National Capital Craft Beer Week 2013 [General]
2013 Aug 17
Photo: the very amusing sight of the lone tree's shade having maximum occupancy.
Did my first walk-through, will be back later after major foodage. (It's easy when I live three blocks away...) MUCH improved organisation from last year: while in line, they check ID and give you the Age of Majority Orange Wristband, then if you pay cash, there may be volunteers along the middle fence accepting your money and give you your Proof Of Payment Green Wristband, then your glass, and you're in! Barely two minutes in the short line. Kudos on fixing the horrendous problems of last year's entry line-up.
Flying Monkeys: "City and Colour" imperial maple wheat - high gravity beer with Ugandan vanilla pods and local Breedon's maple syrup. 11.5%, 35 IBUs. Whoa, what a nose!! vanilla just oozes up from the glass, and the sweetness of the maple makes it go down way, way too easily.
Sawdust City Bewing Co:
- "Red Rocket" spiced stout - coffee, cinnamon, cayenne 5.5%, packs a developing punch as the cayenne settles halfway down your throat, quite delicious but really, really beautiful with food - and there's plenty of nummy options, with two food trucks, Green Papaya, Spuds, and a few others.
- "The Princess and Girlpants Meet the ODB" - barrelaged Belgian golden ale, 9.2%. Lots of oak, absolutely lovely, refreshing, and again masking some of its strength.
From the Cask Tent, right at the entrance:
Mill St Cask Distillery Ale - toffeeish amber ale, usual low carbonation, smooth enough, nice, and good to see more experimentation from the local Mill st location, whose products I tend to favour over the Toronto line.
Nickel Brook root beer, from a cask so not too carbonated, very tart, no caffeine, nummynummynummy, a nice change of pace. When I go back I'll try their ginger beer.
EDIT: I was happy to see two Quebec microbreweries on the list, but they're not themselves present - just have five products on tap courtesy of the BroueHaHa shop in Gatineau, four from Dieu du Ciel and one from...I forget, but I don't think it's Trou Du Diable as the fest website shows.
(Yeah, not much so far, but I'm more easily tired these days.)
Did my first walk-through, will be back later after major foodage. (It's easy when I live three blocks away...) MUCH improved organisation from last year: while in line, they check ID and give you the Age of Majority Orange Wristband, then if you pay cash, there may be volunteers along the middle fence accepting your money and give you your Proof Of Payment Green Wristband, then your glass, and you're in! Barely two minutes in the short line. Kudos on fixing the horrendous problems of last year's entry line-up.
Flying Monkeys: "City and Colour" imperial maple wheat - high gravity beer with Ugandan vanilla pods and local Breedon's maple syrup. 11.5%, 35 IBUs. Whoa, what a nose!! vanilla just oozes up from the glass, and the sweetness of the maple makes it go down way, way too easily.
Sawdust City Bewing Co:
- "Red Rocket" spiced stout - coffee, cinnamon, cayenne 5.5%, packs a developing punch as the cayenne settles halfway down your throat, quite delicious but really, really beautiful with food - and there's plenty of nummy options, with two food trucks, Green Papaya, Spuds, and a few others.
- "The Princess and Girlpants Meet the ODB" - barrelaged Belgian golden ale, 9.2%. Lots of oak, absolutely lovely, refreshing, and again masking some of its strength.
From the Cask Tent, right at the entrance:
Mill St Cask Distillery Ale - toffeeish amber ale, usual low carbonation, smooth enough, nice, and good to see more experimentation from the local Mill st location, whose products I tend to favour over the Toronto line.
Nickel Brook root beer, from a cask so not too carbonated, very tart, no caffeine, nummynummynummy, a nice change of pace. When I go back I'll try their ginger beer.
EDIT: I was happy to see two Quebec microbreweries on the list, but they're not themselves present - just have five products on tap courtesy of the BroueHaHa shop in Gatineau, four from Dieu du Ciel and one from...I forget, but I don't think it's Trou Du Diable as the fest website shows.
(Yeah, not much so far, but I'm more easily tired these days.)
2013 Aug 18
There were 5 food outlets:
1. Urban Cowboy - Bulcher burgers at 7 and shrimp tacos? at 6
2. Red Rooster - chicken on a bun for 8 they were accepting cash as well as ticket. Thought that was not per agreement since the organizers usually take a cut of the tickets?
3. Green Papaya - they had their pad thais and curreys at 12 but lowered down to 10 in the late afternoon when I was back for the 2nd time.
4. Turtle Island - mesquite smoked lamb burgers and pulled chicken sandwich 7.
5. Spuds for poutine at 6 and 1 for each of several toppings.
I had the lamb burger which was tasty but the size was slightly larger than a slider.
My favourite was the Flying Monkeys' City and Colour. Unfortunately that was my first draw so the next few paled. It was 4 tickets for a 4 oz but well worth it.
Aston Brewing company - tasted a okay bluebarry wheat but it did not taste as much of the blueberry flavour as one I tasted in the Boston Beer Feast a few years ago.
Turtle Island Smashed Cherry was okay but the honey brown was much nicer. 3 for 8oz
Beyond the Pale was fun with someone dressed as the pink rabbit of Hope on your face and the cask wheel. I ended up playing cask wheel with my last 2 tickets and got Imperial super guy which while nice I could not remember the difference between the regular draft one I sampled before and got the barrel which is super guy in a Makers Mark Bourbon barrel which was very tasty...
The barrel is not available in growlers yet but might be in the future.
1. Urban Cowboy - Bulcher burgers at 7 and shrimp tacos? at 6
2. Red Rooster - chicken on a bun for 8 they were accepting cash as well as ticket. Thought that was not per agreement since the organizers usually take a cut of the tickets?
3. Green Papaya - they had their pad thais and curreys at 12 but lowered down to 10 in the late afternoon when I was back for the 2nd time.
4. Turtle Island - mesquite smoked lamb burgers and pulled chicken sandwich 7.
5. Spuds for poutine at 6 and 1 for each of several toppings.
I had the lamb burger which was tasty but the size was slightly larger than a slider.
My favourite was the Flying Monkeys' City and Colour. Unfortunately that was my first draw so the next few paled. It was 4 tickets for a 4 oz but well worth it.
Aston Brewing company - tasted a okay bluebarry wheat but it did not taste as much of the blueberry flavour as one I tasted in the Boston Beer Feast a few years ago.
Turtle Island Smashed Cherry was okay but the honey brown was much nicer. 3 for 8oz
Beyond the Pale was fun with someone dressed as the pink rabbit of Hope on your face and the cask wheel. I ended up playing cask wheel with my last 2 tickets and got Imperial super guy which while nice I could not remember the difference between the regular draft one I sampled before and got the barrel which is super guy in a Makers Mark Bourbon barrel which was very tasty...
The barrel is not available in growlers yet but might be in the future.
zymurgist
Looks like Petit Bill's Bistro has something going on tomorrow night to kick it off
petitbillsbistro.eventbrite.ca