The Drain Pour Day

It was bound to happen.


I mean, after all these years, how hadn't it already been something I would encounter?


I drain poured a beer I didn't like.


  I know, not revolutionary or uncommon for a lot of folks, but I am a combination of cheap and drunk that has always meant finishing my beer no matter what. I've had my share of awful beer but always managed to finish them quickly and efficiently like the German ancestors on my mothers side would have. The idea that you don't have to completely drink a beer you don't like was so foreign to me that I had a hard time wrapping my head around it, but after more than 3500 different beers and a desire to not waste my calories or beer life, I'm done with the ones that just can't hack it.
  It started a few months ago when we started to get a little more picky with what we would buy at the LCBO or when we stopped at a Brewery. We used to buy one of everything at any brewery and every new beer that hit our local liquor stores. Styles I didn't enjoy or particularly care for were given the same credence as much desired ones and often languished on the shelf or were drunk late at night when good decisions had ceased to be a characteristic of my drinking.  A common sense look at our budget and a bulging fridge of beer neither of us was really interested in was the next logical step to letting go of the need to buy everything. Why buy a lager when it doesn't interest me? Do we need 2 of this sour ale when only I will try it and Mrs. Polk has no care for that style? It was time to focus on what we liked and leave behind a notion that we should be omnivores of craft beer.

This seems excessive

  It's been a slow process but we have been making great progress with both our buying and drinking habits. Choosing to keep it to only 1 or 2 a day for the most part and even when we chill out and have a few, keeping a weekly run of less than 14 beers was strangely doable to me despite my inclination to drink all the beers. But wasting one of those precious slots on beer that just wasn't giving me anything was becoming harder and harder. When you are just going to have 1 beer, it becomes hyper important that it be enjoyable, to style and on point.
  The lack of proper fridge management can play a role in this problem as I still have a little too much beer (I know, I know, 1st world problems and all) and no desire to drink a portion of it. Giving away to friends has been a fine way to clean it up a bit and when I finally caved last week and organized most of it, I discovered about a dozen beers that were clearly well past their prime and on the way to that great circle recycler in the basement laundry tub. A little choked up at the prospect but I bit the bullet and got rid of them. Not the first time this has happened and it bothered me more that I had screwed up than in actually getting rid of the beer.

Yes, it is a macro now but they had a huge infection problem. Proper drain pour.

  This was but a prelude to a little later that day when I opened a beer and just went "Meh.". It wasn't bad, it wasn't good, it was just there. Cloying and artificial, it was supposed to elicit dreams of dessert and instead made me wonder why I was wasting my time. It wasn't an awful beer, in fact some people would love it, but I couldn't do it anymore. I have had several friends tell me this moment would happen and I always scoffed, but here it was. I stared at the glass for a few minutes, contemplating just slamming it back and moving on like I usually do but something was stopping me. I knew I only had room for 2 beers in me that day and why should I waste any of my allotment on something that just didn't do it for me. The time had come and without fanfare or a big show on the damn internet, I poured a beer out for the only reason that should really matter, I didn't like it.
  It felt freeing. It felt a little weird and it felt like I had finally learned to start letting go of beers I don't need.  To pour a beer out should never be a public spectacle and if there is truly something off about your pint, i.e. oxidation, sourness etc., then do your brewer a favour and reach out privately to let them know. I understand that it gets way more attention if you take a run at a beer in public but I think that says more about your need for likes and comments than it does for your commitment to great beer. As a caveat I will say this, if you reach out and are ignored or rebuffed, feel free to go public and demand accountability. While I am all for helping to promote and grow this wonderful community, that has to be a 2 way street and as consumers we must let our voices be heard when something is being done poorly as well as celebrating the best beer has to offer.
  I'm not going to say it was easy but life is indeed too short for bad beer or anything that doesn't bring you happiness. In beer, as in all things, seek joy and the very best that you can find.


Cheers!


Polk

Beer Advent 2017!!

 

  The Christmas season is fast approaching and the time has come to begin preparations for the 2017 Beer Advent calendar. Be it for yourself or someone you love, this winter tradition has become something to help lift the craft beer drinkers spirits as winter takes hold. I like to prepare early and not blow the budget, so I get everything together well before December 1st, spreading out my purchases to be ready for the big day.

