Brew-Ha-Ha! readers send me the coolest stuff

One of the best dealios about doing this Brew-Ha-Ha! thingey is the interaction I get from readers, whether it be beer factoids, recommendations of a specific brew or beer news items, which I get sent to me left, right and centre. The idea that I'm supposed to be giving you beer information usually results in ME getting new beer information from readers. And I dig that...
Writing a weekly beer blog is a helluva lot easier when you... ♫ get by with a little help from your friends ♫
And sometimes the source can be a little surprising.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper "doesn't drink
alcohol"... well, unless he's at home, playing the piano...

After my last blog, which included two Russian beers, Baltika 7 and Stolichnoe, one of the comments under the blog posting on Facebook came from a young friend, Kyle, 20, who's the eldest son of my co-worker Marie.
Kyle sent me the link to a news story that beer, because it's under 10%, was considered a soft drink in Russia until January 1st, 2013, when legislation changed it to be included under the description "alcohol".
I had heard this but wasn't entirely sure I believed it. Turns out it's true. Beer in Russia could be sold in public kiosks right beside Coke and any number of soft drinks, fruit juices or bottled water 24 hours a day. That has now changed.
Man, I love the Russians - that is one hard-core drinking culture! Good find, Kyle!

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ALSO "doesn't
drink alcohol"... unless he's on the campaign trail...

After I wrote the blog about drinking Guinness Black Lager with my brother Gary, another reader sent me the coolest little factoid about the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. When the brewery was established in 1759, they originally signed a 9,000 year lease... for 45 Pounds a year. That lease became moot when they bought the 64-acre property out-right eventually. Who the hell can afford that kind of rent, eh?

And a final tidbit sent to me by a reader... just last Friday, a story link in which Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared that "I don't drink alcohol... but I have a lot of friends who do." Okay, a few things about that. Number one: Just when I thought this dude couldn't be any duller. Number two: I dispute this guy's claim he has "a lot of friends..." Lackeys, flunkies and yes-men? He's got tons. Friends? Uhhh, doubtful. And number three: He's using Russian rules. Beer apparently doesn't count. Google: "Stephen Harper drinking beer". I did. A number of pics restored my faith that the dude actually likes the odd beer. However, at the same time... liar, liar, pants on fire. I don't follow political polls because I could care less but... Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau who admits he has smoked marijuana and is pushing to have it legalized probably just took the lead. My politics? Whoever has offended me the least at the exact moment I walk into a election polling booth has my reluctant vote. Also anyone who's willing to buy my vote. That works, too. Turns out NO politician thinks my vote is worth "just clear up my credit cards, would ya?"

And the latest inductee to the Bad Beer Hall of Shame is...??

Okay, much in keeping with the "Geez, Don, there must be SOME beers you don't like" theme of a few blogs back. Turns out I was pouring nothing but praise on beer... because I was only writing about the ones I liked (or REALLY loved - yeah, Flying Monkeys Smashbomb Atomic IPA, I'm talking to you, you sexy bitch! Hey, girl...)
Well, since then, we've discovered that Brew Ha Ha! is NOT a fan of Mexican beers Corona or Sol, Trinidad beer Carib, German beer Beck's or pretty much any mass-produced American beer.

We have another addition to The Bad Beer Hall of Shame... German brew Jever. Split a six-pack with co-workers Saga and Carter when it arrived.

♫ Carry On, The Wayward Son... They'll be drunk
when you are gone... because they're all hammered ♫

Much like Beck's, Jever has that mildly-skunky weak-ass taste that any number of popular Euro-brews suffer from. That said, we have a crap-load of really GREAT German beers at our store for my German beer blog. Don't expect me to even mention either Beck's or Jever. I drank one of my two. The second is getting pawned off on the next person who crosses my threshold. If that turns out to be my Mom, so be it.

Now, god bless him, Carter pushed me hard to try Toronto craft brewers Radical Roads Brewing Company's new Belgium-style ale, The Wayward Son. Okay, to clarify, "pushed me hard" actually means Carter said, "Donny, you gotta try this beer." Carter knows I'm a total Beer Ho - whatta thug he is, playing on my beer sluttiness like that? Not cheap - the 750-ml bottle cost $11. So Brew Ha Ha! special treat time. Women go for a ridiculously-expensive manicure/pedicure... I buy ridiculously-expensive specialty beers. I like my deal better.
Okay, this is a damn tasty brew. In my biggest beer glass, it put a sweet three-inch head before eventually settling. The deal there? The thicker the head, the longer the proper carbonation stays sealed in. At 7.5%, it's a strong ale with the traditional slight hints of fruits and spices. It scored an impressive 82 on RateBeer.com - I'd put it closer to 90. But that's a solid mark. Carter, my man, thank you! Good call, you peer pressure thug!

♫ They get by with a little help from their friends ♫

Okay, small craft brewery "feel-good" story of the day. I have a fairly new but ongoing love affair with Ontario's craft brewers (especially Flying Monkeys out of Barrie). I'm on ALL their Facebook pages... just to keep up.
So 5 Paddles, a craft brewery out of Whitby, puts a blog on their page last week about how they are planning to release five new beers last week. One problem? They're out of bottles. Not a small concern for a craft brewer.
So blog-writing Spencer from 5 Paddles tells us: "We put in a call to (rival craft brewer) Bellwoods Brewery (based in Toronto) and their man Luke dropped what he was doing and spent an hour or so to hook us up with bottles until ours arrive. The Craft Beer community continues to amaze me. Not only does Bellwoods make world-class beers but they are awesome people, too. I should note I had never met anyone from Bellwoods before this experience so we aren't talking about good treatment from close friends here."
I had to say on their FB page that I applauded the comradery of Ontario craft brewers and gave Bellwoods a "well done!" Bellwoods just got some of my "special treat" business! And 5 Paddles? Your newly-released Flatline IPA at 126 IBUs (international bitterness units)??? You super-sexy bitch! I'm coming for you!!!

Okay, shout-outs... blog brother Glenn tells us about his favourite flicks which is stunning short of our favoured superhero movies (I'm going to do him a solid and assume that's a future blog... all by itself). Glenn's big flicks? Right here at: Glenn's Big Flicks And Stevil St Evil, out of New Zealand? What can I say? The charges were dropped! Hasn't written a fresh one in a while but here's a recent favourite... Did I mention I like beer? That said, the dude has given me EVERY graphic I've ever used, including my header, my sign-off and the Bad Beer Hall of Shame. I probably keep him TOO busy for a fresh blog. But man, this mofo is entertaining...

Until next time, I remain...