Ein Prosit, ein Prosit ...

Last year, on the first weekend of October, I flew to Munich with a big group of friends. We had been planning this trip since June.

We saw monuments and the cathedral - the only pre-war building remaining (Munich was nearly razed flat by British bombs).

We saw beautiful gardens, despite the gloomy weather that was a world away from bright, sunny Barcelona.

But really, we were here for this. To experience the madness of Oktoberfest.

And what madness it was.

We brought a little bit of Catalunya with us to Bavaria ...

... but amidst the haze and singing ...

... toasting and napping ...

... we decided it would be more fun to make some new friends ... 

... and begin accumulating Maß ...

... after Maß after Maß ...

... until we (I) had drunk ourselves to oblivion. Ein Prosit, ein Prosit, Der Gemütlichkeit!! What a trip.

DF

a little artisanal

Top: Cerveza Torquemada 25 | Palencia | Castilla y León | Spain
Bottom: La Zaragozana Ambar Pale Ale 1900 | Zaragoza | Spain

What a day. Settling into life without classes, a short break from academics, but it's the Intensive Spanish course this week. I had forgotten how rough the schedule was, but of course, the last time I did it was last September. Ages. I arrived exactly 10 months ago, and I'm running out of wild expressions to describe how amazing this time has been. Simply spectacular. It took 4 tries today, in a downpour of biblical proportions, but finally moved into my summer flat. New roommates, big terrace looking out onto Tibidabo ... man, this summer is going to be amazing. Missing my best friend already, but as she said, it's only going to be 2 months. Only. 

I need a beer. Is there such thing as Spanish pale ale? Evidently so. Good stuff, all unfiltered, dense and complex. Hoppy without being insistent. We all need a bit of bitterness in our lives, no? Otherwise, where's the joy in the occasional moments of sweet?

DF

a bright star

Estrella Damm Inedit

A glimmer of light is in sight. The wonders of a good night's sleep and strong antibiotics. But I still can't smell/taste anything and I'm suffering. Nightmare. I really don't think I've ever been this bad with a cold, to the point of olfactory failure. And I'm now reminded that appreciation for the little things, like the smell of soap, or tea as you stir in the cream, or even the taste of those cheap muffins I buy for breakfast ... those little things that mean the world.

And let's not even mention the drink. Our operations management class went out to tour the Estrella Damm factory a few months ago. Not much going on inside that day, but they did give us each a bottle of the Inedit, the brew created in collaboration with the Ferran Adrià. The wheat really comes through, the soft texture, some slight herbal notes, something like coriander. Pleasant.

Man, this congestion needs to get over itself. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO SMELL AGAIN!!

DF

cheek and snarl

Tierra de Frontera Porter Piconera | Alcalá la Real
Cerveza Artesanal Tyris Paqui Brown | Riba-Roja del Turia

Spanish label designers win really hard. Wine, beer, cider ... all winners. But does the inside live up to the good first impression? 

Beer, like some of us, shouldn't be subtle. Complexity is overrated here ... you want to hit the palate hard, and stay there. No 'changing in the glass', no 'opening up'. You want it to smack you around a bit, be a bit dominating ... particularly these dark ales. Amongst other things, I really miss the craft beer back home. Sometimes you want that hit of hoppiness, the bitterness that makes your toes curl. It's hard to find those brews here. Brews that don't really allow you to have any food alongside - brews that obliterate everything in their path. These ones are a bit softer. But nevertheless, pleasant.

Monday night was amazing. We went to a seminar given by Dr. Enrique Rojas, discussing some of the frameworks outlined in his new book Vive tu Vida. Very inspiring. And most of all, a reminder that I need to work much, much harder on my Spanish. Followed up last night by IESE Wine & Spirits' last event for first year, a gin tasting with Slow Drink Movement. If the 4 gins and subsequent 4 cocktails didn't get us tipsy enough, we followed the boys to their favourite Italian joint for some pasta, pizza, and wine. Eventually did make it home, but man, was today's morning class a struggle. Full tasting notes to follow. Soon. A brief respite today, and then a team dinner tomorrow night, followed by the last class bash of the year, a boat party (aka a booze cruise). Tylenol and ibuprofen ready. We hard at work. Another day another dollar.

DF

taking a moment

We get so caught up in day to day nonsense, don't we ... or rather, I get so caught up, worked up, messed up, thrown up. We need to take a moment, and smell the roses. To remind ourselves yet again that while the MBA is our absolute priority, there are other things too that we can't neglect. We need to be good to ourselves and take a beer - a good one, undoubtedly, but you already knew that. A quiet afternoon, alone, doing some work, doing some thinking, a good brew alongside. Who cares what this beer was. It served the most noble of purposes - a faithful, constant nod to the old ways, when honesty, respect, and integrity still meant something.

