Where’s Al?
Al is getting around. He has been spotted in the Haliburton Highlands (picture courtesy of Randy Johnston and Gail Wetton). He also frequents dozens of LCBO stores. If your store is not on the list, ask the manager to invite Al to visit.
C’est… What Is Cask Beer All About?
What makes beer like Al’s Cask Ale so special? Read on. Definition of “Cask Ale” Cask ale is unfiltered and unpasteurized. Traditionally cask ale is also cask-conditioned, undergoing a secondary fermentation in the cask. This contrasts with “keg beer” which is generally filtered and carbonated. Cask-conditioned beers are also referred to as “real ales”. Beer Delivery Systems It took until the 17th century for bottled beer to become commonplace. Up until that time most beer was consumed by pouring it directly out of a cask. Along with advances in science in the later 19th century such as pasteurization and mechanical …
Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 53
History of Tequila & Mezcal The origin of fermenting agave began somewhere between 1000 B.C. and 200 A.D., where pulque, a drink made from fermented sap of the agave plant, was first documented on a stone carving from 200A.D. A prized drink among the Aztecs communities, it is thought that pulque may have existed as far back as 1000 B.C., initially developed by Olmec civilization in the lowlands of Mexico. There are many competing narratives regarding tequila’s origins, though one dominant narrative describes the Spanish building primitive mud stills to make agave wine, in response to dwindling brandy supplies during …
Finding Al
Our house favourite, Al’s Cask Ale, has been listed with the LCBO. We are moving forward with a plan to roll it out in select stores in the GTA with the first round appearing by early April. Let your local store manager know that you would like to see Al make an appearance. We will be posting a list of stores here.
Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 52
What is an English bitter? A modern bitter describes a subset of English pale ales that are gold to dark amber in colour, ranging in strength from 3% to 7%. The description of bitter is fairly vague, mostly because regional differences and variation between breweries make it difficult to precisely define. Historical Bitter In the early 19th century, the term “bitter” was used to describe a pale ale, especially those brewed in Burton-upon-Trent, in Staffordshire, England. This small-town brew was relatively light-coloured, with a clean, clear appearance and a strong hop presence. The quality of bitter beer improved drastically around this time, with increased …
Where’s Al?
It’s been a while since one of our brews has been available in the LCBO. We are currently going through the process to get Al’s Cask Ale into the system and on the shelves of a store near you sometime in March. The big question is: Where do you want to see Al? Which LCBO or grocery store is most convenient for you? Please message us to let us know and we’ll ask the store manager to stock the beer. We’ll also invite you to the launch party. Al’s Cask Ale in cans is a mini-cask of all-Cascade hopped, malt-forward, smooth, …