First off we done got the second beer in our "Saison du Masion" series comin' down the shoot in early January. This one, well it ain't exactly a saison, it's a Biere De Garde. But dang it, thems two styles aren't just so gosh darn closely linked, that heck we done felt that it twernt that big of a deal to have it included as part of the series. See Biere De Garde (or beer for "storing") is another farmhouse ale originally from the Northern region of France, right along that there border of Belgium. They done usually got brewed in the Winter or early Spring and tend to have a more malt forward body then their close cousin the Saison.
Back in the day, these beers were cellared or matured in the bottle for quite sometime before they was drank too. And at 8.5% our first foray into the world of biere de gardes ain't no different. Lovingly dubbed "Le Chandail de Skokie" (or Skokie's Sweater) this ale is a rich amber biere de garde with a pronounced malt body and a spicy yeast finish. Dry and easy to drink but warm enough to keep them cockles warm during the cold winter months, this beer can be cellared and enjoyed later in the year or drank now as a nice winter warmer.
Now some of you may be askin', "What exactly is Skokie's Sweater?", well if you is of a certain vintage and done hail from this here region of Muskoka, well heck, you know exactly what Skokie's Sweater is....but in case you forgot, take a look below at this here pic....
Skokie is a lovely ol' otter that done used to be the mascot for the local Winter Carnvival here in Muskoka. He sorta went away there for a while but now Skokie is back....and so is his warm, wooly sweater. And as a nod to them heady days of our youth, them cold winter weekends spent entering snow sculpture competitions or icy bed races down the main street here in town, Skokie's Sweater is a liquid reminder of just how much them days meant to us. Some come early January pop by the brewery retail store and pick up a few tins of this canned conditioned Biere de Garde and take a drink from the past!
Next up we done got an ol' favourite comin' back, our big, bold Imperial Stout Long, Dark Voyage to Uranus. And heck if this years version ain't just a little more bigger and bolder. That's right folks, we done kicked it up a notch. In years past LDV was usually around 8.5-9% abv, but this year we cranked it up to 10...heck even 10.5! Yep, this years version is comin' in at a hefty 10.5% abv...the voyage done got Longer & Darker. Blacker that the vacuum of space and richer than Richard Branson, LDV is sure to please thems with even the stoutest of hearts. In case you done forgot, here's what she looks like in a glass...
Well shoot, I'm pretty gosh darn thirsty now! But hold your horses folks, yer gonna have to wait just a little bit longer fer this interstellar beauty. Long, Dark Voyage won't be ready til early January when it will be available in our on-site retail store and once again, on the shelves of yer local LCBO. So once that nasty holiday hangover has passed, head on out to the LCBO and look for CANS of our Long, Dark Voyage Imperial Stout (retailing for a very affordable $5.25 per 473ml tin)....it'll done look somethin' like this...just more like a can...
Another thing we're workin' on in the New Year is a special collab with none other than Johnny Faye of the Tragically Hip! Last week at The Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge, I met up with Jonny and we brewed a pilot batch for this here collab. It was a cold December afternoon, the Winter wind was blowin', the snow clung tightly to the patio, but heck if we didn't tough it out and get it brewed. Heck, it may've been the most Canadian I've ever been! Take a look at this here photo...
Now like I done said, this here brew was just a pilot batch. We done brewed up a SMASH (Single Malt And Single Hop), with 100% Canadian 2-Row malt and 100% Mandarina Bavaria hops. We done added a twist though, we done fermented this here ale with 4 different yeasts! We wanna see how each one reacts and which one is gonna be the winner. After we taste each one, we'll decide which one will be our beer for this years SESSION Toronto. Stay tuned for more details!
Speakin' of collabs, on the exact same day, our intrepid brewer Aaron Spinney done collaborated with our best buds at the Indie Alehouse to recreate one of there favourite brews...a S'more Stout. Havin' brewed this a few times at Indie, this was the first time it was brewed up here in Sawdust City and we couldn't have been more excited! Brewed with Graham Crackers. rum soaked marshmallows, honey and vanilla, this is one big tasty brew! Heck, they even roasted them marshmallows...don't believe...take a look...
Shoot, it done smelled just like summer time memories up in the brewhouse. Heck, I don't think we can wait til the New Year for this one, I think we gotta get it out sooner! So y'all can come by the Sawdust City Saloon, The Indie Alehouse in Toronto or look for this tasty brew at a kick ass beer bar near you this Holiday Season.
Well I think I done covered just about everything there! Oh, one last thing, if y'all are still lookin' for a special present for that certain hard-to-shop-for someone, come by our retail shop here in Sawdust City, we done got lots of unique gift ideas. From glassware to beer soap, from tee shirts to clay mugs, we done got it all. Shoot, we even got beer too! Our 5 core brands are always here and we still have a few bottles of Blood of Cthulhu Imperial Stout and a few cans of 11.05 Triple IPA still kickin' around plus cans of our Winding Road for 7km rye saison too.
Anyhoo, that just aboot does it for now. Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the sawdust beneath your feet!
Sam Corbeil,
BREWMASTER