Polkapolooza Craft Beer Tour 2017 Review - Day 5 Old Friends, Birthday Celebrations and New Beers!

 

I was a snazzy dresser for special events.

  On day 5 of this year's Polkapolooza tour, I woke up having completed another trip around the sun and got out of bed a year older at 44 and hopefully wiser. It was a day that started with a trip to renew my licence and ended with another 9 breweries visited and enjoyed.

The sun rises on Day 5.

  One of my favourite regions to visit in Ontario has been the Kitchener/Waterloo area, commonly referred to as KW. I've written about the breweries located here a few times ( KW Gets Polk'd and  Head West with the Polkaroo) and my affection for them. They are all a little different in terms of what they brew and the atmosphere at each, but they are always a welcome addition to any beer run.

Tap List at Block Three

  Starting, as we always do, with St. Jacob's Block Three, it kicked into high gear as soon as we entered that adobe looking structure when Kat noticed a puppy behind the counter. Not an uncommon sight at a brewery, everyone is happier when a furry friend is present to hang out as you enjoy a few pints. Pulling up a stool at the bar, we were greeted with the usual Block 3 enthusiasm and ordered a flight to start our day off right. The latest releases were on order and I really enjoyed the surprisingly crushable 7.5 % The Thaw, a saison aged with brettnomyces in Ontario Chardonnay barrels and then refermented with peaches and apricots. It was so smooth and easy drinking, it could have been game over right from the start. Ocular Pat down was their Philly style IPA that helps showcase the growing portfolio of beers this usually Belgian style brewing is branching out into. A touch of the dank with loads of citrus, a bottle of this was a must as we said our goodbyes and filled up a six pack for more "research".

Tasty tasters!

 The second stop is always one of my most favourite, not just because of beer, but the people who work there. Innocente Brewing and its' namesake proprietor Steve Innocente are always on my radar anytime I get close by for the simple reason that Steve creates great beer and is always available for a chat about the state of craft beer in this Province.

One of my favourite people in Craft Beer, Steve Innocente!

He was once again hard at work with the team and we were able to finagle a little of his time for ourselves. I often call him the most honest man in Ontario Craft beer because he always tells it like it is and today was no different. Awards, grocery stores, packaging options and several other issues led to our spending far more than the allotted time at this stop and that was alright by me. I am always ready to change my plans of we are having a great time and when you stop at Innocente, grab a pint and that is probably what will happen. I raided the fridge for one of my favourite Double IPAs, Two Night Stand and we bade our farewells until next time. It won't be long, I can assure you of that.

Fresh Two Night Stand

  The very nature of trying to squeeze 9 breweries into one day means a few have to be quick drop ins with no time for a real visit and that was unfortunately our next stop at Descendant's in Kitchener.

A must stop in Kitchener

  Our journey has taken us there many times before for extended stops that included great conversation in the German Bierhall setting with food and pints, so I was going to have to make do this time with those memories and a promise to return for another visit soon. I was glad to see that Babe Ruthless, their Imperial IPA, was in stock and I grabbed 2 along with a few other treats for Kat and back out on the road we went.


  By this time, our hunger was as real as our need to sit down and enjoy a break with a pint. Abe Erb had recently opened their second location just down the street from our last stop and with the added bonus of beer friend Craig being the lead brewer there, it made for the perfect excuse to stop in.

Lunch Time!

  Ordering a delicious burger and fries to go with a nice session IPA called Something, Something...Citrus Puns, a great decision as it was a crisp citrusy companion to the juicy creation and salted side. Stealing a few minutes of Craig's time as he cleaned up from the days work, we talked of his moving from Innocente to the brewpub Abe Erb and his challenges in getting the system running to his liking, as well as creating and having fun brewing new beers. Saying goodbye and returning to the table to enjoy my lunch, I had a smile at the awesome people that seemed to populate so much of this year's tour. We made our way back to the car with full bellies and a sense of resolve to hit everyone remaining on the list for Day 5.

Something, Something....Citrus Puns

    Another KW favourite was up next and it's unique nature and wonderfully joyous atmosphere have led to us always making Together We're Bitter a destination when we are in the area. A co-operative brewery that boasts a bustling tap room and a newly arrived nitro line, we were happy to run into some familiar faces and hang out for a spell on the brewing floor. Talking future brews and past experiences as well as the tour of Ontario we had done so far, I was surprised when they gave me a howler of their very good Black IPA for my birthday, the perfect gift as it were. It was a pleasure to hang out with Peter and the rest of the gang at TWB and it was another hard to leave moment when we made our way out the door. But rest assured, we will be back!

Thanks Peter!

  Stopping next at Short Finger Brewing for some home brew supplies and to see the progress on their nano brewery, we were happy to see Rob manning the counter. Long admired by me and many others for their kindness and help in the community, he took us on a tour and then helped Kat pick out the package for our next brew. A big Russian Imperial stout was the final decision and he gave us a few hints and tips to hopefully make it a successful try this time. It was a great stop because it reminded me that we love to brew beer as much for the end result as for the process. I looked forward to the few hours in the future that we could spend just making a beer and drinking a few while we did it. Check Short Finger out for all your home brew supplies, they literally have almost everything you could possibly need.

Best hours of operation sign ever at Short Finger Brewing

  It was time to turn the car towards home and the last three stops of the day. Moving south again, we came upon one of the first Ontario Craft Brewers that helped me leave the macro life behind, Grand River Brewing. Located in Galt (Cambridge), this old school brewery has been growing and making some positive changes lately. A rebranding of one of my first favourites, Curmudgeon IPA was just about to be released and it was nice to check out the new label. It is a brewery that will always have a special place in my heart for their place in my history and it is good to see them finally starting to utilize that taproom with more events and beer related activities. While  this was another short visit, I promised to come out for one of their beer club nights later in the spring.

Feels like home to me,

  While this trip has been about getting outside your normal routine and exploring all Ontario has to offer when it comes to Craft beer, there was little chance I would miss out on the two closest and most visited breweries in my area. The road led us first to Burlington and the venerable institution known as Nickel Brook. We stop in here on a pretty regular basis for their seasonal and one off releases and as NB Funk Labs really gets going I can see that being an almost weekly occurrence. Greeted warmly by Tony, it was nice to be back "home" and I grabbed a few of the Malevolant Black IPAs to take home as a reward for all the driving we had done that day. Kat scored a new T shirt and off we went for our final stop on Day 5.

Taps for Days

   A large part of my transformation from macro pounder to craft beer lover can be found in the north end of Hamilton at Collective Arts Brewing.

Damn Right!

I often call them the Hometown Heroes and that is not without merit. Pumping out amazing new beers and with an ambitious 2017 planned, it seems I will be making this trip many times this year. While the latest releases were still a little ways away, I was more than happy to restock my beer fridge with several cans of Ransack the Universe and their very good Imperial Porter. Lots of new stuff coming this year, so keep your eyes peeled for CA!

Last sample, time for home!

  The sun was setting and the day was done. Turning another year older never felt better than with Mrs. Polk by my side and another amazing day trip exploring the best Ontario Craft beer has to offer. A little ambitious and perhaps over the top, this was a great birthday in my books. Your next beer run should include any one of the places we stopped on this day, heck why not visit them all.  Don't be constricted by what you know, open yourself up to the possibilities of something new and exciting, just over the horizon.

  We made our way home, unloaded the precious cargo we carried and readied ourselves for the following days trip to one of my favourite cities in the whole world...

More on that journey soon.

Make your next beer run a little more epic

Break your routine and Explore everything Ontario Craft Beer has to offer.

You will be happy you did.

Cheers!

Polk