Hanging with the craft beer reps...

Another Saturday, another successful Food Truck at Nickel
 Brook Brewing in Burlington. This past weekend saw Jonny
Blonde, centre, bring his associate, Layal, to the Drury
Lane brewery on December 13. On the left is Tony Cox,
the Nickel Brook employee who has made Food Truck
Saturday a reality. Getting them off-season as he does,
he has been gaining a lot of fans in the food truck world!

That I would stop into Burlington's Nickel Brook Brewing on a Saturday for a multi-growler refill shouldn't come as news to anyone. My loyalty to them is somewhat akin to the Stormtroopers' allegiance to the evil Galactic Empire in Star Wars - minus all that "dark side of the Force" rhetoric. Now granted, I'm not gonna actually compare myself to Stormtroopers because as anyone who's watched any Star Wars movie can tell you, these guys are the crappiest shots in the world. It's like the first criteria for being a Stormtrooper is being seriously cross-eyed or even visually-impaired. You may as well hand these clowns feather dusters and tell them to go clean the Death Star like the precious little French Maids they are... except they'd probably miss the wall.

But this past Saturday when I popped into Nickel Brook, there were a few extras for me. I got to meet Jonny of Jonny Blonde food truck fame, as well as his associate Layal. Both great people and I got to sample a delicious potato wedge and sausage dish, liberally coated with melted cheese. If I can't literally feel my arteries harden when I eat something, don't serve it to me. Ain't nobody got time for healthy eating at Donny's Bar and Grill...

My beloved Labatt's Blue melton jacket with
distressed leather sleeves looks a lot like this!

But because I was on my way to my Beer Store shift and was wearing my uniform, Nickel Brook owner John, of course, happily took the opportunity to give me some harmless grief. (Craft breweries view the Beer Store the same way Kia Motors views Ford, no doubt.) That was only compounded by the fact I was wearing my winter hack-about Labatt's Blue bomber jacket. I got this jacket about 20 years ago at a silent auction during a Celebrity Sports Banquet. A die-hard Blue drinker in those days (how times have changed, eh?), I was determined to win this jacket, standing no more than 10 feet away from it at any time. Whenever I saw someone write their bid for it, I walked right over and bid a dollar more. Not $5 or $10 or even $25... a dollar. I call that "The Price Is Right Bidding Strategy" and guess what? It works. For $76, the jacket was mine! (But I would have gone as high as $78 - just sayin'...)

So naturally, John teased me about that, too, since Labatt (along with Molson's and Sleeman's) is one of the huge corporate owners of my place of business.

I have always loved the beers made by Founders Brewing
out of Grand Rapids, Michigan and it turns out their
beer philosophy on the side of this tank is the reason!!!

If he and I ever bet on anything and he loses, I plan on making him wear my Blue jacket for a solid week. But the point of all this is that my growlers were filled by Amy this day, an employee of theirs I had actually never met - believe me, that's a rarity. A very nice young lady, it turns out that she is a Nickel Brook sales rep, who just happened to be working that day at the brewery. And one of the favourite parts of my job is meeting brewery reps.

Now the reps for the Big Three are seasoned pros though if you are clever enough, you can pick the odd industry secret out of them, particularly about their competition.

But no, it's the smaller craft brewery reps that I love talking to the most, simply because as the days pass, I know more and more about their products. Sometimes more than they do. About a year ago, we got a visit from the Flying Monkeys' rep and of course, one of my co-workers yelled out: "Don, the rep for Flying Monkeys is here!!!" so I excitedly rushed out to introduce myself and immediately took her into our self-serve cooler where her product was prominently displayed. And then I began quizzing her on some of their upcoming releases, notably their Shoulders of Giants Imperial IPA. The poor lass was floundering a little, not knowing much about it so I dialed it down to the releases that we carry, instead out of courtesy. She was very well-versed in those!

Our Side Launch Brewing rep was a little more than surprised
when I identified their Dark Lager as the old Denison's Dunkel

Just last month, I heard the siren song again: "Don, the rep for Flying Monkeys is here!!!" But this was a new rep, Jaime, so I was all gung-ho to quiz her as well. When I started talking to her, she quickly flipped through her note-pad, stopped on a page and said with a big smile, "Okay, you're that guy!" Gotta be honest - my apparent reputation as a quasi-knowledgeable Beer Geek with the small brewery reps is now preceding me and believe me, that is a personal point of pride. Granted, my ability to magically turn alcohol into regret and bad decisions is another personal point of pride so let's face it - my bar for my pride is set pretty damn low. Jamaican dudes couldn't limbo under that bar. Fire ants, cockroaches and beetles would be sorely tested to clear it.

This is how fast I move when someone tells me there's a craft
brewery rep visiting my Beer Store. I'm there... in a Flash...

But more of the same when Side Launch Brewing (Collingwood) sent their rep, Jen, into my store with their Dark Lager, which was gracing our shelves the very next day. Talking to myself and co-worker Saga, the friendly young lady came in, introduced herself and started talking up their Dark Lager. I stopped her quickly by saying, "Yeah, great beer! This used to be Denison's Dunkel." She smiled at me, wide-eyed, staggered that a Beer Store dude would actually know that. Saga laughed at her deer-in-the-headlights reaction and said quickly, "He writes a beer blog."

Shhhhhh... Truth to tell, a Side Launch server at the Burlington Beer Festival told me back in the Summer so I researched it and later wrote about it here back on July 25th. So I'm not some genius beer savant here. Just a thirsty beer-exploring dude... like Christopher Columbus with no boats to speak of, unless it's the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa DrinksLikeAFish.

One of my favourite beers from Lake of
Bays Brewing - their Spark House Red
Ale, as well as their Mocha Porter, as
well as their 10 Point IPA, as well as...

However, I want full credit for retaining that knowledge because every time I learn something new about beer, something else I learned long ago gets pushed out of my brain to make room for the new info. Like, say, car keys. Where do you put those on the car to make it start? Touching the steering wheel with them doesn't work. Also, shoe-tying has become a real challenge.

Okay, Lake of Bays Brewing went a different route than the pretty young female beer rep, sending in burly beer-loving dude Tim. About a year ago, Tim came in to check out my Beer Store. Naturally, I was all over it, singing the praises of both my self-serve store and how it could help their brands, as well as heaping praise on their Winter-only release, the delicious Mocha Porter.
A few weeks back, he popped back in to let me know their Baysville, Ontario brewery would be selling their Spark House Red Ale, Crosswinds Pale Ale, Rock Cut Baysville Lager and Top Shelf Classic Lager in my store. He actually waited for me to be finished dealing with a customer, telling my co-worker, "No, it's okay. I know this guy over here." After a year, he remembered our little show-and-tell. But I also happened to be the guy on the phone when the brewery called to place its order with us. I ordered a couple of trays of each and when the delivery came within two days, the invoice said at the bottom, "... as ordered by Don with many thanks." You gotta love the small touches made by the boys and girls of the craft beer world. But slide me some Mocha Porter just so I feel, y'know, truly appreciated. Joking! (Not really.)

