Enough

 I find myself in a weird position in life, a thing that gets magnified at work everyday when I talk to folks who are hustling to get by and hope to get ahead as the future rolls on. Seeking promotions, more money, more everything and while I understand it, hell it was me not so long ago, I find my hustle, my need for more has dissipated into the ether of my years and now all I seek is contentment, routine and just what I have. 

Enough.

I don't know how it came to be. We struggled for decades just to keep our heads above water, not always succeeding, but always striving for more and better...until now. I find myself at the crossroads of somewhat middle age, okay, two thirds age, but what I am after now more than anything is not trying to get more, to look at what other people have and wonder why I don't. I find myself looking in the mirror and occasionally smiling with a chuckle that I'm still standing and honestly it's fucking bizarre to be happy after years of Darkness. I won't lie, I still struggle with that feeling of losing hope, wondering about why I chased everyone away amd if I can ever find friends like that again, but for the most part and with a little help, I am okay.

The hustle of my younger years has left, I am more interested in the quality of my time, not how many hours I worked last week trying to squeeze one more dollar into my pocket. I seek no promotions, I don't want more responsibility and while I would not say no to a raise, I figure it will come when it comes and as long as I have enough, I'll make due until it isn't and then the conversation will be how to make what I have be enough for what I need. I sought to be something I thought I should be for so long, more money by working harder, longer and more than anyone else didn't get me a damn thing short of burnout and lost time doing what makes me happy. I do what I need to do at work for what they pay me to do, nothing more, nothing less. The exchange has finally become clear...only took me 35+ years...

Now I seek the minimum that I must do so that the time I have left on this planet can be spent seeking a sliver of the happiness I thought all that working could bring me. The time I lost giving to work will never come back and while it did indeed get me a chance to be here, at what cost did it come? 

I've got enough, now to figure out how to make that the thing that makes me happy so that whatever time I have left I can have fewer days under the clouds of my own demise and more sunshine giving me hope.

Polk

March 21st, 2024

On 51

   Looking back on another year around the sun and while my 50th year was a shifting sand dune on which I climbed, stumbled down and rose again, I find myself at much the same spot as last year, albeit with a little more chill in my life. 

  To be honest, not much has changed in the last year, I continued to be somewhat of a recluse outside of working, only stepping out a handful of times for dinner with Kat and only twice to have a quick beer with someone other than her. My circle has shrunk pretty small, I spend more time with Oreo, Marbles and Simcoe than any human and while I may have periods of deep introspection on what caused this loneliness, I can only quote Jimmy Buffett, "But I know, it's my own damn fault...". I watched it happen in real time and hardly recognize myself some days, who is that man in the mirror every morning, practicing his smile and covering his growing fear that it is all coming down to whether he can truly change or continue this slow and steady decline into his winter years. 51 ain't old, but I feel every year, the last decade weighs heavier than my waistline and I struggle with the notion that it was all for nothing, the past is best left undisturbed, lest it drag me down with it.

  I had high hopes for last year, even with the changing of jobs, a summer with a decent stretch of time off and a new job that is lower stress, I still find myself at the same place, with the same thoughts and the same problems. It's a simple fix, but I am either too lazy or too afraid to get moving again. There will come a time when my body decides for me that it has had enough of my inaction and that is the scariest part of what I think about as the lights dim and sleep approaches. I do not want to go gentle into that good night, I want to rage against the dying light, but I also seek solitude and routine, rest and normalcy. 

  I am not an adventurer anymore, nor a glad hander, party guy who has a thousand acquaintances and no lasting friendships. I have seen the top of the mountain, done almost everything I wanted to do when it comes to beer and life. yet I ponder what I could seek that would bring me joy and wonder again. What is it that I want and what am I willing to do to get there? I find myself writing notes to myself at all hours of the day, tucking them into my lunch bag at work for future reference when I am home, jotting down random thoughts that could be the next great idea. I have a dozen half written posts on the go and twice as many little niblets of knowledge that are just outside of my eye line, perhaps I shall find them all one day and inside them the answer I seek. 

  I was once inspired to write about anything that came into my head, sometimes about beer and then my life. I find so much malaise seeps in to my days, but not enough to trigger a full blown descent into depression, just enough to sap whatever inspiration I have found. I push on but also push away from a community I do not fit in anymore, drinking alone and staying home don't sell as well as being out and about. I miss it sometimes, but am I willing to push back against my own routine that I have wrapped around myself as a shield against the world? I don't know, but I will keep hoping that I can find that thing, that divine light I once grasped briefly and let slip away.

Polk

March 18th, 2024

I Drink Alone

   Is that a weird way to open a blog post? 

  Admitting that I drink alone?

  Well, it is the truth and I wanted to write about my life more this year, even if it seems a little uncomfortable or difficult. My greatest success and growth has come from laying it all out for the world to see and releasing whatever is inside me that tries to bring me down into the darkness again, silence is my own worst enemy.

  I think what I mean to say, without trying to downplay my lack of a social life outside my going to work or online, is that I enjoy my own company when I want to relax. After almost 4 decades in working retail, food service and general public facing jobs, I do feel worn down just a tad, the last 4 years have proven even more difficult with the rise of the selfish class, a special breed of hell mongers all their own. It has bled into almost every part of my day, the inward facing, sole spotlight seekers, to whom everyone must revolve for their existence to mean anything to them. It is exhausting sometimes and while there are some bright spots, I have not really engaged with anyone (with a few rare diamonds shining brightly) who I wanted to carry out friendships beyond the superficial stage in quite some time. Now that isn't to say I haven't met some wonderful people, but none with whom I could consider a daily friend, someone I could hang out with on a whim, without planning everything in advance and hoping something doesn't come up in between. All my best relationships seem to be online, quietly waiting for engagement when I have the mental capacity to do so...not so intrusive, yet lacking in spontaneity and time to forge close bonds that last longer than a text. 

  I did at one time, have a large circle of close pals, hangers on and assorted characters who would flit in and out, depending on the time of year, party theme or drinking indulgence. We hosted get togethers almost weekly, sometimes a raucous house full of poker players, karaoke singers and drunkards, other times just a couple close friends for dinner and games, maybe heading out on the town for a night out of nonsense and liquid fun. It was a glorious time, we were all relatively young, with little in the way of outside responsibilities and life seemed a grand stage for us to strut about, happily glowing in drunken revelry. Time marches on though, and as I tumbled down the rabbit whole of career interuptus, losing what I thought was my life, I began separating from everyone I knew, pushing them away because I could not understand how anyone would want to hang out with such a loser. Self pity turned into dark and deep depression, it took years to climb out of that particular hole, clawing my way up through thoughts of not wanting to be alive anymore to falling into a morass of self medicating to keep the demons at bay. When I finally came up from the depths, life had moved on and I was exactly where I thought I deserved to be.

