2020 - A look ahead to the year in beer

 Every year I sit here in January and try to peer into the hazy future of craft beer for the next 12 months. A staunch supporter of drinking local but remaining open to thinking critical about my beer, I endeavour every time I write to bring a regular beer drinkers approach to what we see and taste when we sit down for a pint or two. The year ahead will prove once again to be filled with hazy IPAs, big and fruited up sours and the occasional bright and crispy lager, but there will no doubt be something new that grabs our attention, if only for a moment. Controversies, real or imagined, will happen, unnoticed by the world but making waves across the craft beer social media that will make it seem large and groundbreaking. The shiny and pretty influencers will continue to make lots of folks cringe, but breweries will seek them out as cheap and easy promotional tools to be used whenever something new drops, but have no doubt that their imagined reach and influence outweighs their reality. Taprooms will be even more important in creating an identity for new and old school breweries, the experience of visiting and beer road trips will make every customer through the door a potential convert and a vocal one at that. Let's take a look a little deeper at these and a few other things as the decade begins anew...


1. Hazy Domination
  While I do poke fun at the Haze Craze, I am a fan of the dank and tropical IPAs that permeate the market, mostly outside of the LCBO and dominated by the smaller batch brewers like Badlands and Barncat. These fleeting and beautifully crafted beers do not have a long shelf life and fade like my will to live after Kat started watching The Bachelor last year. They remain the high water mark for many new and long time craft beer drinkers and will be going nowhere anytime soon. Look for bigger ABV, more new hop varieties and attempts by breweries to find a way to get them into the LCBO, despite the fact that they will often turn into a much lesser version of themselves after spending a few weeks or even months on the shelves at our local liquor monopoly
2. Sours and Satisfaction
  The Haze will continue to be the big story, but the growing rise of sour beers, mainly kettle sours with fruity additions, will also be the reigning entry for a lot of people into craft beer. Turned off by  typically bitter IPAs, beer that tastes like beer or macro lagers, the folks who's first foray into this world will often gravitate toward this style, reminiscent of sour candy, wine and even juice. They will feel comfortable experimenting and not having to be reminded of their dad's skunky Canadian that they stole sips out of in the past. The fact that this style can hide a lot of imperfections, perhaps even beer that just didn't turn out and can be sold at a premium makes for an easy spot on the taproom and bottle shop list for a certain number of breweries. Not a huge fan of the style myself, they tend to give me heartburn if I have more than 2 in a day, I completely understand the draw and see no let up in their popularity.
3. Lagers...again
  I think my love of lagers, pilsners and any kind of regular, old style 'beer that tastes like a beer' is well known. We joke every January that we will see more breweries making them and the industry swinging back to these kind of "normal" beers and then remember that the light lager and pilsner are the biggest selling beers in the world and craft beer was more of a wanting to leave that behind than anything else. The bland and tasteless Coors lights of the world are often what we hated and despite the fact that some of our craft brewers are making incredibly complex yet accessible lagers, a lot of beer snobs turn away at the mere sight of them. There is room for this style of beer and be it a blonde ale, kolsch style or pilsner, we will continue to see them as sort of a gateway beer for the expanded interest in local taprooms from folks who want to see what all the fuss is about and like to support local businesses.
4. Return to Style
  Having said all that about lagers, I do think we will see a lean back into true to style beers this year. The flavour pendulum swings back and forth as the palates of consumers mature and the traditional brown ales, porters, lagers and even bocks can be just as enticing as any IPA when made right and given their place in the spectrum of beer. Lower ABV English milds, bitters and simple and accessible smaller cans will help to spring forth a new respect for the beers that built the base of what we see and love now. It is all about quality and attention to detail that will help bring about a full turn on the revolution and I think there are enough new and even older, craft beer drinkers that will respond to a brewer who bucks a little at the trendy sours and hazies to deliver solid, if not spectacular renditions of on point beers.