  The premise, if you are new to it, is that you buy 25 craft beers from either your local LCBO or at different craft breweries you happen to visit and then wrap them up and randomize them for a tasty treat every day leading up to Christmas. Last year I bought some and raided my cellar for a few more, had Mrs. Polk wrap and number them in an order I didn't know and put them in the fridge. Every day was a new to me beer or perhaps an old favourite and I loved every minute. Not knowing what style I was getting was part of the fun but if you know you don't like certain ones, you can avoid them altogether. The important thing is to make it enjoyable for yourself or someone you love.

  If you're putting a calendar together for someone it would be a great idea to know their favourite styles and even their favourite breweries. This can help guide your purchases and even inspire a road trip or two to get a few gems only available at the brewery. Ask their beer drinking pals what they really like and surprise them with a Christmas miracle of 25 craft beers to help make the season bright.  I would encourage you to seek out a few local breweries and add those to the list because I can assure you that they will appreciate getting something new and if it's a limited release, even better.

  Try and have a unique way of giving your gift. Maybe a custom decorated box, have the beer just show up in the fridge every evening when they get home, wrapped and numbered, chilled and ready to go. Get a big bomber 750 ml bottle of something special for their days off or to share when you can do it together. Add in a new glass or other branded merchandise and you can be assured that your gift will be over the top and make all of your beer loving partners Christmas wishes come true.

  The whole point of doing the calendar is to have fun and to give yourself or someone you love a little "me" time when we need it most. The holidays are not easy for everyone and if a pint after a long day can bring a smile to someone's face, I say we are doing something right. The clock is ticking, so get stocked up, wrap or box those beers and bring a smile to the world with the gift of Craft beer!

Merry Christmas!

Cheers!

Polk

 

Summer & Sours & Saisons, Oh My!

There is something happening here and what it is ain't exactly clear...

(Buffalo Springfield)

While that's a great lyric, the coming wave of sours,wheats and saisons/farmhouse ales is perfectly clear to people who love craft beer. These styles have become a staple rather than a novelty in my fridge and those of my friends and I say "Hooray for our side!"  Citrusy, tart and a whole host of other amazing flavours have made this a brave new world for a former drinker of cheap, watery beer.

 Many people have been predicting sours in particular to be the new IPA for a while now, but to the regular macro beer drinker, it had been off the radar or an afterthought. No longer is this the case and it is time we get our pucker on! Here's some of my recent favourites for you to get an idea about what is capturing my heart.

Many of my friends have recently tried and fell in love with the Raspberry Uber from Nickel Brook Brewing. From its brilliant red colour, pinkish head and tart raspberry flavour that reminds you of eating them fresh from the garden, this beer has quickly become a staple in our summer beer fridges.  Soon available at the LCBO, this one is a serious contender as the beer of summer. 

Raspberries all up in your face!

If your near western Ontario, the Half Hours on Earth folks have captured our hearts with their takes on this refreshing style and I have horded a few of my pick ups from the other week because they are so good. I lament being so far from this brewery and will plead with my family who have a cottage nearby for a pickup anytime I can.

Small and nimble, this brewery will take your breath away



As for local options, I am just beginning to scratch the surface. Collective Arts has its Gose (Gose-Ah) available now and it is a smaller sour with a salt kicker in the back. Super crisp and clean, this was my choice for a growler fill the other day and when two of my friends stopped by the that night, it was quickly consumed and loudly applauded. Look for it in bottles/cans.

This is going to be a big hit!

I must say that the Farmhouse Ales and Saisons are now my go to beers when I want to take a break from all the yardwork. With their big citrusy notes, they provide a great flavour burst from the ordinary. They can range from not sour to mouth puckering so be cautious. You'll find everything from banana, orange peel and lemon zest to earthy yeast and pepper notes that can really punch the flavour up. Bellwoods, Muskoka, Black Oak, Block Three and Folly Brewpub are just the tip of what is a very big iceberg of amazing beers I've had recently and are either available in the LCBO, Beer Store or are worth the drive to get some really good stuff.

Beautiful Wheat beer.



Lots of orange and banana!





Saisons for days!



