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Recently I was returning from one of my Toronto business trips. En route I stopped by Mill St. Brewery to see if they would refill my growlers. I had brought Michigan beer up with me (I think it was a growler each of Royal Oak Brewery’s Stout and Lager to share with the boys) and wanted to return with some Ontarian suds.

It all boils down to that I couldn’t. The laws in Ontario are so strict, so absurd that I could not buy beer in my own growler. Ontario does not trust me to be able to clean my own container. Ontario does not trust the brewery to put beer in the growler at the pub.

In Michigan we have fewer regulatory hurdles to leap. The brewery wants to sell me beer. I want to by said beer. We transact. The state of Michigan makes money on the transaction. This relationship benefits all. It seems lucrative for all.

I accept the risk of buying beer from the tap in my container for later consumption at home, so long as the beer is good going in. It is my responsibility to either clean the bottle or procure a fresh one.

The brewer commits to having a good product worth consuming at a competitive price. Everywhere I’ve purchased growlers will gladly offer a taste from the tap to make sure it meets with my approval before filling the growler.

We all make out. Well, by “make out” I don’t mean kissing. However, if Governor Granholm would like to plant a smooch on me, I would gladly accept.

I digress.

Oh, Ontario. Really? Do you need to intrude in a individual private transaction to such a degree. Can’t I exercise caveat emptor, buyer beware?

I hope that some organization is looking to loosen the regulations. I’m sure it will be easy as all other problems have been solved (<- sarcasm, in case it was missed).

But imagine if the laws were loosened. More breweries would pop up. There would be more diversity. They would drive up quality while driving down prices. In theory it would drive up sales, which would increase tax revenues. I don’t know the correlation of higher quality beer to the incidents of drunk driving, but I imagine that folks inclined to drive under the influence will do so regardless of quality and price.

Meanwhile the big brands, Labatt’s and Molson-Coors and the like would have to take notice. They’d have to improve their products and perhaps lower the price …

Oh, wait.

Here endeth the rant.

p.s. – I need to give kudos to Mill St. When I tried to fill my growlers they sent me away. I later sent them an email asking for an explanation. Chris, the General Manager, obviously took some time and effort to write me a thoughtful and comprehensive explanation. Mill St. makes a good product and they’re a good service organization as well. I still say that if you find yourself in Toronto, you should stop by Mill St.

… or a Bad Bottle of Warsteiner Dunkel …

I’ve had Warsteiner Dunkel before. I really enjoyed it. There was a richness and depth to the flavor that I did not expect at the time, but a flavor I found … yummy.

I was at the store today. I opted to pick up a 6 of the Warsteiner because a) it had been awhile, b) I like darker and heavier beers this time of year, and c) it and I were there. The experience was a little like calling that girl who, while you never formally were an item nor wanted to be, you could call up on short order and have better than decent odds of having a good time.

This evening I cracked open a bottle and took it for a pour. It was good. Rich & dark, but not opaque in the glass. The dunkel had a finger’s worth of head with some lacing left on the side of the glass.

I stuck my nose into the glass and took a big old whiff and …

D’ohhhhhhh (a Homer Simpson D’oh! with a slow exhalation of disappointment). The beer was a bit off. I could smell a hint of sulphur. Not Satan-level sulphur, not even left-in-the-back-of-the-girlfriend’s-Pontiac-on-a-warm-spring-day Red Stripe.

I’ve been told, and where I’m wrong Neal and Jeff and the rest of the team will correct me in my erroneous ways, that Austrian, German, and Dutch lagers typically have more compounds that react negatively to light and heat than do the average British, American, or Canadian offerings. This reaction typically leads to “skunking”, or an increase in sulphur compounds in the brew. Once a beer is skunked, I’m not aware of a remedy. However, I’ve been known to hang onto off beers for a spell to use in cooking.

When I parboil ribs, pork or especially beef, or if I’m doing up beer brats with peppers and onions, I’ll use the skunked beer. In the case of the peppers and onions, the onions have many of the same compounds. The brats will already be seasoned heavily. Parboiling the ribs, when I do it, is typically the first step. A dry rub and grilling is yet to come. The beer is meant to add some flavor and, with the heat, help soften up the connective tissue in the meat. Normally the meat I get is of good quality so I don’t have to resort to the stock pot.

If the beer is cover-your-nose-awful, the only cure is to dispose of it. Down the drain is one option, but if you have a compost pile or backyard garden or a lawn use it there. ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ and all that.

The other good news is that I’ve opened another of the Warsteiner. This one is not skunked. I am pleased.

This will be a quicky for now. I’ll back fill the post later.

The crux of the post is this: I really like this stout. It is very similar to the one at Black Lotus in Clawson.

It is dark with a one finger cream colored head. The taste is surprisingly mellow but rich. It has a good mouth feel. There isn’t much aroma with it either.

As the label says: “Leprechaun Magic is back”

I’ll take their word for it.

Presentation

Typical MBC bottle with a Dutch colonial house on the coast. The bottle is dark.

Pour

The pour is a rich brown with almost no head. What is left is some lacing on the sides and a few bubbles.

Aroma

The smell is a bit of fruit and caramel .

Taste

It is light on the tongue. The flavor is mellow, slightly nutty and fruity, but not as much as one might expect from a typical brown ale.

Reviewer’s Grade

C+

From the Brewer

“This festive occasion beer follows the traditions of one of the oldest English brewing styles from the 16th Century.  The blend of malts provides a caramel and nut flavor with a deep coppery brown color with medium body, which is balanced with traditional English Kent Goldings hops.  The result is lighter in color and flavor than our porter and stout, yet provides plenty of rich nutty and toasted malt flavors.”

