Kingston #BeerFam 2020 Brewery Tour 3.0

The Host and Hostess with the Mostest. This would
be Josh Hayter, co-owner of Spearhead Brewing and
his marketing manager Amanda Richardson gave
the Brewery Tour of a Lifetime back in February and
I have been dragging my ass over reporting about it.

Okay, time to wrap this bad boy up. Wayyyy back on February 22, Josh Hayter, co-owner of Spearhead Brewing, along with his trusty hella-great marketing manager, Amanda Richardson, gave us the Kingston Brewery Tour of a Lifetime on the surprisingly beautiful day of February 22. (February. In Kingston. And it was gorgeous out. Chilly but sunny. No way any of us expected that.)

Okay, to recap, Part One dealt with three-week-old Daft Brewing (fun and colourful) and Stone City Ales (enjoyed their product before, enjoyed them even more now.) Part Two dealt with Kingston Brewing Company (my favourite and host to a fantastic lunch) and Riverhead Brewing (where our passionate King City homebrewer Graeme kicked off a lively discussion with brewmaster-part owner Aaron Martin over yeast styles. Yes, yeast.)

That would bring us to Stop #5, Skeleton Park Brewing. Okay, much like the brewers before him on this day, Trevor Lehoux, owner-brewmaster there, would prove to be an engaging fellow with more than a few stories.

And the first one that came out was the origins of the brewery's name. Noting that they were named after a nearby park, he asked us all if we could guess why it was named that.

Owner-CEO-brewmaster Trevor Lehoux of Skeleton Park Brewing has
a captive audience with our crowd. Afterwards, Oakville Brew Crew
Greg told me the variety we saw was a big memory for him. "The
difference between (the breweries.) We visited six and each had their
own niche. (And) the passion each brewer/owner had when we spoke." 

Beer Bro Glenn was quick off the mark (y'know, for an old fart) asking, "Is it because they found a lot of bones there when they were making the park?"

Bingo. That was the exact reason. Turns out it was a bunch of kids playing at the park, while under construction, who found the bones. Which is pretty much the coolest thing ever if you're a kid.

To Guelph Curtis, that was a lasting memory. "I thought the creepy stories about Skeleton Park and the kids finding the bones in the area was pretty cool." He added, "And of course, Glenn found the St Lawrence River." (A nod to Glenn repeatedly asking where the river was. When we were in Ottawa?)

Once again, Graeme resumed the spirited "Which yeast do you favour?" discussion with Trevor, just as he had with Aaron at Riverhead. Graeme's like the Brew Crew's Beast of Yeast or something.

Okay, the three on the right are the Skeleton Park Brewing's Heritage
Series - the Bohemian Pilsner, the Proper English Ale (called Best Bitter
when we were there in February) and the Amber 6.6. The Brew Crew by
and large all favoured the Best Bitter/Proper English Ale while, I, of
course was loyal(ist) to the delicious Amber 6.6. On the far left is their
seasonal Sol Juice IPA, which wasn't available when we arrived there.

Sidebar: Actually what Graeme is best known for is his unique ability to track any beer you are scouting for in your vicinity. Because of that, we call him "The Beer Whisperer." An American posted a pic of a Triple IPA from Sierra Nevada on Twitter and when I noted I had yet to see it in Las Vegas, Graeme answered, "Wineland, south strip." Seriously? How?

But it was Trevor's story about how their Heritage Series started that got the most attention from the Brew Crew. I'll let Hamilton artist-cartoonist David pick it up from here. "I loved the stories told at Skeleton Park of them finding old records in the Kingston Archives to try and recreate old recipes (hence, the Heritage Series) and even harvesting an old hop found in the area that they are now the only one who use it." As I recall, the brewery then locked it in as a proprietary hop, now called the Loyalist Hop. Cool name.

Keep in mind this was late February. Yes, February 2020 - this year - and
in this photo, taken by Greg, there are no facemasks. There is no social
distancing. Hugs were freely exchanged. Doesn't seem possible that this
was six short months ago. Anyway, on the left side we see Chuck and
April Thibert (both of Ottawa's Waller St Brewing), Candice and Jamie,
and The Big Peezy Paul. On the right, Nichole and Curtis, me a few rows
back not paying attention and behind me, Graeme, also playing on his
phone. Ever notice how the worst kids gravitate to the back of the bus?

But I got a chance to chat one-on-one with Trevor after a chance meeting at the retail counter. I asked him why when they now have a full-fledged, brick-and-mortars brewery would they still maintain an office that they rented when they were contract-brewing?

His answer. The brewery is the brewery and retail but all that oh-so-fun paperwork of running a business is still done in the initial office. Separating, well, business from pleasure, if you will. However, he added that outside money people had approached him on occasion, asking if he'd like investors. While outside interest is obviously a good sign for any business, simply because it means others see your potential and would like a piece of that pie, there's also a downside. Silent partners never stay silent. In fact, they tend to forget what the word 'silent' actually means.

Oshawa's Jeff and Spearhead Head Brewer Jacob Schmidt share a laugh
when we landed at our final destination - Spearhead Brewing. I think the
operation was far larger than any of us anticipated and was a fantastic
capper on a even better day in Kingston. While Josh was, of course, our
host for the day, Jacob gave us all an outstanding tour of the brewery.

And since they would like to see the best return on their investment, it isn't long before they start suggesting cost-cutting measures. I truly hope Trevor has been able to continue resisting that through these trying financial times. He seemed like a pretty genuine and resolute fellow so I'd guess yes. The Brew Crew all loved his stories and even moreso, his beers. In many ways, the most interesting and informative stop of the day.

Okay, final destination (though not in that scary Final Destination movie way) was, of course, Spearhead Brewing because Josh sure as hell wasn't going to start the tour there. It had to be the big finale and it, indeed, was. Okay, right off the top, I think this operation was far larger than any of us thought it would be.

Well, what can I tell ya? The sign says it all! Here's me,
Curtis and Glenn all goofing around once we landed at
Spearhead. I suspect photographer Nichole was hoping
for a more civilized photo but given the subject matter,
that wasn't gonna happen, was it? Great day, great fun!

Back in May 2017, the Spearhead gang took over an old air-brake factory, located at 675 Development Drive, gutting it entirely and began building their brewery from the ground up. It was a lot of ground. Some 16,000 square feet to be precise.

While Josh originally envisioned a Fall 2017 opening, the usual hiccups and burps associated with envisioning and then actually building something of this large scale happened. However, in the end, the doors finally opened to the public on April 2018 - less than a year after they began. (That's actually damn good.)

At the time of the original announcement in May 2017, the Kingston Economic Development Corporation said in a release, "(We are) so excited to welcome Spearhead Brewing President and CEO Josh Hayter to Kingston." You know, I attended Queen's University for a half year decades ago and all I got was a note from the Penitentiary saying, "See you soon." But hey, funny story, guess who footed the tab for our dinner at Spearhead? Yup, the KEDC. Thanks, gang. Most of us were still working off that huge lunch but hey, believe me, we noshed. Great spread!

Exactly one week after our Kingston Brewery Tour, Spearhead was the
official beer partner to the 2020 Tim Horton's Brier Canadian Men's
National Curling Championship. Beers available at the bonspiel? Well,
their Hawaiian Style Pale Ale, Sam Robert Band Ale and Decoy Lager.
Here, our man, David, captured both Jacob and Josh lining up a shot.
Guessing the bar was as close to the ice as these two actually made it.

But back to Head Brewer Jacob and his insightful and laugh-filled tour of Spearhead. Like I said, our final stop of the day and I think we hit it around 6 pm or so? Due to a huge lunch, everyone was quite well behaved, especially after visiting five breweries but we were definitely loose and lively.

When Spearhead started in Kingston, Josh lured Tomas Schmidt out of retirement. Tomas had worked for big (Labatt) and small breweries alike. Jacob came along with his father, who he fully acknowledged had taught him well. So while Tomas is the official Spearhead Brewmaster, Jacob admitted as Head Brewer, well, pretty much all the day-to-day responsibility fell onto his shoulders now. And he made it clear that was happily so. With countless tanks at his and the crew's disposal, it was "kid in a candy store" time for a guy like him. And at this point, with a well-lubricated Brew Crew, he was fielding questions like he was the Brewers' Golden Glove winner.

