Tasted blind while judging a competition, the latest vintage of the Laroche Pinot Noir, from the south of France, but made by Burgundian winemakers, showed very well. Pinot Noir that tastes like Pinot Noir, from France, is hard to find. And a nice package too. At $16.99 a bit more expensive than it used to be, but isn't everything?
You can find a bit more about it here.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Canadian Brewing Awards - 2009 Winners
In an earlier post, here, I promised to post the results of the competition I helped judge. And here they are! I note that there has been a bit of controversy about the IPA category not even being given a Bronze Medal, let alone the absence of some of the beer most Canadian beer geeks would tell you are the best brews in the country. Maybe more on that in the future, all I can say is: I did not judge the IPA Category. OK? A "J" after the category name means I judged a part of that category, not necessarily the part that decided the winners.
North American Style Lager - J
Gold: Alpine Lager, Moosehead Breweries (NB)
Silver: Original Draught, Sleeman Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Rocky Mountain Pilsner, Russell Brewing (BC)
Honourable Mention: Carling Lager, Molson Canada
North American Style Premium Lager
Gold: Premium Lager, Lakes of Muskoka Brewery (ON)
Silver: Premium, Great Western Brewing (SK)
Bronze Old Style Pilsner, Molson Canada
European Style Lager (Pilsner)
Gold: Stonehammer Pilsner, F & M Brewery (ON)
Silver: Pilsner, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Bronze: Steam Whistle, Steam Whistle Brewing (ON)
North American Style Amber Lager
Gold: N/A
Silver: Buzz Beer, Cool Beer (ON)
Bronze: Red Leaf Smooth Red Lager, Great Lakes Brewery (ON)
Bock - Traditional German Style - J
Gold: Amsterdam Spring Bock, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
Silver: N/A
Bronze: Hellesbock, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
North American Style Dark Lager
Gold: N/A
Silver: Fort Garry Rouge, Fort Garry Brewing (MB)
Bronze: Dark 266 Lager, Cameron's Brewing (ON)
Light (Calorie-Reduced)Lager
Gold: Sleeman Light, Sleeman Brewing (ON)
Silver: Premium Light, Great Western Brewing (SK)
Bronze: Alpine Light, Moosehead Breweries (NB)
Wheat Beer - Belgian Style White/Wit
Gold: Honey Thistle Wit, Bushwakker Brewing (SK)
Silver: Belgian Wit, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Wheat Beer - German Style Hefeweizen
Gold: Whistler Weiss Bier, Whistler Brewing (BC)
Silver: Hefeweizen, Tree Brewing Co. (BC)
Bronze: Hefe-Weissbier, Lakes of Muskoka (ON)
Wheat Beer - North American Style - J
Gold: Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Big Rock (AB)
Silver: Sungod Wheat Ale, R & B Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Dooryard Summer Ale, Northampton Brewing (NB)
Strong or Belgian Style Ale - J
Gold: La Fin Du Monde, Unibroue (QC)
Silver: Winter Warmer, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Bronze: Dominus Vobiscum Double, Microbrasserie Charlevoix (QC)
North American Style Amber/Red Ale - J
Gold: Yukon Red Amber, Yukon Brewery (NWT)
Silver: Auburn Ale, Cameron's Brewing Co. (ON)
Bronze: Devil's Pale Ale, Great Lakes Brewing (ON)
Honourable Mention: Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
Cream Ale
Gold: Cream Ale, Cameron's Brewing (ON)
Silver: Cream Ale, Lakes of Muskoka (ON)
Bronze: KLB Cream Ale, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
North American Style Blonde/Golden Ale
Gold: Gulf Island Brewing, Gulf Island Brewing (BC)
Silver: Honey Blonde Ale, Russell Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Picaroon's Blonde Ale, Northampton Brewing (NB)
Honourable Mention: Summer Ale, Granite Brewery (ON)
English Style Pale Ale (Bitter)
Gold: ESB, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Silver: Black Oak Pale Ale, Black Oak Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Old Brewery Pale Ale, Nelson Brewing (BC)
North American Style Pale Ale (Bitter) - J
Gold: Old Yale Pale Ale, Old Yale Brewing (BC)
Silver: Chico Pale Ale, Bushwakker Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Tank House, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Honourable Mention: Timberline Ale, Howe Sound Brewery (BC)
Barley Wine
Gold: 2008 Barley Wine, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Silver: St. Ambroise Vintage Ale, McAuslan Brewing (QC)
Bronze: Swan's Legacy Ale, Swan's Buckerfield (BC)
India Pale Ale
Gold: Hop Head Double IPA, Tree Brewing (BC)
Silver: No. 9 IPA, Mike Duggan - Cool Beer (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Brown Ale - J
Gold: Nut Brown, Dead Frog Brewery (BC)
Silver: Rail Ale Nut Brown, Howe Sound Brewing (BC)
Bronze: True North Copper Altbier, Magnotta Brewery (ON)
Scotch Ale
Gold: N/A
Silver: Scotch Ale, Phillip's Brewery (BC)
Bronze: Iron Duke, Wellington Brewery (ON)
Stout
Gold: St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, McAuslan Brewing (QC)
Silver: Keepers Stout, Lighthouse Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Traditional Irish Stout, Hockley Valley Brewing (ON)
