August 23, 2012

Day # 16 in the 30 IN 30.

Well it's time to kick off the second half of the 30 IN 30. It has been quite the ride so far. I feel that my tastebuds and ideas of what good beer should be have grown in the past 15 posts. I have taken baby steps into the exploration into other, unfamiliar styles of beer and have for the most part enjoyed every minute of it.

I have decided to kick off the second half of the 30 IN 30 by furthering my exploration into unfamiliar beer. With that said, beer # 16 in the 30 IN 30 is Muskoka Brewery's Mad Tom India Pale Ale (Mad Tom IPA).

Sorry about the picture, I forgot my camera somewhere so this generic image will have to do.

I would say before I even put the beer to my lips, that Mad Tom IPA has an almost citrusy, lemon type aroma which is both pleasant and intriguing at the same time. The intriguing part is, does this beer taste like lemons, or oranges??? I wonder. I'll dive right in with a swig. The aroma does not lie. Though there is a pleasant  slightly bitter aftertaste, Muskoka Brewery's Mad Tom IPA does have a citrus flavour to it which is both refreshing and smooth. I find this to be a very easy drinking beer where the smell draws me in and the aftertaste leaves me craving more. I would say that Muskoka's Mad Tom is a lighter coloured beer than most IPA's I have experienced. I would have to say as I get more into it, this beer is semi dry feeling as well. Though very flavourful, and refreshing, It leaves me definitely thirsty. I guess in a sense this is a good fact, because it only compels me to open another bottle. As my second foray into the selection from Muskoka Brewery I am definitely satisfied that this is the kickoff to the second half of the 30 IN 30. I find myself fast becoming a fan of their brewery and selection as a whole, as I have really enjoyed my first two selections from their stock.

For further information on Muskoka Brewery please feel free to check out their website (http://www.muskokabrewery.com)

With that said, I shall hit the fridge for another Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom IPA. If the next fourteen samples will bring me the enjoyment that Mad Tom IPA has, than this is shaping up to be a momentous second half. As always, you can hop onto to twitter and follow me @ 30in30Beck, or follow me and the others on The Spotted Tap (http://www.thespottedtap.com) to see what we are drinking and stay up to date on all the latest from the craft brewing industry.

As always, please arrive alive. Don't drink and drive. Please enjoy responsibly.

Thanks for reading,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

August 20,2012.

So today's blog will be a little different and here is why. I went, along with my comrades from The Spotted Tap to the Milton Rib Fest yesterday. While there I smapled quite a bit of Craft beer. Today's post will include those beers from the festival. So with that let's get to it.

Beer # 12 in the 30 IN 30 is Hogtown Brewing Company's Hogtown Ale

When we first arrived at the Milton Ribfest, this was the first tent in the beer gardens. I, myself had never heard of the Hogtown Brewing company so I was quite intrigued. I found out that Hogtown has just begun brewing Ale in early 2012. The Hogtown Ale is only available in Toronto at some of the finer pubs but hopefully will be more widely distributed soon. The brewing company was formed when five rugby playing buddies got together with an idea and started brewing craft beer to quench the thirst of Torontonians everywhere. The guys had a vision of creating a local beer with a great flavour and craft qualities, yet had the drinkability of popular lagers. So with that, let's get to the beer.

From my first sip to my last gulp, Hogtown Ale was a refreshing, easy drinking beverage through and through. It was quite enjoyable. It has what I would say is a malt backbone with a lingering hoppy bite. This beer is light enough to be thirst quenching and refreshing yet it leaves you intrigued with the taste. As my glass emptied I found myself yearning for more. It is right to be called Hogtown Ale, because for people outside of Toronto, we can say that "Hogtown" is definitely lucky to be hogging this beer. I can't wait for the future when hopefully this beer is more widely distributed so that I can put it in my beer fridge. As I mentioned before this beer is only available in draught form at some finer pubs in Toronto.

For a full listing of where to find Hogtown Ale check out the Hogtown brewing company's website  http://www.hogtownbrewers.ca/locations/ . If you have the chance, this is a beer I reccommend you make the trip to Toronto for. You won't be disappointed.

