Something wild has been stirring in the dark recesses of Les Trois Mousquetaires brewery. It’s dank, musty, & sour, and it’s been living inside three sets of oak barrels for about 2 to 4 years. They have been keeping this a secret for quite sometime now in anticipation of next week’s release. That’s right, you […]
August
04
Ceci n’est pas une Gueuze! An Interview with LTM’s Brewmaster Alex about his new Gueuze and his Barrel Program
posted by beerism
July
13
Another One for the Summer Calendar – T.J. does the Festival des Bières in Laval
posted by tjblinn
Friday – July 10 Sunday – July 12, 2015 – Centre De La Nature De Laval, Quebec, Canada The first edition of Festival des Bières de Laval was held this past week-end at the picturesque Laval Nature Center. Showcasing the Quebec craft beer scene, the event attracted 200 types of beer from 30 different breweries, […]
June
24
Beerism does CBC Daybreak Montreal, again! Summer Beers to drink for La Fête nationale du Québec
posted by beerism
I was invited to appear on CBC’s Daybreak Montreal again today for La Fête nationale du Québec in order to talk about some summer beers! With sours, sessions, and saisons gaining momentum, it made for an interesting chat. Click here to listen to the 8 minute interview!
June
13
Mondial de la bière 2015 – Finding the perfect beer for the perfect beer hater
posted by beerism
Mondial de la Biere is a yearly beer festival located in downtown Montreal. I met up with my good friend Paul Aflalo from from Edge of the City (an acclaimed podcast from the No More Radio network) for an interview, and some fun… The details of the event are as follows: Date: June 10 to […]
June
06
Brasserie Dunham’s 4th B-day Bottle Release party: Part 2 – That Time I powered through 10 brand new beers
posted by beerism
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article outlining some of the new beers being released at this years 4th anniversary party from Brasserie Dunham. If you missed it, you can read it here. Go ahead, you can read it now, I’m not going anywhere… You done? Good. So as you now know, I was […]
May
25
Beerism does Brasserie Une Bière Deux Coups: Old Friends With New Beers
posted by beerism
I haven’t always been obsessed with beer. Or rather, I should say that I haven’t always been obsessed with GOOD beer. I say this because one could argue that I was pretty obsessed with beer in my 20’s, given that I drank obscene amounts of it every weekend (and many weeknights too). However, it would […]
April
25
Beerism’s pre-guide to Brasserie Dunham’s 4th b-day bottle release party!
posted by beerism
Once again, the gods are smiling upon Quebec. That’s right, Brasserie Dunham is having another Anniversary Bottle release party on May 16th 2015; check out the details here and here. It’s hard to believe that this brewery is only four years old. Their ability to pump out a diverse range of inventive and innovative beers, […]
March
12
Great Lakes Brewery (GLB) – AKA Magical Ontarian Hop Wizards
posted by beerism
American IPA is a beer style that is increasingly popular and widely discussed (although arguably less so in recent years with the rise of other styles). For the most part, the term is used to describe “West Coast” styled IPA. The difference between West Coast and East Coast IPA is something that’s often debated, but […]
February
23
Beerism does GlutenBerg’s Myrcène de glace: Another Beer Made for Food
posted by beerism
As usual, I find myself preparing to write a food paring article having done absolutely no planning. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it allows me to be creative in the moment; luckily, I just happened to have the right ingredients to pair perfectly with this beer. In early spring 2014, Glutenberg – a […]
February
05
Mikkeller Black VS Montreal Winter – A Battle of Extremes
posted by beerism
Winter is here, and in Montreal, it crushes you. Just when you think you have a handle on things, you get thrown a blizzard, or an ice storm, or negative 30 degree Celsius temperatures – maybe even a combination of all three. You severely lack vitamin D because the sun hates your stupid face and […]
December
31
Beerism on the radio!
posted by beerism
I was honoured to be a guest on CBC Montreal’s Daybreak on Monday, December 29th with Sabrina Marandola. We chatted a bit about how beer has evolved in the last few years and how it is now okay to replace wine with beer at the dinner table. We also talked about what Quebec based beers […]
December
23
The 12 Days of (Barrel Aged) Christmas: All Big, All Black, All Quebec!
posted by beerism
So last Christmas season I had this idea (which I’ve been working on for the last year or so). I wanted to get my hands on every Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout brewed in Quebec, and then do a little compare & contrast in the traditional Beerism way. However, the more I thought about it, […]
December
10
Scotch Ale Impériale – Marché du Village is up to Something Interesting
posted by beerism
Something interesting is going on in the Eastern Townships of Montreal, and it’s beer related. This area is already home to some great breweries like Brasserie Dunham, Boquébière, and Farnham Ale & Lager, but if you are driving on the 10 east and get off of exit 55, you’ll find something else that’s pretty special. […]
November
17
Beerism Blends! An investigation into beer blending with Evil Twin’s Yin & Yang
posted by beerism
There are several reasons why beers get blended. For instance, (1) Belgian Lambic producers have been blending beers for centuries in order to create the perfect balance between old and young beer. This helps to keep the various aggressive flavours in check. Similarly, (2) pubs used to blend batches of beer with differing quality in […]
October
22
Beerism Does Homebrew and Gets “Beer Addict-Ed!”
