Trust me, Drink the Pilsner

  I have a confession to make.
  I like Pilsners.
 A lot.
 Okay, some other styles of lager too.
 But Pilsners...oh baby.

  The last few years have found me growing as a beer drinker, exploring new and different styles and the myriad of off shoots our craft brewers have come up with. From the evolution of the West to East IPA to Saisons and Sours, I have fallen in love with the variety and options available every time I crack open a beer. Little in the way of a regular or go-to beer is in my fridge now as I just have too many choices to be made on a daily basis. But something is changing and evolving as I grow a little older and feel a little more like indulging in a forward looking nostalgia that is a finely crafted lager, pilsners to be precise.

  Seeking out the latest Hazy IPA or tart puckeringly sour is not without it's joy. I love to see new releases and returning favourites from Double IPA to Barrel Aged beauties, but I feel the tug of a clean and crisp pils more now than ever before and I think it is a good thing to be in the mix of what I drink. A beer that tastes like a beer is probably a little simplistic but at the end of the day, all the adjuncts, dry hopping and kettle additions in the world cannot compete with the dry and bitter grassy, floral and lightly fruited lagers I find drawing me back to where I began.

But those beers from my past are but mere shadows in comparisons to the delights being brewed right here in Ontario. Flavourless and lacking depth, while technically and efficiently brewed, the ABInBev and Molson/Coors offerings have little to give us in the way of enjoyment outside of being served cold and consumed quickly. The pilsners and lagers I drink now have a whole other level of complexity to them and while it is still advisable to consume them cool, the rush to finish them and pound another isn't what it once was. Their is something in their flavour and texture that belies my memories of what was and has created a whole new level of what is. I drink them to enjoy them but also to release myself from trying to explore the deeper nuances of the more flamboyant of our options.

  Where as not so long ago I would have told you to drink a brewery's IPA if you wanted to know them, I now understand the technical prowess and sheer patience and dedication to brewing a clean, flawlessly crisp and refreshing pilsner with body and depth. There is no where to hide a flaw or a shortcut from start to finish and only true commitment from the very beginning will result in a divine product cascading into my glass. Much respect is given to those who understand the process, love and time involved in creating something so delicate, yet robust in so many ways. To crack through the haze-craze and tart puckers of today is to have crafted something so beautiful that it is a marvel in it's simplicity.

Pour me a golden hued, fluffy white headed, crisp and clean homage to the German and Czech fore bearers of today's tributes and I am yours for the afternoon. On a patio, in a pub or in the quiet of the evening after all my labours are complete, I will indulge myself with more than one and look to a future where my palate can continue to grow and evolve while appreciating the true classic pints of our times, now, then and forever.

Cheers!

Polk

What's in my dream Pilsner/Lager fridge right now? Well, a lot of it has to do with availability, so here is what is happening at the moment here in The Grotto...

Fairweather Brewing Donna Pils (Brewery only)

Anderson Craft Ales Summer German style Pilsner

Great Lakes Brewery Over My Dad Body Pilsner

Steamwhistle

Merit Brewing No Limit Lager (Brewery Only)

Clifford Brewing East Hamilton Lager (Brewery only)

Muddy York Brewing Gaslight Helles Lager

Beau's All Natural Helles Lager

Mascot Brewing Pilsner

 

Comfort Beer - You can go home again.

The pursuit of the new and novel is the hallmark of most craft beer drinkers. We love to find different styles or variations of such and of course, pursue the elusive whales of our dreams. These flights of beer fancy are fun and leave us looking whenever we stop at the Liquor, grocery or Beer stores or the breweries themselves for something we haven't seen before. This is the reason so many of us got into craft beer in the first place, the constant and changing landscape of innovations and ideas drives the need to keep searching for the next thing.
 While this is what we do most often, we also lean back sometimes to the beers that took us from there to here and enjoy them quietly and in a deep appreciation for what they have brought to our lives. Whether you've been a consumer of craft beer for decades or are just dipping your taste buds in slowly right now, we all have those beers that bring us joy and ones we return to again and again without fanfare but with much love. Some people call these "Go-To" or regular rotation beers but I like to think of them as "Comfort Beers" and with good reason, they give me just that.
  A Comfort beer is trustworthy, never wavering from the original intent and always reliable. It delivers what you remember and what you enjoy with equal aplomb and even if it's been a while and your palate has changed or improved, it still gets you smiling when you take that first sip. You find yourself buying a few cans of this beer every so often just because and it can surprise you when you haven't had it in a while because it continues to be a consistently beautifully crafted ale. It isn't flashy or trendy and for some of them, even well known, it can seem like they have been missing from your life for far too long. You know them and you love them for exactly what they are.