Our second stop in our day was at the Grand River Brewing Company's tent. So with this stop came beer # 13 in the 30 IN 30, and lucky # 13 is Grand river Brewing Company's Raspberry Pilsner

This beer is a seasonal beer for the Grand River Brewing Company. It is not the only beer I had from them yesterday, but it is the one that sticks out the most to me. This is probably because this was the most different beer I have ever tasted. It reminded me of Clearly Canadian Raspberry water. Maybe I am dating myself with that but it was a beverage that used to be my favourite when I was a kid. It is not in production anymore, and I have been searching for something like it ever since. Well yesterday I found it, and what better format than a beer. When this beer hit my taste buds I was in heaven. My tastebuds were showered with the refreshing easy drinking taste of raspberries. This beer seemed to be almost carbonated, and I remember thinking that I don't know what it is but I instantly love this beer. It was, I'd say in my unprofessional opinion, a cross between a beer and a cooler. Since this is a seasonal beer quantities are limited, but I reccommend you get out to the LCBO before it is gone. I know I will be. If you can't find it there than this beer is definately worth the drive to Cambridge to pick it up from the brewery itself. They are located at 295 Ainslie Street, Cambridge, Ontario.

For more information of the Grand River Brewing Company, please feel free to check out their website http://grandriverbrewing.com. I will have reviews of some of their other beers in the upcomming days.

My third stop, after getting some ribs to eat mind you was at The Lake of Bays Brewing Company's tent. This stop brought along beer # 14 in the 30 IN 30. Without further adieu # 14 in the 30 IN 30 is Lake of Bays Brewing Company's Crosswind Pale Ale.

This beer is of a lighter colour than most Pale Ale's in the craft brewing industry but don't let this fact scare you away from Crosswind Pale Ale. This beer has more than enough of a flavour punch to satisfy everyone's taste buds. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer from start to finish of my pint. Crosswind Pale Ale has a sweet malt taste to ignite your tastebuds when you first dive into it, followed by a hint of toasted grains, with a slight hoppy bitterness aftertaste to end it all. I call this the flavour hat-trick. This beer is everything that any beer enthusiast, from beginner, like me, to advanced, like the rest of my team at The Spotted Tap, could ask for. It is what I like to refer to as a beer that keeps on giving, and will surely be in regular rotation in my fridge hands down.

To learn more about Lake of Bays Brewery, or to schedule your visit please check out their website   http://www.lakeofbaysbrewing.ca . I promise you won't be disappointed.

My final stop, after yet more food, on this beautiful day celebrating craft beer was at the Flying Monkeys Brewing Company's tent. This brought along my final sample for the day and with it beer # 15 in the 30 IN 30. So with that Beer # 15 and the official half way point of the 30 IN 30 is Flying Monkeys' Smashbomb India Pale Ale.

This, I think was the perfect beer to mark our half-way point in the 30 IN 30. It was also the only beer that I was smart enough to get the camera out and actually photograph my drink.

Smashbomb is an IPA, but it is definitely not typical. There is a slight bitterness to it, but it is highlighted with a citrusy feel to it which dulls the bitterness. This beer has a malt backbone as well and like our previous beer from the day compels you to have more with each passing sip. Usually it takes me awhile to warm up to a bit of a bitter beer but with Flying Monkeys Smashbomb, I was able to dive right in and enjoy it from start to finish. This is an amber coulored beer but it goes down smooth and easy like a blonde Ale, or lager of the same category. Like the previous beer, and as I have stated I thoroughly enjoyed this selection from start to finish.

For more information on the Flying Monkeys Brewing Company, please feel free to puruse their website http://www.theflyingmonkeys.ca/ .

Well I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Milton Ribfest and I cannot wait for the next event to check out more exciting selections from the world of craft beer.

As always, thank you for reading and for your support. Please remember to enjoy responsibly, and as always Don't Drink and Drive. You can follow me on twitter @30in30Beck, or on The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) to keep up to date with what beers I am enjoying, or all the latest news from the craft brewing industry.


Thanks for reading

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

August 16, 2012, Day # 11

Well let's get into our second 10 of the 30 IN 30. With that Beer # 11 in the 30 IN 30 is the Better Bitters Brewing Company's Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager, so let's get to it.