  The last few years have been decent, I've grown a little better as a person, albeit one who still isn't certain of himself from time to time. I do not know if I can ever recapture who I was or at least, the part that I think I was, the happy go lucky kind of person I hope to project to the world when I leave the house. I turned down opportunities to go to beer fests, judge a beer competition, hang out with the few people who still reach out every once in awhile. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I don't know I know how to anymore. My ability to spend time alone has become a shield in defense of nothing, a tilting at windmills that only exist in my mind. But what used to be a heavy indulgence in clouded thinking and over indulgence has changed into a more quiet pursuit of peace and opportunity to try to understand who I really am underneath the layers I've painted on this life I tried to walk away from so many times. I am trying to appreciate my own time so that I can give it to others with the joy I used to. I cannot recreate the past, nor should I want to, that guy doesn't exist anymore...but I do.

  Finding myself hanging out with the Boys, I was happy, I do miss the camaraderie of The Lodge, the not so subtle jabs we would toss at each other when we discussed sports and played poker. It could get deep too, some nights we would delve below the surface, not too far, but enough that we felt loved and bonded, maybe not family, but something deeper. I salute those folks, true gems they were.

  Good times, hazy memories and an entirely different person...

  I drink alone. But I do not wallow in solitude, I have found myself slowly rising again, perhaps the road ahead is long and will not be easy, but it does not seem so insurmountable as it once did. I raise my glass to the days gone by, to the ones ahead and to the simple life I seek. Perhaps I shall find it, and you, one day.

Polk

February 26th, 2024

That Beer Buzz...

  There is almost no better vibe in the world than when you're having a couple beers and that magical warm and fuzzy feeling kicks in. Be it after 1, 2, or more beers, we all have a sweet spot for when everything is right in the world and you just drift along for a little while in your happiness.  You're not quite drunk, not quite sober, but existing in a beautiful place known as the Beer Buzz.

  It's a real art form finding the right spot, knowing when to say when and when to say just one more, a delicate balance of slow sipping and quick chugging, sprinkled in with some laughs and a smile growing across your face. I took a couple of quick polls on social media last week and found that the vast majority of folks (over 75%) who are with me for this weirdly beer centric trip I'm on seemed to agree that 3 to 4 beers was that very place to be when it came to the best feelings, the place where it's just right. I'll admit that I thought more people would lean into the old 2-Beer Buzz territory and of course some people still do, but with more than 3/4 of 300 plus people answering at the higher end, it got me to thinking if my own levels had changed over the years or not.

  There was a time when I'd get home from work and think nothing of rocketing back a 6-pack of Brava or  Old Milwaukee tall-boys in quick succession and that would get me on the way to where I wanted to go, a stumbling start to the black-out I was seeking. Somewhere along the way, I did find a better way to drink, still slipping into old habits of course, but generally being more aware of what I was pouring in my glass and trying to appreciate it gave me some pause when it came to my beer consumption.

  It's been almost a decade of riding along this craft beer road and I have finally come to a place where the conversation turned to seeking a better balance in what had become a daily grind of trying to keep up with things I didn't really care about anymore. What I wanted was a way to enjoy what seemed like the perfect feeling whenever the fancy took me. Some days that's no beers, sometimes just 1 or 2 and on those wonderful days when it really felt right, the Beer Buzz hum of that third pint with a fourth in waiting. And therein lies the art of the entire thing, knowing where you are and not having the one that tips you from the Buzz to the Drunk. I'll say that I have found since the vast majority of my beers tend to be above 6% ABV, 3 is often the best place for me to slide into home with my eyes wide open. It's a really nice feeling to not have the next beer, to know that this one was the last one of the evening and savour every last drop. Sure, there are days when I make the decision to go a little past that last beer and drag myself to another place entirely, but in the last few months, I find myself intentionally stopping at the same spot, satisfied with where I was and how it made me feel. Too many mornings filled with self reflecting conversations of how I shouldn't have had that last beer, seemingly wasting a great pint on a night that didn't need another one. 

  Honestly, I feel like that is what the goal of this entire endeavour has been. It's about enjoying a couple, three beers, without extending myself into bad habits I know I have and mistakes I want to make less and less. Taking nights off of beer, stepping away from a toxic work environment and making peace with who I am and where I came from has been a big part of this too. Understanding myself makes it easier to know when I have found that very real feeling the Beer Buzz delivers and I can lean back to enjoy it without needing to go any further. I've spent a lifetime in search of this very peaceful place...

  I hope you find yours.

Polk

February 20, 2024

  

Beer Zen - Nickel Brook Brewing Double Headstock

 

 Yesterday I stopped in at Nickel Brook Brewing in Burlington after work and was lucky enough to get to try their newest release, the 9.5% Double Headstock Imperial IPA, while also spending some time chatting with Founder John Romano about the state of the beer business in general and reminiscing about the years that seem to have flown by since we first met. I've been a fan of this OG Ontario craft brewer for many years, getting to know the people that work there only reinforced that feeling and when I heard this particular beer was coming out, it brought back a wave of nostalgia from when I first started trying all these "weird" beers back in 2014/15. 

  Up until the end of 2014, I was a dedicated macro beer drinker, the cheaper the better. It was about volume, not quality and I was adept at finding the best deals to deliver the quickest trip to getting drunk. As I started to wander around into craft beer, I was taken aback by the bitterness of IPAs, it threw me off just how full on they were after having spent the first 25 years of my drinking life drinking beers with nothing better than cold as a flavour description. It took me some time to understand what I was drinking and I can tell you that as I see other people get into drinking great beer at a younger age, starting out in my 40's just makes me wish I too had started sooner. It was a tremendous time in those days for me though, it seemed every week introduced me to a new style or a new brewery and I wanted nothing more than to immerse myself into the world I didn't know existed full steam ahead.

  I remember the first time I had a Headstock from Nickel Brook and really understood it. I felt an immense sense of comfort and latched onto to this West Coast IPA with all I had. It delivered everything I had come to love about beer and led me to other styles of IPA that has no doubt helped fuel my desire to keep going with everything I do in beer. There was a real feeling of adventure and anticipation in those days that remains a palpable memory whenever I think back to how eager we were to just be a part of it all. It was a glorious time I'll never forget.

  The ensuing years have seen explosive growth in both the industry and the community that surrounds it. Creativity and innovation not only happens in the brewhouse, but on social media as fans of the beers continue to find new and interesting ways to share their love of the beer they drink. It's changed a lot since I first started and I while I keep doing what it is I know how to do, I applaud and look forward to seeing the amazing stuff some people come up with to spread the good word. Having said that, it is rare that I truly get excited about a beer release, I enjoy new beers and returning seasonal ones too, but it's got to be something real big to get that feeling from so long ago to come bubbling up to the surface again.

 Double Headstock did just that.

  It was like stepping into a time machine from the first sip. A big malt bill, smooth honey like body with the bitter citrus and pine showing me you can go home again. I was immediately transported back to the early 2010's and that bold sense of change I was feeling around me. It was nostalgia mixed with wonder poured into a glass. A throwback to the days when I measured IBU as a personal challenge and beers like Nickel Brook's Immodest Imperial IPA and Sawdust City's Twin Pines shook the core of what I knew about myself. From the first sip, I closed my eyes and felt the woosh of time pass by and all the years and troubles fell away till I was left standing in a singular moment, experiencing the joy that beer can bring all over again. 