Glenn thinks that he caught a Josh Hayter "unicorn" photo here. That
meaning, Josh is actually smiling. No. Josh smiles all the time. The real
trick is to catch him laughing!! A beer rep, who once worked with
Josh, told me he had never once seen him laugh. Oh, I will capture his
laugh. This I swear. And that bowling shirt from Sin City Brewing
in Las Vegas? I had to tell him they were a casualty of COVID-19 as
they shuttered their operations in May. Pandemics are a real bitch...

And I would relate those questions if I could remember even one. Truth is as entertaining and informative as Jacob was, I was only half-listening and then, well, just wandered away during the whole thing to see if I could discover what brewing was in their many tanks. Holding my attention after five breweries? You'd have better luck with a goldfish. But man, the Brew Crew loved it, each getting some one-on-one time with Jacob.

"One of the best parts (of the day) was the tour at Spearhead and seeing that operation," said Graeme.

"Chatting with (Jacob) at Spearhead was really interesting," added Curtis. "He knows a lot of efficiency."

But for me, our cartoonist David kinda nailed it. "Sitting at Spearhead and having a chance to talk with everyone was great." Yeah, the relaxing part at the end of the day where we just drank and chilled with new and old friends.

The thing about that is Josh arranged two rides for us on the bus back to the hotel. One at 8 pm, one at 9 pm. The bus never moved at 8 pm because nobody got on it. Absolutely no one was willing to call it a night that early. And we didn't. You see, on the bus-ride back, April and Chuck Thibert announced there was a Waller St Brewing After Party in their room at the hotel. With, of course, their beer.

Okay, pretty much the best Sour I have ever had in my life
and I know Curtis agrees wholeheartedly. The Waller St
Brewing Imperial Scotch River Sour was smooth, sweet,
woody and the most deceptive beer in the world at a huge
ABV of 11.8%. Honestly, it tasted like it was 3% or 4%. If
you see it, buy it. Might be pricey at that ABV. Worth it!!

Game on. Actually, 'game on' in two ways. You see, February 22 was the night that the Leafs were playing Carolina. After the Canes lost both goalies to injury, Toronto Marlies' zamboni driver David Ayres was thrust into duty as the Carolina goalie. After the Leafs scored on their first two shots against him, the Canes defence came out huge in the third, China Walled him, won the game 6-3 and the 42-year-old became the oldest goalie in NHL history to record a win in his debut. Every Leafs fan in the room, myself included, was cheering him on. His wife Sarah's reaction on Twitter when her hubby came onto the ice in a Canes jersey? A very honest "F**K ME!!!!"

But anyway, what a crazy capper to an insanely fun and meticulously-organized day by Josh and Amanda. I'm sorry it took me so long to write this, you two, but truth to tell, I thought I already had. Like months ago. It wasn't until I pulled up my blogs that I realized it was still just a draft. Perhaps that's a testament to how much fun I - and we - had that six months later, I still remember it like it was yesterday. Great job! But Scooby Doo Gang, that's it, that's all and I am outta here. Until next time, I remain...

Hangin' with Tiiu and Steve....

And so Tiiu gets her glass. I didn't realize it but Tiiu has long coveted
my HopCat (Detroit craft beer bar) Shaker Pint glass. Why? Because
no one covets a Shaker Pint. It's the most basic bar glass ever. But she
did. And why? She and hubby Steve are Detroit fans (yes, they exist)
but they also have a black cat. All the pieces were dropping into place
now. I had two of them so yeah, of course, no problem sharing one.

This is the story of a patio meeting at a craft beer brewery in Brantford. Now with that reveal, you're likely thinking, "Well, that's not exactly revolutionary, is it? People meet on patios all that time." And they do... or at least did. Until 2020. The year that changed the rules about, well, everything. How you socialize. Hell, should you even socialize?

As Ontario enters Phase 3 (with regards to opening more and more public facilities during the pandemic), a lot of us are still treading very, very carefully.

I have not been on a public patio since February 2020. Neither have my met-for-the-first-time friends, Tiiu and Steve (@SteveTiiu), who, like me, are very big Vegas fans and regular YouTube Vegas vloggers (okay, that part's not like me - just a Vegas drinker). In fact, the last time any of us was on a patio was February 2020 in Vegas. Three of us and not one has seen a public patio in five months. Mostly because they've been shut down. Here and in America. And around the world. Pretty much everywhere.

Tiiu, myself and Steve at our first social outing since February. We hit
the patio at Mash Paddle Brewing last weekend. Despite the fact the pair
lives just five minutes away, they had never been there. Turned out
Steve's a bit of a hophead just like me while Tiiu opted for the milder
styles. Who drank what? Well, you gotta read on and I'll get to that...

Apparently, there's a nasty little bug going on. I think I saw it mentioned in passing a couple of times on the internet. Corona-something. Maybe it was Heineken-something. Can't recall.

Anyway, before we continue, lemme explain how we all got together on a sunny and sizzling hot Sunday. A month or so ago, I posted a beer picture using that HopCat (Detroit location) shaker pint glass seen in the top picture. It's a fall-back glass I use when I don't have a branded glass for the brewery that made the beer. Tiiu commented on the picture, saying how much she loved the glass and was wishing she had one. I didn't know what the attraction was but said, hey, I have two if you want one. Turns out she very much did.

Going to Mash Paddle Brewing in Brantford was the first time
Steve, Tiiu and myself had engaged in a social outing since the
Coronavirus shit hit the fan back in March. Actually, make that
mid-February when we were all in Vegas, though in different
locations. The couple loves the strip while I am now a Fremont
Street kind of guy. I'll lure them Downtown somehow some way
but as a digital marketer, Steve might already know it's the best!

Long story short, Tiiu has a black cat that looks identical to the one on the glass. In fact, the cat appears at the cartoon beginning of their travel vlog. (Search Tiiu & Steve on YouTube.) There you go. So some time back in mid-June, she suggested a meet-up at a local Brantford brewery, suggesting Bell City, Mash Paddle or Steel Wheel. Either of the last two, I replied as I've been to Bell City many times. Steel Wheel took itself out of the equation as reservations are needed for their patio and they were booked up so Mash Paddle it was. In the end, we were all pretty happy with the choice. For me, a new brewery that was unfamiliar. For them, just five minutes from their house. Win-win.

So we connected on Sunday afternoon (July 26th). First off, what a cool couple. Super genuine. Like me, plenty of Vegas stories to share and between us three, just easy, fun and lively conversation all afternoon about our favourite travel destination. Fantastic for a first outing in five months, especially with new friends. (*Scottish brogue* Take that, ya wee shitty virus thingy!)

The beers that were available to us on the
patio. Steve and I both opted to drink the
Citranatti Bengal Session IPA as our first,
followed by the Vancouver Maneuver IPA
second. Tiiu went with the I Don't Practise
Sangria Boysenberry Blonde Ale as her
starter followed by a Bixel's Lager. We all
very much enjoyed our selections. Perfect.

Then the similarities started popping up left, right and centre. The last time we were all there - them on the strip, me at the Downtown Grand just off Fremont Street - was mid-February, as mentioned. I was there for my annual Vegas Birthday Week. So, too, was Steve. My birthday is February 14th. So, too, is Steve's. My next trip was booked for a March 16 arrival before Vegas - and all of Nevada -was shut down by Governor Steve Sisolak. Theirs was booked for that exact same day - first day of March Break.

"Without saying anything to each other, we both knew the trip would be cancelled by the middle of the previous week," Tiiu noted. I told them that I was still in it right up until that Friday. Both Vegas Value Vlogger, Mark (@pennys4vegas) out of London and I were resolute about our trips. By mid-Friday, I was ready to throw in the towel but confessed to them, I was waiting for Mark to pull that trigger first. He finally did and I immediately followed suit. No way I was droppin' trou' first, I chuckled.

But I had a Mark story for them from my Birthday Week. We met for the first time on February 9 at Banger Brewing on Fremont. Mark had some Group-on offer for the place so we split a taster flight to start (with pints to follow.) But because Mark's a Bud drinker, I started him with their Coffee Kolsch figuring it would be mild enough while I opted for their spicy El Hefe Hefeweizen. Mark quickly blanched at the Kolsch so I suggested he try my El Hefe. Now that he genuinely liked so we simply switched beers. After each of us had actually drank some of our own.

