. It seems to let off and is replaced for a moment by a spiciness. The sour returns for the long finish.

This saison is brewed using a bit of pomegranate and maple syrup which surprises me. This must have been extra sour ale before those two ingredients were added in,

The Second Coming of Broderus is a very nice saison, one that I quite enjoyed.

                                                      Beer of the Week Stats 

                                                      Beers Profiled 340
                                                      Breweries 312 
                                                      Countries 49

My December 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

Usually my Canada Craft Club delivery comes during the week when we aren't home so I have to wait an extra day to pick it up from the post office. With it being the holiday season, Canada Post delivers on Sunday.

My package arrived this morning.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

So what did I receive?

There was a 650 ml bottle of The Grinch Winter Ale from Bridge Brewing located in North Vancouover, BC. There also is a collaboration Saison, La Resurrection de Broderus from Brasserie Dunham and Kissmeyer.

Canada Craft Club never disappoints.

Beer of the Week - Gigantic Brewing Scrilla

In my latest Canada Craft Club delivery, there was a 650 ml bottle of Scrilla Pale Ale from Gigantic Brewing in Portland, Oregon. The brewery opened in 2012 and makes a year-round IPA. The rest of the time, it appears they do one-offs.

One unique feature of the brewery is that Gigantic Brewing hires a different artist to do each beer label. The artist is given total control of the artwork. They are given the beer name and style and have the freedom from there to do whatever they want.

What is Scrilla? I didn't know either until I looked it up. It's slang for money. The label, done by artist Overton Loyd, looks very similar to a bank note.

And the beer?

Scrilla pours amber with a slight orangy tinge, with a good white head. There are lots of lacings left behind as I sip. Citrus very prominent in the aroma.

The ale starts off a touch watery but then a very nice citrusy bitterness comes through. It's not an overpowering bitterness but quite nice. According to the bottle, the citrus is coming from citra, crystal and simcoe hops.

Scrilla is a very nice beer that I quite enjoyed.

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 338
Breweries 310
Countries 49

Beer of the Week - Hopworks Organic Abominable Winter Ale

In this month's Canada Craft Club delivery, I received a 650ml bottle of Organic Abominable Winter Ale from Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB).

The brewery opened in 2007 in a city that is very high on my list pf places to visit, Portland, Oregon, which maybe the craft beer capital of the world. The family owned brewery, started by Christian Ettinger very small, now employs over 130 people in two brewpubs.

In December 2012, the Oregon Sustainability Board presented the brewery with the Governor’s Oregon Sustainability Grand Champion Award which promotes the use of sustainable practices in the private sector.

When looking at notes on the Abominable, I noticed they use Salmon safe hops.

Salmon safe hops .. what?

Salmon-Safe is a non-profit organization that works to keep agricultural watersheds and urban areas clean enough for native salmon to spawn and thrive.

And the beer?

The Organic Abominable Winter Ale pours brown with a slight orangy hue and white head. Lacings, of course, line the inside of the glass after each sip. There is a definite pine aroma to the nose.

The ale starts with a nice little bitterness, maybe a little citrusy, before a fabulous pine bite takes over. I have been craving pine needle bitterness lately and this ale has it. It is not an overpowering bitterness but nicely balanced.

The Abominable is dangerous as it is delicious but goes down easily like a session ale, but comes in at 7.3% APV in a 650ml bottle.

I really wish I had another as I really enjoyed the one I received.

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 337
Breweries 309
Countries 49

My November 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

It must be the Christmas season as Canada Post is delivering packages on Saturdays now. That meant I didn't have to go to the post office to pick up this month's Canada Craft Club delivery tomorrow. Instead the doorbell rang today and there was a mailman with this months package in hand.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Both bottles in this month's package are from a city I would absolutely love to visit for a week ... Portland Oregon, which boasts over 70 craft beer breweries.  The beer cards says that both bottles are hoppy pale ales. Yay!