I enjoyed this particular brew with my stir-fry dinner. I will say it was the prefect compliment to this dinner. I was expecting this beer to have a sort of bitter taste but was surprised instead by the refreshing, smooth easy drinking taste I was greeted with. Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager is a more amber coloured beer than what I have been treated to recently. Again this beer is a little out of my norm, but I must say I am glad I have widened my boundaries and strayed outside my comfort zone for this one. This beer has a pleasant hoppy aftertaste which invites me to have sip after sip. The aftertaste is like a comedian. It leaves you on a high note and craving for more. As my first foray into organic beer, Better Bitters has definitely upped the ante with Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager.

I decided to check their website (www.nickelbrook.com) to see what classifies this beer as organic. Nickel Brook Premium Organic Lager is "brewed using only premium, certified, organic malts and hops. The result is a full flavoured lager, copper in colour, which is balanced with classic German hops". This beer is "brewed to the standards of the Bavarian Purity Act".

To all of my friends out their who enjoy their food and drinks to be organic, than I say this is definately the beer of choice for you.

With that all said, I should get back to my dinner. Remember you can catch me on twitter @30in30Beck, or on The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) to keep up to date with my beers of choice plus all the latest news for the craft brewing industry.

Remember to please enjoy your beer responsibly, and as always please don't drink and drive.

Thank you for reading

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

August 15, 2012... Day # 10, Beer #10

Well It is a big day as we have reached the big 1 - 0 in our 30 IN 30. In honour of this milestone, I have saved a hard working beer. So with that, let's get down to business. Beer # 10 in the 30 IN 30 is the working man's Ale. It's Railway City Brewery's Iron Spike Blonde Ale.

I use the term working man's ale loosely in this regard as this is definitely an Ale for everyone. As much as I liked the Dead Elephant Ale, on my second attempt with it, this beer is spectacular from the get go. It has an  almost kind of citrus flavour right off the hop. I find it to be a really smooth and easy drinking ale. I tend to like the blonde style of ales and lagers, but Railway City's Blonde Ale has been my favorite so far in this category. I find the aftertaste to be kind of sweet and floral and actually quite pleasant. It compels me to have another few sips as I am writing here. I find that this beer is not hoppy or malty in taste at all. Again I find it has a compelling taste up front which makes it pleasant and easy to swallow with an exciting aftertaste that makes it so I can't wait for my next sip. I am intrigued by this beer and figure I'll check Railway City's website to see some facts about this ale.

Railway City Brewery says, among other things that Iron Spike Blond Ale is a "medium body with a sweet fruit finish, nicely balanced by moderate thoughtful hopping".  They also mention how this beer would go great with pasta, pizza, lasagna, fajitas, etc. I can attest this to be true as Iron Spike Blonde Ale is the perfect compliment to my dinner of chicken tetrazinni tonight.

With all that said, I would like to get back to my dinner, and Iron Spike. Remember as always you can catch me on twitter @30in30Beck or at The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) to keep up with the latest beer I am enjoying and all the latest on the craft brewing industry. Please remember to enjoy responsibly, and always arrive alive, please don't drink and drive.

Thank You as always for reading.

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

August 14, 2012, Day # 9 and Beer # 9 of the 30 In 30

Let's get to it, as it is late and I am tired lol

Beer # 9 in the 30 IN 30 is Neustadt Springs Brewery's Lager

Upon my first sip, I had an overwhelming sensation of iced coffee. That is what the taste reminded me of. It is very different, yet remarkably enjoyable. For such a light coloured beer, I am surprised it has such a strong taste. I have always associated these kind of tastes, which has also been the case with my picks in the previous days, with a more Amber coloured beer. Neustadt's Lager has a peculiar hoppy kind of malty flavour which gives it almost a coffee taste. I liken it to a fine iced latte. I found this beer semi easy to drink. Let's remember, however, that I am not as used to flavourful beer as most so I have to take it in slower than some drinkers out there. I would say that this beer, like a more mainstream Guiness, is a beer for the times when you want to sit back and sip on a nice cold one and just enjoy the moment for awhile. I will say that I am enjoying the kind of coffee taste to it. I find it very unique. I am intrigued by this beer so I figure I'll hop onto Neustadt Springs Brewery's website (www.neustadtsprings.com) to check it out further.