posted by beerism
I need to start by saying that I’ve never brewed beer. I’ve read a few books on home brewing with the goal of making beer in mind, however, it’s yet to happen. This is largely due to time constraints mixed with a bit of laziness. I can write blog posts on the bus and metro, […]
September
29
Beerism Does Brasserie Dunham’s Infamous Bottle Release Party Blends
posted by beerism
If you’ve read my blog, you’re likely aware of my professed love for Brasserie Dunham. Many of my posts include their bottles, and if you read just one, it should be the article I wrote last year explaining why you really need to go and check out the brew pub (you can read it here). […]
September
15
Epic Tastings: Sour Edition – Lots of Tart & Lots of Fruity Love
posted by beerism
I think it goes without saying that drinking beer with friends is the best way go. I’ve also come to realize that bottle shares are a great way to get to know like-minded people, on top of being a forum that allows you to sample small amounts of a variety of beers in one sitting. […]
September
04
A Rasberry Encore: Fruit Beer is Still a Beautiful Thing (Especially When It’s Funky)
posted by beerism
Last year I wrote an article about raspberry beer. One of it’s main goals was to try to debunk some of the stigma surrounding fruit beer. My main argument was centered around the fact that although mass produced fruit infused beer is generally awful and marketed towards people who don’t actually like beer, fruit (and […]
August
06
The Divine Collaboration: Le Trou du Diable & Dieu du Ciel Combine Forces Yet Again
posted by beerism
“La Divine Comédie” is the newest collaboration between two highly regarded Quebec based craft breweries: Le Trou du Diable & Dieu du Ciel! This collaboration resulted in the creation of a hybrid beer, and more specifically, a “Wit-Pils” which lands somewhere in between a Belgian Witbier and a German Pilsner. Named after Dante’s epic, each […]
July
13
Beerism and Mr. Phatman do Prohibition Montreal & Dieu du Ciel! Two Bloggers in Paradise
posted by beerism
Finding fantastic restaurants in Montreal is not a difficult task. Quebec has a rich culinary history, and when combined with the melting pot of different cultures found in this city, amazing things happen. However, what I do find difficult is locating higher level cuisine that has higher level beer to accompany it. Don’t get me […]
July
03
Beerism Wines! An Investigation Into Chardonnay Barrel Aged Beer
posted by beerism
Beer and wine are two very different products, with different ingredients, different histories, and different consumers. However, as the beer world expands and starts incorporating new flavours and ingredients from other sources, these two distinct products can (at times) get a little closer. For some time now, traditional Lambic sours have been aged in old […]
June
10
Around the World in a Glass: T.J.’s Pre-Guide to Mondial de la bière 2014
posted by tjblinn
Let’s get the important stuff out of the way: When? June 11-15 How much? Tasting coupons: $1.00 each, Cost of one tasting: 2 to 6 coupons (for most beers), Quantity served: 3 to 4 ounces Where? Palais des congrès of Montreal (inside and outside), 201 Viger Street West, (Place-d’Armes métro station) Suggestions? Yes, skip to the […]
May
28
Beerism Does: Black IPA Burger! (and Big Spruce Brewing!)
posted by beerism
Randomly, my friend showed up at my desk with a package. She was visiting family in Nova Scotia, stumbled upon a craft brewery, and decided not only to bring me a full 1 litre growler of “You Spin Me White Round” Wheat IPA, but also a perdy shaker glass and a jar of Black IPA […]
May
18
Beerism does Beerology – A Look Into the New Book by Acclaimed Master Cicerone Mirella Amato
posted by beerism
When Appetite (by Random House) approached me to review their new book “Beerology” from acclaimed beer blogger and Master Cicerone Mirella Amato, I was honored, but also kind of nervous, as I tend to read at the pace of a drunken snail. However, the minute I started reading it, I was quickly immersed, and I actually […]
May
08
Living the Beer Blogger’s Dream – Beerism Does Décapsule’s Colab: KING COGNE!