A very cool Mash Paddle pint glass (none available in the
retail) behind my Hog and 2cent "Scientific Fact" Bud-
themed facemask. The mask is great but that Citranatti
Bengal Session IPA was even better on a sunny, hot day!

"Can you imagine doing that now?" I laughed.

Tiiu is a health care professional (I don't really know who reads these so that's as much as I'll say) and she felt safe going to the patio. I found that in itself reassuring. Granted, Mash Paddle did it right. There was only three groups of us, at least 15 feet apart. As for indoor seating? One table and it was just 10 feet back from the wide open garage door. You arrived wearing a facemask (or no go) and were only allowed to take it off while drinking. Stand up to stretch your legs or go to the washroom, mask back on. When I arrived, (Steve and Tiiu were already there) the guy at the front asked for my full name, writing it beside Steve and Tiiu's.

I didn't know why but Steve explained, "In case someone there turns up having the virus, they have call us for contact tracing." Meaning, of course, we'd all need tests, too. And since both Tiiu and I have been essential workers since it all began, as much as I'm sure we'd both enjoy 14 days off, we'd prefer that wasn't the reason. (Although, in my case, there have been days... just sayin'...)

Inside seating? Yup. One table distanced from the patio by
about 20 feet. I tell you Mash Paddle hit all the right safety
notes when they opened things up to the public. Again, as I
said, if Tiiu, a medical health professional, felt safe there,
well, then Steve and I felt safe there. Good to have a pro!

Okay, so Tiiu and Steve are travel vloggers who just so happen to have a number of Vegas posts because, let's face it, it's a helluva lot more interesting than, say, Butte, Montana. I don't really gamble but I constantly plug into Vegas vlogs, which get guaranteed likes and subscribers because... Vegas!

Their vlog, Tiiu And Steve Hit The Road, (featuring that aforementioned black cat in cartoon form) is always a fun ride but when I clicked on it, I realized two things. One, I wasn't even a subscriber (don't panic - meet subscriber #295!) and two, way back in April, Steve had called me out to do the Three-Shot Challenge. Liquor and I have a hate-hate relationship so I deferred. But I do (now) remember Steve's challenge. I was one of the very few non-Vegas-vloggers nominated, I suspect. And I assumed I was already a subscriber because their vlogs kept showing up on my "recommended" You-Tube list.

But vlogging Vegas is not for slackers (such as myself), they noted. It's a lot of work, a lot of filming and a lot of editing. "We're kind of perfectionists," Steve admitted so yeah, they don't just slap stuff together and say, "Finished!"

Yanked off their Facebook page, here's a Mash
Paddle server having some fun at the brewery in
the pre-COVID days. Turns out the brewery has
been around for five years. I gotta admit - that
really surprised me. Well, I know where they are
now so they'll likely see me (and Steve and Tiiu)
again. It was a great afternoon of talking and fun!

But it was hilarious to hear that when they review their footage, there's a whole lot of "Oh, right, that's where we were. That's what we ate. That's what we drank." I suspect that is the case for many, if not ALL Vegas vloggers. I don't even vlog and my first two days of every week-long visit is a blur of slamming down fantastic American craft beer. By Day Three, my body's like, "Simmer down there, Hoss. You ain't 25 anymore." So I post pictures on Twitter that remind me during those bleary-eyed, foggy "Dafuq did I do yesterday?" mornings with my coffee. So far I haven't embarrassed myself but well, that takes a lot for me. Perhaps waking up in jail, missing a kidney or something.

It was interesting because Tiiu and Steve have always stayed on the Vegas strip as had I for my first 13 trips. That said, I am a recent but fiercely loyal convert to the scene in Downtown Vegas on Fremont Street because, well, it's just old-school Vegas nuts down there. But I think they may check out Fremont soon. Steve has mobility issues (wonky knees) so he boots around on a rented scooter. So many Vegas vlogs have been Fremont-centric recently, featuring prominent You-Tubers such as Hog and 2cent, Pennys4Vegas, Ace of Vegas, super-host Richard Wilk and Little Miss Hot Mess Express herself, Cinamon Hall, (I so have to party with this lady) that it's slowly becoming a desired destination.

I've circled the table where Tiiu, Steve and I enjoyed some
wobbly-pops last Sunday on a sizzling hot day. Trust me, those
beers went down mighty fine. Great little brewery, fantastic
company and well, you gotta start Phase Three somewhere, eh?

I suggested with the proximity of the hotel-casinos (less than a hundred feet apart, rather than miles on the strip) that they would love it there. Less walking for Tiiu, less scooting for Steve.

Okay, this is a beer blog so let's get that down for prosperity. Each of us had two beers. Like me, Steve is a hophead who loves his Lagunitas IPA. Being 100% owned by Heineken, there's plenty of that on tap in Vegas. So we both started with their session IPA, Citranatti Bengal. But when our friend Justin (@J_NO_LIFE) from Langley, B.C. (not a real place) saw Vancouver Maneuver IPA, well, he was pretty insistent we try that, as well. "Somebody has to try the Vancouver Maneuver for me," Justin said, "(Because) 6.6%, that's how we roll!!" I posted my pictures when I got home but, Justin, I am happy to report that's exactly what we had and it was damn solid. Unfortunately, it was also completely sold out at their retail. Tiiu prefers the maltier styles so she opted for the I Don't Practise Sangria, a boysenberry-infused Blonde Ale.

Cheers to all of our friends missing Las Vegas right now!
We will get back some day. Steve, Tiiu and myself are so
hoping for October but mine and Steve's Birthday Week
in February 2021 may be a little more realistic, I think.

She followed with their flagship beer, Bixel's Lager, which has a very strong following among the locals.

Okay, so Tiiu and I talked about meeting mid-June. Why did it take until the end of July until we finally did connect? Life. Work. A long-awaited visit from my son, David. Name it. So how did we eventually get together? Funny story. Turns out we were watching Colorado's coolest cat, Eric (@AceofVegas) livestream interview Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (yes, it's a real place!) couple Tamara and Gord (@VegasBestIdeas) about whether Canadians could go back to Vegas. Turn out we absolutely can but they actually did. On Canada Day, no less! But every livestream has a live chat section off to the right and hey, Tiiu reminded me about getting together. So we did. The next day. Gawd bless YouTube. So there you go. We'll be doing it again at a Hamilton brewery in the near-future but until then Scooby Doo Gang, that's it, that's all and I am outta here! As always, I remain...

Tears are not enough...

An early member of the Antifa movement was my Uncle
Don, the handsome chap on the left. He was a navigator
for the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII. You
see, he also fought fascism and Nazis and as such, was an
anti-fascist. He didn't survive the war but I'm glad to see
the Antifa movement carried on in his name. Well done!!
So when exactly did anti-fascism become bad in the US?

I wasn't certain I wanted to write about this. Actually, to be clear, I didn't. Honestly, it's not the first time I've been in that quandary, either.

The subject matter is, of course, the explosive protests in America at the moment that followed the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands - or rather, knee - of a white Minnesota cop (who I'm not going to name because it's not worth uttering.) It was all caught on video right down to Floyd's physical distress, saying he couldn't breathe. The cop didn't care that he was being filmed. Neither did his partner nor two more cops not on the video. For nine minutes that cop kneeled on Floyd's neck in front of us all until he was unconscious and quite likely, not breathing. He was also handcuffed, by the way.

It was one of the most disgusting and heart-wrenching displays of sickening smug white privilege I have ever witnessed in my 62 years. In essence, "I can kill a black man in broad daylight, while being filmed. No one and nothing can stop me." Except, that's not privilege. That's murder, which is 10, if not 20 gigantic steps beyond privilege.

There were a couple of incidents against the black community prior to this that I will get into, as well. But first, why was I avoiding writing about this? There's a couple of reasons.

I suggested on both Facebook and Twitter that if anyone
found the kneeling on the left more offensive, they were
welcome to unfriend or unfollow me. This is precisely why
Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the
National Anthem. Protesting police brutality against black
Americans. He lost his job because of it but this is fine?

Number one, I didn't wanna be THAT white guy. The hippie dude who says, "Hey, man, just know that I love and support the black community." (Actually, I love and support all communities but let's just concentrate on one at a time. I'm as ADD as shit.) To me, it just seemed more self-indulgent than, you know, actually helpful in this situation.