Neustadt Lager is "brewed in the Belgium country style, which means it is not as hard on the back of the throat as a Pilsner style beer". This particular lager uses "natural spring water, New Zealand hops, and Canadian malts" in its fine craftsmanship. This combination of ingredients is probably what gives it is peculiar flavour. I will say, though it is not my favourite beer so far, I would drink it again for sure.

Anyways, I better get back to my drink before it gets warm. Remember to follow me on The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) as well as on twitter @30in30Beck for all the latest news on craft beer and what drinks make the cut in the coming days. Remember as always to please enjoy responsibly.

Thanks for reading

Thank You

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

August 13, 2012. Welcome to Day # 8 and beer # 8 of the 30 IN 30. Let's get to it.

Beer # 8 is Hogsback Brewing Company's Vintage Lager

I know what you are all thinking. After yesterday and my voyage into the unknown, I am going backwards, but I myself don't view it like that. As we all know my favourite style of beer is lager style, so I tend to drink more beer in this category than any other. It is what it is. O well with all that said, let's get to the beer.

I guess the best way to describe this beer is tasty. Hogsback's Vintage Lager seems to have taken my favourite aspects of my favourite beers, ie. Cameron's Lager and Muskoka Craft Lager, and blended them together harmoniously in their lager. They have taken the smooth, crisp, easy drinking taste, like Muskoka's Craft Lager, and mixed it with just a hint of a hoppy, malty taste, like Cameron's Lager. I am enjoying this beer very much as I am writing this blog. The hoppy taste is so minuscule that it does not impede on the drink-ability of this beer for a guy like me.

I thought I would check out the website for the Hogsback Brewing Company, to familiarize myself with their beer and process for crafting such a great lager. I came to find out that Vintage Lager is the Hogsback Brewing Company's only, and inaugural beer. It is a "European-inspired lager with superior flavour derived from using only premium ingredients combining three malt types (2-row, Munich and Vienna), unique Sazz hops, and German lager yeast". Since it uses a Vienna style yeast. I will categorize Vintage Lager as a Vienna style lager. In comparison with Wellington Brewery's Trailhead Lager, since it as well would be a Vienna style, I would have to say I enjoy Hogsback Brewing Company's Vintage Lager a little more. The only reason is due to the fact that as I drink I do not detect the slight bitterness in the taste as I did in the Trailhead Lager.

Anyway, I should get back to my beer. Don't forget to follow me on twitter @30in30Beck or at The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) to keep up to date with what I am drinking. Thank you for reading and please remember to enjoy responsibly. Remember, if you drink, please don't drive.

Thank You

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

Sunday August 12, 2012. 11:30pm. Day #7 and Beer #7 of the 30 IN 30.

"Here's to Jumbo, world's largest elephant, friend, and prized attraction of P.T. Barnum's traveling circus. It was 1885 [there] in St. Thomas where he met his early demise in a tragic railway accident that'll forever be remembered in the annals of beer and Canadian history. In his honour [they've] crafted this full bodied ale.  LIVE LIFE LARGE. He'd have wanted it that way. And for you to drink responsibly."

Maybe you guessed, maybe you didn't but beer # 7 in the 30 IN 30 is Railway City Brewery's Dead Elephant India Pale Ale.

I was excited to try this beer. I thought I'd save it for a Sunday so I could do the tasting the justice it deserved. Just kick back, relax, and enjoy a nice cold one to end the week that was.

I came across this beer from the brewery itself. I'd like to personally thank Mr. Robert Dunn of Railway City Brewery for the gift and for suggesting this beer. This is my first foray into the Ale style of beer. Pale Ale to be exact. Not too sure what I was expecting, but this was way better than I thought. I guess I am more used to mainstream beer like Alexander Keith`s India Pale Ale. Lack of taste in that one. When I first took a sip This beer was intriguing. The taste was out of this world. I`d say it is a very malty type flavour up front, and maybe a small hoppy flavour after taste. It is the beer that keeps on giving with every sip. At first I`ll admit I thought I would not enjoy it as much as I am. I am used to lager style beer, but this is I`d say more bold. Now as I get into my second can, which I am pouring in my glass for those who must know, I am enjoying it more and more with every sip. If you are looking for a Pale Ale kind of beer, than this, my friends, is it.