Okay, the Innocente Conscience American
IPA is murky and smells funny but doesn't
taste too bad though I've certainly had better.

In the span of 14 days, we have also added Toronto's Collective Arts' Rhyme & Reason Pale Ale (one of Ontario's best pale ales) and their Saints of Circumstance Citrus-Infused Blonde Ale, making it seven new craft beers on our shelves in just two weeks. (Trust me, I will be the first to admit this is a rarity.) But my work environment just keeps getting craftier and craftier, though space for all the new products is actually becoming an issue. Talk about your #firstworldproblems. Of all these new-to-us beers, the only one I haven't tried is the Saints of Circumstance because, well, "the eagle has just landed" but I sometimes call this horse-and-pony show a beer blog and well, that means it's Beer O'Clock here at Brew Ha Ha. Let's get our drinking hats on, kids...

Okay, well, Saints of Circumstance is contract-brewed at Nickel Brook under the watchful eye of Brewmaster Ryan so it's not gonna suck. As advertised, we're talking a blonde ale with a citrus punch. That, this 4.7% beer has - citrus up the wazoo. But I was a little surprised to see they used Citra, Centennial and Amarillo hops in this because this does taste like a light summer beer. But with those guns? I want war wounds. It should maim me. At 17 IBUs (international bitterness units), it doesn't. That said, a solid blonde ale. A really good very lightly-hopped summer beer... that I drank in the winter. (Rhyme & Reason has spoiled me - one of the best pale ales in the world.)

Sleeping Giant Skullrock Stout is
malty coffee treat on the tastebuds

Next on the court docket, Sassy Cassy is back home for Christmas from university in Thunder Bay and, well, my little girl came back bearing a one-litre (33 ounce) gift - the seasonally-appropriate gift of Sleeping Giant Brewing's Skullrock Stout. This delicious dark brown oatmeal-infused treat with the creamy tan head is all coffee on the nose with some malty nuttiness on the tongue. This tiny brewery which, I believe, is the northern-most brewery in the Ontario Craft Brewers group, is quickly making a name for itself. Cassy has a real jewel within minutes of her university campus. I am dying to try their Coffee Vanilla Porter next... but no pressure there, Cassy. I don't believe in extortion but I'm gonna guess your car keys may mysteriously reappear as soon as I have one of these babies in my possession. Not that I know where your car keys are. (Seriously, officer, put away the cuffs - you have no proof...)

Okay, popped into Rib Eye Jack's Ale House a couple of Thursdays back because that night is Cask Night and where there is a cask to be tapped, dammit, I will be there. Again, that's the whole delusional Christopher Columbus of the Craft Beer World thing at play here.

This Dunkelweizen combines the best of two very
different styles, infusing wheat into a dark lager...

The bar and its beer technician Kylie did not disappoint as they tapped into a mini-cask of Muskoka Winter Weiss, my first-ever winter wheat offering. Because it's a winter beer, they combine a dunkel and a wheat giving this a unique taste - this is not a light summer offering but one much better suited for these Jack Frost Days. Though unfairly (I think) punished on RateBeer, I thought this was the best of both worlds - the banana of a wheat on the nose, this also had the fruit of a wheat and the rich caramel malt of a dunkel on the tongue. Like peanut butter in a chocolate cup, I thought this was a dynamite combo. (To those who don't enjoy Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I ask only this: how does it feel to be one of Satan's minions?)

While there, I also cracked open an Innocente Brewing's Conscience American IPA. Assuming from their French name that they were based in Quebec, it turns out this is actually a Waterloo brewery - quelle surprise!

There be bears ahead!!! Go into the bar!!!

Okay, this has one funky smell. I asked Kylie what she was getting on the nose. She got tropical fruit. I got dark fruit... and gym socks. Murky as hell with all sorts of floaties in it, this was a different IPA to be certain. However, as advertised on its label, at just 5.7% with a hefty 80 IBUs, it was as bitter as hell but did have some fruit charms on the tongue. No doubt, an interesting one.

Well, we live in a world where I continue to hope Jessica Biel will name her first-born son Batmo... but next on deck should be a fun one. A horde of us are descending on Rib Eye Jack's Ale House this Saturday to celebrate co-worker Marie's 40th birthday. You see, every year, Marie gets gypped because her birthday is December 25th and someone else grabbed the spotlight on that day. That's unfair because Marie was also born in a manger... or a bar-room floor... or in the back of a car... maybe on a ferris-wheel. Actually, I have no idea - it happened 40 years ago. But I will bringing you all the aftermath and hard-to-digest details of the big Marie Versus The Baby Jeebus Party a day or two after. The bar is on high alert, the local police have been informed and hey, Cassy might even get her car keys back. (To be clear, Cassy, that's Sleeping Giant's Coffee Vanilla Porter and no, I have no idea where they are. Still.) But guys and dolls, that's it, that all and I am outta here!!! Until next time, I remain...

The Trouble With Tribbles and Growlers

My... name... is... James... Tiberius... Kirk... and... I... am... SURROUNDED...
by... Tribbles!!! And WHY... do... I... talk... haltingly... like... this... anyway?

Only a handful of you will remember Star Trek, the original series. I'll be honest, I certainly never saw it during its original run back in the 1960s. It wasn't until my teenage years some time later that I began to watch the show's reruns which played on late night TV every night when I finally caught up to it. While it likely looks incredibly dated now, I recall it was pretty entertaining TV back in those days.

But there was one episode, which aired in December 1969, called "The Trouble With Tribbles" that I will always remember fondly because it took the show's usual dramatic sci-fi tension and enfused it with a humongous dose of humour.

Yes!!! I'm better than Kirk!!! SO MUCH WIN!!!

Now granted, when the far-superior Star Trek: The Next Generation came along in 1987, I followed it from the start and immediately loved Shakespearean-trained Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Jean Luc Picard as a Starship Captain, finding it far superior to William Shatner's somewhat (okay, very) ham-fisted, chew-the-scenary approach as Kirk from two decades prior. Yes, I said it, Picard beats Kirk. Angry Trekkies can express their outrage to me at: BiteMeHard@BrewHaHa.com. (Good luck with that, you little Sci-Fi geeks.)

