It is #BeerSaturday so lets hit the beer store and see what is new from some old favourite breweries!

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

I became a beer blogger years ago because of the blockchain, I came to write either about that which I am learning, or know very well. The years I spent brewing for myself, the breweries I work with now on their technology and marketing, and the decades spent imbibing combine for the self-proclaimed title of the #Blockchain #Beerologist.

This week, I visit 3 of my all time favourite breweries to see what is good, what's new and what hopefully will be better a second time.

Pint of the Week!

I showed my cards last week when I highlighted 2 weeks worth of shorties as a special double-shot for my long-time followers. Since we are in lockdown with a stay-at-home order in place for a month, there are not too many pints of the week going on in pubs. None I am willing to post online for fear the deep state may see my felony and pursue action.

So, in rebellion to that notion, here is my demonstration. It is a nice cool pint of rum and whatever-was-in-the-kitchen (which turned out to be quite delicious) in my budding garden as I survey the work we have to do while celebrating resilient returning vegetation.

Now that the feds are off my tail, here is a crisp and refreshing Sapporo https://sapporobeer.com/ known and enjoyed around the world. They are a rather large global corporation as well and own an old-school Canadian brewery called Sleeman Breweries https://www.sleemanbreweries.ca/ I definitely don't hate a Sapporo.

I Wish it Wasn't Just a Seasonal!

I have been a Great Lakes Brewery https://www.greatlakesbeer.com/ fanboi for many years and credit if largely for my blissful descent into IPA obsession. While the highest award may be a place on my coveted top 10, next most prestigious would be "I Wish it Wasn't Just a Seasonal" and available year round.


According to the story told on the side label, Moxee is the hometown origin of the El Dorado hop which is popular in New England IPAs. Meanwhile...Down in Moxee https://greatlakesbrewery.myshopify.com/collections/cans-bottles/products/meanwhile-down-in-moxee is as solid and delicious a NEIPA as I can imagine. I have found myself enjoying it even more than some of my all-time favourite GLB IPAs which really says something.

If only it were available year 'round, it could build a strong case for the top-10.

Some Kinda Monster

Another of the unique and fantastic progressive craft breweries of our region is Collective Arts Brewery https://collectiveartsontario.com/. You even spend a few seconds trying to evade the eyes on the age gate of the website and you get the feeling they have a flare for design and experience. While I have breweries I prefer over Collective Arts, it is simply indicative of the bountiful supply of great craft breweries and wonderful state of IPAs being brewed.

This beer is a NEw England Double IPA called Good Monster which is even a pretty cool name. According to their website (or the results from my 5 minute wrestling match with it,) this beer doesn't exist. The artist, however, does exist and she is known as Canadian artist Sarah Cannon, aka @nightarcade on Instagram. There is something menacing about the trance-like gaze and the artistic splash of the fancy guppies swimming around.

The beer? Hazy yet amazingly light-textured but a serious DIPA with a nice edge. Would buy again!

Everyday Magic This Time?

I remember when I first had this offering from Sawdust City Brewing https://sawdustcitybrewing.com/ I was camping, stopped at the beer store to fill up the cooler, and was pleased as hell to find a brand new beer from one of my favourite breweries, and it was a Hazy IPA! Seriously it is moments of perfection like that you have to cherish and drink in as the universe squirts you some magic.

When you look at the side panel of the label, there is some informative detail, a moderate IBU and a list of great hops highlighted by one of my favourites, Galaxy. When I had the first batch in the summer, it was so dry and obnoxious, I had to choke through them and never have 2 in a row. Perhaps there was just too much Cashmere in it which put such a jagged edge on the hop character, it drowned out the other ones I usually enjoy so much. Maybe it was a bad batch, they were still refining, or perhaps it was a beer simply not for my jaded palate.

I had to give it another try these many months later and see for myself.

When you look at the well-done third panel on the label, you get a lifestyle splash that attempts to put you in a state of peace and love the beer before you even drink it for the sentiment. Having not enjoyed it overly the first time, I was wise to the game and was prepared to have a repeat performance.

Turns out, this was a much different experience! The hops seemed to balance out a little more and the Cashmere was restrained by the trio of other hops. My only conundrum was that I had only bought a single can, and wanted to give it another shot, but would have to wait. I will let this dog lie and see if it is available in a couple months. For, ifi it is, I discover it is available year 'round, and is even better this time, I may have to include it in a drink off to update the top 10 list!

This is a toast to 3 breweries which have brought my mouth and belly more joy than they can know over the years. Great Lakes , Collective Arts and Sawdust City, you each get the seal of approval for these and your many great beers.

#BEERSaturday!

Thanks again for this wonderful #hive #beer gift by @spirall on Twitter! Hop in on the marketing push with us and invite the world of beer bloggers to join us on Hive.

Only 1 more week 'til the monumental 200th #beersaturday celebration but we must pace ourselves as we are still at week 199 https://hive.blog/hive-187719/@detlev/199-weeks-of-beersaturday What craziness will @detlev and I and all of the other burgeoning blockchain beerologists bring? You will have to have a few beers this week and wait and see!

I invite a friend to the party every week and this week I invite a new friend who valiantly accepted the Hive Torch, @eco-alex. Not sure whether or not he drinks but I will just have his if not.

Cheers to our global family of beer-drinkers!!

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Name a craft brewery in your region that keeps pumping out the hits!