5. Shorties on the way
  Short cans remain an enigma for some. Used to getting tall boys and the price points contained therein, the use of 355ml cans and the sticker shock of what some charge is difficult to communicate to a non craft beer drinker. No doubt there are some brewers that hit the dollar sign a little high despite the smaller container, I personally love them because it allows me to try a few different beers in an evening without getting wasted on 2 or 3 high ABV beers. Look for this format to expand further in 2020, people seem to like the smaller portion size and they respond in kind to a well made beer if it shows value for what you spend.
6. Retraction with Expansion
  No doubt we will see an increase from 2019 in the number of actual brick and mortar breweries in Ontario, but I have some feeling that we will lose a few along the way as well. The easy money of a boom is followed soon after by the reality of the return on the investment made not hitting projections and that leads to cost cutting, quality issues and panic at the disco. There are places struggling out there even as others expand and grow. New and impressive additional locations for existing breweries will show up on the scene as the year goes on, tapping into the trust and confidence the public has in a company that is consistent in their product and delivers the goods every time. There is a feeling of peak beer, but I think we have some way to go before that happens. Ripples become waves eventually, but 2020 will remain an exciting time to be a craft beer fan in new places and old as well.
7. It's all about the Experience
  There is nothing better than spending time in a taproom and experiencing what a brewery's character is all about as you sample their wares. You can tell a lot about a beer by sitting down and soaking in where it comes from, the staff, ambiance and even the food if it is part of the package, will reveal more than you think about what goes into your glass. Be they small or large, taprooms have become focal points in communities, towns and big cities and will continue to be a great way for a brewery to attract new customers to stop in and see what all the fuss is about. The importance of the margins in terms of sales is not to be lost in this discussion and with a fickle government agency gatekeeping many from their shelves, it is the only venue for most to move their product.
8. Influencers...again
  The world of Instagram continues to make old school folks cringe as breweries send product to influencers in hopes that they will take a pretty picture and help spread the word about their beer. I have been on the receiving end of my fair share of beer mail and while I have but once been asked to see what I write (hard pass), I am aware that some people curry free stuff and are light on real reviews or criticism because they don't want to stop the gravy train. My wish that those types of people would not be given any credibility by those who matter will no doubt fall on deaf ears and I'll just say I take most things I see with a grain of salt, while continuing to try and tell the truth about what I drink at every turn, good or bad. Influencers aren't going anywhere anytime soon and as long as they remain docile and pliant to only saying nice things, they will continue to be rewarded.
9. Beer Tourism
  This is the biggest opportunity for craft breweries in the coming year. People now look to what breweries are close to their travel plans and many, myself included, make the visits a priority and often the reason for any road trip at all. Being family and dog friendly helps make the camping or cottage weekend include a stop at your brewery and with the rise of guided tours, people can safely visit many spots in a certain geographical area without having to drive at all. This industry is in flux as the economic model is difficult to make work, pricing and timing are everything, but the coming together of craft brewers in city or region and creating a cohesive plan together will help drive people to visit all of them when they may have only known of one will do wonders for all involved.