But back to "The Trouble With Tribbles", if we can. The premise of that episode was this. A snake-oil-selling, fast-talking intergalactic salesman came onto the USS Enterprise and gifted Communications Officer Uhura with a pet Tribble. It didn't really have a face - or even legs, as far as I could tell - but it was soft and furry and cooed a lot. I mean, look at the top picture. It looked like a huge ball of hamster fur - minus the actual hamster.

These are not my growlers. These are, in fact, my OVERFLOW growlers as
somehow, I have gone from two to 11 from various different Ontario breweries

But here was the actual trouble with the tribble - without partners, tribbles reproduced, spawning more tribbles. One tribble quickly became 1,500 tribbles, which was a cause for concern for the old USS Enterprise because their much-vaunted "five-year mission" did not include Purina Tribble Food. Eventually, the problem was solved when Chief Engineer Scotty transported the lot of them onto a Klingon vessel because, you know, screw the damn Klingons. Tribbles didn't like Klingons and Klingons didn't like anything so match made in heaven. Have fun with that, you lumpy-headed grumpy Klingon bastards.

Okay, we just got Fuller's London Pride Ale
and Extra Special Bitter in stock. Both are
damn good but this one is a true winner!!!

So why am I talking about tribbles? Well, more than 40 years after the original broadcast, I found myself invoking their name. You see, not long ago, I started with two two-litre (64 ounce) growlers from my beloved Nickle Brook Brewing. Last week, I looked at my kitchen table (and floor) and counted 11 of them - six 2L growler and five 1L howlers from craft brewers scattered across Ontario. And I actually thought, "Geezuz, these things are like tribbles! They just keep multiplying!" Okay, as no beer geek actually needs 11 growlers and howlers, that left me in a dilemma - albeit in that First World white male without any actual problems who has too many of a good thing way. So, y'know, please, on my behalf, choke back those tears of sympathy. (No, seriously, I'll be fine.) I was telling Dale at Nickle Brook about my growler overload and he pointed to the top shelf of trophy case where they have a mini-museum for displaced growlers on the go. It's small now, he noted, just a couple but if I wanted to bring my excess to add to their collection (which would, in essence, more than triple it), I was welcome to do exactly that. And if some needy Nickel Brook employee wanted to scoop a free growler, well then, he noted, "You'd have a real good friend... for at least a day!" Sounds like a good plan. Sometimes, short friendships have their advantages. No Christmas presents, for starters. Or remembering of names.

What the hell was Le Trou Du Diable Brewing
La Saison du Tracteur doing in my fridge this
time of year? Uh, turning my fridge bilingual?

Okay, while we all ponder just how lazy the person who named the "fireplace" was (Really? The place where the fire is? Best you could do?), a quick look at the time tells me it's Beer O'Clock here at Brew Ha Ha so let's get busy. First up, we just got two of Britain's best in our store -  Fuller's London Pride Ale and their Extra Special Bitter. Okay, that London Pride is a truly nice ale. Got a wee bit of apple and a lot of malt on the nose, a lightly hopped and bitter (very lightly), dry and caramel taste on the tongue, this is a solid, decent ale. However, the ESB??? Now we're talking! Citrus but strong malt in the aroma, all bitterness and fruit on the tongue, this 5.9% import was a lot of fun. My buddy, Kevin, who loves a good British bitter would go nuts for this. Hell, throw me in that swanky posh Brit club, too! This is like the Prince Harry of beers. A bit ginger... cheeky... impudent... will drop its drawers in Las Vegas. You know how those bad-boy beers can get... Anyways, my eyes are peeled for more Fuller's product - these were both solid offerings, especially the ESB.

As I was telling Beer Musketeer Stevil St Evil, I find the strangest stuff in the back of the fridge at Donny's Bar and Grill and yesterday was no exception when I came across a Le Trou Du Diable Brewing (Shawinigan, Quebec) La Saison du Tracteur. While the beer's name is self-explanatory by the big tractor on the label, the brewery's name translates as "The Devil's Hole" which is a well-known cave in St-Casimir, Quebec.

Okay, props to Parallel 49 Brewing not just for a good dark
lager but also for one kick-ass great label on their Black Hops

Of course, the season for saisons (which in English means "season" so I'm actually saying 'the season for seasons' which is redundant but I don't know how to say 'season' in Klingon) is a few months past but well, it's in my fridge so it offered itself up for sacrifice - silly saison. Okay, this was lightly citrus and mango on the nose but its use of rye malts gives it a nice light touch of spice with the fruit on the tongue. Dry yet refreshing. Out of season/saison, yes but hey, a nice Summer touch.

Let's wrap this up with something bold and our friends at Parallel 49 Brewing's (Vancouver) Black Hops Cascadian Dark Lager - yet another that continues in the company's tradition of showcasing some of the best cartoon labels in the Canadian craft brewing industry. An impressive 41 IBU (international bitterness units) for a schwarzbier, this 6.5% lager is roasted malt and coffee on the nose with coffee and pine bitterness on the tongue. Beautiful brew.

Jonny Blonde and his delicious spiced meat dishes will be
served up hot and fresh at Nickle Brook on December 13

As the weather cools down, I love to switch to dark lagers just before I go nuts with the seasonal porters and stouts. It's the perfect transition beer!

Okay, next up, a lager that passed, a lager that really really failed, a couple from Beau's All Natural Brewing - one of which I know I will enjoy while the other, well, I'm concerned for my well-being. Also which popular craft ale did I steer co-worker Marie towards for use in a steak sauce and she actually said afterwards, "Perfect choice!" (Total fluke, I assure you.) Why is Marie's birthday getting the edge over Christmas... and much much more.

My main man Tony at Nickle Brook is back at it with his Food Truck Saturday this weekend when Jonny Blonde brings his fire-grilled meats and bold sauces to the brewery (864 Drury Lane in Burlington) from 11 am to 4:30 pm. This truck was there two weekends ago and did well over 100 orders. Said brewery owner John to Tony afterwards: "You have a friend for life! You will never go hungry. Ever!" A win-win for both the brewery and the trucks, which are off-season!

Well, I just watched "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" on TV and while it turns out that no, I am not smarter than a 10-year-old, I'll tell you this for free. Not one of those little peckerheads can buy beer! Suck on that, you brats! Okay, guys and dolls, that's it, that's all and I am outta here!!! Until next time, I remain, as always...

Rib Eye Jack's Ale House, Part Duh...

