Brockton IPA, Granville Island Brewing, BC

GI is trying to brew a beer that tastes different from their others, but they didn't try very hard. Its boring. Hoppy, but not very, won't satisfy people who like over-hopped beers. And its not very balanced, won't make people who like more traditional IPAs happy either. Oh, well.

Nasty Habit IPA, Mt. Begbie, BC

Another hoppy, american-style IPA. OK, but not standout. Don't think I'd buy it again, though it was only $4.95, I think, for a 650ml bottle, so its cheap if you like hoppy!

Also called a "strong beer", but at 6%ABV... that seems a weak claim.

Abbey Ale, Abita, LA

This was a belgian style. It was OK. Julie quite liked it, I found it a bit sweet.

Whiskey Jack, Whistler Brewing Company, BC

Used to be a good brewery, I don't think they are anymore, but I'm running out of new beer to taste at the local BC liquor store. Tried this. Tasted fine, but not so interesting.

Pale Ale, Okanagan Springs, BC

Its a decent pale ale, some flavour, cold, but not something I'd look for.

Blackberry Porter, Cannery Brewing, BC

As I remembered, not so great, tastes like flavoured beer... which of course is what you expect when you drink a flavoured beer, but still.

Saison de Dottignies, Br. De Ranke, BE

I've been really enjoying Saisons in the last year. Its my new discovery, so imagine my surprise in getting one from Belgium, the source, and it wasn't good. Kindof sour, in a bad way.

Double Chocolate Stout, Young's, UK

On sale at the liquor store, I now know why!

Yuck, degulas, it tastes like an OK stout that had chocolate flavoring added, slightly medicinal, and cheap.

Winter Ale, Lighthouse Brewing, BC

Decent, simple ale, with faint hints of spices, nutmeg according to Emma.

Advertised as "strong", but I don't think I'd call 6.5% strong, unless you are particularly weak-kneed.

Don't think I'll buy it again. They avoided making anything horrid in their winter ale, but didn't create anything distinctive, either.

Green Lakes Organic Ale, Deschutes Brewery, OR

Race Rocks Amber, Lighthouse Brewing, BC

Beer Town Brown, Bridgeport Brewing, OR

I avoided having another after the first, luckily Julie didn't mind them.

Just not very good.

Punkin Ale, Dogfish Head, DE

It's not easy to make a good pumpkin pie flavored beer... and Dogfish made the worst I've tried.

Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale is the only I've tasted that was good, and it was so good I'd bring flats of 24 back to Toronto with me after fall climbing trips to Rumney.

Anyhow, I keep searching for another good one, and this one was mildly unpleasant.

Winter Ale, Brooklyn Brewery, NY

Kindof bland.

Winter Spice Ale, Big Rock, AB

A bit bland, not very spicy.

Maple Stout, Cannery, BC

Cannery Brewing - Maple stout, tried at the Alibi room - but only a shot glass. Way too mapley, not so good.

Dances for a Small Stage 20, BC

Saw the program B, most of it, of Dances for a Small Stage.

Not great. In fairness, showing up after 3 hours at the Alibi room sampling the taps was ill-planned, its hard to focus, and the darkness puts me to sleep.

Still, the pieces, not so great.

1. Cori Caulfield - not sure what the point was, it seemed to be "I'm really hot, and I have a tiny top", which is true, but not such great dance, mostly a prolonged wiggle.


2. A piece not on the online program, choreographed by Crystal Pite?, also not too sure what the point was, maybe "pink wigs with four foot hair are cool, and I'm beautiful", which is true, but the movement was only a bit more interesting than the first.


3. Tedd Robinson - he's weird! Budha statues in suit cases! Fans, blowing blue feathers, strange oriental kimonos, and done by the time he walked to the center of the stage. WTF? But who cares, not boring, not pretentious, then its over!


4. Wen Wei Wang- "I've got a rose sticking out of my pants like a hardon, and I'm rubbing little pink shoes up and down my crotch - are you wondering what's going on?". Uh, yeah, I am.


5. Chengxin Wei - "I can dance". Ok. Why?

Mostly, I don't ask "why", because the answer should be "why not?". Not everything needs a purpose. But once I'm bored, I start to. Its not clear why some people are on stage. Dancers are a pleasure to see, they move well, they've years of training, incredibly fit... but thats not enough reason to show up on stage. Or maybe it is, but not enough reason for me to watch.

Augustijn Grand Cru, Van Steenberge, BE

The grand cru of the Augustijn that I've tried before.

What can I say, sweeter and higher alcohol content.

Lots of flavour, I'd have to confess, but whatever its called, this particular style of beer is not my favorite. Maybe with the right food? At the right time? Just before bed, by a warm fire, with the intention of getting drunk, eating sharp cheese, and a gentle back massage by my sweetie?

Biere des Ours, La Binchoise, BE

"Bear Beer", made with honey. I got a few bottles for Christmas.

Sweet, heavy, and high alcohol (8.4%ABV). Its OK, but not a favorite style of mine.

Palo Santo Marron, Dogfish Head, DE

The New Yorker had an article that it introduced by discussing Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron.

It was thick and sweet. Its called a "malt beverage", so I suspect it isn't brewed with hops, and it definitely tastes malty.

We split a 12 fl.oz. (about 350 ml by modern measures) bottle among three. I don't think I could drink a pint, and I don't think I'll buy it again, either, though it was fun to try. The New Yorker article is better than the beer!