Going south here. But it's late, and this weekend has been all over the place. I can't deal with so many emotions man ... from finishing final exams to starting a new term, to finally feeling like I can hang out with my friends to getting grades back ... it's just too much for this wino to handle. So like all introverts, I go to my safe place, to sort out my head, to get things straight. At the moment, maybe I don't know which way is up, what the right thing to do is. So in these moments of uncertainty, we take a brief respite to collect ourselves, and then continue on ahead, head down, ready to work. Let's go get it. And this time, I mean it.

DF

settling in

Cervesa del Montseny Negra | Barcelona

First day of our 3rd term here - unbelievable how fast things are going. Yet, looking back, so many new things seen, heard, tasted, smelled, experienced. I'm a lucky, lucky man. Every term, the MBA Office likes to spice things up, and change our seating arrangement. And every term, I end up closer and closer to the front ... the hot seats. The professors all know about the (totally justified) 3rd term apathy among students, and have already warned us that we will be cold-called and quizzed mercilessly. And I've got the best seats in the house. But I'm happy. I'm sitting with my best friend in the program, and well, you take the good with the bad. 

Stout being brewed in Catalunya. Correct in every way, albeit a bit lacking in texture and roundness on the palate. But this is a good one. Satisfying. Started booking travel plans for the upcoming Easter holidays, and I'm debating whether to get my mother to bring Canadian wine or craft beer. Tough decisions.

But now that I'm all settled in here ... let's just keep seeing what Barcelona has to offer.

DF

brevity

Beer is good. German beer, even more so. Man, I'm so behind, and when I actually get to sorting out the photos, going over notes again, I lose interest and don't even bother actually writing about the bottles. It's all good though. My drinking life doesn't revolve around tasting notes. 

So, German beers from El Corte Ingles. Decent selection, I suppose, but it's all relative. Good, solid, satisfying brews - nothing terribly exciting, but like a good hug from an old friend, something to soothe the soul. 

Just like that, our short break is over. Second term ended last Friday, with the final 2 exams. Confident about how I performed? We all know the answer to that one, so yeah, let's move on. I tried my best though. A nice, relaxing weekend of going out to brunch, enjoying the weather, going for long runs by the beach ... fantastic. Got some culture too, seeing the Le Corbusier exhibit at the Caixaforum. Spent some time with buddies outside of class (finally!), and got to know some classmates better as well. And yes, drank copious amounts of gin cocktails. A long day today, dragging myself out of bed on 3 hours of sleep to go to campus, to film a video promoting the exchange program here. A fun day of shooting, and really, really excited to see the results. Will post it as soon as it's completed. Let's make me a Youtube star chicos. 

Is the worst behind us? Can I finally focus a bit, and figure out a plan to get a summer internship? Let's get it on!

DF

a bit of variety

Martin's IPA | Belgium

Belgian beer! IPA!! Sunshine and brightness!!!

Last week was, by all accounts, a shitshow. Among many shitshows so far in the MBA, but this one stood out. You see, dear reader, I came to Spain with the promise that I would be different - more positive, more social, more engaged. Ah yes, that magical, wonderful, meaningless word. We've been through periods of intense work, high stress, a crush of deliverables ... but I've always managed to (more or less) get through it all with a smile. Last week felt different. I felt defeated, overwhelmed, but most concerning, a bit deflated. Just in a bad place emotionally. And we all know how emotional this wino gets. Terrible. But last week, I let it get to me. It was a combination of personal issues, lack of sleep, stress, whatever ... but my mood was awful. 

I needed a moment.

Some time alone, just as the weather here is beginning to get balmy, was just what I needed. Had a good afternoon of wine and jamón shopping on Saturday. Perfecto. A bit of time to reflect, to get my head straight - remind myself of all the reasons why I came here, why this is such an amazing time in my life. A few sips of a Brunus Montsant, a few slices of jamón, and I was back. 

Beer is dismal here. Spanish beer is, well, Spanish beer. And the variety (and quality) of imports leaves much to be desired. But occasionally, one finds the exception. An IPA from Belgium, full of that bright, citrusy hop character. Finesse and balance on the palate, finishing with a most pleasing bitterness. Can you see I've been desperate for some good beer? What I wouldn't give for some proper North American craft brews ...

So things are getting better. I'm always hopeful. The sun is shining, Barcelona is hitting 20C, and final exams or not, I'm going to enjoy myself. Because that's what I came here to do ... to be happy. Simple, isn't it. 