Burlington's Rib Eye Jack's Ale House has become my
new Cheers - a place where everybody knows my beers.
What? You thought I was gonna say "name"? Uhhh, no,
can't do that since I'm in the Witness Relocation Program

When last we talked, (well, I wrote, you read, which is good because literacy is important - it's just a damn shame this blog does nothing to promote literacy and that you may, in fact, lose a few IQ points reading this thing), we had stopped in Rib Eye Jack's Ale House to celebrate my buddy Ernie's birthday. That was two Thursday ago. I have been back twice since - last Thursday and again on Saturday.

Now the news that I found a bar to which I'll happily return is as about as surprising as your local newscaster coming on and seriously intoning, "This just in! Humans continue to need oxygen to survive! We'll follow that up with a special Eye-Witness News Action Report that water also remains wet at this point in time and still flows downhill with remarkable, almost liquid-like ease."

Have to take a whiz but the hockey game's gone into
overtime?? Not an issue. You can keep watching in the
Men's Washroom. Ladies, sorry, you're out of luck...

So when I popped in on the Thursday, I was on my way home from work because the bar is literally on the back-road route I take during rush hour to avoid the highway. The fact that every Thursday is Tap The Keg Thursday wasn't too much of a factor. (And in continuing news, fire can be warm to the touch.) The first Thursday I went, after we extensively talked craft beers, uber-knowledgeable Beer Technician To The Stars Kylie (the 'beer technician' part is her actual title and man, has she earned it) made sure I sampled the Flying Monkeys Netherworld Cascadian Dark Ale from the mini-keg on its side at the bar. "I think they hopped it up a little more," she smiled, knowing my fondness for all things hoppy. I reviewed it before so I won't repeat myself but yes, still a great dark ale! On the second Thursday, while I happily quaffed a Great Lakes Brewery Lake Effects IPA, it was a different brew in the keg (as it is every week). After noting that Lake Effects IPA now comes in a 473-ml (16 ounce) can whereas last year it was only available in a 650-ml (22 ounce) bottle with a really cool painted label that Kylie and I both preferred, it was time to try a sample from the new keg - the Niagara Teaching College's Tracie Does Portland IPA, a 6.9% offering. It was nicely fruity on the nose but to me, a bit too sweet on my tongue for an IPA. I want bitter and tangy, not sweet. Not bad but well, not great.

Apparently, you have to be famous like
Frank or Marilyn or Dino or Angelina to
end up on the walls at Rib Eye Jack's...
So no pictures of me. Until I put one up!

But it was the food that Marie and Ernie raved about after his birthday. Marie had their Kentucky Bastard Rib-Eye Steak (made with basting sauce using Nickel Brook Brewing's Old Kentucky Bastard Imperial Stout) while Ernie had the Tennessee Chicken basted in Wild Turkey Bourbon. They both raved and remember, Ernie and Marie are the ultimate foodies. When they enjoy a restaurant's food as much as their own, well, someone's doing something very, very right. But with Marie's young son, Marc, in tow, it was time to go decadent for dessert with something called Death By Chocolate. (Marc recently informed me very solemnly that there was a serious Lego shortage this Christmas so, uhhh, if you need more Legos, you should buy now, I guess. All I know about Legos is they hurt like shit if you step on one.) Okay, the ingredients in this dessert are the following: chocolate ice cream, chocolate brownie, chocolate fudge, peanut caramel chocolate bar pieces, chocolate chips topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. What can I say? Thank god, they added whipped cream to make this a much more balanced, healthy, nutritious dessert. Let's assume they called it Death By Chocolate because Big-Ass Bowl of Diabetes was taken.

But you know, despite not being much of a foodie, I had to try to try their food myself if I wanted to talk about it. So it was time on Saturday for a proper dinner date with the beautiful Lee. (She really enjoyed Flying Monkeys' Smashbomb Atomic IPA when she first tried it with me so that's pretty much all the qualifications she needs for a dinner date with me... The staggeringly beautiful thing, well, that also helps. Not gonna lie)

When Rib Eye Jack's held their Beer Fest
on October 17, the gang at Barrie's Flying
Monkeys Brewery were in the hizzouse!!!

I remembered Marie raving about Turtle Island Brewing's Smashed Cherry Ale and Lee did leave her beer choices in my hands, so that was first up. Now I first met Trish Watson, the Ottawa brewery's co-founder and "Beer Goddess" at the Burlington Beer Festival last summer. At that time, Beer Musketeer Cat also had their Smashed Cherry (I went for the Maple Porter) and also raved. But it was their 6.5% Ixcacao Triple Chocolate Stout that slayed us both. Anyways, back to Smashed Cherry... this beer is cherry (but medicinal, like Hall's Lozenge cherry) and malt on the nose with some tart bitterness on the tongue. A pretty solid Summer beer and three-for-three with the ladies who run in my circle.

Next up, she had to try the Nickel Brook Naughty Neighbour American Pale Ale, a bar favourite. When I was there on Thursday, you could upgrade your 20 ounce pint of Naughty Neighbour to a 32 ounce stein for $1 more (yup, one buck) and the spigot, directly in front of me, was doing huge business in the stein sector. Kylie confessed when Nickel Brook Brewmaster Ryan was in the house, that was his preference, despite the countless cool Imperial IPAs on hand. Well, with Lee, Naughty Neighbour earned its 93 points on RateBeer as she called citrus and fruit on the nose, grapefruit on the tongue. (There's also some pine on the tongue, as well.) When she decided to go for a dirty martini as her third choice, I decided to get a beer for myself that she would really enjoy.

Trish Watson, co-founder of much-loved Turtle Island
Brewing in Ottawa, makes one helluva great cherry ale

Yes, it's past Summer so wheat and saison season is well gone but I thought a Mcauslan Apricot Wheat might be in order for my date. *Ding, ding, ding* We had a winner. Although far too sweet for me, she loved it. Actually, she went nuts for it. I dunno but to me, it's pretty cool when a confirmed wine drinker actually says, "I had no idea there were so many different tastes with beers. These are all delicious!" People, we may just have a craft beer convert.

On my end, I had pints of Mill Street Cobblestone Stout and Muskoka Mad Tom IPA (both of which have been given huge thumbs up in this space) but let's talk food. Lee, like Ernie, had the Tennessee Chicken while I opted for the Grilled Rainbow Trout. Okay, here's where we got to share. Hers came with garlic mashed potatoes while mine came with vegetable quinoa (no idea - like soft rice). I ate her potatoes, she ate my quinoa - it worked out well. Never had a food that started with a 'Q' before and well, Saturday, I wasn't about to start.

Anyone looking for a good Christmas present
for me, well, this would work well. Just sayin'...