I received a 650ml bottle of Scrilla from Gigantic Brewing Co. and a Organic Abominable Winter Ale from Hopworks Urban Brewery. I'm sure looking forward to both.

Beer of the Week - Postmark Brewing Raspberry Fruit Beer

I received a bottle of Postmark Brewing Raspberry Fruit Beer with my Canada Craft Club July 2016 package. For some reason I took the picture, made all of my tasting notes but finish the write-up ... that is 'til now.

Postmark Brewing opened its doors in June 2014. The company's website shows its sponsorship of film festivals and music and there is a reason for that. The brewmaster, Craig Noble, has always loved craft beer but his main profession before opening the brewery was as a documentary film maker.

At Postmark Brewing we are inspired by more than just great tasting sessionable craft beers, we enjoy taking a collaborative approach towards our other passions in life including music, photography, travel, sport, design, events and especially those who are taking risks and making great things happen.

So, how is the beer?

This Raspberry Fruit Beer pours a light amber colour with a slight reddish tinge. I really noticed the raspberries which dominates the aroma.

I was wondering if this would be overly sweet but need not have been concerned. My first sip starts off a little tart and then the enjoyable raspberries come flooding through. The raspberries taste then falls off in the finish which is again tart.

One surprising thing is that as I was typing that last paragraph, I had the sensation of fresh raspberry, like I had a piece of one in my teeth. There are no pieces of raspberries anywhere in this but that taste was the same as when I'm at work and have just finished one of Teena's delicious freshly made fruit salads.

I didn't expect complexity in a fruit beer but found one here. Delicious and refreshing, especially on a hot afternoon when I had it (tasting notes written on July 23, 2016). I had ordered some more of these from Canada Craft Club (they all were delicious!).

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 335 
Breweries 306 
Countries 49

Beer of the Week - Laurelwood Public House Workhorse IPA

In this months Canada Craft Club delivery was a 650ml bottle of Workhorse IPA from Laurelwood Public House and Brewery. The brewery is located in a city that I have wanted to visit for years, Portland, Oregon.

The opened their doors in March 2001 in a very small location of once was, what else, a brewpub. Since then they have grown to many locations in Portland, including the airport and the Moda Cnetre, home of the city's NBA franchise Portland Trailblazers. They also opened another location in Battle Ground Village, Washington, which is the home of one of the owners Mike De Kalb. The other co-owner is his wife, Cathy Woo-De Kalb.

Laurelwood recently became the first brewery in Oregon to be certified as an organic beer producer.

And the taste?

Workhorse pours amber in colour with off-white head. There is lot's of citrus in the aroma due to two dry hopping additions to the brew. This is where hops are added at the end specifically to add bite to the aroma.

This is a very well balanced ale. It starts with a little bitterness, just slightly citrusy, which increase in intensity to the end. I thought the finish would be much more bitter, but most of the bitterness seems to be in the middle.

My hop is to one day, enjoy this on tap, on location, in Portland, Oregon.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 334 
Breweries        305
Countries          49

My October Canada Craft Club Delivery

This evening Teena stopped in at the post office and picked up my latest delivery from Canada Craft Club.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

This month I received a Workhorse IPA from Laurelwood Public House and Brewery in Portland, Oregon. Also in the package is a 650ml bottle of Barbapapa Russian Imperial Stout from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project in Summerhill, Massachusetts.

Looks like once again that I have a couple of very interesting beers to try.

Beer of the Week - Schieve Tabarnak Belgium Ale

This week I am featuring a beer that came with my last Canada Craft Club delivery, Schieve Tabarnak, a collaboration beer from Trou du Diable in Quebec and Brasserie de la Senne from Brussels, Belgium.

The brew is called Schieve Tabarnak and it's made using Belgium ale with rye and Nelson Sauvin hops. The name of the beer comes from two words from different dialects. Shieve comes from Belgium and means crooked, while Tabarnak is a swearword from Quebec. I have to learn to use this at work!