Number two, who the hell cares what I think? I'm old, white and male. I bring nothing of value or relevance in this particular situation to the table. I have no idea what it's like to grow up black in North America. I mean, I can guess but that's all it is - guessing. That said, I understand with pin-point precision the advantages I have been afforded because I'm white. I'm not rich. Quite the opposite, in fact. I have no real influence. If I did, I'd lock every old, white politician in a metal box. Those asshats bug me.

Not sure which protest this is but if you cannot see
the pain in this man's eyes, please consult your local
optometrist. I wish ALL law enforcement agencies
in America were this empathetic right now. Many
are, don't get me wrong. But in a time like this, it
would be much nice if they ALL were. Could use it.

So anyway, here's what changed my mind on this whole thing. A few days after Floyd's murder (as a former journalist, I should feel obliged to preface murder with "alleged" but you know what? Nope) my buddy, Steve, in a very meaningful way, snapped on Facebook. As a black man, he had had enough.

I am condensing this to the most salient points but Steve said: "Today is a struggle for me... I have spent so far a large part of my day teary-eyed, trying to comprehend WTF is going on. (Showing a photo of two protests) Protestors in Minnesota last night (the George Floyd protests) and protestors in Michigan a few weeks back (the white assholes who stormed the Legislative Assembly loaded with assault weapons because their right to roam the street like rabid dogs had been taken away), there was a huge difference in the way the police dealt with it." (The Floyd protestors are being met with tear gas and worse. The Michigan protesters, despite being heavily-armed, marched in, screamed and yelled because they couldn't go to the barber or nail salon. And eventually just walked out. Like nothing had happened.)

Back to Steve's point - the current riots. "The predominantly black protesters aggressively protesting on the street. Now I've read and seen the comments. 'Why can't black people just protest peacefully?'"

Camden County (New Jersey) Police Chief
Joseph Wysocki marched with protesters this
past week. This is an excellent example of the
police doing the right thing. That said, there
are many more examples of them doing the
opposite. I am simply posting these pictures
for one reason. To show it truly can be done.

"My perspective? I don't condone looting and stealing. It's wrong and it plays right into the white privileged mentality that says, 'See? Look how they are!' But I understand it. When you are subjected to systemic injustice constantly, it wears you down until you want to act out! That's from first-hand experience." 

He added in America, white men can walk down the street, heavily armed and nothing happens. "If I loaded myself up and walked down any street, I would not get very far!" (My guess? Maybe 10 feet - 20 if he runs.)

As for why "blacks can't protest peacefully?" Steve has a response. "A few years ago, Colin Kaepernick took to his knee to peacefully protest what he felt was systemic violence towards black men in America." Beside it, Steve posted the picture of White Murder Cop kneeling on George Floyd's head. "My perspective? Even if the black guy broke the law, he should still be alive today! The cop looks pretty comfortable in his actions. When Colin K peacefully protested, he was labelled anti-American. Black-balled from working. Have those white guys fully-loaded in Michigan been labelled anti-American? His peaceful protest was not taken seriously. (Why?) 'Because he did it wrong!' (So) another black man dies. Message: Sure, black people, we want you to protest peacefully... but not like that! And if you protest in aggression, you see, that's how you people are. Dangerous!"

This photo, taken by Gary Coronado of the Los Angeles Times, speaks
louder than words. George Floyd's last words were "I can't breathe."
And then he stopped doing precisely that. Because some damn white cop
decided he had the power over life and death that day. It's so sickening.

As for Canada, well, Steve's not gonna dress America as the lecherous uncle and put Canada in a pretty party dress. We are no better. We are simply one-ninth the US population so you only see it one-ninth as much. But to be certain, if you're black, you do see it. Back to Steve's words now.

"I get this question enough and it concerns me. 'Have you experienced racism in Canada?' So that's a resounding yes! It's (as) systemic as it is in the USA. Having lived in three countries where the systems are run and governed by the white population mostly, (I think) white privilege is rampant!"

I know that I'm livid. I like to think I am listening. But
it's gonna take a lot more. We need - and more likely -
our black brothers and sisters need us to not only be
listening but to be speaking out loudly. When the white
community joins the black community in solidarity,
well, then that voice gets pretty damn loud. Trying to
do my part here. Maybe I'm succeeding. Maybe I'm
not. But I want my son to know that I tried very hard.

"And it's a concept that a large majority, one, don't understand and two, would never admits it exists. How many white people whined to me when Affirmative Action was seriously prevalent and jobs were going to visible minorities. Yeah, that must have been a tough go for you!"

As for support from his white friends (which, of course, includes me), "It's mildly comforting to hear from white people, 'Oh, that's just disgusting and how awful.' My perspective (is) you will never understand and at this point, we don't expect you to. After all, it's 'just playing the race card'."

Okay, lemme say something here. Steve is not my only black friend. But he was the first. Growing up in white-bread Oakville, I was not afforded much face-to-face with the black community. I met Steve in Grade 9. He became a friend then. He has become an even better, closer friend since. Sometimes, old friendships grow. Sometimes, they disappear. It's organic. Nothing you can control. This one, for whatever reason, grew. And frankly, I feel like I am a better man for it.

Because now, I am invited to see the world through another man's eyes. What he has seen is vastly different than what I have seen. And I'm way older than Steve. By seven months.

So, anyway, here's the man whose words you just
read with his baby girl, Hannah. Hannah is now
in her 20s and can no longer sleep on her daddy,
Steve, like this. It's pretty much my favourite
picture of them and like David and me, there
have been hundred of photos. But I love this one.

But he has seen the world for what it truly is. The worst it can be. I have not simply by virtue of my pale skin. (Seriously, I am so white. I'm Oakville white which is the whitest of all whites.)

But my friend, Renee Navarro, (who I've never actually met) is best known for her efforts with diversity in craft beer. It's seen as kind of a fully-bearded white dudes' territory. (I only have an ugly stache so I'm kinda half-assing it.) She's trying to change that. Working damn hard at it, too. She'll succeed. Gonna take a while but she will. Anyway, like the pesky little sister she is (such a pain-in-the-ass), she challenged me to write about my favourite POC, a.k.a. person of colour. (Translating that for white Oakville people.)

You see this handsome fellow here? Steve. He's my favourite. Yeah, he's better looking than me. And yeah, he's more athletic. Won Male Athlete of the Year once when we were in high school. And yeah, he's better with the ladies than I am. And yeah, the dude's smooth as silk. And yeah, people just naturally are drawn to him whereas I...

Wait, why do I like this guy again? He's pretty much kicking my ass at everything. Oh, right. Now I remember. Sometimes, you want your friends to do better than you. Especially if they really deserve it. Steve does. Peace out, brother. I will always stand beside you.

Kingston #BeerFam 2020 Brewery Tour 2.0

Jeff, an Oshawa member of the Brew Crew, was
there to act as a doorman at Kingston Brewing,
the oldest microbrewery in Ontario, having first
started in 1984. I have to admit this was pretty
much my favourite stop on the day. Fantastic!

Okay, let's continue with the Part Two of the Kingston #BeerFam 2020 Brewery Invasion that happened way back on February 22. I apologize for the delays but frankly, things have been a shit-show lately with this Coronavirus. In fact, I look back in amazement on how, just under three months ago, a group of 20 of us shared a bus without a concern in the world.

Now look at this craptastic world we live in. WTF? To paraphrase Ferris Bueller, change comes at you fast sometimes, eh? Suddenly, your best friend accidentally trashing his father's prized Ferrari doesn't seem like such a big deal in the grand scheme.

Okay, aside from two cancelled trips to Vegas in March and May (and if you know me, you know that's like a dagger directly to the heart), there's been some COVID-19 scares a little too frikkin close to home for me. First and foremost, I work with the public daily and while I am glad to have a job, I'm also in charge of and living with a 90 year old mother.

In the same mall at my place of employment, there's a Metro grocery store where four employees got COVID-19 in the space of one week at the end of April. At first, I thought, "Oh man, that sucks" because I know many of them. Then I realize I had been in that same store FIVE times during that same week. When that finally dawned on me, I freaked.

Braden MacRae, owner and brewer at the Kingston
Brewing Company, walked us through their history,
which is considerable since they opened in 1984, as
well as fed us one of the best meals (it was catered in
courtesy of Tourism Kingston) most of us have ever
eaten. For a group visiting breweries, I gotta say that
"The Lunch" seemed to be a huge favourite memory.