The food was delicious but I have to give total props to our waitress, Tiffany. She was entertaining. She was engaging. She totally complimented me with a "holy crap, job well done, dude" for the Lovely Lee when my date left briefly for the lady's room. She was just plain a lot of fun and added a ton of happy chatter and friendship to our night. Between Tiffany's sparkle and Kylie's beer knowledge, well, there is just no downside to this Disneyland of Beers in Burlington. There will be many more beer reports from this locale. I'm sure they'll get quite sick of seeing my face but that's the beauty of being me. I don't care. But I'm sure if I actually had feelings, they'd be hurt. I guess.

Okay, some questions from Beer Musketeer Glenn get answered! First up, when I had the Mid-Autumn Night's Decadent Dangerous Craft Beer Festival at Donny's Bar and Grill, Glenn arrived hours before everyone else. He grabbed the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition off my coffee table for the patio but later asked, "Is there any actual sports in this?" I had no idea so I did my due diligence afterwards. No, there is not. Also, who cares?

Okay, Glenn Question #2: Does Guinness brew anything but Guinness? Again, a legitimate question - and I knew they made a Black Lager but beyond that, I had no idea.

Well, yeah, but seriously, isn't that a year-round sentiment?

Turns out Guinness makes dozens of beers, most of which I've never heard of.  And so, Donny's Beer Bucket List grows exponentially!

And finally a Glenn Vs Skype Question Moment... brought to you by my little October Beer Fest. Glenn, feeling pretty wobbly, is on Skype with Stevil St Evil in New Zealand and it went like this:
Glenn: Who's that in the bottom right corner?
Stevil: That's you.
Glenn: No, it's not!
Stevil: Yes, it is.
Glenn: *puts on his glasses* Hey, you're right! That's me! I'm better looking than I thought.
Stevil: No, you're not.
So back in a few day with more beer and much more fun. But for now, guys and dolls, that's it, that's all and I am outta here!!!! Until next time I remain...

Rib Eye Jack's Ale House? Oh hellz yeah!

Co-worker Marie made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Her beau, Ernie, was
having his birthday celebrated at Rib Eye Jack's Ale House in Burlington.
Her offer? "Hey, come meet us at Rib Eye Jack's!" Who says no to that?

As William Shakespeare once famously wrote: "Forsooth, methinks the Beer Musketeers shall have some ale-ridden fun for when next they visit doth Town of Burling." Oh, maybe literary historians will dispute that Shakespeare ever said anything remotely like that and to them, I just say this. Prove it. The dude wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, as well as various and sundry other scriblings with his feathered quill. Pour through them all and prove to me he never wrote that! Put up or shut up, eggheads.

Birthday Boy Ernie, left, and his Dad, John, enjoy the
sparklers the staff at Rib Eye Jack's put in his dessert to
celebrate this auspicious occasion. Also, there was beer.

Now that we've send the Literary Geeks on a wild goose chase, it's time for the Beer Geeks to chat at the Big People Table. (Shakespeare probably never said any of that. Truth to tell, I have no idea what the dude was saying. The English language was pretty messed up back in the 1500s. Phrases like "forsooth", "verily" and "whatevs.") Last Thursday, my Beer Store co-worker Marie made me a pretty smokin' offer. No, it wasn't that - it was way better than that!!! Her beau and my bro, Ernie, was celebrating his birthday at Rib Eye Jack's Ale House in Burlington and she invited coworker Gordo and myself to join in the festivities after we were done with our shifts. Sounded good to me - Rib Eye Jack's has been in my periphery for over a year now. Actually, it's been in my direct line of vision that I often pass it on the way home from work, settled in just east of the Walker's Line and Harvester intersection here in Burlington. But I've been meaning to stop in because I had heard they sold an impressive selection of craft beers so I figured, "Hey, maybe they have close to 50 or so and there's a couple I haven't tried."

Uhhhh, no... not even close. While we were still working, Marie, already there with the group, sent me a text saying, "There are 200 different craft beers here!" Holy crap, it was on like Donkey Kong!

Rib Eye Jack's "Beer Technician" Kylie holds up a Nickel Brook
Brewing Old Kentucky Bastard Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Imperial
Stout while the restaurant's Head Chef Michael looks on...

When we arrived, the group had long finished the birthday celebrations and were settling into the post-festivities around a large table. Scooting to the bar, Gordo, ever the doofus, taunted me by wondering aloud, "I wonder if they have Coors Light?" The restaurant, in fact, does stock it, putting it on their Beginner's Menu with the likes of non-alcoholic Beck's. That said, I think that's a good call on the restaurant's part, having a handful of mainstream beers available. I saw a group of 15 in a side-room, perhaps having an early Christmas Party and let's face it, the odds of them all being craft beer drinkers is low to nil. A clever restaurant, like a smart brewery, makes sure it has something for everyone. They even have two gluten-free beers on their diet menu although frankly, I think you should be forced to explain what gluten is before you're allowed to complain about it.

Suspecting that I would drag him into the washroom and give him a serious-ass swirly, Gordo opted instead for a Steam Whistle Pilsner - a solid choice and actually one he quite enjoys. It was a little trickier for me, having 200 beers to choose from. In the end, I settled for a 500-ml bottle of Bellwoods Brewery's Witchshark Imperial IPA, a beer I last enjoyed on February 15th when Beer Musketeers Glenn, Cat and myself invaded the tiny Toronto brewery to celebrate my Valentine's Day birthday, as well as to toast Musketeer Stevil St Evil, celebrating his birthday on the 15th. (Given the time difference and that pesky thing known as the International Date Line, we actually both celebrate the same day as our Tuesday is his Wednesday.) And truth to tell, I enjoyed Witchshark IIPA for a couple of days afterwards. When we left the brewpub on that frigid day, we stopped into their retail component to buy some of their best. I got a Mixed-12 Pack, eight of which were the outstanding Witchshark IIPA.

Kylie dressed up as the girl on the label
of Nickel Brook's Naughty Neighbour
American Pale Ale this past Halloween

But it was Gordo who noticed the name-tag of our server, Kylie, also had the designation "Beer Technician". Asking her what that meant, she smiled and noted that it meant she was well-versed on all the beers they served. Gordo heard a direct answer to his question. I, on the other hand, heard a challenge.