So, how's this collaboration beer?

It pours a yellow straw colour with some cloudiness as it must be unfiltered. On top sits a frothy white meringue-like head. The aroma contains a little spice, likely from the Belgium yeast plus a little orange

Don't let the light colour fool you. The rye and Nelson Sauvin hops assault the mouth right away with a very nice but unusual bitterness which carries through to the finish.

While even though it is 5% apv, this is not a sessionable ale, It's a wonderfully crafted beer but one I would enjoy here and there on occasion. I would definitely would have this again and hope on my next trip to Quebec I can find it on tap somewhere.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 331 
Breweries 303 
Countries 49

My September 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

Yesterday when I arrived home, I found I had missed my monthly beer delivery from Canada Craft Club. Teena, being the awesome wife she is, stopped off at the post office on the way home from work tonight and picked it up.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

They do a great job of it too. So far, I have really enjoyed the variety and quality of the beer I have received.

In this month's package are two large bottles of beer. One is a 650 ml bottle of Blue Monk Barley Wine from Brewsters Brewing Company in Calgary and the other is a 600 ml bottle from Trou Du Diable from Quebec.

Mmm ... more tasty beer to try!

Beer of the Week - Les Quebecoises

In this month's Canada Craft Club delivery was a 650 ml bottle of Le Quebecoises from Brasserie Thiriez. Judging from the name of the beer, one might think that this is from a Quebec brewery but they would be wrong. Brasserie Thiriez is, in fact, a brewery in Esquelbecq, France, that is located quite close to the Belgium border and only 20 kms from Dunkirk.

Brasserie Thiriez was opened in a location that once itself was a brewery, Brasserie Poitevin, that closed in 1945. At once time, the small town of Esquelbecq had five breweries but until Daniel Thiriez opened up this new brewery in 1996 (he sold his first brew in 1997), the town had been without a brewery for over 50 years.

So how does it taste?

On the bottle it says that this is a blonde ale with wheat added, so really is not a wheat beer. It pours a yellowy straw colour with a white head. The beer is unfiltered so is a little cloudy. Wheat beers have a special aroma and there is a little of it here in the aroma, along with some citrus. Interesting combination.

My first taste is very nice. A little wheat beer taste is noticed first followed very closely by a nice citrus hop bitterness. Neither is overpowering but provides for a delightfully well balanced beer. I really enjoyed the very long finish.

This is a wonderful enjoyable beer. It starts off like a wheat beer and finishes like a light pale ale. Wish I had another!

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 327
Breweries 298
Countries 48

Beer of the Week - Hitachino Nest White Ale

Until today I have only profiled one Japanese beer but in this month's Canada Craft package was a bottle of Hitachino Nest White Ale from Kiuchi Brewery.

Kiuchi has an interesting history. They were established in 1823 by Kiuchi Gihei who was the headman of Kounosu village. His family was charged with land taxes from farmers who paid, not in money, but in rice. There seemed to be always extra so he started a brewery, not for brewing beer but for making sake.

It wasn't until 1996 that the brewery decided to turn it's attention to beer and came up with this beer, the Hitachino Nest White ale.

So, how dies it taste?

This ale pours a very light yellow, you could almost say white, and as it is unfiltered is quite cloudy. Lots of citrus comes to the nose and I can sense some orange in there too. The head is white with very large bubbles which dissipates quickly.

Hitachino has a very different taste than I have experienced before but in a good way. It is quite citrusy with sour orange coming through. When I smelled the orange in the aroma, I thought this might be tart but instead, has a fabulous sourness.

This is a delicious beer that I would love to have again!

Beer of the Week Stats

Beers Profiled 326
Breweries 297
Countries 48

My August 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

Today I went to the post office and picked up my favourite kind of mail ... beer! Yes, my Canada Craft Club package had arrived.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Every month I receive two 650 ml bottles of beer from two different brewers. So far the variety and quality has been excellent and this month is no different.