My 1000th distinct beer and it was a tart lemon beauty!

Folly has it going on!

I looked back on my summer beer pictures from last year and it was a lot of MGD, Old Milwaukee and Pabst. I had just really started to find my legs as a craft beer drinker and had not yet let go of my over consuming macro ways. I am imagining the summer of 2016 is going to be a much different photo album.

The amount of people who are getting into these fruitier tasting beers astounds me and it has been the people who hate IPAs and stouts that seem to have gravitated to the sours or saisons the most. I think a lot of it has to do with being tired of the same old "beer" taste and wanting to be part of this growing community of drinkers who are rising up and demanding better and more diverse things. I for one will be happy to be part of that charge and the more people we can bring into the fold the better. It will be an interesting time as demand grows and our craft brewers respond with their creativity being the only limit. I'm liking where this is headed.

So it's time to crank up the summer tunes, head on out to the deck and crack open a few beers to celebrate the beginning of my favourite time of the year. Bring on the heat and I'll see you by the pool!

Cheers!

Raise your glass and your standards, one beer at a time.

Polka Dot Awards 2015 #1 - Old North Mocha Porter

My Favourite Beer in 2015!

A year ago today my life was rolling along as it always had. One disaster after another followed by binge drinking macro lager and passing out. I wasn't looking to the future nor did I care to. But there was a glimmer of hope as the year progressed. I started to actively live my life. It didn't happen overnight, but in a series of small moments that I couldn't recognize until I put down the Old Milwaukee tall boy. It would be simplistic to say Craft Beer saved my life, but not far from the truth. Well made beer is not just a better consumer product, it is better for you. Good beer made me slow down and take stock of what I really wanted in my life.

I know in my heart I am always going to have to work at being a more present person. But with the help of my family, friends and the occasional beer, I can do it.

All of this leads up to where we are today. New year's Eve 2015. I am very grateful for every one of you who took the time to read the ramblings of the Drunk Polkaroo. It means more to me than I can express and I hope you found something to carry with you. Be it a beer you didn't know about or maybe reconnecting with an old friend, I wish you well.

On with the final review of the year.

 My crazy days of drinking crappy beer are over. The memes and pithy quotes about over consuming and blacking out are still funny, but no longer needed. It is time to grow up and drink beer as the gods intended it to be consumed. With joy and presence. I approach my beer now with an open mind and heart. This how I feel when I popped the top on this years #1 beer on the Polka Dot Awards.



Baysville, Ontario brewery Lake of Bays makes many of my favourite brews, but their Old North Mocha Porter was off the charts good this year.
You always have some expectations of what a beer is from the style or description on the bottle. I usually rely on my own judgement, but their modest depiction of what was in the bottle says it quite well.

 I had the 2014 version last winter and found it pretty decent. 2015 was a step above. It made such an impression that I couldn't get it out of my head. It held its place as the last month of the year advanced and the beers got more complex. Never did I expect this would remain the front runner, but it is a great damn beer.

Christmas at Merle's with a wonderful beer!

It pours a rich black colour with a creamy tan head. Smells incredible roasty. When you finally get done admiring how good it looks, the flavour is incredible. Coffee forward flavour drives the truck here and with the dark chocolate and bittersweet cocoa flourishing in the back, we have an amazing brew. It is a big, robust and mouth watering beer that warms you up in all the right ways. Roasted malts cascade through your senses as you take a deep breath before each sip. So very enjoyable.

This beer is exactly what I was missing before I began to trek up Mount Beer. It could be used to get drunk with, for sure. But it doesn't make me feel that way. It makes me want to lean back, turn off the TV and find out how your day was. It makes me want to read a book and sit in front of the fire. This is a beer that lets you enjoy what it is and contemplate how you ever thought Old Milwaukee was tasty.

I am a man who has missed a lot of life in the last few years, but when I get to taste beer like Old North, I know I wont miss much anymore. One bottle of this beer and you have my attention for the whole night. Okay, maybe two and we'll share.

Polkies are meant to show you what made me better this year and I don't have a doubt that this is one of those. I am constantly seeking the next great beer and finding one is such a joy.

