Have you ever been so adamant about something that you believe that your mind will never change about it? How about that plus there being a change in your life where your beliefs are flipped upside down? Well, it certainly has happened for me. I was someone who was very much an anti-Pilsner sort of person, there's NO way a Pilsner could ever be *good*. I kind of liked Pilsners before I was a craft beer drinker but did they ever go "wow, this tastes great!" Nope, not once. That is until I went to a Trou du Diable tap takeover at Vices & Versa one time. TDD had a German-style Pilsner on ta ..read more

The other day I posted on social media that I was craving a classic, old school, traditional Saison as the weather was starting to warm up (but has since stopped). I had a Winnipeg brewer tell me to try their Saison but unfortunately for me, the closest place to me that has it is a 200km drive away. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago: some of my fave peeps over at Torque Brewing released a Saison called Beer.is.Art.Saison, a collaboration with the Beer.is.Art movement. There's more information about the collab here, great story! From the label: A light, flavourful Saison brewed with Grains ..read more

Here's a quick review that I didn't expect to do: MTV Juicy Shore Hard Seltzer, a Tropical Punch Vodka Soda made by Steam Whistle Brewing. I drink coolers more than most men but when it comes to seltzers, I just want them to die in a fire already, just not a fan. Steam Whistle.. making a seltzer?! Especially an MTV/possibly Jersey Shore-esque themed one? That's something I really didn't expect from them of all breweries. I almost didn't pick this up but when I saw Steam Whistle listed on the product, I had to. Anywho, I'll keep this short and quick. This seltzer/vodka soda pours clear and b ..read more

I think almost everyone's gateway beer at one point was Guinness Draught Stout, and it certainly was for me back in 2004 or so but I just didn't care for it, it was a bit watery for my palate and the nitro-like creaminess just didn't do it for me. Fast forward a couple years and trying my first non-Guinness stout... I discovered that I liked stouts.  I went to Jamaica back in 2014 and the #1 recommendation I got (aside from trying jerk chicken, of course) was to try the Guinness Extra Foreign Stout that's brewed right in Jamaica, I was told it's a class of its own and yep.. it certainl ..read more

The other day I reviewed Brun Brown Ale by Brandon's Section 6 Brewery, making it possibly the world first beer review done for a Section 6 beer (aside from Untappd, of course). I felt like it was time for me to review something by Brandon's other brewery, Black Wheat Brewing so I decided to review their Tombstone Triple IPA. The staff over at Black Wheat were talking about this beer for several weeks now and Manitoba's not a big market for Triple IPAs so it's a rare occasion to see here. Tombstone pops out at a whammy 10% ABV, making it the strongest beer brewed in Western Manitoba so far ..read more

Oh boy, I'm not sure if I'm excited to review this as this is part of a four pack I bought a monthish ago (at the time at writing) at Brasserie Nonsuch - two cans of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Stout and two cans of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Rotbier with Brettanomyces.. my final verdict about the Belgian stout is not great... I get nauseous thinking about all the beer soaked all over my clothes, the sourness and ugh..  Anywho, got to still go out and try new beers! Rotbiers aren't that big in Manitoba but as soon as Winnipeg Brew Werks created one a few years back, so many breweri ..read more

The very first time I ever tried Lagunitas' IPA was back in 2016. I wasn't really a big fan of the beer as it was usually a tad oxidized/not its freshest by the time their 12oz bottles made its way from California to here in Manitoba. Prior to this beer making a return to Manitoba a few months ago, one of the last times I recall having this beer was at a Doc Walker CD release party/show at the King's Head and I was excited to see it on tap as the pub at the time wasn't pushing much for IPAs, so it was that or Labatt 50 for me. I sipped on it and just like out of the bottles.. it was off. I ha ..read more

*Edit: I actually did review this beer, back in 2012 - here's the first review, with basically the same intro too!* There was an era many, many years ago when I wasn't a beer geek nor snob but I was always looking out to try new fancy beers, mainly lagers in fancy packaging from around the world (predominantly lagers). I can pinpoint when I first tried Carlsberg Pilsner, it was December 2004, I don't know how, but I just do. By this time in life I've already tried Heineken, Grolsch (loved the swing tops!), Beck's (found that one way too bitter), A Marca Bavaria and Corona.  I recall ..read more

Today I'm checking out Sookram's Brewing's Moontower Stout, an American-style Stout with heavy malt notes, roasted coffee-like aromas and hints of rich dark chocolate. 6.0% ABV Appearance: Pours dark as the night, thick and has a moderate thickness of a yellowish/beige head on top that diminishes for the most part, leaving behind a light lacing on the glass at the end. Aroma: Rich, roasty, notes of peat, coffee, dark chocolate, nibs and a hint of caramel. Somewhat earthy. Taste: Fairly watery on the palate but it's very rich otherwise - bitter notes of coffee that tingles the palate for a ..read more

Kilter Froot Loopulin Double Dry Hopped Milkshake Pale Ale A fun & fruity milkshake Pale Ale double dry hopped and infused with a burst of tropical fruits, milk sugar, and vanilla. 5% ABV Appearance: Pours a murky dark orange/almost copper brown body to it, very murky, a bit of floaty bits at the very very bottom of the glass and a moderate off-white head on top. The head diminishes pretty quickly leaving behind a sprinkling of bubbles on top of the beer and a light lacing on the glass. Aroma: My first impression of this beer was pretty much "Wow, this smells almost exactly like a cert ..read more