posted by beerism
“…We fell damn hard in love with his beers and the sacred aura surrounding them. It was the silent ritual, the careful use of a secret Transylvanian ingredient and the interpreted integration of such a rich history that caught our attention.” – David Atman The above quote is from David Atman of la Décapsule des […]
May
06
Beerism Drops Gluten! Well, at Least Until we Finish These Beers…
posted by beerism
The phrase “Gluten Free” is pretty big right now, and the market for it seems to be growing exponentially. Like many topics related to how we diet, gluten started becoming a household term pretty quickly. As we all know, when something gains momentum and becomes popular, people start to follow. When that happens, the whole idea […]
April
02
Dieu du Ciel Réserve! – Seven Days, Barrel Aged
posted by beerism
I’ve written several articles about Dieu du Ciel! at this point, but none quite as epic as this. I’ve managed, over the course of about a year, to get my hands on all seven barrel aged (355ml) bottles that Dieu du Ciel has released to date (as far as I know), and I’m pretty excited […]
March
03
La Cuvée 2014 – A Night of Great Beers & Great Beards
posted by beerism
Saturday morning I sat on my couch with my two year old son, watching Caillou and reflecting on the beer-soaked evening from the night before (not to mention also reflecting on why this cartoon kid has no hair). This weekend was the second annual “La Cuvée” in Montreal, and I had a chance to step […]
February
18
Bellwoods Brewery Part 1- C’mon, Get Hoppy
posted by beerism
With my frequent visits to the LCBO over the last few years, I’ve become more and more familiar with Ontario’s craft beer scene. Unlike Quebec, in Ontario alcohol can only really be sold in two establishments: the “LCBO” (Liquor Control Board of Ontario)” or “The Beer Store” (a chain of retail stores owned by multinational […]
February
04
Drinking Outside the Box – Beerism Talks Imports, and More Specifically: Nøgne Ø
posted by beerism
In Quebec, we have a fantastic number of choices when it comes to drinking local craft beer. And from these choices, there are tons of amazing beers that are consistently available. For a long time, the only thing we were really missing in Quebec was a solid American IPA, and now, thanks to Dieu du […]
January
13
Sam Adams Utopias 2013: An Examination Into the Original Big Beer
posted by beerism
Utopias by Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co) is a widely discussed beer, and with good cause, as you’ll soon see. There may be some controversy surrounding the beer’s rather steep retail price, but the world’s general consensus seems to be: Utopias is basically liquid sex. At 28%, it contains no carbonation, it’s meant to be […]
January
04
Dr. ‘Stange’ Love or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blonde
posted by beerism
Sure it’s been negative 40 degrees Celsius these last few days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t drink something refreshing amongst all those imperial stouts you’ve been sipping. I mean, one can still get thirsty in the cold, no? Every Christmas we pack up our little family and head to Ottawa from Montreal in order […]
December
10
Beerism Goes Wild: Brettanomyces are Certainly Very Infectious – Part 1
posted by beerism
Brettanomyces isn’t a dinosaur, nor is it a character in Plato’s republic, as one might think. Rather, it’s a wild yeast strain (often accompanied by lactobacillus) that imparts tart, sour and funky elements to your beer. When someone refers to “sour beer,” it can mean a lot of things, as there are many styles that […]
December
02
T.J.’s Quick Guide to Hefeweizens, and Why You Should Love Them!
posted by tjblinn
Pronounce it: “hay-fuh-veyt-sssenn” and not “Hefe-why-zen” AKA: Weissbier, Weizenbier, Weizen, or Wheat Ale Ever had a white beer? A lot of breweries label their beers as “white,” which is actually a description of both its color and of what you’re drinking. A “white” beer is made predominately with wheat, as opposed to only containing malted […]
November
24
Epic Tastings: Belgian Strong Dark Ale Edition
posted by beerism
This will be the third time now that I’ve had a relatively epic tasting with the Malty Tasker, and the second time that fellow Beerism writer T.J. attended as well. Until recently the “tastings” that I have been involved in were me drinking beer in my kitchen while cooking dinner, or having a few nice […]
October
24
T.J. Says The Only ‘Meal’ Good Enough to Stand Up to Shepherd’s Pie is an Oatmeal Stout
posted by tjblinn
As summer fades out of sight and the terraces close down, beer geeks look forward to the winter season brews. For those that follow seasonal beer releases, Fall isn’t just sweater weather. ‘Tis the season for Stouts! There’s nothing better in the summer than a thirst quenching IPA or Pale Ale with all its hoppy, […]
October
17
Go to Dunham Already! What Are You Waiting For? Beerism Gets Served Food for a Change.