Thanks for coming along for the ride. There were so many amazing beers this year and I am just scraping the tip of the iceberg with these ten. Any of the beers listed below could have been #1, but I had to pick just one.
 I have one ready to go and I think it will be the first beer I open when we arrive at our destination for the festivities tonight. I can't think of a better way to start a party.

It's good to have dreams. Here's one of mine.

Cheers!
Thank You!
Happy New Year!

Congratulations Lake of Bays! The Polka Dot Award for the Drunk Polkaroo's favourite beer in 2015 goes to you and your Wonderful Old North! I cannot wait till next winter and another new Mocha Porter!
Here's a link to their website. Fantastic brewery that never disappoints.

Cheers to the Canadian Beers!

Top Ten of 2015 from the Drunk Polkaroo

1. Old North Mocha Porter - Lake of Bays Brewing (Canada)
2. Pompous Ass EPA - Great Lakes Brewery (Canada)
3. Long Dark Voyage to Uranus - Great Lakes Brewery (Canada)
4. Riptide Rye Pale Ale - Forked River Brewing (Canada)
5. Torpedo Extra IPA - Sierra Nevada (USA)
6. Coast to Coastless - Flying Monkeys Brewing (Canada)
7. Farm Table Marzen - Beau's All Natural Brewing (Canada)
8. Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada (USA)
9. Kentucky Bastard (2015) - Nickel Brook brewing (Canada)
10. Curmudgeon IPA - Grand River Brewing (Canada)

Summer can't come fast enough.
See you all in the Grotto.
Happy New Year!



Polka Dot Awards 2015 #2 - Pompous Ass EPA

Lovely beer for my Grotto!

I think it only fitting that on the second last day of 2015, the Polkie goes to an extremely well made, yet low alcohol (ABV) beer. My journey is far from over in the land of hops and barley, but this beer is one that I continue to buy and enjoy on a regular basis.
Great Lakes Brewery is located in Etibicoke, Ontario. They make some outstanding beers, many of which leave me wanting more than one. Their can artwork from the artist Garnett Gerry (Here is a link to his Instagram, check it out) is second to none and I save at least one of each release to display on my Wall of Beers.
So many beers from these guys are in my top 25, but the one I choose to include in the top ten is Pompous Ass English Ale. There may be more interesting, bolder beers out there and I love to try them all, but it is because of its flavour, composition and 4.2 % ABV that I love this beer.
Like I have said before in this countdown, I am not only trying to showcase those robust beers, but also the brews I could turn to if I just wanted to settle in and read a book with. This one falls into the latter category and I keep a few in the fridge for any occasion.
Pompous Ass pours a cloudy amber colour with a nice off white head. Smells of malted hops. When you take a taste, it has all the earmarks of a classic English Ale. Bready, toffee and a nice toasted malt flavour combine with the slight bitterness of the hops to produce a very fine session ale. It has a decent medium mouthfeel, but doesn't bloat you up or crush your taste buds. I'll often have one of these after having a new beer because it just cruises in and delivers a nice flavour break.
Being a Pompous Ass on occasion has its drawbacks, but not when it comes to beer. Choosing to be more picky when buying beer has made me a better person, albeit one who thinks about his brew entirely too much. I consider what it is I am drinking far more than how much and that is what I was after with this journey.
Beers like this can refresh and create that happy feeling just as well as any Macro Lager. But they do it with actively engaging the taste buds, not bypassing them. Little about Pompous Ass is crazy, but it represents everything I want in a sessionable ale. Smooth, filling and a great combination of quality ingredients. My fridge is never without one or two of these in it, so I can share when you drop by.
I have been wanting to hit up this brewery for a while and it is on my list of things I want to do next year. Rest assured the Drunk Polkaroo will be safely going down the QEW to a city near you and exploring the tasty brews made by your hometown brewery. I may even stay over, so maybe we can have breakfast before I head on home.
One more to go, but for now, why not head out to the LCBO or even the grocery store and grab a 4 pack of this beauty. You will not regret it and maybe you too can show off your Pompous Face.
A dignified head nod to Sir Fuggled Doublebottom and the brewers at Great Lakes for their beautiful beer. A well deserved Polkie for a straight out awesome brewery!
Cheers!

Maybe this could replace the selfie.
#thepompous

Great beer for camping as well.