DF

a night out

'Twas a dark and stormy night last Wednesday ...

... but we managed to get out to Pravda Vodka Bar ...

... where the ghosts of old revolutionary heroes are venerated in busts ...

... where after an uninspired vodka martini, we retired to the warmth of C'est What for a lamb burger and a beautiful Ontario perry.

DF

Amsterdam Brewery

Leaside seems to be the place to be in Toronto - all kinds of interesting things going on in that corner of town. I had a great beer from Amsterdam Brewery this summer - who knew, that they'd be a 15 minute drive away? For the month of December, every Saturday from 1-5pm, they're offering free tours  tastings. Great chance to taste some new things and support a local brewery.

We went down the line, starting with the Amsterdam Natural Blonde, a clean, refreshing beer. Next was the Big Wheel Amber Ale, which I really enjoyed. Great balance between the malt and the hops, sort of that Anchor Steam style of beer, but a bit drier on the finish.  The (416) Wheat gives that distinct wheat character, a slight whiff of skunkiness on the palate. The Boneshaker IPA, a brew that'll take your head off, a true powerhouse of that distinctly North American style of IPA. The KLB Raspberry Wheat with a very concentrated nose of fresh raspberries, dry on the palate. And the Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, perhaps a bit lighter in body, but satisfying on a cold day. 

Visit them, you won't be disappointed.

DF

Cameron's Rye Pale Ale

Cameron's Rye Pale Ale | Oakville | Ontario

There's another Cameron's brew coming out soon, and this one is a winner. These really hoppy, bitter pale ales have their time and place - and lately, I've been favouring more balanced, calmer brews. Sometimes you just want a good session beer, all a little bit more relaxed and less aggressive. But it's been a stressful past few weeks and in that context, a beer that blows your head off is exactly what I needed.

We never talk about aroma in beer. And with these hoppy ales, we need to. It almost feels silly to be nosing beer but the aromas this is giving off are fabulous. Citrus and herbs, all sorts of fragrance. They're happy hops. The addition of rye with the barley altogether gives a subtle sweetness on the palate, finishing dry and to the point. While it's interesting to taste beer like it's a wine, we can't be bores and try to yet again intellectualize the whole thing. No, beer is something different - a drink that's purely meant for drinking and not tasting.

This is an aggressive beer. And a damn good one. I find that I reach for beers when I'm either angry or completely lazed out - sort of the two extremes of a non-contemplative mood. And they have the effect of either making me angrier and more worked up, or even lazier. I have no idea where I'm taking this. Anyways ... this is a good beer, hoppy and all that, try it out. For our business school applications, we're supposed to be writing about inspirations - or at least I am - but for the past few months, I've been feeling anything but inspired. Bear with me - just bear with me.

DF

dogmatists in beer & food

The Royal Ontario Museum is showing a photo exhibit called Observance and Memorial, Photographs from S-21, Cambodia. It's a collection of photos recovered from prisoner documents of the most notorious detention facility during the Khmer Rouge's time in power from 1975-1979. The photos were of detainees, the majority of whom were innocent, who were tortured for false confessions, and ultimately executed. Entire families exterminated. The exhibit explains the history first, to give some context before you see the photos. I left feeling angry, sad ... there's a photo of a mother and her baby I can't get out of my head. The photos almost feel like portraits, with many of the subjects projecting a certain calmness, weariness. I'm shocked at how meaningless their deaths were, how utterly horrendous an extreme idealogy like communism can be. Which reminds me - now seems an appropriate time to watch Land of the Blind again.

So we stepped out a bit too early for dinner (why in the fuck the museum closes at 5:30 on a weekend I'll never comprehend) and we slowly wandered westward to Yorkville and then out to Bathurst, where we ate at Fresh, a vegetarian restaurant. Packed, and if even only half the people were true vegetarians, a depressing thought. But you have to suck it up sometimes. The food was ... edible? I refuse, however, to abide by the beer they choose to stock. Nickel Brook Gluten Free beer - and we're being very, very, motherfucking very, charitable with the word 'beer' - was a mess. Sorghum being the grain of choice, with pear juice and demerara sugar because really, sorghum gives you jack shit. This is what happens when idealogy and dogmatism trumps common fucking sense. If you can't drink beer for whatever reason, DON'T. There's no reason for gluten free beer, just like there's no reason for non-alcoholic beer. At best, they're dirt cheap imitations of the real thing. Exactly like vegetarian food.

You can call it a beer if you want to, but really, what's the point?