As I investigate the can, which is where the staring quote was sourced from, I see a label on the bottom right signaling "strong beer". Boy they weren't kidding. As I stated above, the taste jumps out at you from the very first sip and through to the end of your glass. If you, like me, are not used to such a strong taste, my suggestion to you is to do as I did, and pour another glass later. It may seem for the weak like me, like a beer that you will not enjoy at first but when you pour another cold glass later I can promise you you'll be glad that you did. Railway City Brewery's Dead Elephant India Pale Ale, I can guarantee you, will be finding itself rather frequently in my beer fridge. Again I'd like to thank Railway City Brewery for helping me expand my taste buds and for helping me stroll into unknown territory with such a great beer. This medium full bodied ale is carefully crafted and will not disappoint, I guarantee that. You can check out Railway City Brewery at their home at 168 Curtis Street in St. Thomas, Ontario, or on their website (www.railwaycitybrewing.com) for all the information on their beer.

Thank you for reading, and please enjoy responsibly. I hope that when you "raise your glass of Dead Elephant Ale, you will enjoy everything that Jumbo was and became. Life should be celebrated in every way and if possible enjoy it Jumbo sized!"

You can follow me on twitter @30in30Beck or on the Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com)

Thank You,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

Today is August 11, 2012, and that brings us to Day # 6 and Beer # 6 of the 30 IN 30, so let's get to it.

Beer # 6 in the 30 IN 30 is, Muskoka Brewery's Craft Lager

I must say I have had this beer in my fridge for awhile but haven't got around to drinking it until today. As you may be able to tell, by the paint tray in the background of the picture, I have been working around the house all day and have worked up quite a sweat and thirst to go along with it. This was the first beer I saw in the fridge, so I grabbed it and boy I was glad I did. It is the ultimate thirst quenching beer. Muskoka's Craft Lager is the perfect beer for working around the house. It goes down probably the smoothest out of any of the beers I have had. As far as taste goes, it is comparable to, in my opinion, Amsterdam Brewery's Natural Blonde Lager. The one difference is the taste for Muskoka's Craft Lager is a lot more crisp and pure. There is no hint of bitterness at all. I would have to say that on a hard working day, I have picked probably my favorite tasting beer so far in the 30 IN 30.

Muskoka's Craft Lager, according to the can, is an all malt craft lager made with North American malt and hops. "It's carefully aged and handcrafted to be uniquely flavourful, yet remarkably easy drinking". I can definitely tell a lot of care is put into this beer, and the can doesn't lie because it truly is the most easy drinking beer I have ever had.

Anyways, sorry for the short post, but I must get back to work as there is lots to do and so little time. I'll have to stop off at the fridge and grab another Muskoka Craft Lager before I get to it though.

Thanks for reading. You can follow me on twitter @30in30Beck, or on the Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com). Catch up with me tomorrow, pour yourself a fine craft beer and find out which beer makes the cut for day # 7. As always, please enjoy responsibly, and if you drink, please don't drive.

Thank You,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

Today is Friday August 10, 2012, which brings us to Day 5 and Beer # 5 of the 30 IN 30........


Beer # 5 is Wellington Brewery's Trailhead Premium Lager.......

I am currently at a family dinner where I am enjoying this beer. Like my other picks in the 30 IN 30, I don't have my camera with me so hence the generic picture. Trailhead Premium Lager was not my original pick for beer # 5 but since it was served to me it became beer # 5. I hadn't even thought of this beer before the 30 IN 30, but somehow Trailhead  found me and am I glad that it did. Sometimes things have a way of working out.

Upon my first sip, I notice a slight bitterness to this beer. Typically for a guy like me this would be an immediate turnoff to a beer, but Wellington Brewery has made Trailhead Lager different in this regard. The bitterness is crisp and enjoyable and only compells me to drink another sip. This beer is a very smooth lager and goes down easy. It is the perfect beer for the summer meal we are enjoying of BBQ pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. The cool crisp smooth taste of Trailhead Lager compliments my food swimmingly, and makes for the perfect meal.