  This feeling remained as we talked over the tall boy we had split, sipping as the sun began to fade through the windows and it became time to say our goodbyes. As release date for this beer wasn't until today, John sent me home with a 4 pack and I thanked him for sharing this moment with me. We had talked about this particular idea he had for Double Headstock many years ago and it was a dream come true not just for him, but for anyone who loves Headstock too. As judged by the reaction from people when I posted it later online, delivering an Imperial version of this iconic beer is being welcomed with the fanfare it deserves. I'll be grabbing another 6 pack on my way home for the weekend tomorrow, it is something I relish, this feeling of completeness and joy. That a beer can do that, even if you're only having one, is a tremendous accomplishment and one that I hope more people can find.

Polk

February 8th, 2024

The Beer Store - Another Look

 

Artsy Beer Store Beer

 I come here not to bury The Beer Store, nor to praise it. I come here today to talk about what most folks who aren't me, or beer drinkers like me, think about the it and the impending changes coming to the selling and distribution of beer in this province.

  Short answer...most people don't give a shit.

  Longer short answer...they just want to get their 24's, return their empties and get on with their day. 

Beer Fridge, 2014ish

  Until about ten years ago, I so rarely bought beer at the LCBO that it wouldn't register on my radar as an option. It didn't cross my mind to get my beer anywhere else but the Beer Store, bring back my empties, grab another 24 and away I went. A simple, singular transaction that took place in a building filled with olfactory nostalgia that hits me with memories of summer afternoons getting to go with my Pop as he was picking up a pack for the weekend. It never occurred to me that there were small breweries in Ontario to buy beer at or that I would ever bother going to them and paying a little more for the drunken satisfaction I sought every time I grabbed a case. I cared not for variety, only the best price and quickest in and out I could get. Convenience sold then and it still does now.

I did so love the Beer of Summer, circa 2013

  The change in the beer drinking landscape in the last decade or so has been tremendous no doubt, but the craft beer segment of consumers still makes up a relatively small percentage of overall beer sales, despite what those of us who have become so immersed and invested emotionally in believing in what we see as better beer and a better way to make and sell it. To say we can't see the forest for the trees wants me to admit we look any further than our own beer glasses and as someone who spends most of his time with people who see craft beer as a novelty, somewhat expensive and out of their comfort zone, I know what I think of The Beer Store isn't in the majority. 

  I understand the monopoly of the three headed mega beer corporations, with a smattering of craft brewers trying to swing for the fences, isn't the best way to sell beer anywhere, I also know that most folks do not care or have it on their radar to do anything else. Beer in grocery stores is a lovely convenience, when they are able to sell 24's, no doubt that will be manna to some people. But there is no real money in beer sales for a grocery chain, there were no more labour hours given to deal with the beer section, so it is at best an afterthought in most places or worst a begrudging problem for others.

  Corner store sales will be something else entirely, dealing with a different clientele seeking sudsy sustenance, and if we think the 20% craft beer shelf space is gonna mean better distribution for anyone but the larger breweries, I think you're dreaming. It's going to mean older shelf dates, perhaps not even any fridge space at all in places where the only concern will be checking ID's and moving along to the next customer. 7-11 doesn't give a damn about freshness and rotation in beer, they wanna sell 6 packs and Doritios. I may be cynical, but I was there for the start of beer sales in grocery stores and can tell you from experience that with very few exceptions, it isn't something franchisees want to deal with, it's often more trouble than it's worth.

  But more than the problems of freshness and accessibility, the vast majority of beer drinkers have no desire to make multiple trips to different places to get their beer and return their empties. I did a couple of polls on my social media last week about what people do with their cans and bottles and about 45% of people returned them for the deposit cash back with another 35% just tossing them into the recycling bins. I should say that the people who responded are most likely drinking craft beer more than macros, not a 24 buying crowd according to another poll I ran a few weeks ago showing few people who follow along with me are getting two dozen of any single beer very often or stopping at the Beer Store for anything but returns. I know there are machines out there that take empty bottles, kind of like coin sorters for boozehounds, but if you think most beer drinkers are going to stand there and feed bottle after bottle into a damn machine instead of just dropping the case on the rollers and probably saying hi to someone who's been serving them for years, well then I believe that may be delusional. Part of the concept of The Beer Store has become focused on their high level of recovering recyclable materials and that isn't something anyone wants to really take on. It is a dirty, thankless task and let's face it, most people aren't cleaning out the bottles and cans they return, a lot of nasty stuff spills out and has to be dealt with by the folks behind the counters.

This is a man who loves the Mountains Blue...

  The diversity of selection at most Beer Stores is often cited as one major issue. The antiquated keeping of the beer in the back room that only the staff can get you or the overwhelming macro selections on the roller shelves out front is another. But if craft beer made business sense (or had the pull at the corporate level of The Beer Store) to occupy the same spaces that are taken up now by Bud, Coors Light and Canadian, they would be there. The people who are buying the majority of beer speak with their dollars and until we can get craft beer to a better place in terms of overall sales, change isn't going to come quickly. 

We have seen a lot of positive developments in my almost decade of watching and discussing beer, bottle shops have sprung up and by all accounts seem to be servicing a real need in our little community, albeit with a little sticker shock tossed in for good measure.  The profile of local breweries has certainly been raised and I know more and more people who include craft beers in their purchases, sprinkled in with their regular beers. We who are immersed would be well served to step back every once and a while to see what the bigger picture is, The Beer Store serves a larger purpose than we like to acknowledge and despite more changes coming, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Good union jobs, not as many as there were before, are hard to come by in beer, I don't know of many craft breweries that are unionized or even pay a fair wage. The industry will continue to go through difficult times in the next few years and despite all the optimism I see on social media, the truth is not a pretty picture on Instagram. 

  I don't know what the future looks like for The Beer Store. They will most likely reduce their footprint, selling off properties that make no sense and streamlining operations to remain viable. It will mean the loss of better paying jobs, something a lot of craft beer drinkers do not want to talk about when it comes to industry issues, and no doubt a higher amount of people who just give up returning empties because it isn't convenient.  The vast majority of beer drinkers do what they do because it is easy, they don't want to deal with anything but the simplest solution and until someone comes up with a better model, The Beer Store will continue to do what it does for the foreseeable future.

Polk

February 5th, 2024

The End - Truth from the Edge

 

  Every business appears viable right up until the point that it no longer is. Sure, some will send out clarion calls for help, try to encourage support from the local community, but for the most part, the pride and shame of what owning a business that is teetering on the brink is usually kept inside until the doors shut for the final time. 