posted by beerism
This coming Saturday is the latest Brasserie Dunham bottle release party, and I can tell you that I’m pretty excited to attend (details here). The town of Dunham didn’t really mean anything to me until a few years ago when my girlfriend and I were invited to a folk music and artisanal wine festival located […]
October
02
Beerism Does L’exorciste by Dieu du Ciel! – And a Little Craft Beer Ranting as Well…
posted by beerism
Dieu Du Ciel’s L’Exorciste can’t be purchased in stores, and actually, it can’t be purchased at all anymore. It was gone as quick as it came. To procure some, I had to drive about 45 minutes to St. Jerome, a city just outside Montreal, where the original Dieu du Ciel brewpub is located. L’Exorciste is […]
September
24
Beerism Celebrates Saint-Bock’s 7th: A Q&A with Owner Martin Guimond
posted by tjblinn
“I was the director of communications in marketing. I left everything to pursue this for the world of beer. I am making a fifth of the money that I used to. This passion animates all the brewers in Quebec.[but] it’s not easy. I just want there to be more choices in beer.” – Martin Guimond […]
September
17
Beerism Does “Festival l’Oktoberfest des Québécois” 2013 – From What We Can Remember Anyways…
posted by beerism
A couple of weekends ago was the “Festival l’Oktoberfest des Québécois,” a beer festival located in Repentigny, which is not too far from the greater Montreal Area. After a full day of drinking big, bold, complex, and high alcoholic beers, I thought it would be hilarious to take the below photo with my fellow Beerism buddy, T.J. The […]
September
05
Heady Topper VS Les Trois Mousquetaires’ Double IPA – A Comparison of Hop Brilliance
posted by beerism
You might be asking why I’m covering Heady Topper – one of the most renowned beers in the world – alongside something brand new, unrecognized, and barely tasted by anyone. Well, since Les Trois Mousquetaires’ Double IPA was released a few weeks ago (in very limited quantities), Quebec beer geeks have been losing their minds […]
August
22
Simply the Breast! – St Ambroise Vintage Ale Meets Seared Duck
posted by beerism
One of my favorite meats to eat and cook is duck, but more specifically, duck breasts. In texture and richness, it’s the perfect crossover between poultry and beef. When cooked properly to medium rare, a duck breast should eat like a steak, but with a deliciously crispy skin on one side. Think about it, it’s […]
August
08
Debunking the Fruit Beer Myth – Raspberry Beer is Such a Beautiful Thing
posted by beerism
I’m particularly excited about this article. For one, I get to talk about my favorite fruit and how it relates to beer, but mainly I’m excited because I got the pleasure to work with a new friend, who provided all the photography that you see throughout this article. Jasen, tu es magnifique! If you had […]
August
01
5 Days of IPA’s: Homeland Edition – IPA Day in Quebec!
posted by beerism
It’s IPA day!!!! I couldn’t think of a better way to promote the festivities, than to write yet another IPA article! I’m thinking you all might be starting to tire of my endless IPA centric articles. Well, I guess my only defense is the fact that they are best tasted fresh, and therefore end up on […]
July
24
Smuttynose Carbonara: A big Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Imperial Stout Meets My Spaghetti.
posted by beerism
It’s been a bit of time since my last “Beer & Food” article. It’s certainly not easy spending loads of time in the kitchen while taking care of my 15 month old son. However, the funny thing is that I tend to do these articles when I’m home alone with him, which would certainly be […]
June
30
Dieu du Ciel’s Herbe a Detourne – A Comparison; How Do Citra Hops Taste After a Year?
posted by beerism
So I’m getting more and more excited these days about how beer changes and develops over time in the bottle. Because I’m relatively new to the world of being a beer geek, it’s only now that I can really start doing proper age comparisons. One, because I have a cellar, and two because I’ve learned […]
June
29
T.J.’s Guide to Cross-Border Beer Buying
posted by tjblinn
If you are Canadian and are curious about bringing back some of that great American craft beer over the border, this article is for you. For Canadians who want to pick up some craft brews from the States that are not available in their province, the only option is to travel there and pick them […]
June
21
Beau’s Winter Warmers – T.J.’s Take on some big Beers
posted by tjblinn
Beau’s Brewery prides itself on being all natural, and has launched a special series of beers to fund its expansion in to clean energy. Just a 30 minute drive from Montreal, Beau’s has collaborated with le Trou du Diable and is at the forefront of experimentation in the Canadian craft brewery scene. Oh, and they […]
June
08
Dogfish Head Makes Some Big & Badass IPA’s – And we Can’t get Enough!
posted by beerism
I’ve heard several people say “Dogfish Head is overrated,” and honestly, I’m not exactly sure what people mean when they make that statement, or if they themselves even know what they mean. I guess I’ve always been kind of annoyed with that expression as a whole, because in my experience, the accuracy of the statement […]
May
31
Beerism’s Guide to “Festival Mondial de la Biere 2013” – A Day of Drinkin’
posted by beerism
Well, it’s that time of year again, where we can all congregate in a giant room and taste beer from all over Quebec, and rest of the world. That’s right, it’s “Festival Mondial de la Biere,” located in downtown Montreal, and the Beerism folks took the day off of work on opening day in order […]