I could go on, I most likely will in the coming months, tracking trends and seeing changes I cannot even imagine. I have doubts as to if we will see any consolidation or Macro beer buying up an Ontario craft brewers, even with whispers around the edges that won't go away entirely. I look forward to finding a new style or variation of a current one that blows me away and I hope to visit far more places this year than last. The growth of craft beer in Ontario is still on the upswing and that also means we must remain honest and true to being vigilant about quality. We cannot be sucked into the only talking about the good things, we must hold our support to a higher standard when it comes to our choices in beer, otherwise we should just grab a 24 of Bud and be done with it. 
This is my wish for 2020, that more people will think for themselves and be honest without fear of reprisal. Bad beer hurts us all, drives newcomers away and no doubt leads to more bad beer if we don't hold those who make it accountable for every sip we have.
  While it has been a pretty incredible pace of growth as new breweries are opening in towns and cities across the province, it remains to be seen whether there is the consumer demand or that the quality of product will continue to drive market share up into the teens this year. But I think we are in for another great ride in the next 12 months, so pour a pint and come along!

Cheers!

Polk

Avoid Style Lock - Open your Mind and your Palate

 

 

Fridge Pic from one of our trips. Many styles and options available all over.

We all have that friend. The one who will only drink one style of beer and eschews any deviation, any offering not in their wheelhouse or any trip to the new and unusual. For many, many more years than you can imagine, I was that friend as only the cheapest of beers could find their way into my glass and only then if they tasted like I thought a beer should. I tossed aside any notion that a real man would drink anything but macro lagers (not that I called them that, it was all just damn beer), this craft beer trend was for hipsters and rich people who had too much money and little sense. I was as passionate about my defense of being a drunken fat guy as I am now about the world of beer I have discovered and it is part of the reason I am seeing things in a new light every time I open a can or bottle and sip deeply of someone's dream. But there exists in Craft Beer too the Style Snob, the person who has honed in on one kind of beer and will not budge an inch, forever caught in Style Lock, an endless loop of doing the same thing over and over again.

Such diverse options I used to give myself...

  The entire reason for me exploring Craft Beer was the new and different, learning things about the regions and places in the world where beer styles came from, said styles that transformed from brewer to brewer as minds came forward to try it a little different and discovering flavours I had no idea existed as an option for my beer. The sameness of macro lagers was once the siren call I answered and it makes absolutely no sense to go back to that kind of consumption just because I really like IPAs or Sour Ales. I can understand if there are styles that we may not appreciate or enjoy, Kathryn continues to seek sours or IPAs that she likes even though it has been a constant miss for her save the very odd one. But to cut out any further exploration of a style seems defeatist and could mean you miss out on the beer that could change your life.

Make a Connection...

  The thing about trying different styles and the variations created by individual brewers is that each one takes on a life of it's own and much like the current Haze Craze, it begins with the base style and someone taking a chance on something new. If we get so locked into one version of a style, these new and constantly changing things that could eventually bring the next great beer to your glass. Thinking since you hated one sour that all sours are the same is making the same mistake I made way back when I was crushing Coors Light and getting hammered multiple times a week.

  Call it palate fatigue if you will, but I find that after a few of the same style in a row, even with hop variations and the like, they all start to blend into one giant beer, devoid of character and missing that unique pop that one enjoys when switching up and moving around the style chart. I look to how many pints I think I will be having on any particular evening and then curate my beer choices based on that. Only having 1? I usually choose a slow sipping, high ABV and a little more bold than if I am going to be having 3 or 4. If it is one of those hanging out nights, I usually start with a milder profile beer and make room to grow on my palate as the night goes on. I find sours and wild fermentation ales tend to skew my taste buds for the rest of the night so I leave them until the last few beers to get into anything a little off centre. Same goes for any kind of Double or Imperial, barrel aged anything, leave it for the finale and keep it a little more sessionable to start.
  The growth of my personal palate was challenged by taking risks when it came to what I enjoyed. I could hardly choke down a sample share of any IPA a little over 4 years ago and now am a decided hop head, bring me the resinous pine and citrus pith and watch my smile shine. But I didn't get to where I am today when it comes to appreciating so many different styles of beer by solely focusing on one style and leaving everything else by the wayside. Look around and see all the excellent options available, you just might surprise yourself.


Cheers!


Polk

Beer as Art

 