  Now, I am not in possession of any secret information of what is happening inside Ontario Craft beer, I do however have an intimate understanding of owning a small, independent business and the struggles that can entail. I see patterns and hear things, watching from close and afar, I know the desperation some folks are feeling, when everyday seems like another step toward failure. You cringe every time the phone rings or another letter arrives screaming out final notice. This isn't a lesson anyone needs to learn from experience, but if you've been through it, you know just how gut wrenching it can be.

  When you own a public facing business, especially one like a brewery or restaurant, you are often out there in front of the house or online as the face and voice of your place. Your identity quickly becomes intertwined with that of your dream and your work and with the advent of social media in the last 20 years, it has become increasingly more public with more interest hopefully driving higher sales. The smaller the footprint, the larger your presence will be felt in terms of your connection to the public, they see you as the point of contact and reference you by name as though you are everything. And, in a way, you are. It feels like everything is you.

  Running a small business has always been driven by people who have a vision and make things happen to realize that dream. They clear hurdles, naysayers and self doubt to arrive at opening day, filled with joy and pride, a tired happiness that sees the doors open for the first time. In the case of beer, it is even larger as people truly do want to support local, sometimes at the expense of quality, they are more forgiving when the owner is right at the taps, sharing a taste of what their imagination has given to reality. But even the best made beer doesn't ensure survival, it is at the very heart of everything we know and taste, but there are different forces far outside of anyone's control are often the most destructive and crushing.

  There was a time, early on in my ultimately futile attempt to right the ship that was my life, that I thought I could pull out of the downward spiral by sheer force of will. By working longer hours, harder and with less return I could swing the financial home run I needed to stay open. I watched the numbers tell me the opposite, but I still found a way to convince myself I was just a good month away from solving the mounting list of debts and problems points piling up. But more importantly, it was with a good amount of fear that I would fail in front of the world and then who would I be. That fear drove my descent into a terrible mental health crisis that I have documented over the last 8 years here and on other platforms. There comes a moment when you finally understand that there is no one coming to save you, every mistake you made or success you created did not matter because the end and the truth are staring right back at you in the mirror. It can feel hopeless and the darkness of ending it all feels very real, I went down some very somber, disturbing roads and held on for dear life to the small things I could keep on living for.

  As for the current situation that has seen a slow but gradual drip of brewery closures, mergers and acquisitions for the beer scene here in Ontario, so much of that has been driven by some of the factors that we can all identify with if we imagine ourselves in those positions. The pandemic loans are playing a part to be sure, the CEBA program was designed to help keep businesses afloat during lockdowns and despite some forgiveness and extensions, it is proving to be difficult for many places to find a way to pay them back or get extended credit to float them by. Dry January and February continue to do no good for breweries, driving down sales in the two slowest months of the year, albeit with a good cause in mind, just a terrible time to do it. The changing economic landscape no doubt has been a large part of what is driving up inflation, rent and utilities continue to rise and the cost of goods rides that wave right into your profit and loss columns. It is more than just one thing happening that is causing this foreboding feeling, there was easy money for so long and we didn't think that would ever stop. Who wants to look for darkness when all you want to see is light. There are places I am sure who have over extended themselves because they saw a path forward through growth and in the end it wasn't enough. I know that feeling myself, having taken on more debt to renovate the business that I hoped would help, doing much of the work myself and knowing deep down that I was only chasing a whisper to a dream.

  There are a myriad of reasons why businesses succeed or fail and when we see someone have to finally give up that dream, we pass on our condolences and move onto the next beer. But I can tell you, those of us who have had to hear those goodbyes internalize that loss. We feel it in our guts, we lie awake at night even after it's all over, wondering what we could have done differently or better to make everything work. We carry an invisible weight that often crushes our identity and we lose a bit of ourselves every day after. I went to some very dark places, lost a lot of people I called friends (who I miss terribly every day), because I could not see myself worthy of any good in my life, I was tied to that business and its failure was a personal one that lives with me to this day. 

  It has taken me more than a decade to get to this point where I finally feel that tether to the past letting me go. I'm sure if I could do it all over again, I would have sought professional help for my mental health as everything fell apart around me. I know it is possible to bounce back, to rebuild your life and let go of that dream, but in the very real and raw time of the moment it all stops, you feel more alone than you ever had. I encourage anyone who is in this struggle right now to try and reach out to those around you who love you. They will be the strength you may need. Do not associate a business failure with some kind of character flaw or internal moral debt. Seek out someone to talk to about this very real loss, it is something you will grieve and therapy isn't a bad word, despite the macho mentality of going it alone. I know, it almost killed me in the end to keep it all inside. There is life to be lived outside the walls you've built up to try and keep it all together.

  I didn't know what today was going to bring, I had some ideas about what I wanted to write about. Happy, silly things like beer fridges, nostalgic beers and some other stuff, but I felt this was a time to talk about my own difficult experience so maybe I could reach someone out there who is feeling the weight of the world coming down on them to tell them there is a future and you deserve to be in it. Life isn't work, you are more than what you tried to make come true. Craft beer has been an incredible influence on my life in the last 9 years, but there are serious problems everywhere in the industry and the honest truth is that 2024 is going to be a difficult year for some people we have come to know and love. Support your favourite breweries and other local businesses when you are able.

  We are all in this together.

  All my love for the folks who keep on believin'...long after the music stops. 

Polk

January 29th, 2024

The Streak

 

November 21st, 2015 - December 8th, 2023

2939 days.

The Streak began without my knowledge, gained traction because I thought it would be interesting to see if I could write about beer on Instagram every day for a year and morphed into a weird ritual that was part of my daily routine for just a little over 8 years. 

6,664 beer and beer adjacent posts later, it came to an end and strangely enough, something changed almost as undetected as it had started. 

  I've loved the feeling of leaving behind the world with a couple of drinks for longer than I can remember. It goes back more than 3 decades and while there have been long stretches of sobriety in those years, it wasn't long before I had a bottle in my hand and was tipping more than a few back every weekend and the odd weekday too. I enjoyed many nights with friends, just shooting the shit about life, nothing too deep mind you, and indulging in the three beers to the truth we would joke about as the pints flew quickly and everything seemed so grand.

  Then came the fall of all I had been working for and slowly I watched as my business and then my grip on reality slipped away from me. I was torn down to my core, exposed and searching for the reason why I had failed so much at life when I thought I was going to succeed.  Being labelled a gifted kid with no real understanding or support system to help me direct my energy into making that something more than a grade school bully target and then derelict high school drop out gave me an odd sense of accomplishment as I looked at how much I had managed to accomplish, even with what I had thrown away. I reveled in the mundane destruction of it all.

  Through all those dark days, I did manage to keep up appearances, my mask slipping occasionally and the frightening sadness underneath would ooze out into the world, causing me to retreat further from those who knew me before everything changed. I didn't want to be around people who knew me as a good-time guy, that facade was a heavy burden I carried because I grew up with the lesson that men didn't talk about their feelings or troubles, you just carried on and did what you needed to do for your family. Isolating myself from who I used to be made everything harder but there was a small light at the end of the very long tunnel and lucky for me, it turned out not to be the 3:10 to Yuma barreling down on me.