  While each of us has our own version of a Comfort Beer, the hallmarks of consistency, quality, reliability, availability and trust play huge factors as often times new beers can miss the mark or leave us wanting as brewers change and challenge the notion of what a certain style of beer should be. For me, a true Comfort Beer is as close to the style points as possible and delivers them in balance between all flavours and aromas. It also has to be readily available all year long as a one off or seasonal release may not be there when the notion hits you and you crave the familiar. Although having said that, I do count on a few releases every year to join me as I roll along through life like long distance love.
What hits the mark for one person will not for another but here are a few pints that you should pick up again or maybe for the first time to enjoy and reflect.

Nickel Brook Brewing Headstock IPA - The OG of West Coast style IPAs for me. Big citrus pith and pine with a toasted malt body that is all about balance.
Wellington Brewery Imperial Russian Stout - The only year round Imperial stout in Ontario. As a slow sipper at the beginning of the day or the last pint of the night, it is perfect.
Amsterdam Brewing Boneshaker IPA - The beer that taught me citrus pith and pine are good things. It's big brother Fracture is a yearly Comfort beer that never disappoints.
Steamwhistle Pilsner - Legendary quality. The original crossover beer for so many of us and a ubiquitous part of our craft beer life that appears again and again, especially in summer.
Great Lakes Brewery Canuck Pale Ale - That most Canadian of Pale Ales. Available fresh and with an unmatched consistency of taste.
Clifford Porter - One of a handful of beers that sets the benchmark for any that come after it.
Collective Arts Ransack the Universe IPA - My first love. A tweak has developed it once again into a must have on a regular basis.
Side Launch Wheat - My favourite straight up wheat ale. Perfect in every way.
Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom IPA - A cottage take on the classic West Coast IPA. It hits different hop notes than most classic IPAs and that brings me joy. Twice as Mad Tom is delightful too.
Sawdust City Brewing Lone Pine IPA - A brilliance of balance. Pine, resin, grapefruit and more citrus check all the boxes. Twin Pines...oh baby.

  While I am sure I could list a dozen more and that your own personal list of Comfort Beers may contain a completely different set of beers, the intention is the same. Identifying the beers you trust and know will always deliver what you ask of them, Finding your way back home after an adventure and enveloping yourself in the love and spark of what you know and love is a fabulous feeling.
  Enjoy your summer and remember it's okay to just drink a beer because you know it and enjoy just drinking it. Life is all about chasing the dream, but sometimes you just need a break and a Comfort beer should be exactly that.

Cheers!

Polk

 
 

In the Goblet - Radlers for the Summer of 2018

The Grotto Approved Radler Goblet

  The summer sun shines down and with the heat comes the appearance of a refreshing, low ABV beer style that keeps you cool and offers a break from the norm. Celebrating Radlers with the 14 I could find at my local LCBOs, I delve into this beer blended with fruit juices or soda to find my favourites and share them with you.
  The citrusy nature of these crushable summer drinks makes them ideal for Grotto livin', whether yours' is a patio, a balcony, a park or a backyard. Light but not without substance, I found many to be utterly delightful while some were decent but not memorable. I discovered through my own exploration that I prefer the radlers made with fruit juice to be more to my liking, less sweet and sugary than the ones made with soda. But everyone has their own preferences and I encourage you to try as many as you can to find the ones you want to keep in the cooler this summer.  
  Take a break and give yourself a moment to just enjoy life!

1.Ace Hill Radler - 2.5%

Made with organic juice concentrate from apple, grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime, I'm pretty interested in what comes out of the can. Surprisingly hazy with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Smelling peach, orange, apple and grapefruit. On the sip, a lovely juiced up fruity mix that is up front with apple, peach, orange and grapefruit and has a tart but not sour finish. Lingers with grapefruit and apple with a dry backend. Refreshing and basically beer juice for multiple takes in the pool or grotto.  4.25/5

2. Schoferhoffer Wheat Beer Grapefruit Radler - 2.5%

Using fruit concentrate to mix this summer crusher, it pours a cloudy but few peach colour with that bubbly but quickly dissipating white head we've come to expect from the style. Smelling grapefruit, on the sip, a beautiful blend here with a juicy grapefruit, orange and lemon zest with a but of earthy wheat notes, perhaps even some banana. 4.25/5