Brewing is a science. There is no doubt that it takes a serious commitment to brew great beer, from the cleaning and preparation, to the recipe to the execution, it all matters. Home brewing a 5 litre batch or making a commercially available 50 hectolitre tank come down to the same basic functions of temperature control, what you use and when and a little bit of the spark we all hope to see when we open the final product. It is that spark that separates the craft beer we drink now from the macro we used to consume with such devotion, the art of creating and designing something new is what we seek and that is what I celebrate today.
  To brew a consistently good beer, like Great Lakes Brewery Canuck Pale Ale or Collective Arts Ransack the Universe IPA is a truly brilliant thing. Maintaining the flavour profile batch to batch so that it never wavers from the original intent is the mark of pure and level headed brewing. Recipe locked and loaded, the steps known to everyone involved in the process and the final product something that is always the same, time after time. There is a subtle art to keeping this standard of excellence and it should be applauded, it is what the macro producers learned a long time ago and some craft brewers must either get on board with or perish as consumers start to expect that level of quality every damn time. But the unique experience of creating something new is not to be dismissed amidst the regular options we see available year round, for they are where art meets beer and we are most grateful for that.
  Waxing poetic? Perhaps, but the transformation in just a few short years of a dead palate and sombre consumption to a vivid and colourful exploration of a world of flavours is something to be damn excited about in my humble opinion. Taking a page from the artists of long ago, many brewers today seek to push the absolute boundaries of what we consider beer and with that embolden us to seek a new understanding of who and what we are as drinkers and consumers. When we see something new and shiny, we are drawn to it, craft beer has always been about that for so many of us. We want the next thing, the better and bolder expression, and with that comes a certain trepidation as others settle into a style lock and paying the bills means having an offering like everyone else and the public at large feels they need to seek at each successive stop. Hazy IPAs, lagered ales or even low level kettle sours become the pedestrian choice for so many to keep the lights on and without a doubt, there is a segment of beer drinker who will turn up their nose at anything but said IPA or sour if a brewery heads in another direction. I feel for the brewer that feels they must make these bill payers but understand completely the business of staying afloat.
  But let's now turn our practiced palates and perhaps slightly cynical heads a little at the beer list and begin to explore the world of one offs and creativity that really shines when given the chance. An old style revived with care and passion, brought to life in an injection of inspiration, lager made well, saison shown respect and given a spin never seen before or even the IPA hit with something from far out of what your mind had ever considered before.  I will assure you that not every idea will see fruition as a beer you love, no doubt some will fall short for your particular palate, but it is in trying and experimenting that so many of the things we love as our regular beers came to be real. It is the willingness of a brewer to step back, look around and say "I can do this differently.." that brings us to a next level in our pursuits.
  Bold changes in direction or style in any art is often met with resistance at first, we crave the comfort and familiarity of the known, even in the chase for the new, We circle back to the same breweries because we know them, we trust them and at the end of the day, the more choice we have, the more likely we are to default to that very setting. Breaking the chain means pushing yourself, much like some of our favourite places do, and being willing to admit that you can still learn more.
  Life is about balance, choices and challenges. Balance your expectations, choose to seek out the new and bold and challenge your palate...always.

Cheers!

Polk

I Love Muddy York Brewing and You Should Too!

 

Muddy York Brewing makes some beautiful beer!

 

There are a myriad of reasons why craft beer has changed my life, meeting people like Jeff and Susan from Muddy York Brewing is right near the top. Its a tale that starts in the dog days of winter...

Pulling into the drive at the brewery this past March during the start of Toronto day for my birthday Polkapolooza week, I knew they made good beer, but it was the person I met inside that helped solidify what my pursuit of better beer was all about. I walked in a potential consumer of their beer and walked out feeling like I made a new friend. Kathryn and I were positively floating on air leaving and I vowed to return when I could.

Cruise time and Kat finds a Craft beer she likes.

Fast forward a few months and I had yet to drive back out to East Toronto. I watched from afar as they released some old favourites and new beers and when we bought tickets to the Toronto Craft beer Cruise, we were delighted to see that Muddy York would be on board. Imagine our ecstatic surprise when we saw that not only was Jeff manning the taps, Susan was there as well and she completed the deal by continuing the Muddy York joyful love of all things beer. Engaging, witty and most of all, real, these two people helped show Kathryn what craft beer was really all about and confirm what I had come to know about the people that make my favourite beverage. Another plus was they had their excellent Helles Lager with them and Kat fell in love with her first craft beer.

The back and forth on line is one of their hallmarks, always responding to any social media post and engaging not only fans of their beer but all Ontario Craft Beer. I was happy a few weeks ago to receive a beer saint gift from a friend of their Hefeweizen, and it reminded me of my promise to return. Their post last week about having some very cool new Helles Lager t-shirts made both of us an easy excuse to head back to old York.

The only picture from today, I had so much forgot to get a picture of the 4 of us.
Next time !