I call my Mom "Jay" (her nickname since youth) but when I get home now, she must think I've changed it to "SIX FEET AWAY JAY!!!" She may annoy the hell out of me at times (okay, often) but I've been left in charge of her. And she's my Mom so... you know, I love her and all that.

Okay, back to business. To recap, Josh Hayter, co-owner of Spearhead Brewing, ably aided and abetted by his brewery's communications manager, Amanda Richardson, organized this Kingston brewery tour way in late-February - you know, way back in the pioneer days when you could shake hands or hug someone without worrying about killing them. And you two, I sincerely apologize for the delay here. You did such a wonderful job with this! So anyway, Part One (written in late March - ouch!) chronicled our first group meeting at Delta Lakeside Hotel and subsequent trips to newcomer Daft Brewing and Stone City Ales, one of the older ones at five years of existence.

Before I get into it, let me establish one thing. To honour our hard-working and industrious host, Josh and hostess Amanda, Spearhead Brewery was EVERYONE'S favourite stop of the day! So, from this point, if I mention anyone's favourite brewery, you are to read it very specifically in your head as "second favourite brewery" behind Spearhead (which actually was the favourite stop for many.)

No idea whose picture this is but who cares? It was
someone in our group. But Tourism Kingston got us a
lunch we all would remember from a catering place.
Pork ribs, brisket, crazy good mac-and-cheese, cole
slaw... and some leafy substance. I asked what it was
and was told it was something called "Sah Lad." You
know, I hate when people just make up words on me.

Okay, Stop #3, which was my absolute favourite brewery of the day (read above, do as instructed, please) was Kingston Brewing Company. For starters, when you walk through the front door, it looks like every British pub you've ever visited. You feel like some England soccer teams such as Liverpool and Arsenal should be fighting it out for the Whatever Cup on the telly while you mingle with the cast of Downton Abbey. Tons of wood everywhere - wooden booths, wooden railings, wooden staircases (complete with creaking noise.) Metal beer plaques screwed into the walls. Place was just totally "Hail Britannia! For Queen and country, mates!"

Aside from the beer, which I'll get to shortly, there was something else about this place... but I'm struggling to remember. It was so long ago now. Lemme turn to some of the Brew Crew to see what they recollect about that brewery. First up, Hamilton Artist and Cartoonist Extraordinaire David, what do you remember about Stop #3? "Obviously, the food was amazing at Kingston Brewing Company." Hmmm, starting to ring a bell. Hey, King City homebrewer Graeme, how about you? "The lunch was epic and that place (KBC) was so cool." I feel like I'm getting warmer here. Okay, Oakville Brew Crew member Greg, what do you have? "Lunch!!! That spread - can still taste the brisket." Oh man, I feel like I'm so close to the answer.

Okay, the samplers at Kingston Brewing Company are exactly the top
three on this menu and in order. The Whitetail Cream Ale, very solid for
its style, a beautifully British-style, malty Dragoon's Pale Ale and my top
one (I bought plenty - you should too) their Double Dry-Hopped IPA. I
remember that beer as fondly as the lunch. Which is saying something!!

Okay, Guelph Curtis (half of our favourite engaged Brew Crew couple - sup, Nichole?), take me home, buddy!! "The ribs and brisket at that pub were insane!"

Whoop, there it is. Because Josh had enlisted both Tourism Kingston and Kingston Economic Development to foot the bill for lunch and dinner (later at Spearhead), we feasted like royalty. And when you drink as much beer as you do on these Brewery Invasions, padding the stomach is never a bad move.

But the lunch? Look, you don't expect food to be a central theme at a brewery invasion but it was all any of us could talk about for a goodly chunk of the afternoon. As Curtis said, the brisket and ribs were mind-blowingly awesome and the mac-and-cheese side? Still haven't replicated it for me and my son despite a couple of tries. If I just knew which cheese.

Because I'm a smoker, I think I got to see something that
the balance of the Brew Crew likely missed. In the alley
beside the brewery leading to a courtyard, there was this
plaque commemorating Sir John A MacDonald, Canada's
first Prime Minister and notorious imbiber. The top of
this tells the story about how he used to relieve himself on
this very wall after a night of politicking and drinking way
back in the 1860s and leads to the punchline, "John A
MacDonald, Urination Builder if we ever saw one..."

Okay, beer time. As you can see above, the samplers lined up perfectly with the top three items on their beer menu - their Whitetail Cream Ale, Dragoon's Pale Ale and Double Dry-Hopped IPA. Of course, I loved the Double Dry-Hopped IPA the most, taking home a sixer but the Dragoon's was something I don't have nearly enough of - a true malt heavy, hop light British-style Pale Ale. Exactly as the style was brewed in its UK infancy 100 or whatever years ago.

But one of the even cooler aspects at DBC? We were gathered downstairs, ready to go up for our lunch and samplers when Curtis nudged me, saying "Donny, check this out." It was their guest tap lines, written on a chalkboard, listing something like 20 of the greatest beers from the top breweries across the Province. Just an unbelievable assortment in pretty much every style. Anyway, as I said, my favourite stop of the day. If I lived in Kingston (after a brief stint as a Queen's University student, I feel certain I'm banned from residency there), this place would see a lot of me.

Hey, Nichole, what was Stop #4? That's right. Riverhead
Brewing Company. Nichole's so sweet. Every time I need a
model for a photo, it lands on her shoulders. She says she's
happy to do it, though. It's tough being in the Brew Crew!

Okay, Stop #4 - Riverhead Brewing Company. Another favourite stop but for a very different reason as you shall soon read. That is, if you're still in the room. I do tend to babble on. Doesn't matter. Still registers as a hit if you clicked on this and bailed by the second paragraph. Suckah.

First up, whereas the other breweries gave us each three tasters, Riverhead's approach was "Grab a full pint and then hussle yer asses into the brewery for a tour." Out of the 20 of us, I suspect at least 18 grabbed a Tropical IPA before we, well, hussled our asses in.

Brewmaster and part-owner Aaron Martin (an award-winning Niagara College Brewing alum) was giving us the low-down on the brewery's history and eventually threw it open to questions.

That's when King City homebrewer Graeme stepped up with one. It was about the type of yeast the brewery favoured. Before long, April Thibert, who handles Waller St Brewing's social media with hubby Chuck) jumped in with some of her brewery's yeast preferences.

Let's call this photo "A Meeting Of Like Minds." From left, that's April
Thibert, marketing director and public face of Waller St Brewing up in
Ottawa, Josh Hayter, co-owner of Kingston's Spearhead Brewing, one
very interested-in-ingredients homebrewer Graeme and Aaron Martin,
co-owner and brewmaster of Riverhead Brewing. Know what they were
talking about here? Yeast. I kid you not. Didn't understand a word of it.

Lemme tell you something for free here. While they may have well been talking in Klingon for most of us (the exception being Curtis, also a homebrewer), the engagement between them was fascinating. This went well beyond the traditional "This is how the brewery started" and "This is how you make beer" tours. With Josh Hayter, co-owner of Spearhead Brewing, also jumping in, this was four dedicated Beer Heads with a huge passion for the brewing process speaking openly and frankly.

In fact, when I spoke to April afterwards, it turned out this was a favourite memory from the day. When asked, she remembered "chatting with the brewer at Riverhead, listening to him answer questions honestly that others might have tried to 'pass' off."

Others, in fact, such as Oakville Greg, simply loved being around this kind of acumen.

No idea whose pic this is. No idea whose hand that is.
No idea which beer this. But I can say with 100%
certainty where it was taken. I'm a little like Batman
that way in that I can take obscure clues and solve any
mystery. If you'll excuse me, Catwoman's calling now.

At the end of the day, he recalled "interacting with the others and learning from the more knowledgeable like April and Graeme."

As for Graeme, well, let me tell you, I was sitting in front of him on the bus and this was like a Christmas Wish come true for a steadfast homebrewer. Asked for some comments on the day, he offered me more than a few but finished with "Overall, though, everyone was so wide open to my questions. They told me everything. It makes me want to take the family and do the same tour."

