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I went through my notes about gravy the other day, and I found one for Boston Pizza.
B.P. is a chain in Canada. I don’t know if there is an American analog. I don’t particularly care.
The gravy, here’s the review:
Offered in a ramekin. The color is a slightly dark beige.
Generically meat smelling.
Again, generic meat. It’s not beef, not pork. It’s not poultry. Yet it is all of them.
It isn’t very thick.
It is salty, more than one might expect.
Comes in a clear glass bottle. Color is light. Taste is somewhat bland. Aroma is fairly standard for a mass produced beer. Mouth feel is thin and a bit watery.
There is a clean, white head on the poor. The head is light and doesn’t last. A few bubbles cling to the glass but disappear quickly.
All in all, it’s not bad beer. It’s just not that interesting.
Very hippy bottle.
The pour is rich golden brown. The aroma is hoppy and sweet.
The mouth feel is a bit thicker. It coats the tongue.
The hops and malts are there. It is not overly hop happy, but they’re definitely there.
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.
I’ve become familiar with Mill St.’s Coffee Porter.
I like it. A lot.
Since it’s Autumn, I’m big into porters and stouts and dark lagers. This coffee porter is a great match to any winter comfort food and deep snow drifts.
Presentation
Standard Mill St. fare, though the bottle is appropriately dark.
Pour
It’s dark, almost black, with a brown head on the pour.
Aroma
Rich chocolate, coffee, toffee, and smoke.
Taste
The tongue feel is very smooth.
Reviewer’s Grade
A
Statistics
Price/Quantity: $12.99 CAD/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: not sure
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Mill St. Brewery
Mill St. is a fantastic brewery in Toronto. If you find yourself in the Distillery District, go to their restaurant. If you’re at an L.C.B.O. or The Beer Store and see anything labeled Mill St. grab it.
The organic lager is … okay. There’s not alot of flavor or character to it, though I prefer this to a pilsner, any light beer anywhere, or any mass produced commodity beer in the US. The web page describes it as “delicate”, and that’s as good an adjective as I can come up with.
It’s a 4.2% ABV with a filtered, yellow color. There’s not alot of nose to it. It drinks easy.
If you’re keen on organic beer, this is your brew. I’ve tasted many, many worse options. Mill St. Organic Lager is superior to most mass produced off-the-shelf beers in the U.S. If you like a Bud or Miller or their ilk, you will more than like the Mill St. Organic. Take a suitcase home with you.
Presentation
The bottles are clear. The label underwhelms.
Pour
The color is yellow. The head is sparse.
Aroma
Nondescript, but not in a bad way
Taste
The taste is surprisingly okay.It drinks easy.
Reviewer’s Grade
C
Statistics
Price/Quantity: $12.99 CAD/6 pack 12 ounce bottles
ABV: 4.2%
IBU: unknown
Calories: unknown
Suggested Glass: Pint glass
Website: Mill Street Brewery
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