Honourable Mention: Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, Yukon Brewery (YT)
Strong Porter (Baltic)
Gold: Grand Baltic Porter, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Silver: N/A
Bronze: N/A
Imperial Stout
Gold: Russian Gun Imperial Stout, Grand River Brewing (ON)
Silver: Imperial Stout, Wellington Brewery (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Porter - J
Gold: Palliser Porter, Bushwakker Brewing (SK)
Silver: Black Toque, Phillip's Brewery (BC)
Bronze: Coffee Porter, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Fruit & Vegetable - J
Gold: Chocolate Porter, Phillip's Brewing (BC)
Silver: Raspberry Weizen, Pump House Brewing (NB)
Bronze: Jalapeno Ale, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Special Honey/Maple Lager or Ale - J
Gold: Special Honey Maple Lager, Old Credit Brewing (ON)
Silver: Winter Ale, Great Lakes Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Honey Brown Traditional, Dead Frog Brewery (BC)
Brewery of the Year - Mill Street Brewery (3rd year in a row)
Beer of the Year - Yukon Red Amber Ale
North American Style Lager - J
Gold: Alpine Lager, Moosehead Breweries (NB)
Silver: Original Draught, Sleeman Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Rocky Mountain Pilsner, Russell Brewing (BC)
Honourable Mention: Carling Lager, Molson Canada
North American Style Premium Lager
Gold: Premium Lager, Lakes of Muskoka Brewery (ON)
Silver: Premium, Great Western Brewing (SK)
Bronze Old Style Pilsner, Molson Canada
European Style Lager (Pilsner)
Gold: Stonehammer Pilsner, F & M Brewery (ON)
Silver: Pilsner, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Bronze: Steam Whistle, Steam Whistle Brewing (ON)
North American Style Amber Lager
Gold: N/A
Silver: Buzz Beer, Cool Beer (ON)
Bronze: Red Leaf Smooth Red Lager, Great Lakes Brewery (ON)
Bock - Traditional German Style - J
Gold: Amsterdam Spring Bock, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
Silver: N/A
Bronze: Hellesbock, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
North American Style Dark Lager
Gold: N/A
Silver: Fort Garry Rouge, Fort Garry Brewing (MB)
Bronze: Dark 266 Lager, Cameron's Brewing (ON)
Light (Calorie-Reduced)Lager
Gold: Sleeman Light, Sleeman Brewing (ON)
Silver: Premium Light, Great Western Brewing (SK)
Bronze: Alpine Light, Moosehead Breweries (NB)
Wheat Beer - Belgian Style White/Wit
Gold: Honey Thistle Wit, Bushwakker Brewing (SK)
Silver: Belgian Wit, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Wheat Beer - German Style Hefeweizen
Gold: Whistler Weiss Bier, Whistler Brewing (BC)
Silver: Hefeweizen, Tree Brewing Co. (BC)
Bronze: Hefe-Weissbier, Lakes of Muskoka (ON)
Wheat Beer - North American Style - J
Gold: Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Big Rock (AB)
Silver: Sungod Wheat Ale, R & B Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Dooryard Summer Ale, Northampton Brewing (NB)
Strong or Belgian Style Ale - J
Gold: La Fin Du Monde, Unibroue (QC)
Silver: Winter Warmer, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Bronze: Dominus Vobiscum Double, Microbrasserie Charlevoix (QC)
North American Style Amber/Red Ale - J
Gold: Yukon Red Amber, Yukon Brewery (NWT)
Silver: Auburn Ale, Cameron's Brewing Co. (ON)
Bronze: Devil's Pale Ale, Great Lakes Brewing (ON)
Honourable Mention: Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
Cream Ale
Gold: Cream Ale, Cameron's Brewing (ON)
Silver: Cream Ale, Lakes of Muskoka (ON)
Bronze: KLB Cream Ale, Amsterdam Brewing (ON)
North American Style Blonde/Golden Ale
Gold: Gulf Island Brewing, Gulf Island Brewing (BC)
Silver: Honey Blonde Ale, Russell Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Picaroon's Blonde Ale, Northampton Brewing (NB)
Honourable Mention: Summer Ale, Granite Brewery (ON)
English Style Pale Ale (Bitter)
Gold: ESB, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Silver: Black Oak Pale Ale, Black Oak Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Old Brewery Pale Ale, Nelson Brewing (BC)
North American Style Pale Ale (Bitter) - J
Gold: Old Yale Pale Ale, Old Yale Brewing (BC)
Silver: Chico Pale Ale, Bushwakker Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Tank House, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Honourable Mention: Timberline Ale, Howe Sound Brewery (BC)
Barley Wine
Gold: 2008 Barley Wine, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Silver: St. Ambroise Vintage Ale, McAuslan Brewing (QC)
Bronze: Swan's Legacy Ale, Swan's Buckerfield (BC)
India Pale Ale
Gold: Hop Head Double IPA, Tree Brewing (BC)
Silver: No. 9 IPA, Mike Duggan - Cool Beer (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Brown Ale - J
Gold: Nut Brown, Dead Frog Brewery (BC)
Silver: Rail Ale Nut Brown, Howe Sound Brewing (BC)
Bronze: True North Copper Altbier, Magnotta Brewery (ON)
Scotch Ale
Gold: N/A
Silver: Scotch Ale, Phillip's Brewery (BC)
Bronze: Iron Duke, Wellington Brewery (ON)
Stout
Gold: St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, McAuslan Brewing (QC)