We arrived and figured we would be in and out with a couple of beers and Kat's new shirt. I think we forgot just how much fun it is to talk about anything with Jeff and Susan and we were there for a lot longer than a few minutes. I know they must meet hundreds of people in their busy lives but at each of our 3 meetings, I've always felt like an old friend returning from a long trip. The genuine and real way they have of listening and engaging you cannot be taught, bought or faked. Walking around the brewery, hearing of their plans for the future, stories of failure and success and thirstily eyeing those three barrels with new beer sitting there, I didn't want to leave. It wasn't just the great beer that they make we discussed, I peppered Jeff with questions about home brewing, how to do some things better and what to do to help make our beer work. He was thoughtful and patient with my beer geeking and they both were just so present that it made me so happy I made that choice 5 months ago to stop in here when I was just a newcomer to all things craft.

I do go a little fan boy when it comes to people who work in Craft Beer, but these two gems are so much more than just brewers of the malted brown pops. They have an infectious joy of life and are the epitome of the people I have met on this trip through all things hops and barley.
I'll leave you today with this piece of advice. Go visit Muddy York Brewing. If they are at an event near you, buy a ticket. The beer is absolutely fabulous, with their Porter and IPAs being my personal faves. But what you will get is a real live introduction to the very people who will be the reason Craft Beer continues to grow in record numbers every year. I will not take so long to return and if you haven't been yet or if it's been awhile, don't wait any longer, you will leave feeling like a million bucks.
Thank you so much for everything you do Muddy York. The two of you will always have a special place in this beer nerds heart but more importantly, you have made a friend in us. Kathryn and I are Jeff and Susan fans as much as we love the beer you brew. Cheers and we can't wait for those barrels to hit the bottles and we can come down the highway once again.
Beauty, eh!


Excellent video introducing Muddy York on YouTube found right here
In case you missed it earlier, their website  is here : Muddy York Brewing

Beer of the Week - February 7th to February 13th

When your week is filled with amazing beer, it is a good time to be alive. So many great Canadian Craft Beers that I have a hard time choosing just one to be my Beer of The Week (BOW) this Valentine's Day. But choose I must and I would be missing a wonderful opportunity to share one of the oldest and finest brewers in the province with you if I slacked off my duty.

Great Lakes Brewery from Etobicoke celebrated their 29th birthday this past Friday and what an accomplishment that is. To be able to stay nimble, innovative and at the forefront of the craft beer industry for over a quarter of a century is truly amazing. I am constantly buying anything I see with the GLB logo on it and this week I made a quick trip to the brewery to pick up a few beers you can only get at their retail store. I picked up the Blonde Lager, Red Leaf Lager, Long Dong Pilsner (stop laughing), and the most unique offering I've had in a while, Body Dubbel Belgian Ale.

I grabbed two because I wanted one to review and then one just to enjoy and savour. It spoke to me from the crack of the can. I can't say it any better than I did on my Instagram review :

"Pours an amber colour with a fluffy off white head that lingers an laces. Smells a little fruity. On the sip, that's why I drove all damn morning to get one. Dark fruits, cherries, brown sugar and molasses kick off the front end witb a nice malt sweetness and a dry, crisp slightly bitter end."

I was never a fan of any kind of dark beer that contained fruit flavours at all. It was a turn off because my palate was only used to tasteless macro lagers and that over consumption life I used to lead. Growing as a person and a beer drinker, I have really come to appreciate the distinct flavour profiles of Belgian style brews, from here or Belgium itself. I love the warming, sweet molasses that made its way into my belly and gave me a healthy glow. Beer may not be the answer for everyone, but when it's this good, who cares what the question is.

Cheers to Great Lakes Brewery for both their birthday and for winning this week's BOW. May you have many more inspiring decades to bring us all the joy from the land of Hops and Barley.

Cheers!



Shooting Videos with the Drunk Polkaroo

I've often said I have a face made for radio. The older I get, there are fewer people that get the joke. "What's radio?" they say, slowly back away from my ancient technology. But as I continue my Year of Beer, I want to try new ideas and expressions, so it with that in mind I am starting to make short beer review videos on the YouTubes. I know there is no "the" at the beginning or an "s" at the end, but that's how we tell us old timers apart from the rest of you.

