Hobgoblin

Not as scary as a real Hobgoblin

Beer : Hobgoblin

Brewery : Wychwood Brewery Company

Brewed In : United Kingdom

Style : Extra Special Bitter (ESB)

ABV : 5.2%

Price : $12 something with the glass.

Notes : Available year-round.

Story : Totally bought this bottle because it came with a glass.  Even though I have had the beer once before.

Appearance : Hobgoblin pours a copper brown with a fluffy light tan head that fades quickly.

Smell : Not a ton of aroma but it is mostly caramel.

Taste : Mostly caramel, with some bready notes.  Has a cream like finish to it.  As the beer warms some raisin notes come out in the beer – this also applies to the nose.

Mouthfeel :  Medium bodied and creamy, but a bit cloying after the beer is gone.

Drinkability :  Hobgoblin is a nice ESB that I would consider purchasing again - even without a glass.  I would be really interested to try this on tap.

The Waiting Room

It's like you are really there

I am unsure how I feel about The Waiting Room .  On one hand it is an evocative and stunning look into a day in the life of Highland Hospital in Oakland, California.  On the other it felt like the documentary was beating a dead horse, repeatedly.

This is unlike any documentary that I have seen.  Arguably the films protagonist and antagonist is one and the same – the hospital (and health care system) itself.

The biggest difference between the Canadian and American health care systems – Canada provides universal access to health care, where the U.S. does not.  At least not yet.  They are working on it.  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare as its come to be known) is a big step in the right direction.  They are making it more affordable for Americans but the American health care system is not like Canada’s.

According to the Government of Manitoba website for someone to get Manitoba Health coverage they need to be a Canadian citizen.  There is a bit more to it than that but essentially if you’ve lived in Manitoba for 6 months and are a Canadian citizen you are covered.  Just because Canada has universal health care does not mean our wait times are any shorter .

The Waiting Room is a very intimate look into the lives of patients and hospital staff during one day (although I doubt it was actually filmed in one day).  This is why I feel the documentary can be considered flawless.  The intimacy of the experience is like you are there with them, literally the fly on the wall in the Highland Hospital waiting room.  It glazes over nothing and gives you everything, although repeating itself after the first 30 minutes. The Waiting Room proves its point within the first third of the film and the rest of the film is exactly the same as the first third.

I’ve always looked at a documentary film as a cinematic document that is supposed to teach you.  To show you something.  Yet, this film does exactly that, which I still feel is its biggest flaw.  It doesn’t teach you enough.  If you scream “health care is failing” enough times everyone is going to hear you but that doesn’t mean they understand why you are yelling it and how you plan to change it.

The choice of keeping every patient anonymous was a choice the director I imagined had a hard time making.  The anonymity made it seem like the patients could be you, or someone you know, but putting a name to a face could have also give it a more personal feel.  I think they did make the right choice though.  The fly on the wall wouldn’t know who these people were, so why should we?

Keeping the true sounds of the hospital and not using much music kept the film less cinematic and more atmospheric of actually being in the hospital.  At times though the drama seemed a bit heightened when there was no need to be as the staff knew they were on camera.  Most notably the nurse managing the waiting room.

The social media project attached to the film – you have to Google it because it is not mentioned in the film – is the way Nicks plans on showcasing the flaws in the health care system.  That was the point of this documentary too.  Nicks has set up interactive booths in waiting rooms for people to share their experiences.  This will become his testimonials to proving his documentary is accurate.  You can find it here .  You should give it a quick look; it is honestly more interesting than the documentary.

The Waiting Room could have benefited from giving the audience a bit more.  While I still don’t know how I feel about this as a documentary I can say this should cause some stirs in hospital and possibly political circles in the U.S., especially with the social media project.

Pub Chat: Episode 27 - Gulden Draak

And our favourite albums of 2012!

In this episode Adrian and I are joined by Chris Rohling , to talk about some of the best albums, in our mind, of 2012.  After failing to find a lot of beers we could both get in Winnipeg and Minnesota the three of us decided on the Belgian brew Gulden Draak.  This is the first episode with show notes.

Download here . Or subscribe in iTunes here .

Show Notes (written by Adrian)

00:00 – Introductions. I’m hosting *shudder*

00:30 – Gulden Draak and Brouwerij Van Steenberge run-down.

01:57 – Gulden Draak tasting time. Highlights: It tastes good

05:11 – More details on Brouwerij Van Steenberge

06:55 – We discussed beer prices on both sides of the border (hint: Canada isn’t cheap)

10:20 – Chris plugs Odell Double Pilsner. Apparently it’s good.

12:45 – Brett gave us his top three albums before he left, Evil Ebenezer – The Birds, Snack the Ripper – White Dynamite, Danko Jones – Rock and Roll is Black and Blue. Florence and the Machine MTV Unplugged

13:22 – Chris get’s us started with his favourite albums. In reverse order: Tied for third place is Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid M.A.A.D City and P.O.S’ We Don’t Even Live Here. Second place: Jack White’s Blunderbuss and his favourite: Of Monsters and Men, My Head is an Animal. We started with Of Monsters and Men

18:38 – The cool P.O.S album artwork Chris talks about:

31:05 – Jack White – Blunderbuss

32:00 – Chris has a great taste in music. Listen to his radio show here , starting at the beginning of February from 8pm – 10pm Central on Thursdays.