3. Sawdust City Brewing Pink Grapefruit Radler - 3.5%

A mix of a golden ale and pink grapefruit juice, it pours a slightly cloudy pale gold with a fluffy white head that has some staying power. Smells of light grapefruit and lemon. On the sip, crushable, refreshing and citrusy with pink grapefruit notes and a nice bubbly carbonation with some tartness and a touch of lemon.  4/5

4. Moosehead Brewery Grapefruit Radler - 4.0%

 Grapefruit focused using fruit concentrate as opposed to soda. Pours cloudy and gold with a bubbly white ahead that sticks around unlike most of the other Radlers we've tried. Smelling a fresh grapefruit note. On the sip, a fuller textured body with a citrusy grapefruit and a lightly tart lemon note.  4/5

5. Stiegl Braueri Grapefruit Radler - 2.5%

50% grapefruit, lemon and orange fruit juice mixed with beer offers a European take on this summer crusher. Pours a cloudy soft gold with a bubbly white head that fades to the sides. Smelling mostly grapefruit up front. On the sip, orange and grapefruit juice dominate with the latter taking the lead. Slight tartness but all refreshing as this juicy patio pint does exactly what it should do...refresh and renew. Lingers with a dry and citrusy grapefruit. 4/5

6. Waterloo Brewing Raspberry Radler - 3.1%
Pours a lovely shade of rose with that same bubbly head we've come to see in all our Radlers. Again made with fruit concentrate, not soda, it smells of raspberries, juicy and sweet. On the sip, bright with a nice sweet/tart kick from the raspberry, it's effervescent and refreshing, giving the Grapefruit a run for its money as my fave of the pack. Dry with lingering berry notes 4/5

7. Grolsch Radler - 2.0%
Made with real lemon and orange juice in addition to the beer. Pours a cloudy pale yellow with a fast dissolving white head, it smells of lemons. On the sip, right where I want it with a bright lemon citrus up front, light tart and sweet notes, a little like lemonade but not overly sugary. A touch of that orange on the dry finish but this one has lemon lover written all over it. 4/5

8. Waterloo Brewing Grapefruit Radler - 3.1%

It pours a clean gold with a bubbly white head that disappears quickly and it has scents of fresh grapefruit. On the sip, a delightfully citrusy and tart grapefruit with a nice dry and acidic finish. Easily going down fast and refreshing, I like the bit of peel I'm getting that makes it like biting into a slice of real grapefruit.  4/5

9. Waterloo Brewing Citrus Radler - 3.1%

Pouring a relatively clear gold with a crackling but fast fading white head, it's got a bright lemon lime scent. On the sip, crisp and bubbly with a nice lemon front and lime coming in to deliver a bit of a light sour note. Some sweetness, but since it's using fruit concentrate and not soda, I find it's not so sickly sweet.  3.75/5

10. Old Tomorrow Beer Honey Ginger Shandy - 3.0%
It pours clear and golden with a bubbly white head that fades quickly. Smelling ginger and lemon with some honey. On the sip, the ginger ale they used in making this shines with a lovely honey smoothness added. Ginger and lemon with a bubbly carbonation that makes it eminently crushable. The sweetness may be a bit much for me, I like a little more juiciness, but this is a different take on the style and one that has a place with those who enjoy that particular way of making this delightful summer drink. 3.5/5

11. Warsteiner Brewery Grapefruit Radler - 2.5%

Made with half Pilsner and half flavoured carbonated drink, it pours a cloudy pale peach with a bubbly white head that disappears quickly. Smelling sweet grapefruit notes. On the sip, a crisp and carbed up citrus grapefruit with some sweetness from the added soda, cut a little by the Pilsner but still a little too much sugar for my liking.  3.5/5

12. Big Rig Brewery Bongo Grapefruit Radler - 2.9%
  Pouring a cloudy light grapefruit colour with a fast dissipating bubbly white head, it smells of sweet grapefruit soda. On the sip, grapefruit with a sweet soda kick and a bubbly carbonation make for a refreshing patio beer that will have an appeal to folks who enjoy that kind of thing. A little too sweet for me, but it went down fast and with that ABV leaves you room for more. 3.25/5

13. Bud Light Lemonade Radler - 2.4%

  I said I would try all the available radlers at the LCBO this summer that I could find and because I am a man of my word, here we go. Sickly sweet, like a powdered lemonade drink from when you were a kid. Just no. 0.75/5

14. Bud Light Grapefruit Radler - 2.4%

  Somehow worse than the lemonade, sickly sweet with a fake tartness that is like someone rubbed sugar all over a grapefruit air freshener. Never drink this. 0.50/5


 
  A fine list of Radlers for you to try and a couple to avoid as we make our way deeper into this season of Pools, Pals and Pints.
For all the videos, head to the 2018 Radlers/Shandys Playlist on my Youtube channel and see what I thought with a little more live action.