Okay, so that wraps up Part Two of Kingston #BeerFam 2020 Brewery Tour but I'll be back very soon with the big wrap-up, including a hugely educational stop at Skeleton Park Brewing (especially how they got their name), the big finale at Spearhead Brewing (of course) and a Waller St Suite after-party that just killed it.

Again, Josh and Amanda, I sincerely apologize for my tardiness with this. While the person April Thibert is definitely a big favourite of mine, the month April 2020 sucked all kinds of ass.  Wish the month was more like the person. We'd all be better off. But Scooby Doo Gang, that's it, that's all and I am outta here! Until next time, I remain...

Top 10 Things I Miss About Las Vegas

This is on my list - the venue, not the two staggeringly attractive dudes.
But you'll have to keep reading to see where Downtown's craft brewery
Banger Brewing lands on the list. And yes, I was drinking their Hazy IPA
while Mark was enjoying their Blonde Ale. The sort of thing I remember.

I didn't write a single blog in April. Neither this one nor my beer blog, Brew Ha Ha.

I was halfway through Part Two of our Kingston Craft Brewery Invasion for the beer blog and just stopped cold. That was back in late March.

Why? I think mostly the enormity of what's going on around us these days (virus-wise) frankly knocked me silly. Stunned me. In my long stay on this planet, I have never seen anything quite like this.

Not long ago, my buddy, Mark, from London, posted one of his critically-acclaimed (I'm the critic and as such, acclaimed it) Vegas vlogs: "The Top 10 Things I Miss About Las Vegas."

Okay, back in 2012, Motley Crue did a two-week
residency at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and
Casino. This is the kinda thing that I can't use in
this list. Why? Because the Hard Rock no longer
exists. It's gotta be something I can do in Vegas
right now! Boy howdy, this was a killer concert!!

For folks our age, it's kind of a David Letterman thing that we remember with love. Now Mark and I have only met once in Vegas but I think we got along like two houses on fire. (Is that an expression? I feel like it is.)

I kinda thought, "Maybe I should do that, too." Try to get past my... I don't wanna say Writer's Block. More like Writer's Malaise. Just wasn't into it. I saw Motley Crue do their residency at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino back in 2012 and to use their words, I needed to "Kickstart My Heart." I'll include Mark's vlog link at the end as his list is vastly different than this. That said, while some things on Mark's list resonated with me, a few of these will bring a smile to Mark's face.

Okay, despite the fact that my first 13 trips to Vegas were on the strip with Trips 14-16 in the Downtown, I have weighted the list equally for both. Why? Because I absolutely love Fremont Street. For reasons you'll see. And it's gotta be something I can do or see if I landed in Vegas tomorrow. Can't be something I haven't done yet, such as The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hotel-Casino. Also nothing from the past that no longer exists. To be frank, if that were the case and as unpopular as this choice would be, the Imperial Palace Casino would be Number One on my list with the old O'Sheas not far behind. (Not as keen on the new one.)

Sometime between the night of April 11, 2018 and the
following morning, workers had adorned the Statue of
Liberty outside New York New York with this humongous
Golden Knights jersey to celebrate their team's first ever
NHL playoff win. I've no idea how they did it so quickly.

So let's get this Vegas party underway, shall we?

Number 10: The Golden Knights jersey on the Statue of Liberty at New York New York. I can tell you exactly when this happened because I was in town. On April 11, 2018, in their inaugural NHL season, the Vegas Golden Knights won their first ever playoff game 1-0 over the Los Angeles Kings. (They would sweep them in four.) On the morning of April 12, I came out of the Excalibur where I was staying, got onto the walkway bridge between New York New York and Excalibur. I looked up to do my now-traditional cheerful salutation, "Morning, LL" (Lady Liberty) and by gawd, she had this gigantic Golden Knights jersey on. How did they get it on her that quickly? I have no idea. But I have attended all three Toronto Maple Leafs games in Vegas and have seen first-hand their fans' enthusiasm, rowdiness and - this surprised me more than a little - true knowledge of the game. Vegas Golden Knights' fans are the real deal all the way.

This is Mike Palm (@mikepalmcirca) doing, as I recall,
college football predictions during the "My Guys At The
Longbar" TV show at The D way back in November. His
usual partner on the show is Derek Stevens, who owns
The D, Golden Gate and the coming-soon Circa. It was
fortunate Derek was not there as I would have Vegas
Geeked The F**k Out! We all need our heroes, right?

Now, by my own stated rules, would the jersey be on her right now if I landed in Vegas? Yup, it goes on her when the Golden Knights are in the playoffs and yes, right now, they would be if the NHL and Vegas were still up and running.

Number Nine: The Longbar at The D. Settle in because despite the fact that this is not my beer blog, you're gonna see many alcohol-related (okay, beer) things on this list. The majority go to Vegas to gamble. I go there because I love the carnival-like atmosphere and drinking great American craft beer.

The D was the second hotel-casino I stayed at on Fremont Street (Golden Nugget, also much loved, was the first) and a big reason for that was The Longbar. I spent a week there and by Day Three, the bartenders there stopped asking when I approached and simply went about pouring me a 32 ounce (946-ml) plastic beer pail of Stone IPA. There were basically three guys I dealt with during the course of the week and if memory serves, two of them just called me "Canada" as in "Hey Canada, still having fun?" Yup, always.

So how long is the Longbar? There are 15 widescreen TVs behind it, each
showing a different game. They had a captive audience in me as one night
last November when they had a Maple Leafs game on one of the TVs.
The Leafs weren't even playing Vegas. But they know hockey fans from
Canada are down there and they mix it up pretty good on those screens.
So here's seven of those 15 widescreens. That'll give you a good idea of it.

But Derek Stevens, who with his brother, Greg, owns The D, isn't afraid with fist-bump with their Canadian guests. Bar Canada on the second floor of The D opened the night before I was meant to land there in March. And the following night, the town was shut down. British Vegas vlogger Matt Bridger has been there. I have not. If he wasn't such a cool dude, this would be a lawsuit. Regardless, the Longbar remains a stellar example of Vegas-Done-Exactly-Right. An absolute favourite of mine.

Number Eight: Excalibur. I already know this choice will meet with some serious derision. I get that. Pretty much every place on the strip is a solid step up. But bear with me.

In Vegas, I feel like I'm a king... and this is my kingdom.
Excalibur has been my home there much more than any
other hotel-casino and when I return to the strip (I'm kind
of a Downtown guy at the moment), they will see me once
again. I absolutely go there every time the Toronto Maple
Leafs are in town so hey, I'll be back soon enough, friends.

The digs against it is that it's old (built in 1990 - if that's ancient, then WTF am I?), too cartoonish with its Disney castle turrets (back when Vegas was trying to portray itself as family-friendly) and that there are too many kids there. Matt Bridger, also an Excalibur fan, says Circus Circus gets the same knock. No biggie to me. The reason is I quite like kids. If 50 of them were running around me, screaming and yelling, I likely wouldn't even notice. I'm a parent and we get desensitized to the raucous squeals of children early on. (Unless it's crying. Then we come running.)

But the simple fact of the matter is this. A room to me is just somewhere I sleep, shower and the place my clothes live for a week. The bar is not set too high for me. I'm there to see Vegas, not my hotel room. Cost-wise, it's usually the best bet on the strip. It's clean, it's nice, the staff are friendly but they have one more thing that the other places don't. Baja Fresh, right next to classic burger joint Johnny Rockets, is a fantastic 24/7 Mexican food place. To me, that means shrimp burritos any time day or night. And believe me, there hasn't been a time that Baja Fresh has not seen me. They're as likely to see me at 5 a.m. as 5 p.m. Because if you can't eat a tasty-ass burrito for breakfast, well, who the hell are you trying to impress?

The best band I saw on the Third Street Stage were rockers
Alter Ego. Don't get me wrong, there were other really good
ones, as well (Hey now, Crush Featuring Chandiss) but these
guys seriously kicked ass. Best of the 80s, 90s and '00s here.

