craftbeer
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The Worst (and Best) Glasses for Beer
The Worst (and Best) Glasses for Beer Excluding paper cups, coffee mugs and plastic, the worst glass for beer is arguably the shaker pint. Unfortunately, many other beer glasses aren’t much better. First of all, the shaker was never meant for beer. This is of course slightly less relevant because a lot of things were…
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In Praise of Haze
In Praise of Haze It may seem like a misguided topic for an article. After all, everyone is brewing them and everyone is doing them. Or drinking them at least. The haze craze doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon, so what am I on about? Well, it goes by many a name, New England…
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A Thirsty Trek through the Nation’s Capital: Ottawa’s Brewing Scene Part 2
A Thirsty Trek through the Nation’s Capital: Ottawa’s Brewing Scene Part 2 In part two, I explore the less walkable, but equally impressive. Bicycle Craft Brewery 850 Industrial Ave #12, Ottawa Having pounded a few extra kilometers into my soles, I finally walked through the doors of Bicycle Craft. The brewery is a bit of…
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2025: A Beer in Review
2025: A Beer in Review My favorite three Ontario breweries for 2025. This year culminated in a lot, but likely not enough, visits to breweries and tap rooms. While I could probably list on fewer than three fingers the number of non-positive experiences, I could also regale you with all the lovely experiences in the…
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The Aroma Files #005: Banana
The Aroma Files #005: Banana Banana, the signature weissbier aroma, and a secondary player in a handful of other beer styles is really rather simple. Unlike most beer aromas that are a cocktail of molecules, the banana aroma and flavour is typified by the ester isoamyl acetate. A few other esters, namely ethyl butyrate, and…
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The Aroma Files #004: Pineapple
The Aroma Files #004: Pineapple Pineapple is one of the most intriguing beer aromas. Even more fascinating is that while fresh, canned, and dried pineapple all have different and progressive aromas, so do the pineapple aromas in beer. Lets first explore the varying components making up the pineapple aromas in the fruit and its derivatives.…
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The Aroma Files #002: Pine
The Aroma Files #002: Pine “A classic West coast IPA with prominent notes of pine and resin”. Visually, it’s easy to reconcile right? Hop cone, pine cone. Conveniently, the chemistry isn’t overly vexing either. The pine aromas mainly come from a few terpenes and terpenoids which are present across hops, conifers and rosemary. The primary…
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A Quick Guide to Pilsners
A Quick Guide to Pilsners A long long time ago, in a city far far away, the citizens of Plzěn were so appalled by the quality of their beer, that they dumped it all. They then built a new brewery and hired a Bavarian brewmaster by the name of Josef Groll. In 1842 Pilsner was…
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When Hops Fight Back: Understanding Hop Burn
When Hops Fight Back: Understanding Hop Burn It was one of those hot and humid Toronto summer days where heat radiates out of the pavement, hitting you from all sides with no relief. My wardrobe choices weren’t exactly helping the situation either, but finally I arrived at my destination, a semi shaded patio. The friend…
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IPA and Curry, a Match Made in Hell
The Bitter Pain of Spice and (some) Beer Some classic pairings just make sense. Fish n’ chips with best bitter, steamed mussels and gueuze, bratwurst and pils. Not only do they work on a sensory level, but they are so culturally linked, they really are a natural fit. This simple beauty can lead us to…