DF

change in temp

We've been getting lots of rain in Toronto lately, just that grey, cold, constant drizzle.  Temperatures have been ok, around the mid-teens, but they're predicting a colder than usual winter this year.  So what do we drink in this kind of weather?  Our wines need to get heavier, our beers need to get darker ... and in terms of local craft brews, few make a better stout than McAuslan St-Ambroise.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is one of the finest stouts I've ever tasted.  Aroma, texture, concentration, and finish - it has it all.  And really, with braised dishes, beef or pork, few things bring as much pleasure as a good stout.

I had a busy weekend.  Busy week in general, in fact.  Lots of fun stuff going on, but in between, I had to attend a funeral Saturday morning.  A member of my parent's church - a great man - died after a long illness, and no matter what was going on, I had to attend.  I had a rough time dealing with it, especially after talking to his widow.  They met in 1949, in Hong Kong, marrying in 1955.  That's more than 60 years together.  A lifetime.  She's a very strong lady, but the pain must be so deep, a true heartbreak.  A reminder that we all need to cherish who and what we have in our lives now, and really enjoy every moment, not just go through the motions.  I mean, we're all just hanging by a thread here, aren't we?

DF

Cameron's Sirius Wheat Ale

Cameron's Sirius Wheat Ale

Cameron's sent me a few samples of their new beer, just in time for Thanksgiving.  This beer is described as an interpretation of the American wheat ale style, brewed with Canadian malted wheat, and two row (?) malted barley on the press sheet.  It all comes together to make a very drinkable brew, that clean, round profile in the mouth.  A great beer to drink with dinner, nicely supporting the food.

Wednesday night's tasting was great, lots of fun.  Tasting notes will be up shortly, but overall impressions ... whites were interesting, no surprises with the reds.  Australian red wine seems determined to be in that style, that soft, cooked fruit, with lots of alcohol underneath.  But we weren't there to critically evaluate the wines - no, we were there for a good time.  My first time tasting with such a large group of friends, so I tried to run out first and focus on the white wines before regrouping.  A great way to spend a Wednesday evening.

DF

what we call a pretty good weekend

Amsterdam Big Wheel Deluxe Amber | Amsterdam Brewing Company | Toronto

I feel like I'm lacking excitement in my life. It's so true what they say - that you never really feel your heart thumping unless you're in some kind of crisis. Well, my heart has been thumping lately, but for different reasons. Good reasons? Perhaps. I want to share, but not too much.

It's been a busy, busy year actually. When it rains, it fucking pours, right? Of course I'm right. But it's when you're feeling secure, and arrogant, that you start fucking up. It's probably not ideal but I always feel a bit better when things are going to shit around me . . . something about being under stress that makes me focus and make good decisions. Fuck me, growing up sucks balls.

I went to the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), sort of a big deal in Toronto - at the very least, it's a traditional end to the summer/beginning of the new school year. And I hadn't gone in an age. Right. So I should be a bit careful what I say next? Naw, screw it. I went with someone special and IT WAS A GREAT TIME. They had 17 of the best food trucks in Ontario parked there this weekend, and while a bit overrated, still a good experience. Shrimp tacos, an emphatic yes. A brightly-lit, noisy walk around, and really, you need to turn your brain off at these carnival games because, goddamn, we're being hustled every fucking which way. All in good fun though. Ferris wheel and all that, and although we didn't come home with any prizes (no Despicable Me minion), it was a lot of fun. And it's been a long time since I had lots of fun.

Right, so still working hard at writing and prepping applications. So much work. Shit. But Saturday, it was a perfect day for grilling, and oh yes, I had some fabulous Ontario brews in the cooler. This Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, an absolutely delicious, balanced beer, with all the harmony you want in a well made brew. Important to recognize that although we do want craft brews to say something, it still has to remain true to the great tradition of this is so refreshing I want to drink the whole 6-pack. And home-grown tomatoes (from my parent's church friend) are sweet and wonderful and all that, but what we really want in the end is a big chunk of beef sizzling on top of charcoal.

Almost too much of a good thing.

DF

lazy, rainy Sunday

It was a lazy day today. Still exhausted from a friend's birthday party last night. At least I didn't funnel a beer - I did get to taste a big, big, 2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon though. I woke up early today - we're speaking relatively here - at 11 am. A quick lunch, then out to the driving range. We haven't done that in years. And we struggled like it. But it's all good, because on a real course, we'll all eventually . . . eventually we'll all get to the hole. Beers at Joey's (Shops at Don Mills), where we caught the last bit of the England/Italy game (4-2 Italy on penalty kicks), and for some reason when I got home, I decided I still needed to go for my Sunday run.

