Today we  hit the last four places on my list: Your Father’s Moustache, Garrison Brewing, Pogue Fado, and Hart and Thistle.

The first place we stopped off for lunch — Your Father’s Moustache.  I also got my beer for the day out of the way: Moosehead Brewings Clancy’s Amber Ale.  This was very similar to yesterday’s Molson offering … an amber style beer that is definitely sessionable and a beer you could drink every day. (The really great beer happened later in the evening …)

Since we were here to get Megan on her ship–we actually had to go to the Pier (Pier 20) and say goodbye to each other.  To console myself I stopped in at Garrison Brewing — right across the street from the Pier! 🙂

I couldn’t help myself and sampled their Imperial IPA again — wow, is that a good beer.  If you get the chance and you are in Halifax, I highly recommend stopping in at this brewery or at least sampling their beers somewhere in town.

Since that was about 2pm, I had to come up with something to do later … I changed hotels  and when I did, I found the largest Wheat Beer glass in the World (or at least I thought it was … check out the picture!)

I went to Pogue Fado for an afternoon beer (or two) and then went (on recommendation from the guy at Garrison) to Hart and Thistle to try their beers.  Wow!  Was I glad I did.  They had two small batch beers they had made that were amazing.  If you are in Halifax, definitely go to this place and try their beer!

They had two IPAs on tap: one they called Rosemary’s Baby and one called RIPA (Random IPA).  Both were excellent.  The Rosemary’s Baby was an IPA with Chinook and Cascade Hops … but flavored with Rosemary, Coriander, and Curacao Orange Peel.  Sounds strange, but this really worked.  I would drink this one all the time.  The Random IPA actually had 4 different hops … truly a Hop Bomb.  This one had Japanese (Sorachi Ace), Slovenian (Celeia), English (East Kent Golding), AND American (Centennial) hops … you might think it wouldn’t work.  Well, it did.  Excellent.  I wish I could have taken a few bottles of this home with me…  Here’s a final picture for  you … the image they use to show  you the men’s restroom … LOL!

Beer Mentor

Today we covered The Old Triangle, Maxwell’s Plum, and The Loose Cannon.

In order, these are: An Irish Pub, an English Pub, and a Scottish Pub.  Kind of funny, but we ran the gamut today.

First, the Old Triangle was our lunch time destination … and we hung out through the traditional music session.  Pretty low key, nice music, and a nice selection of beers.  I settled on the Rickard’s Red Ale … basically a Molson Canadian product.  This beer was pleasant enough and met my requirements for a lunch time treat…I was still thinking about that Garrison Imperial IPA from yesterday.  This could qualify as a sessionable beer.  I had the Shepherd’s Pie … couldn’t help myself–Irish place, you know.

After lunch, we went to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (worth a visit) and sang some Sea Shanties and then went to the Oldest Public Gardens in North America.  On our way back down toward our hotel we walked by Maxwell’s Plum and decided to stop in for a sample.  I had a six-piece sampler and tried several more of the local brewery products … still focused on that Garrison Brewery (by the way, when we went by there today it wasn’t open yet, darn it).  Love those little sampler glasses … LOL!

After walking around town a little more, we ended up at the Loose Cannon.  We decided to stay there for the evening, have a little dinner (fish/chips) and competed in the pub quiz … we didn’t quite win! 🙂

Unfortunately, I didn’t try the Scotch Ale — I had a Guinness … not sure what I was thinking … maybe next time!

Beer Mentor

Today I’m in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  My daughter and I traveled here to see her off on a semester at sea excursion.  It also gave me an excuse to visit more pubs in Canada!  I’ve got about 10 places on my list to visit and only a few days to get there …

They are: 1) The Red Stag (Alexander Keith’s Brewery), 2) The Old Triangle, 3) The Split Crow, 4) The Lower Deck, 5) Garrison Brewing, 6) Pogue Fado’s, 7) Your Father’s Moustache, 8) The Loose Cannon, 9) Maxwell’s Plum, and 10) Hart & Thistle.

Today we put a pretty good dent in the list and hit #1s 1, 3, and 4.  Alexander Keith’s is the oldest operating brewery in North America (since 1820). Yuengling’s is the U.S.’s oldest started in 1829.    We took the tour (see the pics) which is well worth it if you make it to Halifax.  It lasts about 1 hour, they put on a nice show in period costumes, AND you get to sample the beer … a plus!

