Floki Young Malt Made by Eimverk, a family-run distillery founded in 2009. They make gin, Icelandic Brevvivin and Floki whisky.
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It is named “ young malt” because , it’s not a whiskey, as it needs at least 3 years in a barrel to be classified as a whisky. This spirit is matured between one and two years in virgin American oak barrels.

Ardbeg Dark Cove Islay Scotch Single Malt

Macallan 18 Years

Macallan 18 yr old -1997 bottling. A well balanced dram with traces of dried fruits, oak, sherry aromas and a slight hint of smoke; Dark chocolate, toffee, dried fruits and wood smoke on the palate. A well-balanced 43% to warm up the for the upcoming Canadian winter.

Jelly King by Bellwoods Brewery

A light to medium bodied sour beer with notes of grapefruit, oranges, gooseberries and grapes. Delicate bitterness that blends perfectly with the tartness.

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Pliny the Elder

Hennepin | Brewery Ommegang

Appearance –Pours hazy medium gold; slightly clouded, highly effervescent body, generating more than two fingers of puffy, pillowy white head comprised of big, soapy bubbles. It falls apart slowly.

Aroma – Smell like a Heft with notes of ripe bananas ,bready malts, clover , pepper and coriander.

Taste – Citrusy hints of orange peel and lemon zest rise to the occasion by mid-sip, leading into a spicy, yeasty tail end that includes suggestions of clove, pepper and coriander; clove spice and wheat grain sweetness wrap up the sip before a dry aftertaste.

Overall it is Medium in body, with assertive, prickly carbonation at first, though it does settle down quite a bit throughout the course of the glass, becoming more smooth and soft. While not a factor within the flavour itself, the alcohol does warm the throat/chest just a tad as you sip your way into this one. A solid Belgian Saison.

Saison is French for “season”. These beers originated in the French-speaking region of Belgium known as Wallonia. This light to medium-bodied style was brewed in the winter and was intended to be a refreshing drink for the farm workers.

De Garre

De Garre has been serving brews since the 1700s and it’s not an easy destination to find in Bruges. Most drunk beer is this house beer that is a tripel at 11% alcohol. Servings are limited to 3 per person .
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Brouwerij Van Steenberge is also responsible for the brewing of Gulden Draak and Piraat.
Tripel De Garre is presented in a heavy duty champagne-style 750ml cork and caged bottle adorned in gold lettering. This alcohol heavy tripel pours a hazy copper orange with a huge rocky head. On the aroma is alcohol heat, plain white crackers, bubblegum, and medicinal notes that has traces of cough drops.
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The mouthfeel is very dry and the high carbonation level gives the beer a fluffiness that I’ve not experienced in a tripel before. After warming for a while some toffee becomes present helping to lessen the alcoholic heat just a bit. Now I can see why people would make the pilgrimage to that historic watering hole in Bruges.
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Chimay

Chimay Première was the beer that introduced me to the world of Trappist beers and further opened my eyes to the realm of craft breweries.

This beer presents a “story” from the moment of uncorking the bottle to the end of the final sip. The story opens with a pour of a very thick and creamy 3 finger head that leaves a creamy lacing which lasts until the glass is empty. Strong aroma of Belgian spices make their presence known as soon as the beer warms up and the taste invites you to a world of wonders. It lives up to the expectations of the nose with very creamy, caramel-y, almost chocolate like barley malt backbone. It is rich and luxurious but soft enough not dominate the palate. Rich notes of figs, plums, cherries, licorice and even tamarind follow suit. Yeasty notes of clove, coriander, orange peel and white pepper linger throughout the tasting experience. The story ends with a very silky, caramel-y mouthfeel and a strong yeast aftertaste. The happily ever after for me, was the start of my quest for Trappist and craft beers after drinking this generous gift from the Trappist monks.
Monasteries have one of the longest continuing histories associated with brewing. The beer and other products made within these walls gained a reputation of high quality and some secular sources (mostly breweries) have tried to take advantage of this fact by embowing their products with monastery implied labeling.

In order to protect their name the Trappist, The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance took legal action in 1962. Then in 1997 the six Belgian Trappists, one Dutch Trappist, and one German Trappist monastery came together and formed the “International Trappist Association” (ITA). There are only eleven recognized Trappist breweries that can use the ITA label; seven in Belgium (including Chimay), two in the Netherlands, one in Austria, and one in the United States.

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#beer #beers #beerporn #beerlovers

Salvator Doppelbock – @paulanerusa

The name Salvator comes from “Sankt Vaterbier” (Saint father) and therefore roughly translates to ” Holy father beer “. The beer has been brewed using the same recipe dating back to 1634 from the Paulaner monks. Salvator is considered as the industry standard for a Doppel Bock and often considered as one of the best 50 beers in the world. This bottom fermented and unfiltered brew pours a deep amber/honey with 3 finger dense white head and a good retention. Very strong aroma of malts, ripe fruits and notes of molasses that lives up to the great taste of heavy breadiness, prunes, grapes, brown sugar and bits of chocolate. Salvator deserves all the recognition it has gained and should be tasted by every beer drinker.

CBS – Canadian Breakfast Stout and Bend in the River – V.S Naipaul

One of the iconic stouts from Founders, CBS pours rich coal black with a strong nose of coffee, milk chocolate, bourbon and of course, maple syrup. Flavours show a bit of a balance for a strong 11.7 ABV brew. Vanilla, cocoa, brulee and bourbon are heavy on the initial sips and followed by notes of maple syrup, roasted malts, chocolate milk and finishes off with a warmth of the alcohol on the back end. A good brew for a high ABV stout.

Bend in the River is a master piece from one of the titans of post colonial literature. It is a narrative of realities in a fictional town in an African country that has recently gained its independence. The main character, Salim is a man of ethnic Indian descent that relocates to inner country town and sets up a shop. He observes the political tensions, tribal warfare, clashes between modern and traditional ways of living among the natives and his place in a foreign land .https://www.aaravive.com/home/2019/2/4/canadian-breakfast-stout-by-fouders-brewery-and-bend-in-the-river-by-vs-naipau