Inside this box was a bottle of Hitachino Nest White Ale from Kiuchi Brewery and a Les Quebecoises from Brasserie Thiriez.

Sounds like I have some great tastings ahead of me this month.

My July 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

This evening Teena stopped into the post office on the way home and picked up my Canada Craft Club delivery.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month. 

 Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Each month I receive two 650 ml bottles of beer or larger, each one from a different brewery. This month I received a 650 ml bottle from Postmark Brewing in Vancouver of their Raspberry Fruit Beer. Sitting beside it was a 650 ml bottle of Wookey Jack, a Black Rye IPA from Firestone Walker Brewing of Paso Robles, California,

I'm looking forward to trying both!

My June 2016 Canada Craft Club Beer Delivery

Yesterday I wasn't home when my Canada Craft Club beer delivery came so tonight I ran up to the post office and picked it up.

We did all the work so you don't have to. We've scoured the planet and found true gems especially for our members — delivered direct to your home or office every month.

Our packs are delivered in discreet packaging (so no one swipes your brews) and prices include shipping. You can trust that every single beer has been hand-selected for your pack by Canada Craft Club’s experienced tasters and experts, some of whom sit on tasting panels in prestigious worldwide brewing competitions. What this really means is that we tasted, tested and rated every single beer before giving them our stingy stamp of approval for our treasured members. We try to shake it up for you, and fill your pack with beers you might not have had or can’t get anywhere else.

Each month I receive two 650 ml bottles or larger, each one from a different brewery. This month's package features a Yakima IPA from Le Castor Brewing Company in Quebec and a Jalepeno 777 from Scuttlebutt Brewing from the state of Washington.

I'm looking forward to both but hoping to share the 777 with a neighbor as I really can't do spice heat any more.

Beer of the Week - Rough Draft Brewing Grapefruit Weekday IPA

Today, I am trying a beer I received from the Canada Craft Club that has me excited. It's called Grapefruit Weekday IPA and I am so looking forward to how the grapefruit works with this. I remember being hesitant to try the Hawaiian Style Pale Ale from Spearhead Brewing, thinking it be a fruity beer. I was so wrong there and anxious to try this one.

I can't find when Rough Draft Brewing started, just that the owner, Jeff Silver, received a home brewing gift 20 years ago as a present, and twenty years later, opened his own brick and mortar brewery. Silver named the brewery Rough Draft, as that is what he feels his beers are ... rough drafts. The brewery encourages their customers to give feedback on what they like and dislike about each brew.

Time to weigh in. It is a weekday after all!

First off, it's good to know that Rough Draft does not just buy grapefruit juice to pour into the pot. The grapefruit are organically grown by local producer Stehly Farms, where they are juiced and zested by hand.

This 4.8% IPA pours a golden colour with a white head. Loads of citrus fill the aroma, and nice white lacings line the side of the glass while I sip.

With my first sip, sour grapefruit meets my tongue right away. This is quickly followed with a very nice citrusy hop bite. Again, the flavour morphs and the sourness comes back for the very long finish.

I really enjoyed this ale. My Canada Craft Club membership comes with credits to order their offerings on line. I might just order more of this as one will not do me.

Beer of the Week Stats 

Beers Profiled 318 
Breweries 286 
Countries 46

My May 2016 Canada Craft Club Delivery

My May Canada Craft Club delivery came today complete with two tasty sounding beers. I really enjoy opening up the box and finding just inside sitting on top of the beers, two tasting cards, giving the history of each brewery and the story about the beer. It makes me salivate a little just reading about them.

The two 650 ml bottles are each tucked into a protective Styrofoam tube to prevent breakage. One of the bottles is a Phaedra Belgium Rye IPA from Four Winds Brewing from Delta, BC, and the other is a Grapefruit Weekday IPA from a San Diego company, Rough Draft Brewing.

I'm looking forward to trying both.