Number Seven: Free Concerts on Fremont Street. This actually blew my mind when I landed on Fremont for the first time back in September. Free concerts every night. There's three separate stages on the street. The Main Street Stage between Golden Gate and soon-to-be Circa? Yeah, never saw anything happening there. The First Street Stage between Circa and Binion's. Same thing. Nada. But the Third Street Stage between 4 Queens and The D? Now we're rockin'. There were exactly two styles of music that bands played on this stage. Country and rock. I like country music just fine - it's quite danceable - but my key issue with it is that the men are always singing about how much they love their women while the women are always singing about what cheating scumbags their men are. Somebody is lying here. Best bet is the men. So make mine rock music where everyone lies and cheats but sings honestly about it. The Fremont Street Experience, a collective of the hotel-casinos, is paying for your free music. It's just appropriate that you enjoy it. To a non-gambler like me, Vegas doesn't send a lot of freebies my way. But this one? Free live concerts? I dig that action.

Way back in 2010, Wonder Boogie entertained
my girlfriend and myself in Carnaval Court. It
was the middle of the afternoon and frankly, we
were already drunk. No one was allowed on the
stage. So I said to the security guy, "I just want a
quick picture." He said, "Okay" and here it is...

Number Six: Carnaval Court: Situated just south of Harrah's Hotel-Casino on the Vegas strip is a cool little spot called Carnaval Court. It has one of those circular bars where the bartenders pour booze straight into your mouth, as well as a mini amphitheatre. During the day-time, that amphitheatre was kind of an informal thing. The live music played but you wandered around at ease. Musically, the best band I saw there live was called The Spasmatics. Like Alter Ego, above, they slayed it. Looked like the guys in Revenge of the Nerds but nailed the rock.

But the most fun band I saw in Carnaval Court? Wonder Boogie. When I was in high school towards the end and Disco came out, I very much despised it. I was a Led Zep Head even then. Jeans, jean jacket and black t-shirt. I was that guy. Now that I'm older, I remember things, especially music, with a more nostalgic view. Wonder Boogie played not only Disco but tons of R&B that I always liked... then and now. But the best thing about this band wasn't even the music. The singer came down and got interactive. And I mean, in-your-face interactive. Suddenly, he was the one pouring shots in your mouth and making you sing along. Yeah, I did both, I admit not even sheepishly. Come on, it's Vegas! The rules of your life no longer apply. Being drop-dead drunk just past lunch time was now the new normal... when you're in Vegas. And again, free live concerts!

Me and the Manneken Pils out front of The D during my
November trip. Whenever I visited this little fella, I
always thought one thing. "Washroom inside the door
to the right." Being a beer drinker, even seeing a statue
do it, well, it brings that call of nature on. Excuse me.

Number Five: The Manneken Pils Statue At The D: This one is gonna seem a little bit silly and frankly, quite self-indulgent. But it was kinda thrust upon me by Hog of Hog-and-2cent fame. And that suits me just fine. The little boy in front of The D with his D out. I have, of course, seen pictures of the original in Brussels and apparently, ours (Sorry, Derek and Greg, I've taken partial ownership now) is a good head taller. So you know, "Manneken Pils" quite literally translates to "little man pee." It's a nod to the Stevens brothers' Belgian heritage. If this strikes you as somehow vulgar or unnecessary, all I can say is don't come to Vegas. Like, ever. I think it's a blast.

So how am I connected to this statue? Simple. Kaylene of Sin City Nerds (follow on YouTube - great couple) took a picture of hubby Nick, lying down in front of some fountain doing that sexy dude pose. (Nick will confirm guys can so NOT pull that shit off.) But Hog suggested the couple do a calendar, kind of a "Men of Vegas" thing, with all the guys in front of statues or fountains. He picked mine for me. "Don's got to do that peeing boy statue!" Hey, man, happy to do so. But be warned! You WILL be in front of the Bellagio fountain for yours! (FYI: He hates it.)

This is me showing my slick moves at a restaurant that was
called Stripper. For the record, there were no strippers but
there was a pole in the middle of the bar and every once in a
while, a waitress would climb the thing and do moves. Kind
of silly but very Vegas. I believe Stripper left the Miracle
Mile Shops quite some time ago. But, of course, I have a pic.

Number Four: The Miracle Mile Shops. I've always called it the Miracle Mile Mall. Because it is. I am not a mall guy. For most men, that likely goes without saying. But this is not your regular mall. Running a full circle around Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino for 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometres), I absolutely maintain that you could stay at Planet Hollywood and never once see the strip. This place has everything. More than 200 shops, 15 restaurants and more than a few live entertainment venues. It's humongous. I've been to about five of those restaurants and every damn one of them was great. My favourite, now gone, was Hawaiian-themed Aloha Spirit Cheeseburgers, which had, no joke, about 25 differently prepared cheeseburgers. Thought I'd died and gone to Heaven! No longer there because turnover (like rent) is huge in Vegas but one place I know for sure is. That would be Sammy Hagar's Wabo Cabo Catina. Love the Red Rocker. Been through that place a bunch of times. Two floors upstairs of just clothing and memorabilia. Sammy knows his shit.

And Sin City Brewing is in there. They make a damn fine malt first, pine back-end hybrid IPA. And I quite liked it. Also, a great amber ale and a solid straight-forward stout. They only have five styles there. All are very good examples of their styles. Solid brewery.

Okay, also a Nacho Daddy there, a big favourite of mine. And of course, for Hog and 2cent, there is an Earl of Sandwich, their favourite.  There's two ABC convenience stores where I get my craft beer. And a few memorabilia shops that I frikkin' loved. I dunno. Pretty much the only mall I've ever enjoyed in my life. What can I say?

This is Toby at Freedom Beat serving me up a Sierra
Nevada Brewing Hazy Little Thing IPA. I have NO idea
if this is the 2-to-5 Happy Hour in the afternoon or in
the wee hours of the morning. Because of the 14 I could
have potentially gone to, I made it to 12. When $8 craft
beers are suddenly $4, you make that extra effort, right?

Number Three: Freedom Beat restaurant/bar at the Downtown Grand. Okay, I stayed at the Downtown Grand, just a three minute walk off Fremont Street, based on the strength of a Matt Bridger vlog that I watched about it. Turned out to be a fantastic choice as I spent my 2020 Birthday Week there in Vegas back in February.

Now the Downtown Grand has a lot working in its favour. Great hotel! Room was fantastic. Never went to the pool but on Matt's video, it looks fantastic and it's a rooftop pool with a view so that rocks. Because it's a smallish casino, their bar service to the slots and games was the best I've seen of any place in Vegas! And I mean, by a long stretch. Every 10 minutes someone came by. No place in Vegas has that. Strip or downtown.

But the best part of the Downtown Grand? Their restaurant, Freedom Beat, which was actually something of a gem that Matt Bridger missed. (A very rare occurrence, I assure you.) Okay, let's start with the obvious. Their Happy Hour. Every afternoon from 2 to 5 pm and again, every morning from 2 to 5 am, they have half-price drinks and appetizers. So my $8 (16 ounce) pints of craft beer were suddenly just $4 a pint.

The sign in the background at the entrance of
Freedom Beat caught my eye. Yes, that one about
half-price Happy Hours at 2 to 5 pm and again at
2 to 5 am. I asked the hostess, "Is this for real?"
Yup, she smiled. So I walked into the bar, asked
for a menu to see what appetizers I could make a
meal out of, as well as asked what was on tap. It
was then I realized, holy shit, I'm set for the week

And here's the situation with that. They had Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing New England IPA on tap. They also had Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA on tap. So a great east coast and west coast IPA. You can't lose. And if I was eating (even breakfast), they had Mother Earth Brewing (Vista, California) Sin Tax Imperial Peanut Butter Stout on tap. Second best Peanut Butter Stout I've ever had after Belching Beaver (San Diego) Peanut Butter Milk Stout, also imbibed in Vegas.

So here's what happened the week I was there at the Downtown Grand. I started by drinking their Hazy Little Thing NEIPA but two days in, the keg tapped out. So I switched to 60 Minute IPA. A few days later, it tapped out but the bartender said, "Donny, we got Hazy Little Thing back." The universe truly had this guy's back. And the appetizers? Two of them were easily a full meal to me. My favourite? The deep-fried Cheese Kurds with a dill dipping sauce. I wish I could say I only eat and drink like this in Vegas but why lie? No one who knows me is gonna buy that shit. So the Downtown Grand. Go when it's back, thank me later!

Number Two: Banger Brewing. The first time I landed on Fremont Street last September, I had pre-Googled nearby craft breweries. Two - Tenaya Creek and Hop Nuts - were listed as 10-15 minutes Uber rides away. Quite reasonable. Another, Banger Brewing, was listed as a 10 minute walk. I certainly liked that idea.