  When I stumbled upon craft beer and the growing community online in late 2015, there was a sense of us against the big corporate macro brewers, the Rocky theme played out as we tried new styles of beer and got excited about cask nights, beer festivals and meeting like minded folks through our little pictures on Instagram. I pledged to drink a beer and write about it every day in 2016 and when I completed that, I just kinda kept going. It wasn't my intention to do all I have done since that November day in 2015, but who among us is the same person they were 8 years ago?

  I loved a lot of what those early days brought, I found solace in talking about my own mental health struggles through the lens of Mindful Drinking and trying to drink less but better. It was true in my heart in those days, I really did believe in everything I wrote and talked about in those much more innocent times, a veil of superiority cloaked every pint we poured and every picture we took. We thought we would change the world, but as the years have gone by, we have seen the same issues society at large faces come out in the stories of the terrible behaviour of so many people involved in craft beer and the increasing influence of the hidden cost of this liquid dream.

  I've spent the last few years leaning more into the drunk part of my life, the escapism associated with a couple, three beers a night. Big daddy pours of Rye and a desire to just leave it all behind every day was evident to anyone and I knew it deeply. I had reached a point of no return and saw no way to stop this rollicking mine cart careening down the mountainside without something drastic happening. I couldn't step away, even when I stopped caring our putting much more than a minimal effort into what I was doing online. The first half of 2023 saw me push myself to the most destructive thoughts I had felt in almost a decade and there seemed like only one way I wouldn't have a drink in my hand at some point every day and it didn't involve being above ground.

  But...

  Somehow, fate intervened again, and I was let go from a toxic, degenerate workplace that had helped me manifest the very worst of who I was each and every day, a path leading me to an early end and a decidedly tarnished one at that. I took a few weeks this summer to just be, to let go of a lot of the internal self hatred that often manifested itself in way too many drinks and seek perhaps a new path forward. I found a job that was exactly what I needed, a place where my most valuable asset was myself and slowly began to climb up and poke my head out of the hole I had created over the last half decade. I felt that it was time to find a way to change my own relationship with this character I had created and when Covid finally came calling on December 9th, 2023, I put down my phone, my glass and stopped the tap for the first time in 8 years. 

  It was terrifying, not in a sense that I would lose any sort of online credibility or presence, it was a nagging voice in my head that was telling me if I stopped doing something every day, it would be bad luck and I would soon be gone from this earth, dead by lack of routine. I know it's a mental thing, but those 5 days late last year where I not only stepped away from drinking, but all social media, was a revelation. I hate it when people announce they are leaving or taking a break from posting, it seems designed to troll for some kind of sympathy and honestly, it gives me bad vibes. I promised myself that when the day comes, I'll just delete my accounts, take the apps off my phone and walk away into the non-digital sunset without looking back. And for 120 hours, I did almost that, with perhaps 2 or 3 people checking to see if I was okay because I hadn't posted a beer every day. I felt free from the self-imposed daily grind, I felt loose and found myself not needing to create something every day to make my life make sense. 

  More non drinking days followed, not to say that I haven't had some grey moments in the last month and a half at all, but there was a severing of a very long cord to something from my past that I could not let go of and as 2024 dawned, I felt the path I was on had branched and I could now choose where I went next, empowered by my break, the next day could be whatever I made it, a fresh start with each morning. Don't get me wrong, I know I have a long way to go in terms with my mental health and my relationships, both with alcohol and with the people in my life. I know little of what I did for the last 8 years will have lasting impact on anyone but myself and the burden of proving I can change falls squarely on my beaten yet unbowed shoulders. I am not going to change in a short time, those Saturday night pints are still fun to me, but the possibility of change exists now like it hasn't since the beginning of all this.

  There has been a shift in my life since last September, but I am not someone who changes direction quickly, a large ship takes time to turn and I am just such a large ship. There is a new calm I find, one I can maybe seek out in larger chunks of time, away from the screen and the beer that brings me here. I don't want to stop doing all this just yet, I've found my inspiration and motivation to write again and it too is making a difference in how I feel, my mood is better and my self worth creeps higher whenever I can take the words from my notes and in my head and put it all together in one long form piece. But there is an exit, I see the possibilities of what comes next and for now, that is what I am focusing on.

  It was a helluva long ride, I'm not sure why it all happened, but the story is changing and I wanna be here to see where it goes, 

Thanks for coming along, I appreciate it more than I'll ever be able to say.

Polk

January 22nd, 2024

Beer Money 2023 - A Deeper Dive

   

Well now, after a 3 year hiatus, I have returned to the scene of the crime and taken out my trusty spending spreadsheets to break down all our alcohol dollars, because who doesn't like a little self flagellation now and again.

  It's no secret that we spend most of our recreational money on old Mr. Booze, but this last year was a little more than even my predictions could have imagined and as our 2023 financial postmortem took shape, it certainly hopefully guide what the coming 12 months will bring...probably.

  Y'all know how much I like numbers, statistics, charts and breakdowns help me understand the world around me, even if I don't always put said info to good use. There is something clean and clear about raw data that can be processed and understood, but the truth don't lie and without any sugar coating, let's take a look at the State of Polk.

  We took far fewer trips out and about last year, only visiting or ordering from 35 different places, 36 if you include a plethora of LCBO stops and while that would seem to indicate a lower spending rate, it actually went up more than 28% from the last time I took this deep dive into the liquor money in 2020. A big part of that was my run of exploring bourbons and whiskeys the last two years, leading to a spike in LCBO visits, albeit it less than 3 years ago, but still spending increased to an average $51.33 a visit. That's a lot of wine, Irish cream, Amaretto and Rye. 

  Oddly enough, after I changed jobs and my overall life satisfaction increased, the stops for higher octane booze decreased and that dive has continued into the new year. It's amazing what not feeling completely defeated and beat down from work can do for someone's desire to get a little ripped every damn day. It never occurred to me that I didn't have to hate my job, I just thought that was what life was supposed to be like. but that's an entirely different post all on it's own.

  On just beer spending alone, we went to old reliable Nickel Brook the most, not a surprise again as they are close by both my old job and new one and make my go-to Headstock West Coast IPA. 30 trips to NB accounted for 19% of all beer purchased in 2023, only surpassed by the new kids on the block, Milton's Third Moon Brewing. Masters of the juicy, tropical haze bombs and adjunct barrel aged Imperial stouts, TM made the list second at 20 orders/visits but accounted for 22% of actual dollars spent because a man has got to treat himself once in awhile.

  Next on the list with 20 visits also is the closest brewery to us, Hamilton's Clifford Brewing. At 9% of all beer money, it may be less per visit but that's mostly because we would often just stop in for a pint and a 4 pack to take home, being close by meant we didn't have to load up to save on driving back. More visits in 2024 is likely, I wanna check out some of their events, comedy nights, live music and of course, Trivia.