I decided I would hop onto Wellington Brewery's website (www.wellingtonbrewery.ca) to see what their notes on this beer are. They say that "Trailhead is a Vienna-style lager which is characterized by a careful balance malt sweetness and clean, crisp hop bitterness". I guess the contrast of sweetness mixed in with bitterness is what makes this an enjoyable beer for a guy like me who typically shys away from bitter beers. They go on to say that this beer is good to be paired  with foods such as "hot spicy foods such as Mexican, Cajun, and Asian". I'd say it goes well with BBQ'd  foods as well, but that's just me.

Well I must get back to dinner, but hop on by tomorrow to find out what beer makes the cut for day # 6 of the 30 IN 30.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to stay up to date by following me on twitter @ 30in30Beck or on the Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com)

Thanks,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

It has been a bit of an up and down week for me. Sorry about the lack of posts, but I have been extremely busy. I was away all weekend, only to return home to find that my internet was not working. When I finally got it working, I came down with a case of food poisoning which set me back for a couple of days. I am finally better now, for those who care, and as you can see the internet is back up and running. With all that said, let's pick up the 30 IN 30 where we left off. I know I have missed five days, however that just means I will extend the 30 IN 30 into September. Again with that said let's pick up where we left off.

Day # 4 and Beer # 4 in the 30 IN 30 is............

Cameron's Brewery's Lager Beer.......

This actually was the first craft beer I ever enjoyed and from the moment it hit my lips and tastebuds, I was hooked. As a fan of lager style beer, This by far was the best Lager I had ever tasted. I have since had some comparable beers but since Cameron's Lager was the first, it will always hold a special place in my heart and beer fridge alike. It is a medium body beer and has a nice smooth refreshing flavour. It is definitely a nice easy drinking beer with a lack of bitterness which some of the mainstream lagers provide. It has a nice malty, hoppy taste which makes it pleasant with every sip, and gives it a nice airy, light summer type feeling. This is the perfect beer to sit down and drink after a hard day's work. When it is in my fridge, I look forward to comming home after work (as a carpenter, so every day is a hard day, but that's besides the point) and enjoying a cool Cameron's Lager with my dinner.

I am definitely curios about the brewing process of this beer so I hopped onto the Cameron's Brewing Company's website (www.cameronsbrewing.com) to see what goes into making this beer so good. Besides what I have mentioned above, Cameron's states that this beer is made with four types of hops. They are Hallerteau, Tettnanger, Spalt, and Sazz, "which are low in bitterness and high in aroma". I have no idea personally what any of those hops are, but as a beer drinker I can tell you that this combination makes for a great beer. As I scroll down the page, I see that this beer has won many awards, and I can definitely see why. This beer is definitely worth the trip to the beer store or LCBO to pick up.

Anyways, all of this talk of Cameron's Lager is making me thirsty. I think I will hit up my fridge for one right now.

You can keep up to date with the beer I am enjoying by following me on Twitter @30in30Beck or on The Spotted Tap website at www.thespottedtap.com

Again, I would like to thank everyone including the staff at The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) for bearing with me this week. I appreciate it, and sorry I got so behind. tune in Later to see which beer makes it for day # 5 and beer # 5 in the 30 IN 30. Sorry again for being so behind. I appreciate all of your support, and remember please enjoy your beer responsibly, and if you drink, please don't drive.


Thank You,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

And so the long weekend begins, and with it so does my trip up north. Since I have to drive, I refuse to drink, as I will set the example and enjoy my beer responsibly. This leads me to Day # 3 of the 30 IN 30 and with that I have saved a certain beer for such day. Yes it is a beer that I have enjoyed before, however I saved it as I knew I had a drive ahead of me and thus what better day to review it, as again I choose to enjoy responsibly and not drink and drive. So with that all said, beer # 3 in the 30 IN 30 is..........

Nickelbrook Brewery's Green Apple Pilsner.........

I know I said I'd stick to Lagers and Pilsners early on, and this beer can be seen as a specialty beer, but it does say Pilsner right on the can so there.

As a side note Nickelbrook Brewery's Green Apple Pilsner is brewed by the Better Bitters Brewing Company out of Burlington, Ontario.