This was more than just a pleasant little surprise. As well
as being super close, their beers are exceptionally solid
and, in some cases, way off the beaten track style-wise.

So I landed in Vegas late at night and as is my opening night tradition, especially in an area that's new to me, started staking out the bars at the nearby casinos to see what their bars had on tap. Almost all had Stone IPA (so I would never go thirsty) and Sam Adams Boston Lager (a solid day-starter after coffee), as well as a few other sporadic craft selections. Not in abundance, mind you, but I've always been exceptionally good at tracking them down elsewhere. Also when I land in Vegas late at night, I tend to roam about until about 4 am (because I'm so damn jazzed to be there) until my body says, "Hey, asshole, it's 7 am Toronto time. Go to fakkin bed!!!!"

So it wasn't until Day 2 that I tracked down Banger Brewing, still with my morning (so, noon... ish) coffee out of the Golden Gate Hotel-Casino. Okay, I said to myself, right turn equals east... go. It was less than 10 minutes but there it was on my left so... north! I hadn't eaten yet but there was some kind of food stand within their boundary so I figured a cheeseburger and fries equaled a balanced breakfast because any qualified registered nutritionist will say it totally does.

Here, JJ at Banger Brewing holds up a glass of El Heffe
Hefeweizen that I am about to devour. Pretty much one of
my favourite Vegas beer discoveries. The brewery and I
have an ongoing battle about how much heat is in this
one that mostly involves them calling me a wuss. Okay,
the truth is it's more spicy than hot but it is the most
unique wheat I've ever had during my craft beer days.

Unless they're, y'know, honest or whatever.

But when I step into a brewery that's new to me, there's some strict criteria that has to be met. Do they make both a traditional west coast IPA, as well as a hazy New England IPA? In Banger's case, check and check. A solid stout? Their Long Knight Oatmeal Stout, top notch. Okay, moving on, unique beers? This is where they really stepped up their game. Their Morning Joe Kolsch is so damn good with its touch of coffee flavour, I found myself saying, "Are you sure this is actually a Kolsch?" (Not a style I usually seek out.)

But it's their wheat beer that truly sets them apart from others. The German purists, who created the style over 500 years ago, would faint if they tried Banger's El Heffe Hefeweizen which includes roasted jalapenos, serranos, habaneros and red-green peppers in the brewing mix. I am always calling it out on Twitter as the "hottest" wheat I've ever enjoyed. The brewery always responds by saying, "Dude, it's not even remotely hot!" The actual truth is it's beautifully spiced, very peppery and that's the problem the German diehards might have with it. Even Bud-drinking buddy Mark liked it! This is not your Grandpa's wheat. Long story short, Banger Brewing is one of the greatest discoveries I've made in 16 trips to Vegas.

I have landed. This is my Vegas Mothership. The
Yard House. Over 170 taps and some of the best
craft beers from across America and beyond!!
I honestly can't say enough about about the Yard
House. Fantastic servers, great vibe and the food?
Aye carumba! What Heaven looks like, people!!

Number One: The Yard House. Okay, true story. I was wandering down the esplanade between The LINQ and The Flamingo on the strip when I spied a bar that has "Craft Beers" on its marquee. So I wandered in, grabbed a menu and saw a few decent ones. Ordered a Firestone Walker (Paso Robles, California) Union Jack West Coast Style IPA. (This is NOT my beer blog. But dammit, I think it's the one of very few parts of my life that my brain actively remembers. Back to Vegas.) But when talking to the bartender about craft beers, he sorta looked around to make sure no one was listening and said, "Look, forget this place. You know too much about good beer for here. (False! You can never know enough about good beer.) Go further down until you get to the Yard House. They've got this peanut butter Stout that tastes like a Reese's Cup. Trust me, a beer guy like you will love it." (That would be the aforementioned Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout.)

So, after thanking him, I wandered further east until I came upon Yard House. Wandered in like the scruffian I am and plunked my butt down at the bar. Really nice looking restaurant. I mean, I'll happily jam fast food and pizza slices down my gullet while in Vegas but it's also nice to have a few really good places you can recommend to your friends. Checking both their bar menu and their food menu, this was that place.

Justin at the Yard House gives me an old-school
double thumbs-up for my selection of a Big Sky
Brewing (Missoula, Montana) Shake-A-Day IPA in
their (28.7 oz, 850 ml) half yard glass! That's a
whole lotta tasty in one killer-ass glass. Cheers!

This was the place I could send my friends who love craft beer. The ones who love a great meal. The ones who love a chill but still upscale meal environment. Are there fancier places on the strip? Yes, of course, there are. It's Vegas. But the Yard House checks off all the boxes coming in from two sides. It's quite respectable... yet also hugely accessible. A place you'd be happy to bring a date. Unless you're a high roller who disdains at the public at large, this is a place where you can be seated comfortably near the low rollers among us and hey, just have a great beer, a martini if you're a little more Fancy Dan, a fantastic meal or even a couple of tasty appetizers if you're an eat-and-run guy like me. (Try their Onion Ring Tower. It's seriously dope.)

While I was compiling this list (I'll add some runner-ups in a second), I had no doubt the Yard House gang would be #1. In fact, I'm such a vocal and fervent fan of theirs on Twitter that Brandon from their HQ (no idea where that is) sent me a DM thanking me and asking for my home address. The next night(!), Fed Ex knocked on my door with a box of Yard House swag - a couple of T-Shirts, sunglasses, coasters, bunch of stuff, along with a card, thanking me again for being "such an awesome fan!" Yard House, you earned the status of being the Best Craft Beer Bar in Las Vegas, combining my two favourite things! So thank YOU!

Something that was definitely considered as I compiled my Top-10 List
was Marc Andre Fleury's save on Leaf Nic Petan on November 19 last
year. It saved the game for Vegas (VGK 4-2 win) and sent Leafs coach
Mike Babcock packing. (Thank you for that, Marc Andre!) But I have
seen all three Maple Leafs games at the T-Mobile Arena and each has its
great memories. On New Years Eve 2017, a 6-3 VGK win, I saw William
Karlsson score the first ever hat-trick for the Knights. And on February
14, 2019, I watched a 6-3 Toronto win on my birthday. All very cool...

Winnowing this down to 10 choices was bloody tough so here's a few that were considered but edged out. Attending all three of the Toronto Maple Leafs games against the Golden Knights in Vegas (reasons under the picture of Marc Andre Fleury, right). Posing at the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign on my birthday 2018. The crazy entertainment circles on Fremont Street. The Super Liquor store across the highway from Mandalay Bay (whatta craft beer selection there!) Zingerman's Coffee near the elevators at The D. The Prohibition Bar at Golden Gate Hotel-Casino where Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin used to drink back in the day. Whiskey Licker Up, the rotating bar attached to Binion's Casino on Fremont (which I saw being built!) Surviving three hours getting drunk at Hogs & Heifers Saloon in the Downtown Grand complex despite being the non-biker dude in the joint. 

Being Canadian and having our border with the US
being locked down right now, I have no idea when I'll
get to see Vegas Vic and the cool Viva Vision screen
on Fremont Street again. It can't come soon enough...

Checking out the Triple-7 Restaurant-Microbrew at the Main Street Hotel and Casino at Hog and 2cent's urging. (Great call, guys!)

When I attach Mark's Top-10 List link at the end, you'll see his list is very different than this. But that's the thing. But if I asked any of my Vegas friends for their Top-10s, I can guarantee you'd virtually see a different list from everyone.

But that's Las Vegas. We all find joy in different things there, come for different reasons but the commonality among us all is none of us can get enough of the place. My coworkers are convinced I will live there some day and man, I hope they're right. Because there's no place anyplace I'd rather be. It truly energizes me and as gamblers go, well, I sure do love my craft beer! (I'm pretty bad.)

Until I can land there again, I will continue to follow updates from Vital Vegas and Las Vegas Locally as they are the premier scoop-grabbers of the place, far surpassing the local media. So here's Mark's vlog: Top-10 Things Mark Misses About Vegas! As for me, I can't "wait to cross Casino Center, wait to cross Casino Center, wait to cross Casino Center, walk to cross Casino Center." Peace out and stay safe, my friends.