  One brewery that has definitely taken a downward turn in turns of fridge space and purchases is the original Hometown Heroes Collective Arts Brewing. From a high of 30 plus visits/orders in 2020, this past year saw just 13 stops and 7% of all my beer money, of which the majority occurred before June when I was a member of their bi-monthly beer club. I found the value of my $89.95 membership was not there and after I cancelled it, we only went back 3 times in the last 6 months of 2023. In contrast to the two previous years when they had multiple new beers every week coming in from their Toronto operation, the shutting down of that production facility and a focus on more core offerings led to an overall decline in new stuff, the thing that had me stopping in weekly for years. The times, they are a changin'...

  Rounding out the top 5 are two more Hamilton legends, both with 8 direct visits in the last 12 months. Fairweather (3.5%) and Merit (3%) continue to deliver high quality, excellent beers and should hope to make it out to visit them far more often in 2024. The lack of stops does not indicate any kind of drop in offerings or quality, but more a malaise on my part in leaving the house or doing much else on the way home from work than just going straight from A to B. 

  I think one of the reasons I like to talk about and explore what we spend is that it is often times a quiet thing in craft beer that no one really wants to discuss. It costs more to drink "better" beer, whiskey or wine, no doubt, but it seems a taboo subject for most people. Perhaps a holdover of the "talking about money is in bad taste" notion we were taught as kids or more likely, the incredible privilege we have to be able to afford to spend more than average on a luxury product when the economy is leaving so many struggling with the most basic of necessities. It isn't cheap to keep up with new releases and travel to visit breweries. It isn't just a matter of pure dollars either, time and energy, being able to have that personal hours away from working to do these things is becoming increasingly difficult for a lot of people as more and more have to juggle multiple jobs to just stay afloat.

  I'm not saying we shouldn't enjoy our great beer, in fact, I wish more people could do the same. But I have come to recognize the luck I have in being able to do so and wish that could be part of the discussion. We see breweries closing and people losing their dreams and investments, more to come on that later this year as well, but we must also acknowledge that when so many people live less than paycheque to paycheque, beer is a luxury that may not be possible to indulge in. Affordable craft beer is something we will need to see more of, which may leave some smaller brewers in serious trouble unless we see more upturn in the coming months when it comes to real spending dollars in the pockets of consumers. 

  By diving deep into what we spent in the last year, it has given me a chance to reflect on the value of where we put our dollars. I am given pause to realize how fortunate I am to have the money to do what I do and understand that this isn't a guarantee, life is precarious and when I look around at the people who are not doing well, living so close to edge or even over it, it drives me to try and address my issues in a smarter way so I can be a better person and maybe try and help lift someone else up with me. It's okay to talk about the price of beer, it's okay to acknowledge what we spend and the sheer joy it brings us to have it in our glass. But it does also behoove us to look around at our communities and wonder if we truly understand just how lucky we are.

Polk

January 18th, 2024

The Ten : 2023

 

  The Return of The Ten is all about the most memorable pints I've had from the last year...to put it in it's most simple terms. 

  It's not just about the highest rated beers, that's more about style notes, composition and flavour. The Ten transcends just that simple construct and represents something more intangible and harder to define. It's about the experience the beer delivers, the time and space it occupies in your life when you find it, and the pure joy you feel when that first sip hit your lips. It is about how you can recall it, even months or years later, how you can sense it is deeper than a pint or two. Alone or with friends, beer can be so much more than just a way to relax or decompress. It is social lubricant for some, courage for others, a sense of quiet contemplation and joyous realization can be found at the most unexpected of times. The Ten is about so much more than what is in our glasses, it is about taking a snapshot of life at a point of happiness and finding that it lasts forever because it's impact goes beyond just the contents of a can or bottle.

  To me, The Ten represents the very best of everything beer can be. Far beyond what I will ever understand, writing and talking about the pints I have everyday has changed me as a person. It has seen me through perhaps the most difficult time in my life, a decade of struggle and triumph, where I am still trying to both understand what happened and make a path to a future where I can be better than I am today. It is about paying homage to things that bring me joy, cause me to pause and listen to the quiet part of my mind that wishes for nothing more than peace and love in a world bent on destroying that in us all. It is about tapping the core of who I am and letting the beer bring it out, to stand up and find something to cheer about and be thankful that I crossed paths with. Stepping away from it, taking the long look back and knowing that I have these 10 moments shining bright for me whenever I need them most.

 

10. Great Lakes Brewery Premium Lager (August 12th)

  There is always a time when the only thing you want is a beer that tastes like a damn beer. A lager is, to me, one of the simplest yet most complex beers to both brew and talk about. It leaves no room for error, nowhere to hide and trying to describe such a delicate balance is always a tough one. 

  Great Lakes makes this all seem so easy....genius.

  Their Premium Lager is not just an amazingly low priced option at $50 for a Two-four, it is a most excellent example of the patience, effort and dedication to the style, a refreshing and crisp lager that delivers all you need, when you need it and never relents in quality. 

  Highly recommend to have on hand always, not just because you may have someone visiting who doesn't like anything adventurous, but because it is truly one of the finest lagers in the land and there are days when that is exactly what you need in your life.

What I said then:

Good deal, great Lager!

Great Lakes Brewery 5% Premium Lager brings a lovely beer that tastes like a damn beer to the party and at only $50 for a 24 of tall boys, it's a no-brainer to have this in your fridge all year round. It's just a solid pint, simple grainy malt back, light citrus and grass notes, bitter as it should be, refreshing and on point 

The tunes are loud, the beer is flowing, and Saturday night is just beginning! Cheers! 5/5 (Pure Lager Gold!)

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/WX-H4czPNMQ?si=CH9fYObqNZZrh_pU

9. Bellwoods Brewery Quadruple Ratclops Quadruple IPA (January 27th)

  There are some really big memories in my beer life that I will carry with me until they turn out the taproom lights. Things I've been able to do, places I've visited and of course, beers I've drank. For me, Bellwoods Brewery will always be a huge part of what drove me to do what I do to this day when it comes to talking about beer. They have been mythical almost since I started this weird trip around the hops and continue to deliver amazing things every time I get them back here. 

  From my first trip to their flagship Ossington location and that very first sip of Roman Candle to the mixed fermentation experiments and ridiculously huge IPAs and barrel aged stouts, it has been a joy to experience it and never lose that initial awe at what they bring every time. This Quad IPA took me to new heights in early 2023 and despite that 11.5% ABV, it was just as smooth and fully integrated as any regular IPA. It was a tropical fruit salad medley that seemed more sublime with every sip and continued my love of all things Bellwoods. A beer for the ages and a reminder that boldness is always a good choice.

What I said then :

\Because I could not resist....