Silver: Keepers Stout, Lighthouse Brewing (BC)
Bronze: Traditional Irish Stout, Hockley Valley Brewing (ON)
Honourable Mention: Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, Yukon Brewery (YT)
Strong Porter (Baltic)
Gold: Grand Baltic Porter, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Silver: N/A
Bronze: N/A
Imperial Stout
Gold: Russian Gun Imperial Stout, Grand River Brewing (ON)
Silver: Imperial Stout, Wellington Brewery (ON)
Bronze: N/A
Porter - J
Gold: Palliser Porter, Bushwakker Brewing (SK)
Silver: Black Toque, Phillip's Brewery (BC)
Bronze: Coffee Porter, Mill Street Brewery (ON)
Fruit & Vegetable - J
Gold: Chocolate Porter, Phillip's Brewing (BC)
Silver: Raspberry Weizen, Pump House Brewing (NB)
Bronze: Jalapeno Ale, Garrison Brewing (NS)
Special Honey/Maple Lager or Ale - J
Gold: Special Honey Maple Lager, Old Credit Brewing (ON)
Silver: Winter Ale, Great Lakes Brewing (ON)
Bronze: Honey Brown Traditional, Dead Frog Brewery (BC)
Brewery of the Year - Mill Street Brewery (3rd year in a row)
Beer of the Year - Yukon Red Amber Ale
The life and death of my favourite places
Restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs, whatever you want to call them. Places where we go to eat, drink and be social. They can work their way into our lives, becoming a part of our daily routines, weekly rituals or annual pilgrimages. They become important places to us.
I have not really mourned a lot of the damage done by this recent "economic downturn" or "correction" but lately, it has been hitting a bit too close to home. Too close to the wood on which my elbow sits.
There are some new places that have replaced them, but really, if I had my choice, I'd have them all available to go to.
So here is to Seven Restaurant and Wine Bar, where I enjoyed so many evenings with friends, late evenings.... and some wonderful meals with groups of people who all seemed so much more beautiful than I, because they were. To Dio Mio Gelato, one of my ritualistic stops on weekend summer morning walks. To the Soho Kitchen, where I learned to love foods my Mom never knew of and to think about healthy food for perhaps the first time in my life. To O'Carroll's where I first saw old, young and in between happily celebrating in a pub in Canada, just like in a village in Devon. And to the original Midtown Tavern and Grill, where so many laughs, debates, questionable steaks, and beers were had.
Now I have the Hart and Thistle, filling the Harbourfront space I once frequented so often, and resurrecting the pico-brewery there, complete with its last brewer, and most of O'Carroll's staff. The Smiling Goat, ready for my quick shot of double espresso as I duck in on my way downtown. Aroma Latino, where the smell of fried corn draws me in like a cartoon character wafted in without touching the ground. And, of course, to the new Midtown, where that same smell of questionable steaks advertises lunchtime on Grafton Street, just a block away.
Maybe a new place will come along that draws me away from Tom's Little Havana for more than I spend there, but I think bigger forces will be required for that to happen. Unfortunately, they are out there, but I'll just hope they stay away for now.
I have not really mourned a lot of the damage done by this recent "economic downturn" or "correction" but lately, it has been hitting a bit too close to home. Too close to the wood on which my elbow sits.
There are some new places that have replaced them, but really, if I had my choice, I'd have them all available to go to.
So here is to Seven Restaurant and Wine Bar, where I enjoyed so many evenings with friends, late evenings.... and some wonderful meals with groups of people who all seemed so much more beautiful than I, because they were. To Dio Mio Gelato, one of my ritualistic stops on weekend summer morning walks. To the Soho Kitchen, where I learned to love foods my Mom never knew of and to think about healthy food for perhaps the first time in my life. To O'Carroll's where I first saw old, young and in between happily celebrating in a pub in Canada, just like in a village in Devon. And to the original Midtown Tavern and Grill, where so many laughs, debates, questionable steaks, and beers were had.
Now I have the Hart and Thistle, filling the Harbourfront space I once frequented so often, and resurrecting the pico-brewery there, complete with its last brewer, and most of O'Carroll's staff. The Smiling Goat, ready for my quick shot of double espresso as I duck in on my way downtown. Aroma Latino, where the smell of fried corn draws me in like a cartoon character wafted in without touching the ground. And, of course, to the new Midtown, where that same smell of questionable steaks advertises lunchtime on Grafton Street, just a block away.
Maybe a new place will come along that draws me away from Tom's Little Havana for more than I spend there, but I think bigger forces will be required for that to happen. Unfortunately, they are out there, but I'll just hope they stay away for now.
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