When posting a photo and write up on Instagram or the blog, I have the ability to rewrite and polish my work. Sometimes I do edits later on if I notice something is just not working or spelled wrong. With video, that is a little harder. You can only open a beer one time and in the case of many of my brews, I only have one of them to drink anyway. But I like the rawness that video provides. It pushes me to focus on every aspect of what I do with the beer, from the opening of the bottle to the last drop in the glass. Yes. A glass. Every time. Come on guys, it's not hard, but please stop drinking out of the bottle. You are missing so much. I wrote about it twice, here and here.  Check them out. They both will explain why I always pour my beer into a glass. That subject is becoming like the 1993 Leafs for me, I just can't give it up.

Back to videos. I started with a few simple pour videos, using an old digital camera until I realised my phone has better resolution. I don't have a stand for it yet, so I made my own out of some scrap wood I had lying around in the basement.

A little crude, but it gets the job done.

I think it is time to step it up in the camera department and will venture forth to find an affordable but good webcam. That will make editing a little easier and probably improve the quality.

I use my Wall of Beer as the backdrop, but will eventually be filming all of my reviews and video blogs at my bar, which after 10 years I am actually going to build. For my "research". Man, beer is pretty awesome when it motivates you to get projects done. Just make sure you drink after you build or it might be a little lopsided.

That's a whole lot of fun on one wall.

I really want to capture all the sights and sounds of opening, pouring and tasting a beer, so playing with some different formats and techniques will be something we can do together. Subscribe to my YouTube channel, here, and follow along as I talk about beer and no doubt so much more. I can only promise that I will keep searching for the Perfect Beer and with that a better life. I am not going to lie, watching a video of myself is a little odd, but I do love all my Fat Guy shirts and am glad they are finally getting the exposure they deserve.

Happy Monday to you all and I'll see you later on the Internets.

(Again, I know there is no "s". Just testing.)





If you enjoy the blog, follow along on the Facebooks. 

(Now I'm just messing with you)

(But follow along, lots going on there too)

Thanks again for the support and Cheers!



Just One Beer

When I finally decided to try to record at least one beer a day for the whole year, it was a daunting task. Not because I would be drinking a new beer every day for 366 days, that's the easy part. It is being able to stop at one most days that worries me. I know how much I love to explore Craft Beer and all it has to offer, but I must use caution as the year goes on. It is so simple to cruise through three or four new brews a night, never mind a sprinkling of old favourites. My intention is not to get hammered every day, but rather to expand my palette and hopefully my mind.

With this as my goal, I am doing my best to really stretch out and enjoy that first beer of the evening. Last night I opened the Waterloo Spiced Dunkel and it was a different brew. Full of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices, it is reminiscent of a pumpkin beer or winter ale. Lovely texture with a finish that includes my nemesis flavour, the clove. I was not trying to drink this slow, but as with a lot of craft beers, you just don't pound them. I sipped along for about 45 minutes and by then it was a little after 10 p.m., so time for bed.

That is one of my "tricks" for drinking less while trying to still keep this beer train rolling. The other is quite simple, I delay that first beer until after I have finished all my chores, eaten dinner or accomplished anything else I need to do. This can mean I open my first beer as late as 9 p.m., which when you need to be up at 6 a.m., is awfully close to bed time. This forces me to choose wisely, enjoy responsibly and keep my demons in check.

Some nights you feel the groove and have a couple and really enjoy them. Other nights are one and done. Both appeal to me, but it is a test most days to limit myself to a reasonable consumption. There is always the desire to squeeze one more in and that can snowball into a whole lot more beer than I need or want to drink.

So I use my mind and discipline every day to control my desires. I have so much planned for this year and waking up hung over and wasting even one day is not one of them. I love meeting all the people who enjoy beer as much as I do and don't want to be that drunk guy when we grab a pint. And finally, I have been building a new life that includes beer, but oh so much else. Travelling, writing, exploring Ontario and connecting with friends (new and old) require a sober and dedicated approach from me. So with that in mind, I will try to keep approaching each beer as a new experience and use Just One Beer as my guiding light.

Unless you come over, then I'll crack another open and share it.

Cheers!