Cheers!

Polk

Grotto Approved - 10 Great Beers at the LCBO for summer !

 

Summer time and the living is easy goes the popular notion. And while most of us continue our regular work-a-day lives, we do tend to find ourselves on vacation or just spending more time outside with a beer in our hands as the mercury rises and the sun shines down. Looking for excellent and widely available summer beers is a mission and Polk is here to give you 10 (plus) Grotto Approved Ontario Craft Beers that will be in heavy rotation in my fridge for the next few months. All are available at the LCBO and select grocery stores and while I know so many of our local breweries are cranking out great beers, I am going with the ones easiest for the majority of beer drinkers to lay their hands on. Look to your favourite Craft Brewery to see what is exclusively available in the bottle shop or online to augment this list, it's always good to expand your horizons.
  Some of these are long standing classic beers and others are new releases just in time for summer. I'll stick to just one beer per brewery but there are a whole lot of amazing things out there, make your own list and have some fun! Either way, may your glass always be full and the sun always shining when you find yourself patio bound and off work!


1. Muskoka Brewery Summerweiss Tropical Wheat

  Available on it`s own or in the Muskoka Summer Survival pack, this year`s Summerweiss packs a tropically hazy fruit kick that is made for outside. Loaded with passion fruit, peach and mango flavour, this 5.3% juicy wheat beer offers refreshment and a blast of citrus for those IPA lovers without the bitterness that scares away people from that style. Crossing lines and appealing to anyone who wants a treat this summer.

2. Sawdust City Brewing Little Norway Pale Lager

  A lager is often the most overlooked style of beer as craft drinkers search for the latest and haziest IPA or Sour but there is most certainly a time and a place for a well made and flavourful straight up lager. Sawdust City`s Little Norway rolls in at a very crushable 4.3% and is a balanced apple, lemon grassy hoped pale lager with a touch of spice. Not boring, but rather a full flavoured, low ABV beer that will have you restocking faster than you`d think.



3. Nickel Brook Brewing Raspberry Uber

  A redesigned bottle with the same great tart berry flavour on the inside. A favourite around the pool for the last few years, Nickel Brook has upped the bottle size and given us more Uber for our Patio Pints. tart and refreshing, loaded with raspberry sour and lemon notes, Uber redefined the style for so many people and will be a feature with it`s distinct red colour as the sun comes out to play.



4. Great Lakes Brewery Sunnyside Session IPA

  A hit returns to fill my fridge with its boldly hopped up but low ABV presence at just the right time. A seasonal release that is consistently filling glasses and cup holders on beaches and patios all summer long. Juicy citrus notes of lemon and pineapple make this light 3.9% IPA drink bigger than it is with a solid body bringing it all together. For the hop head who wants to have a beauty day, this one is for you!



5. Beau`s All Natural Brewing Saison

  A 500ml bottle of everything you love in a saison. Loaded with banana, orange peel, clove and having a most lovely white pepper coriander backend, Beau`s has a 4.7% Patio crusher that is great for BBQ and pool times. Sharing is encouraged and this bottle will make any craft beer lover smile when you bring a few to the table as the sun goes down.



6. Clifford Brewing Porter

  You`ll need a dark beer sometimes and none hits all the marks like Hamilton`s own Clifford Brewing Porter does. Available at Loblaw`s stores and the LCBO, this 5.0% porter is full of dark roasted chocolate and coffee notes, Black Pale Ale. Summer needs more porters, Clifford has delivered.



7. Cowbell Brewing Shindig Huron County Lager

  A beer fridge is somewhat incomplete without a few straight up lagers or ales to enjoy while doing what needs to done outside. You want a beer that is crushable and tastes like a damn beer, then grab a few of Cowbell Brewing`s Shindig Huron County Lager. As much of a house beer as you can find, this 4.2 % is ready for anyone.


