Events – Page 3 – Ben's Beer Blog

Black Oak Brewing’s Ten Bitter Years is coming to the LCBO year round

Posted on May 2, 2013June 3, 2014 by Ben

10 Bitter Years Glass

There’s even more great news for bitter beer fans (that is fans of bitter beer, not people who drink beer who are angry at the hand they’ve been dealt in life): Black Oak Brewing Company’s award-winning Imperial IPA Ten Bitter Years is coming to the LCBO.

Originally brewed as a one time only offering in 2009 to celebrate the brewery’s tenth anniversary, Ten Bitter Years proved so popular with local beer drinkers that Black Oak has opted to bring it back once a year every year since. Each year, however, the small batch that Black Oak brewed was available only at the brewery’s retail store and typically sold out in a hurry; leaving the majority of the beer’s fans, well, uh bitter, I guess. Continue reading “Black Oak Brewing’s Ten Bitter Years is coming to the LCBO year round” →

Great Lakes Brewery’s “My Bitter Wife” coming to the LCBO

Posted on April 17, 2013June 3, 2014 by Ben

Well, it ain’t Karma Citra, but it will certainly do the trick.

Fans of brewer Mike Lackey’s great IPAs will be pleased to learn that Great Lakes Brewery’s IPA “My Bitter Wife” is slated for an LCBO release.

The release is part of the brewery’s Tank Ten series, which is apparently a “a tickle trunk of tasty treats,” and is designed to let GLB’s brewers flex a little of their creative muscle, reserving the eponymous fermenting tank number ten at their brewery to let them “brew whatever they heck they want.”

I was lucky enough to be at the brewery on Friday while the 650mL bottles were rolling off the line in anticipation of the LCBO release next week so I was granted this “scoop” as it were (Incidentally, the purpose of my visit was a collaboration brew with Mr. Lackey to brew what I hope will be another of his fantastic IPAs…but more information on that soon). Continue reading “Great Lakes Brewery’s “My Bitter Wife” coming to the LCBO” →

Goose Island Brewery Comes to Canada, Paul Aihoshi Gets Diarrhea

Posted on April 15, 2013September 10, 2015 by Ben

If you’re a small, renowned craft brewery, the idea of being bought out by one of the big brewers is a somewhat dubious prospect. On the one hand, it means you’ll report to a big corporation who might be a little more concerned with their bottom line than your company’s product. On the other hand, it means you’ll now have a wealth of resources at your disposal, allowing you to expand your beer into markets you may have never thought possible, sharing your beer with a new audience.

It’s a precarious balance, but it’s one that Chicago brewer, Goose Island, seems to be managing successfully as they look to expand distribution into Canada later this month.

Started as a brewpub which grew to include a full distribution brewery and, later, a second brew pub, Goose Island was purchased by Anheuser-Bush InBev in 2011 and, thanks in large part to AB InBev’s resources, will arrive on LCBO shelves this spring. Continue reading “Goose Island Brewery Comes to Canada, Paul Aihoshi Gets Diarrhea” →

Fucking IPA Challenge is the same weekend as my fucking canoe trip

Posted on April 8, 2013April 9, 2013 by Ben

Tickets went on sale today for the 5th annual Cask Conditioned IPA Challenge at barVolo.

This year, the event falls on May 4th and 5th–as luck would have it the same fucking weekend I’m scheduled to take a fucking canoe trip with my fucking brothers.

The guys from Volo, who are responsible for some of my favourite fucking beer events and whose bar is one of my favourite fucking places to grab a pint after work, have seen fit to schedule the event–focusing on my favourite fucking style of beer–on the only weekend of the fucking summer that my three brothers and I are all available to get together for a long-planned journey down the fucking Saugeen River. Continue reading “Fucking IPA Challenge is the same weekend as my fucking canoe trip” →

Win free admission to Beer 4 Boobs!

Posted on March 27, 2013June 3, 2014 by Ben

It’s not often that you can justify your drinking by claiming that it’s for charity, but on Sunday April 7th, you’ll be able to do just that at the second annual “Beer 4 Boobs,” a unique event bringing a group of passionate local brewers together to help fight breast cancer.