So she and I started talking craft beer. Holy crap, this young lady, likely in her early 20s, knew her stuff... and then some. After comparing notes on nearly every Canadian craft beer I could think of, we went south of the border and started talking some of America's finest craft brews. I dare say she has probably had twice as many as me (which is considerable in and of itself) and like many women, has one of those photographic memories whereby she could rattle off all of their unique tastes. (As a hapless male, I have to take notes.) I'm no beer expert, more of an Uber-Enthusiastic Beer Geek. That said, I have spread that same enthusiasm far and wide, having tried dozens and dozens of craft's best over the last long stretch. In fact, my measurement of making sure I have enough craft beer at home is putting it all into the passenger seat until the "airbag enabled" light goes on because the car believes based on the weight, a human being is sitting there. And probably a human male that buys suits at the Big And Tall Store. But calling Kylie a "Beer Technician"? Uhhh, I'm gonna say she is probably a lot closer to a beer expert than I'll ever be. What a smart young lady - and about beer, too, so big bonus points for that!

You can create your own paddle for a few extra bucks but
here's the Rib Eye Jack's "house paddle" featuring, from
left, Mill Street Organic Lager, Nickel Brook Naughty
Neighbour APA and Mill Street Cobblestone Stout...

At some point, Gordo pointed out that I write a beer blog. Her ears perked up, asking the name. So I told her and added that I had recently used a picture of one of their waitresses on Halloween, dressed up as the model on the Nickel Brook Brewing's Naughty Neighbourhood American Pale Ale in this space.

She laughed out loud and slowly raised her hand. That was her. Turns out even though she doesn't know this blog at all, Kylie's been in it. Holy crap, you know how they say it's a small world? Yeah, I never say that because the Earth weighs 6.5 sextillion tons. No idea what a sextillion is but I'm guessing it's like a smokin' hot bunch of billions just from the name. Sexy sexy billions...

To my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving Day
today! We already had ours in Canada a month
ago. Try the turkey - it was pretty damn good. And
remember, just because Charles Manson is married
and you're not, it doesn't make you a loser! Despite
what your family tries to tell you on Thanksgiving!

Okay, I have only begun to scratch the surface of Rib Eye Jack's Ale House here so I'll be back in a couple of days to continue as we investigate their staggering beer selection (seriously, I haven't seen any Toronto bar with this many selections), what awesome food came out of their kitchen under the watchful eye of Head Chef Michael Stauffer as reviewed by the Ultimate Foodies Marie and Ernie, the ultimate Rib Eye Jack's Paddle, what Kylie served us from the mini-cask (we landed there on Cask Thursday - excuse while I yank the horseshoe outta my butt because it's making it difficult to sit and write this), why you'd go for the beer but stay to watch the hockey game in the guys' washroom, what Nickel Brook Brewmaster Ryan drinks when he pops in and much much more about this newly-discovered "now my favourite bar ever!". Also how Beer Musketeers Cat and Glenn, as well as Marie, Ernie and myself all plan to land there very soon for our own Mini Craft Beer Festival ... mostly because the Canadian Emergency Haz-Mat team is continuing to deal with the aftermath on the patio at Donny's Bar and Grill after the October Craft Beer Festival at my casa. They continue to clean up as toxic substances that remain unidentified for the human species are still being found.

Good news for stout lovers! Nickle Brook Brewery's outstanding Bolshevik
Bastard Imperial Stout, which clocks in at 9% and 70 IBUs (international
bitterness units) is now available at select liquor stores in its new 4-Pack!

So Rib Eye Jack's, Part Duh coming this weekend, starting with its history in my corner of the woods (there's a second one in nearby Streetsville) and continuing with a huge bunch of beer reviews, including a couple from our British friends at Fuller's Brewing that just landed in my store, how my Growler Collection continues to grow like vine up an MIT dormitory wall, three unanswered questions from Glenn actually get answered and much more. Oh, and if you don't believe me about Rib Eye Jack's massive beer selection you may just wanna click on this link right here called: Told You It Was Massive!!! And that's just the printed menu. Marie and I were scanning their website there, courtesy of the restaurant's free Wifi and found a whole bunch more that aren't even on here.

But guys and dolls, that's it, that's all and I am outta here!!! Until next time, I remain, as always...

It's not porn... it's craft beer...

"Stupid laptop!!! Work already!!!" This is me... once again...

Once again, my craptastic laptop has pooched out on me. I bought this Folding Horror of Hard Drive Hell at a Boxing Day Sale at Best Buy on January 3 after trashing my trusty five-year-old Toshiba two days prior with a wayward bottle of Flying Monkeys' Smashbomb Atomic IPA. Turns out just because you write a beer blog and enjoy copious amounts of craft beers, it does not mean your keyboard is equally eager to imbibe, as well. My crappy Asus has now vacationed with the Geek Squad for, I believe, the sixth time. I have instructed the fellows at Geek Squad to leave the repair stickers on the top as proof of its mechanical incompetence. My first two laptops lasted me five years each - this one can barely go two months without kakking out on me. If you asked me which has recently caused me more disdain and anger - ISUS or Asus - trust me, it's a dead heat.

This is how bad I've become. If  I see a pretty
woman drinking a beer, my first thought now is,
"Hmmm, I wonder what kind of beer that is??"

But when my laptop fries, everyone always says the same thing. "Too much porn." (Uhhh, no. In actual fact, it's a hard drive operational malfunction. Again. That thing is Norton-ed up the wazoo.) And frankly, porn holds little interest for me these days as 99.9% of the sites I visit these days involve craft beer. The other 0.1% is me paying bills... so I can afford to go buy more craft beer. The problem with porn is there's not enough exposition. Yeah, sure, she's a "College Girl Having Her First Threesome" but really, what does that tell us? What's her major? What's her dream job? Is she truly prepared to make her mark in the work force? Where did that pizza delivery guy come from? There's a reason these things never win Academy Awards. Their plot-lines are pathetically thin. Also the skeevy guy with the ponytail would never own a house that nice. I have one single buddy whose HD-TV's picture is so clear, he says you can see their parents' shame on their faces when he watches. I went over to watch an NFL game once at his place and he was right. The picture quality for this football game was so damn clear, you could actually see the murder evidence.

Okay, enough of that. My friend, Amy, as she always does, saved my bacon by lending me her old Toshiba. It's clunky, a few years out of date and dammit, it does the job. Amy's a doll and a life-saver. Six times this year. Also Geek Squad just called to say my laptop's hard drive was repaired. "You do back your folders up on your external hard drive, right?" asked the Geek Squader. "Oh, absolutely," I said, meaning that one time two months ago when it last died. Turns out external hard drives are meant to be left plugged in. Who knew?