I was so stoked to drink this beer. The first time I ever enjoyed it was in a sampler at Al Dente Restraunt & Wine Bar in Brantford Ontario. To be honest I didn't think much of this beer or that it would be very good when it came in the sampler. Boy was I ever wrong. I remember my first sip as if it was yesterday. I remember the thought of how it tastes like a green apple jolly rancher candy when I took a swig. From then on I was hooked. This beer has become a go to beer in my beer fridge ever since. One knock that I will say about it that has not shown itself in my two previous selections for the 30 IN 30 is this beer does not get better as it warms.

As I have mentioned in my previous blogs is I like to enjoy my beer like a fine wine, so beer has a tendency to warm up quite a bit on me. This beer is best served cold for sure. It has an amazing refreshing taste and the green apple flavour will last for hours (as long as it is cold). For a guy like me who nurses the beer, this could be seen as a bad thing, however take it from me, it is not. I have made Nickelbrook brewery's Green Apple Pilsner my hot afternoon staple. On the weekend when I am enjoying the sun in my backyard, this is definitely my one of my beers of choice, and it will be making an appearance this weekend if I do say so myself.

I was wondering how they got it to taste like an apple so I checked out Nicklebrook Brewery's website (http://www.nickelbrook.com) And found that Green Apple Pilsner is "brewed as a pilsner style beer which is then combined with natural apple juice". That explains it. Makes for a unique taste that I enjoy over and over again. This beer, in my opinion, is the perfect beer for "complimenting or cooking with poultry, pork and seafood". Definitely the perfect beer to make a nice beer batter with.

Anyways, I have a drive ahead of me so I best get to it. As I have mentioned a couple of times, it is a long weekend, so I will be away, and thus not near a computer to post my next two days in the 30 IN 30. I will however be sampling beer still and thus my next post will include days 4,5, and 6 in the 30 IN 30, and I will post it up on Monday. To all of my fellow Ontarians out there I hope that you enjoy a safe and Happy Civic Holiday weekend, and please remember to enjoy your beer responsibly. Please follow my example and don't drink and drive. A nice cold beer will be waiting for you when you get where you are going so wait for it. It'll make the wait worth it and the beer taste that much better. Remember you can't enjoy the taste of a craft beer unless you arrive alive.

Thank you for reading. The Craftsmen blog would be nothing without you. I appreciate all of your support, and we'll speak again on Monday.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen

Day 1 leads to Day 2.......

Sorry I am late with my post, but it has been a hard working, busy day. What better way to end it than with a nice cold refreshment. It is 10:00pm August 2, 2012, and I am finally able to sit down and relax, so let's get to it..........

Day 2, and Beer # 2 in the 30 IN 30 is.....................

Great Lakes Brewery's Red Leaf Smooth Red Lager.

Are you excited, because I sure am. I have been waiting all day to finally be able to sit down and enjoy it. So here we go.

Upon first sip I am intrigued. There is a distinct taste which I can't quite put my finger on, so I'll dive in for another. It is kind of a nutty flavour but not a distinct nut. Don't mistake what I am saying, I love the taste. It is smooth and refreshing just different. It is the kind of taste which compels me to keep on having a sip. I know that there is a bit of a nutty flavour, but there is something more which I can't put my finger on or wrap my head around. I have to say after such a hard day of work, I am glad that this was my selection for the day. I find Red Leaf is the type of beer that you can sit, relax, have the idiot box on and sip away at all night.

There is a part of me which is trying to compare it to yesterday`s beer, Amsterdam Brewery`s Natural Blonde Lager, but there is no fair way to compare the two. They are each unique to each other and like yesterday`s beer, Great Lakes Brewery`s Red Leaf has definitely found a permanent home in my beer fridge.

I find as I am writing and my beer starts to warm that the taste gets better and better. I can`t get over this taste and I have to know what it is. I decided to make a stop on Great Lakes Brewery`s website (http://www.greatlakesbeer.com) and check out straight from the source what they say about Red Leaf. They say that Red Leaf Smooth Red Lager has "hints of caramel, nuts, and toasted malt". I guess I was right on the nuts but maybe it is the caramel I was tasting. Red Leaf is "a perfect match with burgers, stews, sandwiches, and similar selections". I guess I know what beer I am bringing to the next BBQ I attend.

Anyways, I would definitely like to get back to my beer. As the weekend fast approaches, and some of us may host or attend a BBQ I strongly recommend allowing Great Lakes Brewery's Red Leaf Lager to make an appearance.

