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

 

2016 Polkies - Sours, Farmhouse Ales and Saisons

It's that time again and we kick of the 2016 Polkie awards with the Sours, Farmhouse Ales and Saisons that caught my attention this last year. My favourite part of doing this has been reminiscing not only about the great beer, but the fun adventures we have had in 2016. With so many beers, I had a tough time picking a favourite, I do tend to love the beer I'm drinking right now the most. I hope you had the chance to try some of these and look for many of them to return in 2017. The countdown to my most favourite 10 beers of 2016 begins today and I am so happy to share it with you.
I put these beers into the categories they best fit in for my palate and tried to match the style descriptions from the breweries. But all is well because amazing beer is a thing unto itself.
Raise your glass to the Drunk Polkaroo's favourite Saisons, Sours and Farmhouse Ales.

1. Bellwoods Brewery Jelly King and variants 

 Bellwoods Brewery pounds the competition with Jelly King, Their unique take on the sour beer had me running to Toronto every time the original or a variant was released. For me, the Apricot was the winner of a Polkie for sheer deliciousness. With a new location up and running and another on the way, Bellwoods is poised to bring some real big things to bear in 2017.

2. Indie Ale House Dead Spadina Monkey - Indie Ale House has captured the essence of genius in a bottle and despite a hefty price tag, this big sour beer is worth every penny. Little comes out of this Toronto brewery without some praise and I will attest to the food matching the beer for its amazing composition.

3. La Barberie Apricot Sour - Maybe it was being in the middle of Quebec City sitting on a patio surrounded by people and enjoying an afternoon with nothing to do but drink craft beer, but this sour from Quebec institution La Barberie still lingers in my mind. I had it in my flight an immediately ordered a pint. Tart and delicious, I wish I could go back and drink it all over again.

4. Half Hours on Earth totally - They

may be tiny but Seaforth's own Half Hours on Earth took the Ontario Craft Beer world by storm. Their unique take on sours drove many craft beer nerd into a frenzy but that was alleviated by their very accessible and simple to use website for online ordering. Outstanding beers and a definite must see if you are headed to western Ontario.

5. Bellwoods Brewery Grandma's Boy - Tart and funky, this one took me away from the everyday in early June. It was one of the first wild Ales that made me stop and think about what I was drinking.

6. Block 3 Brewing Fickle Mistress (Raspberry/Ginger)
7. Nickel Brook Raspberry Uber
8. Royal City Brewing Berliner Weisse
9. Half Hours on Earth yalla yalla (citra)
10. Lagunitas Brewing Aunt Sally

Farmhouse Ales

1. Folly Brewpub - Invented Tradition

 Bottle #31 of only 200. This barrel aged beer showcases why I loved Folly so much this year. Their funky brett beers made the Beer Illuminati take notice and it wasn't a coincidence that the first Beer Saints (more on that in 2017) meeting took place in their brewpub.

2. Nickel Brook Brett Farmhouse Ale - The transformation of Nickel Brooks Burlington location into Funk Labs is a very significant development that may have been underplayed in 2016. This brett farmhouse ale was amazing. Hope to see it again in next year.

3. Niagara Oast House Brewers Sweet n Sow'r - A biere de mars that stopped me in my tracks. Tart and funky, I am never disappointed by this Niagara brewer. If you can sit on their patio next summer, you will understand true happiness.

4. Rainhard Brewing Mass Hysteria - A collab with Folly Brewpub, this was a funky lemon and orange peel Gem. While Rainhard is better known for their IPAs (trust me you'll see them on another few lists this week), this is a beauty.

5. Beau's All Natural Brewing 5000 - Another hit from one of Ontario's most successful and yet still experimental breweries. Tart and funky with brett, I could have aged it to see what happened, but when you only have 1, you drink it up. Amazing.


6. Block 3 Brewing The Legend
7. Folly Brewpub Rhizome VIII - Palisade & Comet
8. The Commons Brewery Fleur de Blanc
9. Folly Brewpub Saudade
10. Bellwoods Brewery Farmhouse Classic

Saisons
Long passed over by me as too weird, the Saison now occupies a special place in my heart as one of my favourite styles. Banana, clove and peppery coriander were never in my wheelhouse back in the Macro days. Now I can't get enough.

1. Nickel Brook/Sawdust City Brewing 11.05

A collaboration beer between Burlington's Nickel Brook Brewing and Gravenhust's Sawdust City Brewing, 11.05 is brewed at alternate breweries each year to commemorate the birthdays of the respective brewmasters. First tried at the Polkapacolypse in a growler, this 11 % Imperial Saison kept coming back into my fridge all year. Big and bold but it hides that ABV behind the candied fruit, apricot, lemon zest and orange deliciousness. Lucky enough to find a few cans last month and they were still so amazing.


2. Folly Brewpub Praxis New World Saison - As summer began it's hot and humid descent, I found Praxis. With stone fruit, orange peel and a light peppery backend, this one was smooth and refreshing.


3. Left Field Brewing Anniversary # 3 - One of the first saisons to catch my eye with its popping lemon zest and funky kick. A taste of summer in the late spring. Can't wait to visit these guys again.


4. Block 3 Brewing Stratus Fear - Tart and funky with the brett, this 6.3 % barrel aged saison was a hit near Thanksgiving. Balanced with lemon zest, orange peel and a subtle peppery coriander kick.


5. Folly Brewpub Flemish Cap - A low 4.5 % ABV captured my eye but the flavourful lemon zest, orange and a dry apple note captured my heart. Smooth and refreshing with that peppery kick, it was a crusher that slow sipped a beautiful sunny day away.


6. Amsterdam Brewing Bord du Lac
7. Halo Brewing Tokyo Rose
8. Sawdust City Brewing There's No Way of Knowing
9. Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace
10. Nickel Brook Brewing Le Paysan Saison




I'll be back in this space on Christmas Day with my favourite Lagers and Ales from the past year.


Merry Christmas from the Drunk Polkaroo, Mrs. Polkaroo and Jinx too!