How hard was Buffalo hit with snow this week? This pic
and dozens more like it were posted on various social
media. This one was posted by  buffalobeergoddesses
- @beergoddesses - and shows good beer being chilled

Okay, before we jump to beer, a quick shout-out to our friends in Buffalo who just got rocked this week with probably the worst snowstorm I've ever seen. How bad was it? Well, the average annual snowfall in Buffalo is 94 inches (2.4 metres). Within a 24-hour period two days ago, Buffalo got hit with 65 inches (1.6 metres) and by the end of the weekend, it's expected the total will hit 84 inches (2.1 metres). In a five day span, they have nearly matched their usual annual amount of snow. That's brutal. So to my Buffalo friends, you hang tough and make sure you have plenty of supplies at home, meaning lots of beer and, I dunno, a couple of loaves of bread or soup or whatever it is that humans eat. There are horror stories of motorists trapped in their cars for 36 hours, being forced to listen to nothing but Nicky Minaj and Taylor Swift songs. That's just wrong on every level. But Buffalo Strong, Buffalo Proud, baby!

Is it Beer O'Clock yet at Brew Ha Ha??? Why, yes, I believe it is. Okay, my young Beer Store coworker, Sassy Cassy, is presently studying Kinesiology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. But she decided to fly home to visit her folks a few weeks back. And Cassy, being Cassy, decided to bring me a gift - a one-litre (34 ounces) howler of Sleeping Giants Brewing 360 Pale Ale.

They may be Sleeping but this craft
brewery is poised to be the Giant in the
Thunder Bay craft beer community

Now Sleeping Giants have only been in the Northern Ontario town for a few years but clearly, they are making their mark there, positioning themselves closely to both the town's university and Confederation College. College and university students are the driving force behind the craft beer boom and Sleeping Giants knows that well. Their 360 Pale Ale pours a deep dark gold colour with a little grass and fruit on the nose and a malty but piney finish on the tongue. A very nice, highly smooth and drinkable pale ale. Naturally, Cassy fretted about the howler's durability, given the near-freezing temperatures in an airplane's cargo-hold, wrapping it with clothes to protect it. Given her success, she may wish to switch to Smuggling as her major. When she returns at Christmas, I have been promised a howler of their Skullrock Stout because stouts are my Christmas beer. Cassy actually has me pumped for Christmas, which is a feat in itself.

Okay, last year when my store brought in the Granville Island Winter Mingler pack, everyone's favourite was the Lion's Winter Ale. My stepson, Ryan, out in Alberta, concurred. I found it too vanilla-y and said so in the space. Everyone else tastes chocolate. So when I saw single cans of it, I thought, "Well, let's give her a second chance" because mathematically-speaking, there's no way they're all wrong and I'm right. Well, I am still getting strong vanilla on the nose but yeah, there's a nice vanilla, chocolate and caramel finish to it on the tongue that I missed last year. I'll buy some more of these. A pretty good winter beer.

Wasn't bowled over with the St Ambroise
IPA, which is mostly a true malty British style
with just small touches of west coast hoppy

A beer that didn't wow me this week was the St Ambroise (Montreal) India Pale Ale. While it promises all those wonderful extra hops that the British used to get their beers to India intact back in the days of yore on the clipper ships, it doesn't really deliver. Exceptionally dry-tasting for an IPA - an opinion actually offered up by the friend having it with me - its light floral aroma deceives you into thinking this 6.2% beer may have some kick-ass in the glass. Alas, it does not - lightly fruity and mostly malty on the tongue. This is what I like to refer it as a "starter IPA" for those looking to branch out from lagers and pilsners. That said, this brewery makes perhaps the most outstanding Oatmeal Stout I've ever had.

However, on a stronger note, I had a chance to try Parallel 49 Brewing's (Vancouver) Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale this week and speaking as a registered physician (in Thailand only) the prognosis here was positive. Styled after a British bitter (I suspect), it was toasted caramel malt on the nose with some light pine and a hint of spice on the tongue. A solid offering!

The original version of their Coffee Stout,
Sawdust City is now offering up a spiced
version and man, you can feel those spices.
Aye carumba, this is the Tijuana of beers!!!

Let's end this with an out-of-this-world blast, shall we? That means Sawdust City's (Gravenhurst) Red Rocket Coffee Spiced Stout. A slight variation of their 5.5% regular Coffee Stout, this 5.3% version pours coal-black in the glass with a dark brown head. The biggest trick to this is figuring out how many spices you're smelling and tasting. All coffee and I think cayenne on the nose, this is a pepper and chili pepper bomb in your mouth. And it goes tingly - like noticeably tingly - down your throat. Crap on a cross, this is delicious. I don't think you could drink a lot of these because it's actually very hot on the throat but on a cold Winter day, looking outside, especially if you live in Buffalo, this beer will warm you up beautifully.

Okay, as I said to the cowboy, "Well, yeah, as a matter of fact, this is my first rodeo... and why is that angry bull charging towards me?" This means it's time to call it a day here at Brew Ha Ha because 1) I'm about to get gored and 2) those beers in the fridge ain't gonna drink themselves. Next up, we celebrate my buddy Ernie's birthday at Rib Eye Jack's Ale House in Burlington where the menu has nearly 200 craft beers, both bottled and on tap. Apparently, their food is also delicious but who cares? Also, how the restaurant's young "beer technician" Kylie absolutely schooled me on craft beers. How does a lady that young know this much about craft beers? We'll talk about that in a couple of days. But guys and dolls, that's it, that's all and I am outta here!!! As always, I remain...

A biased peek under the Nickel Brook hood...

Every beer you make, every hop you flake, every
thirst you slake, I will bring you cake... Nickel
Brook owner John Romano (background) keeps
a watchful (stalking) eye on Brewmaster Ryan
on his November 4th birthday two weeks ago. 

As Beer Musketeer Glenn is fond of telling me (repeatedly when he's had a few high-test IPA wobblies), I am absolutely spoiled rotten by having an outstanding craft brewer just five minutes away from Donny's Bar and Grill. That would, of course, be Nickel Brook Brewing.

I am not alone. Beer Musketeers Cat and Stevil St Evil are in similar proximity to, respectively, Toronto's Amsterdam Brewing and Wellington, New Zealand's Garage Project (that brewery, run out of a former gas station, has some of the coolest labels I've ever seen!) Only Glenn is stranded in the Craft Brewery No-Flight Zone... but according to everything we've read, he has several coming within a year or two so fingers crossed.

But it's more than just their outstanding beer that makes Nickel Brook aces in my books. I know most of the 30 employees by their first names (they all seem to know me which is something because I'm painfully shy.. *looks around*... heheheh, they totally bought that. Suckers.) But there are tons of little things that makes this craft brewery a shiny diamond in the Burlington rough - rough being a subjective term. We're kind of a comfortable suburban enclave here. So let's take a peek under the Nickel Brook hood, shall we??? And as it is with most businesses, brewery or otherwise, it all flows down from the top.