8. Bench Brewing Twenty Mile Farmhouse Ale

  Full of fruity banana, orange and lemon zest with just the right spicy pepper kick on the backend, the recently opened Niagara region Bench Brewing consistently hits all the marks with this one. Also available at Tim Horton's field here in Hamilton for Ti-Cat games and other events.

9. New Limburg Brewing Wit

  From a brewery that is making the best Belgian style beers this side of the Atlantic comes their very crushable Wit. A balanced approach to the style with a slightly spicy, chamomile and citrus mix that goes down refreshingly quick.

10. Side Launch Wheat

  Iconic. Legendary. Damn good.
  The best straight up wheat beer made in Ontario, found everywhere and it should be. Loaded banana, bubblegum, citrus with a slight spice on the finish. An anytime beer that is best served on the patio with pals.


   And just because I can, here`s another 10 you should probably grab while your at it...


11. Mascot Brewing Pilsner
12. Collective Arts Liquid Arts Fest IPA
13. Silly Sir Brewing Easy Tiger Lemon Grass Ale
14. Muddy York Brewing Gaslight Helles Lager
15. Descendant's Beer Co. El Buscador Cerveza
16. Block Three Brewing King Street Saison
17. Amsterdam Brewery 3 Speed Lager
18. Black Oak Brewing Beat the Heat Wheat 
19. The Collingwood Brewery Saison
20. Steamwhistle

  Enjoy every moment you can this summer, find your grotto and pour yourself something to remember.
Have a wonderful time with friends, family and all the amazing craft beer you can find. It's party time!

Cheers!

Polk

Thursday on the Patio (Part 5)

"One more round"
  Nothing made him feel better than when he had time for just one more. He knew it would leave him feeling a little fuzzy and probably lead to more than one nightcap when he got home, but he couldn't help himself.
  These post work retreats to the patio at the local chain restaurant were always a little disappointing and the selection of beer was at best a disaster of light and overpriced macro beers with one or two 'blah' craft beers tossed in to appeal to no one in particular. His craft beer pals avoided places like this with a passion and his workmates didn't get all the fuss about something as pedestrian as beer. But for appearances sake and to keep up his position at work, he would join in this near the end of the week ritual and its cheap buckets of Corona that made everyone else so happy.
  The menus at these places were a jumble of slogans, symbols and terrible jokes that made him long for a well made burger and a strong IPA. The nachos were heaped but the quality matched the price and always made him consider whether he hated himself enough to wash it down with more quasi beer in an attempt to look like a normal, well adjusted person. Fried appetizers appeared and someone made a comment about corporate that drew gales of laughter from the group. He had missed the joke but knew how to play along and guffawed like a jackass before he pounded yet another watered down version of a beer he would never love.
  He longed for a return to the taproom, it was but minutes down the road. He tried once to take everyone there, but they struggled with trying the different styles and complained about the lack of fishbowl sized mixed drinks and overflowing $10 buckets of beer. He lacked the nuance or conviction to educate people and went along with them as they returned to their routine and the banality of mass produced food and beer.
  He knew them to be good people, solid parents and in most cases, contributing members of society. He was none of these but he played a part as best he could, only occasionally slipping up and having a few too many. He was a happy drunk, but a sloppy one and these little forays into suburban culture taught him how to cover his latent asshole tendencies and drink with some kind of moderation. But to be honest, a half dozen Corona's didn't do that much, so the shot of whisky he grabbed while saying he had to hit the washroom left a glow on his face belied by the tepid beer in front of him. No glass, just pump a lime into the bottle, turn it round and drink.
  For most people, the hour or so spent on this patio represented a break from the duties of home, a stolen moment laughed about as ditching responsibility but never over done and always home before the sun got too low. They had all long ago made the transition to proper adulthood and gone on merrily to that life with open arms. No regrets and a future of 40 hours a week and a couple of vacations at the beach with the kids until it was time to retire. Milestones met along the way marking progress and finally validation of a life well lived. On this point, he envied them, feeling the weight of his increasing age pulling him down and the only milestone he was looking forward to was the pie in the sky dream of travelling to Europe to explore beer in a way he dreamed of.
  He came round from his ruminations to see the party was breaking up, dinner time was calling and so too were the multitude of sports everyone's children seemed to play. Coach Mom or Dad jackets were stored in the SUV and as he said his good byes until tomorrow, he waited until the last person climbed into their symbols of success and headed back into the bar, having decided not to ruin great beer by trying to drink it after this day. One more round and he could Uber home and fall into an intermittent slumber with a feeling that maybe tomorrow he'd find a way to make it better, to make it work again.