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

I love porters and stouts and dark lagers this time of year. This one I’ve enjoyed a great deal. It drinks smooth with a fine flavor.

I was surprised to find this stout in my 12-pack, as I expected three bottles each of four brews. It seems apparent that I have a far broader selection than I’d expected.

Presentation

Standard MBC packaging with a lighthouse at the center.

Pour

A dark, rich liquid, the stout pours the way one would expect. There is some head, less than a finger. The bubbles are tight and dissipate quickly.

Aroma

The smell is caramel and chocolate with maybe a bit of star anise or licorice.

Taste

The tongue feel heavy, as a stout should be. Chocolate, smoke, and caramel make up the flavor.

Reviewer’s Grade

A-

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

This will read and sound as entirely sexist. However, many women will dig this brew. The un-sexist part is that a lot of guys will drink it as well.

I’ve been put off fruit-infused wheat beer for over twelve years. I had a one night stand at a work function in Kansas City where I pounded back Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (they had naught else worth drinking). Like after a previous ill-advised overindulgence of Southern Comfort and Coke, I can no longer drink that particular beverage. Fruit- and wheat-based beers broadly faced a similar injunction for a long time.

I’ve recently had wheat beers, most of which I could give or take (Neal’s home brews not withstanding). Still not my cup of tea, but a nice change-of-pace brew.

This was really my first foray since.

Presentation

The bottle has a picture of monks around a vat doing brew-type activities. The text is almost old school serif on a purple background. What could be better?

Pour

The pour is definitely yellow. The head is almost three fingers tall with small, tight bubbles. It doesn’t dissipate easily.

Aroma

The smell is raspberry, no doubt.

Taste

OMG. It’s like drinking 7-Up or Sprite mixed with raspberry preserve. The flavor is strong, but not too sweet.

Reviewer’s Grade

B

From the Brewer

“Celis Raspberry is a traditional Belgian-style fruit beer with full flavor, tartness and a rich, rosy hue.  Selected hops add balance and contribute to its seductive aroma. It is delicious on its own or as a refresher. And it is the perfect complement to bread and cheese, vanilla ice cream or chocolate cake.”

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

Another from the twelve pack combo I picked up, this had to be the least hoppy, yet still hoppy, IPA I’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong. The hops are still there. It’s just that they’re not as pronounced as one normally expects in an IPA.

Presentation:

I like the schooner in the emblem, but that’s my late-in-life New Englander coming out to say ‘hi’.

Pour:

Once in the glass the color is golden yellow with a finger of head. Most of the bubbles are small but a few are quitre big.

Aroma:

You can smell the hops, no doubt.

Taste:

As I said, the High Seas is less hoppy than the average IPA: Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, and Bell’s are all considerably more pronounced. The flavor is smoother as a result. There are tones of fruit, though I cannot place them.

Reviewer’s Grade:

B

From The Brewer:

“Our Interpretation of a legendary ocean crossing classic is not for the timid. Assertively hoppy and dangerously seductive. A skillful blend of three premium barley malts with generous amounts of Northern Brewer and Cascade Hops creates a special ale to satisfy the most demanding palate.”

Statistics:

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

I was over at Western Market after picking up my glasses with the new prescription. I almost picked up another Michigan brew when I saw the Michigan Brewing Company’s combination pack. I opted for it, of course, and will post my thoughts and findings on the brews.

This amber lager is an interesting brew. It’s similar to but less hoppy than a Magic Hat offering that I’ve yet to review. I recommend both, certainly this one for a wider audience. Snobs and neophytes can be boosters for this one.

Presentation

In typical Michigan Brewing Company tradition, there’s a descriptive picture inside a banner circle. The bottles are dark, as they should be. I picked this up as part of a twelve bottle multi-pack.

Pour

Amber definitely describes the color. There was a smallish but decent frothy head.

Aroma

The smell was slightly hoppy and fragrant, almost floral.

Taste

The brew hit me as more sweet than the average lager. There was also something, almost cinnamon but not, with caramel to boot.

Reviewer’s Grade

B-

From the Brewer

“Brewed in the tradition of the Austrian Vienna-style lager popularized in Bavaria’s Oktoberfest celebrations, Sunset Amber is a true cold aged lager beer.  A perfect beer for those who want a full flavored brew without too much hop bitterness.  Our amber lager shines like a golden sunset.  The pleasant caramel flavor is lightly balanced with Northern Brewer and other hops to satisfy the palates of most beer lovers.“

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: unknown
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Michigan Brewing Company

Presentation

Goose Island does a fine job of their labeling, if a bit boring and unassuming.

Pour

I left the brew in the bottle today. I’ll grab another to better describe.

Aroma

My current state leaves me short of breath. Therefore I cannot describe the olfactory essence.

Taste

The taste is mellow, especially compared to an IPA. It isn’t hoppy. It isn’t malty. It has a very smoth flavor that almost anyone would enjoy.

Reviewer’s Grade

B+

From The Brewer

“Toffee brown, medium-bodied, with a creamy head and an aroma of raisins and freshly baked dark bread. Mild Winter’s rich caramel malt and spicy rye flavors are sure to take the bite out of whatever Old Man Winter brews up for you this year.”

Statistics

Price/Quantity: $8.99/6 Pack
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 28
Calories:
Suggested Glass: Willi Glass
Web site: http://www.gooseisland.com/