Canadian Beer News

EDMONTON, AB – Sherbrooke Liquor, one of Canada’s best beer shops, has released the latest in a series of limited edition house brand beers, KGB Russian Imperial Stout, which has been brewed for them by Alley Kat Brewing.

In a post on his blog On Tap, Mark Suits of the Edmonton Journal quotes Jim Pettinger of Sherbrooke, who describes it as follows:

KGB (650ml $6.99) is our second anniversary beer (We just celebrated our sixth anniversary though). We decided to sponsor the winning home brewer each year at the Aurora Brewing Challenge. The winner gets to pick a recipe which we then have Alley Kat brew commercially. Last year was Heatseeker Coconut Curry Porter. This year, Bruce Sample chose KGB. Named also for his buddies Glen and Kevin, with whom he brewed in the past.

It’s also noted that this is the first Alley Kat beer to be offered in 650 ml “bomber” bottles, but future seasonals and one-offs may come in bombers should this one be successful.

EDMONTON, AB – Alley Kat Brewing have brought back their popular seasonal beer Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale for another year, just in time for celebrating St. Andrew’s Day on November 30th:

Kilt Lifter is all about malt. It starts with an aroma of sweet malt with hints of toast and smoke. The flavour follows through with the malt showing lots of caramel and some hazelnut. Kilt Lifter finishes somewhat dry with a bit of hop bitterness and a slight warmth from the 7.5% alcohol content. It is brown in colour with flashes of garnet.

Kilt Lifter is sold in six packs of 341 ml bottles and is available at premium liquor stores throughout Alberta.

CALGARY, AB – Wild Rose Brewery will be releasing their latest seasonal beer, Wild Rose Cherry Porter, this Friday October 30th. A special cask of the beer will be tapped at 4 PM in the brewery taproom, and 1 L swingtop bottles will be available at the brewery as well.

Here is how the folks at Wild Rose describe it:

Brewed using only the plumpest, ripest whole BC cherries, each glass of Cherry Porter is lush and creamy with a fruity aroma.

Rich and sensual, the flavour is reminiscent of Black Forest cake with sweet chocolate notes and a slightly smoky character from the roasted malts.

CALGARY, AB – Big Rock Brewery announced that their winter seasonal from 2008, McNally’s Winter Spice Strong Ale, will be returning for another year.

Here’s the description provided by the brewery:

Winter Spice Strong Ale is a beautifully balanced strong amber ale. Brewed with both pale and caramel malts, it gives off a warm amber glow and, upon first sip the depth of flavour is revealed: notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a hint of ginger. This seasonal brew has an alcohol content of 6% and is sure to warm your heart – and cheeks!

McNally’s Winter Spice Strong Ale will be available in 6 packs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Maritimes.

EDMONTON, AB - Alley Kat Brewing have released the third annual edition of their fall seasonal beer, Pumpkin Pi Spiced Ale. In previous years it was sold exclusively at Sherbrooke Liquor under the store brand, but this year it’s branded as an Alley Kat beer.

Mark Suits, beer writer for the Edmonton Journal, describes it as having an aroma “well spiced with cloves and cinnamon”, and a “sweet and spicy” flavour with “a definite pumpkin pie flavour”.

CALGARY, AB – Big Rock Brewery have released a seasonal mixed pack for fall called Big Rock Brewmaster’s Selection.

The 12-pack includes three bottles each of Big Rock Traditional Ale, Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Warthog Brown Ale and XO Lager.

The Big Rock Brewmaster’s Selection is available in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario for a limited time.

CALGARY, AB – CBN correspondent James Burla reports that Wild Rose Brewery will be releasing their next seasonal offering, Wild Rose Dunkelweisse, next week. Here are the details:

Radiant with a beautiful medium-roast espresso colour, Wild Rose Dunkelweisse (duhn-kuhl-vice) is silky smooth with suggestions of chocolate, bananas and cloves. With a style deeply rooted in Bavarian brewing history, this dark unfiltered wheat beer is brewed to 5.5% alc./vol., is highly complex in both its flavour and aroma and it pairs well with spicy ginger dishes and banana splits.

According to Wild Rose Brewer, David Neilly, Wild Rose’s “dunkel” is brewed in the traditional German style with a special combination of wheat and barley malts as well as a unique blend of caramelized and roasted malts. Says Neilly, “our Dunkelweisse has a wonderful complexity with notes of coffee and a hint of smoke resulting in a finish that lingers long after your glass is empty.”

Wild Rose Dunkelweisse will be launched on Friday August 28th, with a celebratory cask to be tapped at 4:00 PM at Wild Rose Brewery & Taproom in Calgary. The beer will be available in 500ml flip-top bottles at select liquor stores in Alberta, and on draught at select bars.