We then went over to the Red Stag Inn for today’s beer: Keith’s IPA.  As I usually enjoy a very hoppy IPA I had a small problem with this beer — I just didn’t feel an “umph” from the hops.  However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a drinkable IPA … I had some hop bitterness and wouldn’t turn this beer away if offered to me.  Especially drinking it at the Red Stag, right on premises.  It was a satisfying beer to start my trip to Halifax.

We also ate dinner at the Red Stag (late lunch actually) … and I highly recommend their Fish and Chips!  Next on the agenda was a short walk over to the Split Crow. This place opened in 1749 and was named the Spread Eagle from the Double Eagle on the German Flag.  It became known to locals as the Split Crow.  I had the best beer of the day here: a Garrison Brewing Imperial IPA.  An excellent beer–it won a Gold Medal at the 2010 World Beer championships … well-deserving. Ok, I’ve changed my mind — this one is the beer of the day!  Look forward to visiting their brewery tomorrow.

From the Split Crow we walked over to the Lower Deck and got there in time to enjoy a few more cold ones and listen to the live band playing — excellent music, great venue, and then called it an evening!  Tomorrow should be just as much fun!

Beer Mentor

First — Happy Birthday son!  My son is 20 today … too bad for him … only one more year before he can join me in my past time … if he so chooses! LOL!

It’s only appropriate then that today’s beer is Avery‘s White Rascal.  Both he and I have been called rascals before.    It doesn’t hurt my feelings … I kind of like being a rascal; of course, I meant the second definition — a mischievous person.  ha ha!

On to the beer–this is another in the line of Witbiers.  I like witbiers and this is no exception.  I think they’ve captured the essence wonderfully and I could drink this one all day long.  Yum.

Beer Mentor

Today’s brew comes from Breckenridge Brewery in  … I’ve been drinking their beers since 2002 when I lived in Colorado Springs.  They’ve kept their quality very high and continue to make innovative beers.  Today’s beer is their Small Batch 471 (double IPA).

As soon as you open this beer and pour it you get that great hoppy nose … you definitely get the Fuggles, Simcoe, Chinook hops right in the face … but the flavor is well-balanced … the malt balances well with the hops which balance well with the alcohol.

This is an all-around excellent beer.

Beer Mentor

This beer is a new one on me … We were shopping over at Total Wine AND MORE when my daughter saw this one and recommended we try it–Marshmellow.

This beer comes from Oxfordshire Ales, a microbrewery in England.  Their specialty is brewing “real ales” … and they do a very good job of it.

As expected from a “real ale,” this one was a little lower in carbonation.  The taste was very nice, the lower alcohol content made this a very easy drinking beer.  I would recommend it to anyone wanting a nice British Ale.

Beer Mentor

I really enjoy Bell’s Brewery’s Beers (there’s a tongue twister for ya!)

From previous post you will read that my friend and I ran into Larry Bell at the 2009 Philly Beer Week.  I saw him again a couple of weeks later at RFD in Washington DC tapping his Oberon beer for the summer season.

He was (and I presume still is) very easy going and willing to sit and talk about life, beer, and everything.  His brewery used to be called Kalamazoo Brewing … he changed the name in 2002, but he’s still making really good beers.   The one I had tonight was the Java Stout.  Wow!  The coffee just jumps right out at you in this one. If you have a spicy burger or a nice steak and you want to enjoy it with a beer this would be the one.  It really complimented the burgers I threw on the grill.

Enjoy,

Beer Mentor

Today is an off-kilter beer from an off-kilter company.  Left Hand Brewing.  Ever since I sampled the Left Hand beer at the Great American Beer Fest in 2003, I’ve been a big fan.  Today’s beer is a relatively new one from them … the 400 pound monkey.

This beer is an English-style IPA (seems a lot like what I define as an East-Coast IPA).  The hops are prevalent in this beer.  It’s well-balanced though and makes it a pleasure to drink.

The only problem I have with any IPA that doesn’t go over the top with the hops is that it leaves me craving more hops.  So I end up bringing out an even more hopped up beer then the last one.  If I want subtle from a beer, I don’t pick an IPA … so I’m not sure why anyone would want to try and make a subtle IPA.  Oh well, the joy of trying new creations — that’s why I love American Craft Brewers!

Beer Mentor