So damn good to be back with the weekly beer blog and enjoying new brews as we settle into a new normal. I like to tell a good story and enjoy a tasty beer so here we go!

Source: https://www.pinterest.pt/goldensaintbeer/ with a little Zeke design on top.

So, happy @davedickeyyall day y'all! I am remotely celebrating his 50th and dedicate this post to his happy trip over the hill! ;)

Lets tell a trio of tall beer tales.

Lucky No13

Collective Arts Brewing https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/ has done a great job for quite a while whether you enjoy variety, progressive or experimental brewing, sours, hipster beer or IPAs which I enjoy most. A few years ago, they appeared to settle upon a couple standard and delicious IPAs including my favourite Life in the Clouds https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/beers/life-in-the-clouds/ and the occasional Ransack the Universe https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/beers/ransack-the-universe-2/. They were not about to hang their hats on good/consistent and continued to blaze new trails through the numbered IPA series, about which I have blogged many times.

The latest in the series is their 13th edition, which is a Double IPA brewed, for the first time, as a collaboration with another brewery. Aslin Brewery https://www.aslinbeer.com/ is the partner on this run at a classic Double IPA boasting a very neat combination of hops. The sweet and tangy haze lulls you at first and then you are reminded that this is a powerful 8.1% ABV that is not to be taken lightly.

It is available at our local outlet so I will definitely get 1 or 2 of these next trip.

As nice a treat to the gullet, it is rewarding to the art-loving eyes as well. As is the branding hook for Collective Arts, this label features the work of an independent artist. As listed in the small print on the label, Erek Jones https://collectiveartsbrewing.com/artists/erek-jones/ comes packaged nicely with the Virgina brewing partner and I don't recall seeing CA featuring an artist with their own spotlight page as you see in this one.

Well done Erek and well done Collective Arts!

Underground Brews

Upon visiting Abe Erb Brewing http://http://abeerb.com/ at their Ayr Mill location to help with their covid reopening, I discovered Willibald Farm Brewery https://drinkwillibald.com/ Muggsy, my beer hipster partner, had widened eyes when describing this beer and the prospect of visiting them a couple days later. Seeing as I had never even heard of them, and they were nestled in this small town, I was looking forward to hearing reviews from his visit.

I didn't have to wait long as Muggsy arrived at my door a couple days later with a couple of these hazy babies. Good thing I had a couple extra Riverhead Brewing https://www.riverheadbrewing.com/ Galaxy IPAs, as featured in the last blog https://hive.blog/beersaturday/@zekepickleman/the-blockchain-beerologist-returns in the fridge for barter.

All I can say is this is a damn good beer with a solid combination of hops. I can add that I easily forgot that this is a Double IPA because of how consistent the taste was and 8.4% ABV never slid down so smoothly.

I now have 2 breweries to visit in this one small town and that will make for a sweet future #beersaturday.

Unexpected Fun

Long time followers know I love Great Lakes Brewery http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/ and credit heavily in my slide into IPA obsession. I must admit that I get a little tired of so many beers claiming to be crushable, citrus, and wet-hopped. That should be assumed!

When a couple of the inside beer hosers started talking about this beer when it was breaking, the jury was out. Another design disaster on the label of the new Fun Juice New England Pale Ale https://untappd.com/b/great-lakes-brewery-fun-juice/3840748 , it weighed in at only 5%, and lacked the India part so we were not as sure as other releases.

As I was told, this one sold out within a few short hours and was only sold at the brewery. I managed to secure a couple cans for the blog but you can see Great Lakes needs to send a couple new branded IPA glasses for a proper photo.

This beer is satisfyingly good. I like a Sunnyside Ale http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/Beer/sunnysidesessionipa/ for its light alcohol, solid taste, and chuggability. Fun Juice seems to just take it up a hole with more taste and strength. It looks so thick and tastes so hazy that you forget it is not a regular hazy IPA. I was prepared to turn my nose up a little and classify this as a nice light beer. Wrong is what I would have been as this beer stands on its own legs and is hoppy despite the low IBU listing.

Seeing as this great beer was sold out a day before I would even get to taste it, it really makes no difference whether or not I would buy it again as I won't get the chance. Admirable media campaign and limited supply resulted in such a quick sellout. I would suspect they are working on another run with double the volume to sell more and score glowing reviews.

So there you have it. Every good beer can tell a story. Hitting these three breweries in the same day is feasible but I have caught you up in a few minutes.
#ontariobeerrocks

I have had hundreds of beers with my #BEERSATURDAY crew. It is week 161 already! https://hive.blog/beersaturday/@detlev/6-join-beersaturday-week-161 of the longest running beer-drinking club on any blockchain. Take some pictures, tell some pub tales, and become a Beerologist by posting your own suddsy story with @detlev and yours truly.

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Thanks for the support and stay tuned for more Covid-19 stories of beer, community and victory!