Bellwoods Brewery 11.5% Quadruple Ratclops Quadruple IPA dropped yesterday, and you knew I was gonna order it because of course I was. Big fan of Triple Ratclops from the summer, this behemoth one-upper has juiced up mango, pineapple, lemon, lime and a danky dank back with a little heat, but oh so damn smooth....it's gonna get me in trouble when I pop the top on number two....beauty! Cheers! 4.8/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/xIF5PeuHJKI?si=5yzdNz7E1hnI1HsM

8. Clifford Brewing Nitro Porter (March 9th)

  One of the best things to happen when it comes to local beer is when Brad Clifford decided to open his brewery about 10 minutes from my house. I had long been a fan of his no nonsense, to-style brewing process and having it available even closer to home was a blessing for this hometown supporting beer guy.  The award winning Porter has been a staple in this house for years and when they released this Nitro version in early March, I fell in love all over again with this dark beauty. Bringing that silky smooth feel to an already rich pint, the pour hard part and watching the cascade flow brought fun to a day that needed it. It strikes me as odd that we don't have more fun beers like this, a little out of the ordinary and still maintaining that incredibly high standard all Clifford beers must meet. Having this made my day and I still love watching those bubbles slide up into a rich, silky smooth head. 

Brilliant.

What I said then : 

Got that smooth feeling on a sunny Thursday afternoon thanks to Clifford Brewing Nitro Porter! The classic, award winning 5.5% Porter is made even better, if that's possible, with the addition of the Nitro. Big chocolate notes, coffee, and roasty notes hut in a richer, fuller body. It's absolutely a brilliant idea to Jack up this already amazing pint. Get some now, it won't last long! Cheers! 4.8/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/ik9skbATIDQ?si=Omq1-cEu8inzCWXR

7. Anderson Craft Ales 3X IPA (April 18th)

  There are few breweries I trust more than Anderson Craft Ales. They label their beers exactly what they are in the most straightforward way possible and then deliver on that promise with grace and style. So when I saw this bold 3x Triple IPA hit their online offerings, I had to have it. I called it an intelligent beer, a big, bold and bitter pint that finds all the best things about West Coasts IPAs and jacks it all the way up. These beers are so easy to over do and tasting Anderson shows that it can be done right, but must be done with care and precision. Integrating all aspects of the flavour, malt and texture is as much science as magic and they did that here. A truly memorable moment in a year that was hurtling toward more change for me. I always have room for Anderson in my fridge, they have been nothing less than world class since the very beginning.

What I said then :

For almost 7 years, I have been an unabashed fan of all things Anderson Craft Ales.

While they may not pour often here in my glass, whenever I encounter them, I am blown away by the quality and attention to detail this London Brewery puts into every beer they release. When I saw they were dropping a Triple IPA... you know I wasn't missing this...

The 10.8% 3x IPA is one of the finest I've found in all my years. It is bold, hopped up, and boozy in all the right ways. The body is smooth  and full, barely containing the bright citrus pith and resinous pine, a bitter finish that grabs your attention and never let's go, lingering warm, a work of art from first sip to last. It has the hallmarks of classic American West Coast IPAs, it is unafraid to be what it is, aggressive but balanced in all things, it is something to behold. It is not to be missed, tying past and present to a future of pure bliss...

Cheers! 5/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/l-9-yNajcc0?si=ZOx6iEMClNKdLfcI

6. Barncat Artisan Ales Barrel-aged Rat Queen Imperial Stout (December 5th)

  This one was a bittersweet moment and gave me pause as I said goodbye to one of the best breweries in Ontario in 2023. Having been self employed for many years myself, this beautifully crafted Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial stout let me simply contemplate part of that life journey I took and the years that have followed. Matt and Jeremy made some complex beers, from weird mixed fermentation to some of the juiciest IPAs you could imagine, but for me, this final Barncat pint also let me let go of some of the deep anger I was holding for myself for my perceived failure in life and business. Even as I have seemingly found the right job at the right time, past darkness always lurks and holds me back. I discovered some peace after deep diving and slow sipping this final Rat Queen, I let a little of that past go, finding solace in a rich experience with some folks who had found that same dream coming to an end. 

  Whatever the circumstance, the memory of this and many other great beers will carry their name long past their end.

What I said then : 

Tonight was a bittersweet one as Beer Advent Day 5 finds the 11.5% 2021 Barncat Artisan Ales Barrel-aged Rat Queen Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout hit my glass and with it I say goodbye to them and ponder my own days of self employment and that loss a decade ago. While the story of Barncat ending this year is a sad moment for great beer, being able to say goodbye properly with this behemoth is a fitting send off to a year that continues to see dreams come to an end across the province and beyond. Being a small business owner is never easy, I did it for 14 years and let me tell you, when it came to an end after years of struggle, it was almost a relief, but the bills still had to get paid and onward I went, deep into the darkness that surrounded me for years until I started resurfacing and now find a happy moment where I feel finally free...it's been a trip.

The beer proves worthy of the Barncat legacy, rich and heavy with huge chocolate vanilla and oak, warming boozy Bourbon, and lingering roasted malt notes that never leave you. It's huge, I'm slow sipping as much as I can, savouring the final drop and being thankful for all that was from this amazing brewery. Cheers! 5/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/J0u8kPQe9Mc?si=7JU19yDnFrmxuXDq

5. Meuse Brewing 2022 Tripel (March 3rd)

  I've always said that we should let beer make the day special and when Instagram pal Craft Beer Days reached out about helping him promote Tripel Day (March 3rd), I said absolutely, sign me up. He sent along a 4 pack of Ontario Tripels and one took my breath away and deserves all the praise I can give.

 Meuse is one of the most underrated breweries in the province, cranking out some incredible Belgian style beers every year with an eye to making these complex beers more accessible to the world. It is local beer made by a couple who cares about quality, using local ingredients whenever possible and chasing a dream that results in great things finding our glass every time. 

  This Tripel was the shining moment on this day, it still resonates almost a year later as the standout in a very well made up crowd. To be able to deliver such a high level ode to this style is no small feat and it reminds me of all those Belgian beers that forever changed my view on what beer could be. Meuse has been on The Ten before and I have no doubt that you will see them here again and again as the years pass, their work speaks for itself and I shall sing their praises as long as I have the voice to do so. 

What I said then : 

Every day may be a good day for a Tripel, but today, we get to celebrate this Belgian Style, and I'm all in!

Shout out to Craft Beer Days for the beer and the new shirt, #TripelDay hits its stride with the 9.0% Meuse Brewing Tripel, an effervescent addition to a wonderful day! Balanced through and through, clove and banana, bubblegum and citrus, peppery Coriander on the finish. Brilliance! #InternationalTripelDay is a beautiful thing! Cheers! 4.8/5

Video Review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/ks6iuyE8vYA?si=TpR4o_Nr16TofEhW

4. Third Moon Brewing Time Lords Doppelbock (February 2nd)

  To be completely truthful, this list could have been The Third Moon Ten and it still would have been near impossible to just pick 10. Out of the 133 beers they released in 2023, I was lucky enough to try 68 of them and there wasn't a single miss to be had. From Quintuiple IPAs to Pilsners, NEIPAs to huge Barrel Aged Imperial Stouts and everything in-between, Third Moon continued to shine brightly in everything they touched, a truly remarkable run from anyone in Ontario. It's only called hype if you can't deliver and they just kept amping up the level of their commitment to their loyal fans with each passing week. 

