Redecorate your home!

I had a coffee with a friend of mine, Wanda, a few months ago (I think, paternity is a blur), to talk about how to do an easy website for her new business. I ran into her on Broadway today, while Julie was getting a haircut, and she's gone and started La Claire Interiors, check it out!

Recidive, Brasseurs et Freres, QC

An irish style stout, dry, low alcohol (4.8% ABV), and tasty.

Weizen Imperiale - Grande Cuvee, Les Trois Mousquetaires Microbrasseurs, QC

Really nice, little bit sweet and hazy, 8%ABV. I'll try some more of their beers.

Jack d'Or, Pretty Things, MA

prettythingsbeertoday.com make a nice "American Saison". Interestingly, despite its complicated spicy flavour, it doesn't have any spices in it. They are very emphatic on the web page about that! I guess that's different from Driftwood's Farmhand Ale, which does have some black pepper in it.

I think I like Saisons, this one is a bit expensive for regular drinking, despite its beautiful bottle, but I want to try more!

Orange Blossom Cream Ale, Buffalo Bill's Brewery, CA

"Ale brewed with honey; orange peel, natural flavor and orange extract added."

It was OK, but tasted faintly like orange crush, to me.

Julie on the other hand, really liked it.

Old Rasputin XI Imperial Stout, North Coast Brewery, CA

Wow, delicious! Like the Rasputin, but thicker, deeper, richer, with a hint of the bourbon! Yum. And a bit expensive...

Chicory Stout, Dogfish Head, DE

Chris brought some of this by this evening, and its now one of my favourite of Dogfish Head's beers.

Advertises itself as having chicory and coffee in it... This could have gone terribly wrong, I'm hard-pressed to recall and beer with coffee in it that I liked, despite really liking coffee. Its just a rich, complex, slightly dry, stout. Not nearly the weirdness I would've expected from Dogfish, which is a good thing!

Driftwood Ale, Driftwood Brewing, BC

Tasty, but not as good as the Farmhand.

Farmhand Ale, Driftwood Brewing, BC

Despite not liking a stout they made (and that I can't find on their site anymore), I really like their beer. Their "Farmhand Saison" is a regular at the Dix Caskivals (I suppose we won't see these again?), and I always grab a glass. Anyhow, I like this a lot. Interesting, but not weird, and very tasty.

Pompous Pompadour Porter, Fat Cat, BC

Honestly, I can't remember, its been a busy month. I drank and enjoyed it, and the memory is gone...

London Porter, Paddock Wood, SK

We got this on a trip to Skaha, it's brewed in Saskatoon, and a solid dry porter. Tasty.

Searching for an Oyster Stout...

I want to taste one, but haven't been able to find one.

The Porterhouse makes one, but doesn't bottle it, so Emma couldn't bring me one back. If anyone sees one... direct me, please!

Hop Head Beyond the Pale, The Porterhouse, Ireland

A fine hoppy IPA-style beer, again, one of the three brought back from Ireland by Emma. This one was 5% ABV.

An Brainbla'sta, The Porterhouse, Ireland

The name is some kind of Gaelic pun... At 7%ABV, its strong by their standards. Not so much here, but a tasty ale, slightly hoppy. Good.

Plain Porter, The Porterhouse, Ireland

Emma brought some of the porterhouses beer from dublin.

This was a really nice dry porter. Too bad they are so far away...

Interstingly, it was only 4.7%ABV.

Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, Yukon Brewing Company, YK

It was cheap, only $13.95 for 6, and I've never had a beer from the Yukon. It's horrid. I couldn't finish my first bottle, and gave the other's away. Maybe somebody else likes coffee flavoured beer, but not me. It doesn't taste so much like coffee, but more like coffee grounds. Yuck.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu, Susanna Clark

And other stories.

Dune, Frank Herbert

Again.

Nation, Terry Pratchett

Marzen, Russel Brewing, BC

Thomas gave me this one, I think he's trying to convert me to german style beers.

He's doing OK. Their lagers seem sweeter and more flavourful than the style you get here.

Deadhead Barley Wine 09, Phillips, BC

At 10%, mildly alcoholic. It was ok.

Acme California Pale Ale, North Coast Brewing, CA

Good, slightly malty, not as good as the Stouts, or the Pranqster.

Old Rasputin XII Russian Imperial Stout, North Coast Brewing, CA

Wow. Fabulous.

Like the Rasputin, but better.

Marzen, Russel Brewing, BC

The City & the City, China Mieville

The Dragons of Babel, Michael Swanwick

Interesting Times, Terry Pratchett