Under the initiative of Nickel Brook's favourite son, Tony
Cox, specialty food trucks will now be at Nickel Brook
every Saturday. This past Saturday, it was Gorilla Cheese
which was sold out by 3:15 pm, according to Tony...

Owner John Romano, who created the brewery with his brother, Peter, back in 2005, is one of the friendliest, most genial dudes around. I can ask him any question about his business or the industry at large and he will always answer in the most honest way possible. He is a walking, talking No Bull Zone. When he first heard I wrote a beer blog late last year, he went into a back room and came back, holding a bottle of Old Kentucky Bastard Imperial Stout (their Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout aged for a year in a Kentucky bourbon barrel). Handing it to me, he said simply, "Blog this." I did - one of the best stouts I've ever had and I have had many - it blew the doors clean off Donny's Bar and Grill. Old Kentucky will be back in circulation in December (because it takes a year to age) and both Cat and Glenn are getting one. Even though they have brought me many, many fine brews over the past year, I believe they will consider this particular beer payment in full. Recently, Nickel Brook changed their logo and John, seeing me fill my growlers one day, said, "What's your shirt size?" I said I was a large and he tossed me a T-shirt, saying with a smile, "Here you go!" Believe me, I wear it often... though mostly because I have no issue wearing dirty laundry. Why did the sperm cross the road? Because I put on the wrong sock...

My main man, Tony, stands behind a skid full of cases
of Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout slated for the LCBO

From John, let's look at one of his faithful employees, Tony. Now, of course, as a parent, I know you're never supposed to say who your favoured child is... but Tony is absolutely my favourite Nickel Brook employee, Of course, I keep that to myself. Oh, shit... I just typed that out loud, didn't I? People who think I'm obsessed with Batman, please meet Tony. The word in the industry is that Tony once asked his girlfriend who would win in a fight - Batman or Superman? When she correctly answered Batman, he proposed and they remain happily married to this day. (I've actually met his wife - she's very sweet.) But when I showed up one day for a growler refill with my boy, Tony found out it was David's birthday and gave us the Nickel (Brook) Tour. David loved all the shiny equipment which Tony happily and patiently explained to him. Tony's family lives in Saskatoon and as a collective has decided to hold Christmas In July. Why? "Have you ever been in Saskatoon in December?" he smiled. Hint: It's cold. Like Siberia cold. When he returned last Summer, he told me about his visit to Paddock Wood Brewing, the city's best-known craft brewer who greeted him with that typical Canadian West warmth. And yes, they know Nickel Brook very well there, he noted with no small amount of pride.

Give a man a tractor, he'll either plow the fields or use it
to snow-plow their own lot. Yes, Nickel Brook Brewing,
miles from farm country, has a snow-plowing tractor...
Here, Dale fires up that bad boy, waiting for the snow.

But one of Tony's strengths is that he goes that extra step. When someone gifted him a couple of tiny, spindly-looking hop plants, he planted them both - they were like little Baby Groots - and guy-wired them to the brewery roof. Each week when I came for growler refills (once, twice... three times... don't judge!), I checked them out. Each week, they grew another foot. By the end, the hops were huge and the vines had reached the roof. It was a fun Botany project for Tony, little more, but I checked them religiously every week (or yeah, smaller time increments - shut up!) Tony has since stepped it up, deciding (with John's blessing) that specialty food trucks - a staple at every craft beer festival I've attended - that should grace Nickel Brook's parking lot now that it's off-season. So every Saturday, one finds its way to the Nickel Brook parking lot. First up on November 1 was Jonny Blonde with its fire-grilled meats and specialty sauces. I promised I would be there but on Halloween night, well, I partied until 5:30 a.m. and missed it. How did it go? The truck was there from 11 am to 4 pm but, well, he ran out of food before 3 pm. The owner, Jonny Blonde himself, told Tony, "Thank you so much. You just paid my rent!" I was there on Saturday for Gorilla Cheese, which makes anything but ordinary grilled cheese sandwiches (sold out by 3:15 pm) and this Saturday (November 22) will be Frankie Fettuccine, the Oakville-based Italian food specialty truck. This is all Tony. It's off-season for food trucks. Tony decided there was no off-season and man, these trucks at Nickel Brook are bringing them in like it's a Pearl Jam concert. He's a clever one, that Tony... though well, I mentioned the Batman thing, right?

Within a couple of weeks, I will be able to
buy more Old Kentucky Bastard Imperial
Stout after its annual bottling is complete. 

That brings me to wise-cracking dude, Dale. Now, I'm not sure what Dale's position is there. He's a little older than the young employees running amuck in the place like it's an Adult Day Care so if I had to guess, I'd say he's probably a de facto manager in John's absence. But he's also a funny mofo. I took my two Nickel Brook and one Cameron's Brewing growlers in for a Headstock IPA fix one day. Holding my Cameron's growler high above his head, he joked, "What? Traitor! I can't fill this!!!" John, tucked off to the side, quipped, "It's our product. If he brings in an old boot, we'll take his cash!" But Dale remained undeterred, insisting the 'slight' be addressed. Finding a blank spot between the writing on both sides of the Cameron's growler, he carefully placed a round Nickel Brook sticker there and proclaimed, "Okay, now I can fill it! We have ownership of it now." But he's also super-knowledgeable about their beers. When he sold me a couple of Old Kentucky Bastard Imperial Stouts last year, he suggested, "Buy some extras and keep them in the basement. They get better with age." When I told him I lived in a two-storey apartment and thus had no basement, he looked at me quizzically and said, "Where do you keep the dead bodies, then? In some cheesy storage space? That's just wrong, man!"

Nickel Brook's funky new logo adorns my funky new T-Shirt...

When Nickel Brook recently brought in their own tractor to plow their own snow in their parking lot this Winter, I helped Dale chain the blade a foot off the ground. Looking on from the sidelines (as he does - dude's a freakin' ninja), owner John cracked, "I bet Beau's (All-Natural Brewing) doesn't even have their own tractor!" Beau's, of course, operates out of the tiny Northern Ontario farming community of Vankleek Hill and their best-seller, Lug-Tread Lagered Ale is actually named after the indentations left behind in the mud by a tractor's wheels. And for the sake of research, I'll Twitter them to ask but yeah, I bet they don't own a tractor. I know I don't.

So long story short... Glenn is right. I am totally spoiled. Not only does my craft brewer make excellent beers, its employees actually make you feel like, well, part of the family - its crazy, dysfunctional, insane but well-meaning family. Back to beer in a few days. But guys and dolls, that's it, that's all and I am outta here!!! Until next time, I remain...