If you’re Canadian, you probably know all about Research in Motion’s Jim Balsillie’s efforts to buy the money losing Phoenix Coyotes and bring the hockey team to Hamilton, Ontario. It’s been front page news for a while now — assuming you, like me, are one of those dinosaurs who still enjoys reading an actual newspaper — and has naturally enough spawned considerable Internet chatter, including a website, Make It Seven. (more…)
Archive for 2009
Make it Seven, Sure. But with Blue?
Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Have Your Beer Lit and Be Green, Too!
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009While I was tearing up the beerscape in western Michigan last week — more about that over at World of Beer — word came in that Taps, Canada’s beer magazine, has begun offering an online edition. (more…)
Beer Fest News
Monday, May 11th, 2009I’m delighted to report that the beer fest I raved about in Copenhagen last year will indeed be back this year, if on a somewhat reduced scale. (more…)
Granville Island Brockton IPA
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009It’s been a while since I’ve been really impressed by a beer bearing the Granville Island name, likely dating all the way back to when Mark Simpson was brewing there. But with their 25th anniversary beer, Brockton IPA, Canada’s original craft brewery has signaled that they are back in a very big way. (more…)
I Am A Craft Brewer
Monday, May 4th, 2009Well, no, I’m not. But Greg Koch of Stone Brewing is.
So are Carol Stoudt, Fritz Maytag, Shaun O’Sullivan, Ron Jeffries, Vinnie Cilurzo, Kim Jordan and a host of other folks. Find out why here.
Recent Canadian Beer Developments
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009Guess which of the following interests me more:
1) Word has just emerged from Labatt that they will soon begin brewing the iconic Nova Scotia beer, Alexander Keith’s (Not a Real) India Pale Ale at their brewery in Creston, British Columbia. (more…)
A Great Toronto Beer Event
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009A week this Friday, on April 17, Toronto’s Hart House will host a beer event of a different sort, one which promotes not only quality local beer, but also the notion of beer pairing well with quality cuisine AND the idea that it is possible to eat well using only foodstuffs produced close to home. (more…)
Toronto IPA Challenge
Monday, April 6th, 2009I was a brilliant spring Sunday as I strolled up Yonge Street yesterday — sunny and comfortable, with just a slight lingering reminder of winter past in the air. An idea day for cask-conditioned ale, in other words, which was truly fortunate, since my destination was the IPA Challenge at Bar Volo. (more…)
Amsterdam Strong Spring Bock
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009I’m the first top criticize Ontario brewers for leaving vast swaths of beer styles unattended — think IPA, strong or “Imperial” pale ales, bocks and doppelbocks, and pretty much anything born of Belgian influence — so when I heard that Amsterdam Brewing had released a newly formulated Spring Bock AND that it was inspired by the recipe of a local homebrewer AND that the buzz it was receiving was uniformly good, I decided to put my money where my mouth was and stroll over to the brewery to pick up a six-pack. (more…)
It’s “Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser” Day!
Friday, March 27th, 2009Because I hate repeating myself, and think it just sloppy blogging, I will rarely — almost never, really — cross post between my three blogs. But this is no ordinary day, and this announcement is surely special.
Today marks the official release of a new book I am proud and privileged to be a part of: Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser, a collection of new writings on beer and whisky assembled to honour the late, great Michael Jackson and, at the same time, provide valuable research dollars to the Parkinson’s Disease Society (UK). (more…)
