BLOOD OF CTHULHU ~ SAWDUST CITY & BARHOP

Blood of Cthulhu is an imperial stout brewed with cherries, raspberries and cranberries and a ton of malts.  It is collaboration with Bar-Hop, initially it was intended as a one-off, but they have made it again this year.  Sampled on draught, the beer poured almost black with a substantial mocha head, which left lots of lacing.  Its nose contained notes of chocolate, berries and roasted malts.  The flavour had lots of dark chocolate, cranberries and dark cherries and hints of coffee and spice.  The sweetness of the berries finishes with dark chocolate and coffee bitterness.   The stout had a creamy texture and good carbonation.  Though it gives you a warming feeling the booze is well hidden.  A delicious treat for a cold winters night.

10% from Gravenhurst, Ontario

CORIOLIS EFFECT ~ BAR HOP & SAWDUST CITY

Coriolis effect  is a Berliner weisse made in collaboration with Bar Hop, a bar in Toronto.  Bar Hop cuts the sourness of the beer with homemade raspberry or woodruff syrup.  I had this mouth puckering-ly sour beer by itself.  It pours a light hazy straw colour with a white head.  Nose is sour with notes of lemon, wheat and tart fruit.  Finish is tart, sour and a little bready. The beer is made with Lactobacillus Brevis (lactic fermentation) from Guelph's own Escarpment yeast bank. (Who knew there is a Yeast bank?)

BTW…In physics, the Coriolis effect is a deflection of moving objects when the motion is described relative to a rotating reference frame. In a reference frame with clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the left of the motion of the object; in one with counter-clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the right....also slang for a hang over.

 3.2% from Gravenhurst, Ontario
-beer 98-

RABBIT OF CAERBANNOG ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

The Rabbit is a White Pale Ale made for the end of summer and beginning of Fall and is a collaboration between Bar Hop and Indie Ale House.  It is wheat based IPA, which uses New Zealand Hops and Belgian Yeast. Like its namesake (A reference to Monty Python*) Its mild first impression (a fruity nose)  soon leads to a bitter bite. 

Pours a cloudy pale golden colour with a foamy white head.  Nose is citrus especially grapefruit, wheat and a piny resin.  Flavour packs a punch – lots of tropical and citrus fruit, pine and wheat.  No malty sweetness and a bitter finish, which lingers long enough.

* The white bloodthirsty rabbits were responsible for offing King Arthurs’ men in their quest for the Holy Grail in Monty Python's Holy Grail.

5% from Toronto, Ontario            80 IBU
-beer 97-