33:00 – Colins picks! 3. Propagandhi – Failed States. 2. Aesop Rock – Skelethon. 1. Jake Bugg (self titled)

33:23 – Propagandhi – Failed States. A local band!

35:45 – Aesop Rock – Skelethon. A child drowned in one of his songs (he survived).

38:27 – Jake Bugg. Colin likes Jake Bugg. A lot. We all liked it and talked about it for a while. Some are calling him a young Bob Dylan, Chris is calling him jangly.

44:15 – It’s time for my choices! 3. alt-J – An Awesome Wave. 2. Ellie Goulding – Synthetica. 1. Metric – Synthetica

44:51 – alt-j – An Awesome Wave. It’s a weird album, I’ll concede that. But awesome.

47:00 – Ellie Goulding – Halycon. Sexy raspy!

50:13 – We all ripped in to Tinie Tempah. Sorry. #notsorry

51:37 – Metric – Synthetica. It is really good. And Canadian. Double win!

57:30 – Goodbye and wrap up! Chris ( Twitter , Guerilla Geek ) Colin ( Twitter , Blog ) Adrian ( Twitter , Blog )

Shawarma Khan

New to the Exchange as of today

Shawarma - a Middle Eastern wrap, usually filled with lamb, chicken or beef, plus a combination of vegetables.

In Winnipeg Shawarma isn't as common as some may think.  Shawarma Time and Baraka Bakery are one of the few places that make it and both make it extremely well.  I don't think shawarma became mainstream knowledge until The Avengers film was released and even then it is still something unfamiliar to most.

Hopefully with Shawarma Khan Restaurant opening in the Exchange today it will help bring this delicious food into mainstream Winnipeg.  Eaten around the world, and sold on the street in many locales, shawarma has its own variations per region.

Today Marney , Graeme , and I went to test it out when our classes finished.

When the Shawarma Khan sign first popped up in the Exchange a while back I got a little excited.  Obby Khan, former Winnipeg Blue Bomber who retired and recently unretired to play for the Calgary Stampeders, is the face of the restaurant.  So much so that he was the man working the till when we walked in.

The place sits quite a few more than I expected and it is decked out in Bombers colours.  Notably the ceiling is Bomber Blue, along with a gold stripe down the walls horizontally.  The walls are covered with some CFL apparel too, including Kahn's jerseys from the Bombers, Stampeders and Renegades..

Ordering the shawarma like Subway, as Marney pointed out, is a benefit for those of you that don't want any of the pickled turnips on your shawarma or other veggies.  Me though, I want lots of those pickled turnips.

The prices aren't too bad either.  Shawarma: regular is $5.99, large is $8.99, and a platter is $11.99.  The platter comes with rice, garlic roasted potatoes, hummus, pita bread, and your choice of two salads.  That's not bad at all, although I could never eat that much.

With a choice of falafel, beef, chicken, or lamb shawarma, I personally will go with lamb every time but that is because I don't get enough lamb in my life.  Of course all the toppings were added to mine, with some hummus and a bit of hot sauce.

The digital menu at the restaurant was a bit lacking on information, unless I missed it somewhere.  It listed other shawarmas - WRATH of KHAN (clever name!), The Big Bird Chicken Shawarma, Beef and Chicken Mix Shawarma Platter, Stegal Shawarma Salad Platter.  But it didn't state what made them different.  Luckily they do have it on their website.  WRATH of KHAN is in fact a large shawarma with chicken, beef, lamb, AND falafel.  That is mind boggling how filling it must be.

Obby tried to convince us to try some of the non-alcoholic beers they serve as we, well Graeme, was paying for our meals. We did not this time but will definitely give one a shot another time.  Ace Burpee was also in the place getting some shawarma and he seemed to enjoy the beer he was drinking.

The shawarma itself was good.  It was a bit messy and fell apart near the end of the wrap but they just opened and once they fine tune everything I imagine this will not be a problem.  I'll definitely be returning for lunch soon to try the WRATH of KHAN.

The Pint of Justice - Episode 1

The beginning

Over the summer Brett decided he wanted to do some video work.  He told me to write him something.  After a few meetings with Brennan, who we knew was going to be one of our main actors, the three of us came up with The Pint of Justice.

After putting together a cast of friends from school, twitter, and other parts of life we began the process of shooting.  The editing was the part that got us behind and the reason it took a while.  Life just got in the way.

I'd like to thank The Yellow Dog Tavern, the actors and crew, and all those that helped out in any way shape or form.  There are a lot of you.  So thanks.  You all rock.  And Brett, thanks for putting in the most work out of everyone.  This wouldn't have happened without you.