  But, having said that, it is this lager, from February, that I kept coming back to every time. The richness, the overwhelming sense of time that I felt from the very beginning of this one set up the rest of the year and all that came out of this Milton brewery. It showcased the depth of what Third Moon was and is capable of and forever etched into my mind this wonderful day.

What I said then : 

It's the Doppelbockiest!

Third Moon Beer Past Lords 9.2% Doppelbock is yet another example of how this Milton Brewery is beyond gold when it comes to any style you can throw at them...seriously...sweet baby jebus...

Big and rich, a thick rye breadiness, caramel and toffee, dark fruit, bitter but smooth, bold but balanced,  it's a helluva pint of awesome! 

Cheers! 4.8/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/hfKKl9If3_4?si=YzKlbKwU2kBjzN3Y

3. Barrel Heart Brewing Oubliette of Staves Aged Saison (March 27th)

  A lot of times, a new brewery needs some time to get their legs under them, work out all the kinks in the system and establish their identity and cement the quality of their offerings.

Barrel Heart Brewing in Ancaster needed none of that, instead rocketing out of the gate with their initial offerings and taking my day to new heights. This Aged Saison was like something out of a dream, a funky, beautiful dream. Complex Brett yeast brings nuance and adding the barrel aging lends some depth of character to an intense and emotional beer. It impacted me, the subtleness of each note coming together in a work of art writ bottled beer. It almost feels like each bottle would be it's own event and it gave me such deep experience that took me to another realm with ever sip. Spectacular stuff, I can still taste it like it was the first time. 

What I said then : 

This is transcendent....there is something real sublime, yet enticing is happening here...

Barrel Heart Brewing Oubliette of Staves is a 6.6% Aged Saison that serves as my introduction to the latest Brewery to open up here in the Hammer. Located in Ancaster, they focus solely on Barrel Aged beers, saisons to be more clear, and this is spectacular. It has that funk, but in a balanced, nuanced piece of pure art. Citrus, hay, spice, and oak come out, but I feel I do not do justice to what I'm experiencing. I'll take Ontario beer toe to toe with the world, and Barrel Heart is definitely another notch in that growing list of next level experience beers we have around us. 

Cheers! 5/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/oXVAIb152Dw?si=vsET7UnxiMjxZZNV

2. Third Moon Brewing, Sawdust City Brewing & Beertown Lone Tree West Coast IPA (March 30th)

  The anticipation of this 2nd collaboration between two of my favourite breweries and the Beertown restaurant chain was pretty high after their first one, Bone Pine, came out in late 2022. This collaboration and mash up of Third Moon's Bone Tree and Sawdust City's Lone Pine was a most auspicious idea that deserved all the love and more. The first iteration was excellent, the second, Lone Tree, was a slice of heaven, sublimely supreme all through the summer. It stuck around a lot longer than anticipated and I found myself grabbing another 4 or 8 pack every time I went to Third Moon, where it was brewed. It was such a wonderfully assertive beer, leaving no note unturned in search of perfection. It got better every time I tried it and the surprise of finding it so many times continued to take every day up another level.

What I said then :

The long wait is over, and the second collab between Third Moon Brewing, Sawdust City , and Beertown Public House is here, and it is glorious! Lone Tree is the 6.5% West Coast IPA that completes the mash up of Lone Pine and Bone Tree. This one drives that big, pithy citrus of Third Moon's flagship with the solid malt bill of Sawdust's legendary pint. Orange, melon, peach, and pine, bitter and hitting all the best spots in my brain. This is something you don't want to miss, you can find it on tap at Beertown as well, and you can get a flight with both collabs and the 2 core beers if you want a real treat. Cheers! 4.8/5

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/j1AyxhDKyqs?si=_itUVFiQS0ZfCQb6

1. Sawdust City Brewing Two Pad Stack Double West Coast IPA (November 12th)

  Was there any doubt?

  One of the best experiences in beer I've ever had was when Sawdust City Brewing came down to visit the Grotto oh so many years ago, cementing a friendship that continues to grow every time we head north and visit our pals in Gravenhurst. They make some of the best beers in the country and no style is too much for them to tackle and release with great anticipation and reception. 

  In 2022, we did a virtual collab of the first version of Two Pad Stack, as the lockdowns kept us home when it needed to be brewed. We did get to go up for canning day and enjoyed many pints when the beer finally hit the fridges at Sawdust City, but the 2023 version was on a whole other level and this memory will carry me to my final days.

  Sam Corbeil, Brewmaster, contacted me in late summer with the outrageous surprise that not only did they want o have us up for brew day on Two Pad 2.0, but that this time, our beer would be available across the province at the LCBO. My name on the back of the label and all, this old goalie was realizing a dream come true, double large. 

 The actual brew day was a whirlwind of activity and conversation. After finishing adding copious amounts of hops to the kettle, we were treated to an amazing meal from the Sawdust City kitchens and several staller cellar pulls as Sam regaled us with tales and the discussions flowed into the afternoon. It was a bucket list moment and when the beer was finally ready for release in  early November, it became something I'll never forget. Seeing my name on a beer in the wilds of the Ontario liquor store...priceless. 

\So, for all that and a 9% Double West Coast IPA that just makes you feel like you won the Stanley Cup, Sawdust City Two Pad Stack tops The Ten for 2023.

What I said then : 

Dreams can come true.

Whether you're a 14 year old house league goalie winning his only championship or a 50 year old beer drinking fan getting his name on a beer in the LCBO... big league stuff...haha.

Two Pad Stack West Coast IIPA returns and this 9% collab between @sawdustcitybeer and this guy is even better than last year. 

Hopped with Simcoe, Citra, Chinook, and Nectaron, this is a throwback to the big old hopped up IPAs we all fell in love with. Orange and grapefruit citrus pith, passionfruit, dank, resinous earthy pine with that Simcoe spice coming through the big malt back that brings a honey like feel to this slow sipping dream come true. It's gonna be in the fridge at the LC soon. If you can't wait, you can get it at The Sawdust City Saloon in Gravenhurst or delivered to your home now. My eternal thanks to my Sawdust family, this is beyond everything I ever thought possible. Forever a member of that northern fam...

Cheers! 5/5 (It feels like perfection every damn sip!)

Video review on YouTube : https://youtu.be/8F_RQwCx7Ys?si=NWPCWv3TJ7B5ZN95

  There you have it, The Ten of 2023. It wasn't easy whittling over 550 beers down to just this list, there were more than 50 that could have been inserted here and not been out of place. For me, it was great to return to writing and examining all that the previous year had to offer, hopefully inspiring me to bring more stories and commentary this year after a long time spent in the wilderness.

  Thank you for all your support, Polk loves ya!

Polk

January 14th, 2024