The sky was getting darker, but whatever, I'm hardcore like that. And then halfway through, it really started pouring. Soaked, but it was fun, running through a summer rain. My father picked up a few cans of beer, a Danish and German blond lager-style beer. Session beers, if that. Fizzy, unremarkable, homogenized brews that prove that the Europeans can aim for mediocrity in beer as well as North Americans.

Back to work tomorrow!

DF

beer food by Japan

Man, this was my first introduction to Japanese food, these little snack packets Japanese men eat with their beer. It's the strangest thing - sort of like Japanese junk food for those who want to drink, but don't want a meal alongside. They're salty, savoury, and even a bit fishy, with those little dried fishes. Beats greasy chips any day, even though I sometimes wonder what they're actually made out of.

What do you drink beer with?

DF

it's only too hoppy if you get a nosebleed

Trafalgar Brewing India Ink Black Pale Ale | Oakville | Ontario

Amsterdam Brewing Company Boneshaker India Pale Ale | Toronto | Ontario

I enjoy beer, I really do. It all goes back to drinkability, this whole idea of adults treating alcoholic drinks as thirst-quenchers. Personally, my decisions around what wine to buy and drink revolve around the food I want to eat. That sort of thought process applies less to beer drinking. In the case of these specific beer (styles), food almost should never play a role, because these extreme New World IPA's are so aggressive in their hop profile that they obliterate anything else you put in your mouth. It's great to see the spirit of innovation and experimentation shown by this new wave of North American brewers, but at the same time, I think there's still something to said about balance, and a more humble sensibility.

Are hop-bomb beers drinkable? Can brewers go a bit too hard towards that bitter extreme? There's no doubt that watery, mass-produced plonk (Budweiser, Molson, Coor's, etc.) is an inexcusable choice for anyone professing to enjoy beer - there's simply no reason good enough for proper beer drinkers to be drinking tasteless, characterless beers, not with all the fabulous craft beers now available. But I can't help but feel that these extreme, hop-forward beers try to go for the knockout punch and forget what makes beer so wonderful in the first place.

In the Middle Ages, a Belgian monk was venerated for advising villagers to drink beer instead of water, as a safer alternative to ward off disease. We can't forget that beer is meant to be, first and foremost, refreshing. These two beers, very much like those wines that try to knock your head off are anything but drinkable. Well made, certainly - impressive even, but when/with what do you drink them? People say spicy food works with these IPA's, but the fact that they're so bitter makes the heat even worse. Savoury? Not a chance against such bitterness. On its own? Still, simply just too hoppy.

The Trafalgar India Ink is interesting - an IPA that thinks it's a stout. Why not just be a proper stout? The Amsterdam Boneshaker, such an appropriate name. Both these beers have such high alcohols that they almost seem like a novelty . . . you have a taste with some friends, just to marvel at how hoppy and alcoholic a beer can be, and then open some proper drinking beers for dinner. And beers are not supposed to be for tasting instead of guzzling, because if any drink is supposed to be unstuffy and for the people, it's beer.

It's all about drinkability. Knockouts are fun to watch for the uninitiated, but the real boxing fan appreciates the footwork, the hand speed, the methodical round by round beatdown. It's such an American thing, but this trend of let's see how hoppy we can get this beer too shall pass.

DF

Boddingtons opening the season

My aunt sent over a shipment earlier this year full of things she wanted to get rid of when she moved. Included in the package were assorted china pieces, clothes, and these - a set of beer glasses she bought but never used. She has a habit of doing that sort of thing. We're the ones that usually profit from it.

The first time I tasted Boddingtons . . . wow, must've been a good 6 or 7 years ago. That year, in the fall, a few of us decided to do Nuit Blanche, the all-night art festival spread out across downtown Toronto. I think we lasted until about 11:30 before we had to find a place to sit and eat. An unholy trinity of walking too much, eating too little, and sniffing too much second-hand weed along Queen St. I forget the name of the bar, but I had the mussels and two pints of Boddingtons. And it was great. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it again until now - LCBO outlets sell them in 4-pack cans with the little plastic rattle-y things inside.

Chilled down, you pour slowly, letting the head of foam slowly settle in. Just lightly frothy, with a thick, creamy texture, that malty flavour, good finish. A great session beer, useful on the dinner table as well.

Would we do Nuit Blanche again? We watched what can only be described as an experience. Woman running, throwing herself around an empty dance studio, at one point letting out the most bloodthirsty, gutteral scream, and ending up underneath a grand piano, pounding the strings from below. Maybe all this art is just too highbrow for us. Or maybe it's all just some fucked up shit.

DF