Please, for the sake and safety of all, remember to enjoy your beer responsibly, and don't drink and drive.

Tap in tomorrow to find out which beer makes it onto the bar for day 3 of the 30 IN 30. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @30IN30Beck as well as at The Spotted Tap www.thespotttedtap.com to keep up to date on what I am drinking.

Thanks for reading

Sincerely,

Andrew Beckerson

The Craftsmen

And so it begins..............

Before we get going I would like to remind everyone that this blog and all the writing contained is of the craft brewing and craft beer world as seen through my eyes and my taste buds. Everything I state is my own opinion and should be taken as such. I may not always like everything I taste and experience but hey that's just me. We are all the same in that regard, but the fact that I am willing to not only try but embrace the sampling should stand for something. I will try to be constructive and provide some fun facts along the way for the sake of the blog. Any of my reviews, commentary and stories are up for discussion and I hope that you will engage me in such. I'd like to thank all craft brewers everywhere for opening my eyes, and tastebuds  alike, to the world of craft beer and all that good beer should be.

With all that said, it's a beautiful August 1, 2012, the beginning of my journey for the 30 IN 30, so let's begin............

I could have easily opened with a beer I have already tasted, but I am not lazy, and where would the excitement be in that. I have chosen for this portion of the 30 IN 30 to stick mostly to lagers and pilsners. I figured it was a good starting point. Stick to what you know and build from there is what I have always done in my life and it's worked out good for me so far so why go different now. I will get more adventurous as I go on. My goal is to try every beer out there at least once but for the sake of the next month I'll stick to a random 30.

With all that said Let's get down and Dirty with my first selection. Drum roll please..............

Beer # 1 in the 30 IN 30 is Amsterdam Brewery's Natural Blonde Lager

Are you excited. I sure am. I picked it up at the LCBO earlier today and it has been waiting for me in my fridge for quite awhile. Upon first sip I didn't think much, but by the time I put the glass down (yes, it is frosted for those who wondered) the malt, barley, hoppy heaven that just poured into my mouth was erupting in my tastebuds causing quite a stir all of the way down. As I sit here writing this I am still sipping away. The one thing that gets me, and makes this suddenly a beer of choice for life is the lack of bitterness to the beer. I find a lot of mainstream beer very bitter (which I do not enjoy at all), yet the lack of in this beer makes me enjoy it that much more. I am finding, as it not the case with most beer that I have had that as I write and the beer sits there, it gets better tasting as it warms up. This is excellent for a guy like me who enjoys relaxing with a nice beer and enjoying the drink. Some of you may call it nursing a beer but hey, know your venue is what I like to say.

So I thought while I am sitting here enjoying my drink I'd hop onto the Amsterdam website ( www.amsterdambeer.com ) and check out some facts on the beer of choice for the day. Let's have a look see.......

Amsterdam Brewery states that the suggested serving temperature for the Natural Blonde Lager is 2 degrees celcius. Maybe this explains the taste getting better as it warms, I don't know. They also suggest using Tulip Glass as glassware, not too sure what that is but hopefully I am using it lol. They also state that this beer is "All Natural" I thought to myself what does this mean so I looked it up and here's what they say. "Here at the Amsterdam Brewing Company, we're committed to delivering the highest quality craft lagers and ales in Toronto. We believe that freshness and purity are what makes good beer great, which is why we brew our beers in the traditional European brewing process to give each one a distinctive premium body and flavour. Our beers are made with four all natural ingredients - malt, hops, yeast, and water - all GMO-free, without preservatives, and we never heat pasteurize. (We're not sure what planet you're from, but...) In our world, fresh, pure, all natural beer is just better beer." That explains it. 


Anyway, with all this said I would like to get back to my beer. If everyday and sampling is like today's pick then this is shaping up to be a great month.

Thanks for reading, and I promise the writing will grow and get better as my tastebuds grow. Thank you for your support and be sure to check in tomorrow to see what's on tap for day 2. Please feel free to comment or tell your story. Thank you again, and feel free to follow me at The Spotted Tap (www.thespottedtap.com) and on Twitter @30in30Beck

Sincerely,
Andrew Beckerson
The Craftsmen