As with last year, the event will feature an ample selection of specialty and one-off beers brewed especially for the occasion. Unlike last year, however, this year’s festivities have expanded to included not one but two evenings in two different cities so as to better showcase the selection of beer offerings from the likes of Amsterdam Brewing Co., Black Oak, Mill Street, Oast House, Railway City, Beyond the Pale, Camerons, Niagara College, The Ship, Grand River, Bellwoods, Silversmith, Trafalgar, Indie Ale House, Cheshire Valley, Granite and more. Continue reading “Win free admission to Beer 4 Boobs!” →

Board Games and Black Oak Beer

Posted on January 30, 2013June 3, 2014 by Ben

Hey you. Yeah, the one with the dice.

Do you ever spend evenings in bars, drinking craft beer, and hanging out with friends, all the while secretly wishing there was a Settlers of Catan board in front of you?

Conversely, do you ever sit around with your best friends playing Risk into the wee hours, hoping someone will offer you a delicious, fresh, local beer?

If you answered yes to either of the questions above, you’re not alone. Continue reading “Board Games and Black Oak Beer” →

Amsterdam Takes Over Volo, Haters Shut Your ‘Dam Mouths

Posted on January 17, 2013April 9, 2013 by Ben

If you read blogTO with any sort of frequency, you’re probably aware that the comments section tends to head toward negative town in quite a hurry. Typically, I accept this as part of blogTO’s charm. Sort of a “Come for the news, stay for the angry urban snark (or, transversely chest-thumping 905er indignation).”

It’s all in good fun and comes with the terrain.

Sometimes however, the criticism gets under my skin a little. Specifically, I’ve noticed that any time I mention the folks over at Amsterdam Brewery, comments tend toward the sort that dismiss the beers the ‘Dam Good Beer folks are making as boring or bland. Continue reading “Amsterdam Takes Over Volo, Haters Shut Your ‘Dam Mouths” →

Free Toronto taxi service until January 9th

Posted on December 3, 2012October 15, 2013 by Ben

It’s not often that I find myself touting the marketing efforts of a big brewer, but I can recognize a good thing when I see it–so I’d thought I’d share it.

It’s called “Get Home Safe with Hailo and Molson.”

I know this is typically a haven for craft beer and you might be recoiling at the dropping of the “M” word, but relax would you? We’re talking about free cab rides here! And anything helping people getting home safely (and for free) around the holidays is a good thing. Continue reading “Free Toronto taxi service until January 9th” →

Get Your Ass to Bellwoods Brewery Tomorrow

Posted on August 22, 2012October 15, 2013 by Ben

Tell your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/squirrel that you’re going to miss your scheduled DVR Breaking Bad catch-up night, tell the kids to find their own goddamned way home from soccer, tell your Zumba instructor you’re not going to make it tomorrow–just do whatever the fuck it is that you have to do to make sure you don’t have plans tomorrow. Hell, you don’t even need to make excuses; just tell them that BELLWOODS AND DIEU DE CIEL COLLABORATED ON AN IMPERIAL IPA AND IT’S BEING RELEASED THURSDAY!

Yes, that’s right, a few weeks ago, before heading off to start a brewery in Japan, Luc Lafontaine, the brewmaster at Quebec’s Dieu du Ciel! brewery, decided to create a few beer-nerd wet-dreams and stopped by Bellwoods Brewery on Ossington in order to create a collaboration beer. Continue reading “Get Your Ass to Bellwoods Brewery Tomorrow” →

‘Tis A Fine Time for Eatin’ and Drinkin’ Outdoors

Posted on August 16, 2012October 15, 2013 by Ben

Because I have a super busy Sunday planned already, there are, of course, two pretty sweet food and beer events happening that day that I can’t attend.

While I’m watching some talented actors perform scenes written by me and my Second City writing class in the unfortunately titled graduation show, Fifty Shades of Gay (no, really, that’s the name of our comedy show), there will be not one but two great eating and drinking opportunities happening elsewhere–one just a few scant blocks from my home.

The first is Lobstah Palooza, which I’m assuming is misspelled so as to sound the way the east-coast lobsters you’ll be boiling alive and eating might say the word if they had the ability to speak. Cute!

Hosted by Rock Lobster‘s Matt Dean Pettit and Food Network Star Kevin Brauch (aka The Thirsty Traveller) the food is pretty much guaranteed to be good. In addition to corn on the cob and other summer fare, there’s lobster salad, and, naturally, the price of your ticket gets you a 1.5 pound lobster. What you name it is entirely up to you, but I think “Ben” has a lovely ring to it since I scooped you to this bitchin’ good time. Continue reading “‘Tis A Fine Time for Eatin’ and Drinkin’ Outdoors” →