Now to start organizing the shoot for Episode 2.  I'm pretty sure once shot it will be edited much quicker now that the process isn't new to us and our vision is much more focused than before.  It can only go up from here.

" The Pint of Justice fights to stop the evil swill sold by macrobreweries. His tactics can be conversational persuasion or smashing faces to convince them to drink deliciously produced local craft beer."

Director, Cinematographer, Editor: Brett Enquist

Writer : Colin Enquist

Actors : Brennan Lumsdon, Adrian Trimble, Miguel McKenna, Kaeleigh Ayre, Heather Krahn, Jessica Gomes, Nicole Barry, Alyson Shane, Cedrick Adams, Kieran Moolchan (who also did a bit of editing)

Sound : Nicole Putulik

Music : Joel Nickel, Brett Enquist

Duchesse De Bourgogne

A sweet and sour brew

Beer : Duchesse De Bourgogne

Brewery : Brouwerij Verhaeghe

Brewed In : Belgium

Style : Flanders Red Ale

ABV : 6%

Price : $3.33 plus tax

Notes : Available year-round.

Story : I’ve had this on my shelf for a while now.  My friend Mark has said good tings about it.  So I have been looking forward to trying this brew.

Appearance : The Duchesse – as I will refer to it from now – pours dark brown with thick tan head with big bubbles in the head.

Smell : I get sour cherries right off the top and a bit of pear underneath the tartness.

Taste : A lot more tart than I expected.  Up front you get cherries, grapes and raspberries, definitely sour, but sweet at the same time.  The finish is ripe plum but it doesn’t linger for very long.

Mouthfeel : This beer has very noticeable carbonation but plays well with the sourness of the beer.

Drinkability : I quite liked it.  Will have to pick up a few more bottles.  This beer would pair really well with a sharp cheese or probably be good matched with a salad where you used the beer as a base for the dressing.

School Nights

The best thing to do on Sunday is go to school

Seriously.  Sunday is the day to go out.  And learn.  Wait.... what?

Sarah Zaharia and Talia Syrie host School Nights at Bistro 7 1/4.  Each evening has a theme.  Themes of the last semester were Harvest, Opera, Remembrance Day, Salsa, Bingo, Mac & Cheese (which I sadly missed...) and the Dirty South.  The new semester starts Sunday with grilled cheese and paper airplanes.

What does School Nights entail though?

Fun.  Plain and simple fun.

Try one of the drink specials, normally based on that evenings theme, and enjoy some of the tasty treats that Chef Alex , or sometimes others, concocts.  The 4 types of salsa he made were delicious and my mouth is still watering over the chicken waffles from the Dirty South themed night.

On top of all the delicious food and beverages Bistro 7 1/4 usually has a DJ or live band serenading us with some kind of music.

Plus you learn things.  Because, well, you are at school.

It is the perfect combonation of music, food, friends, learning and drinks.  School Nights returns this Sunday, you should come out and enjoy the fun.

Fancy hot dogs

Sitting at the bar

Cheese...

One of the many delicious beverages consumed

Ramen

Chicken and waffles

Salsa anyone?

Sometimes your face becomes painted

But so does everyones

Pub Chat: Episode 26 - Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale

Mmmmmm bacon beer

We didn't make New Years resolution on this podcast because we actually recorded it before the ball dropped for 2013 but we still talked about exercise and the little bit that Adrian and I do.  Brett kind of shows us up this episode.  We also drink Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale.

Download here . Or subscribe in iTunes here .

The Great Burger Hunt - Boon Burger Café

A vegan only burger joint

Boon Burger Café was Canada’s first vegan burger café, according to their website.  They opened their second location in downtown Winnipeg this summer.  I had eaten at the original location, on Sherbrook Street, a few times and always enjoyed it.  With the new location just on the other side of Main Street from the downtown Red River College campus I am surprised it took me this long to eat at the new location.

Mid-November, with fellow classmate Holly , I finally got to check out the Bannatyne Street location.  It is quite open and inviting with booths for many people to dine in, plus they do take out too.  It was 11:00 AM when we arrived and we were the first ones to walk in.

The menu at boon Burger Café is quite large, it almost seems daunting the first time you go with the vast array of burgers and toppings.  All the food is vegan but it is all tasty, at least all the food I’ve tried.  They also serve beer and wine, which I didn’t notice until after I ordered or I probably would have ordered myself a Little Scrapper to go with my meal.

Also – Tuesday nights they have beer and nacho night.  You should probably mark that on your calendar.  I know I will.

Some of the burgers they offer are the Boon Burger, Spicy Boon Buffalo Burger, Wolseley Burger, Thanksgiving Burger, Prairie Fried Chickn Burger, plus a few others.  Boon Burger Café also serves a platter for two, salads, soups, and dogs.  Plus they have a really good poutine, or so I am told.  On previous visits I have gotten the Salsa Burger a few times and really enjoyed it. Here is a link to the menu so I don’t have to list all the toppings on each of these burgers if you are curious.

This time I left my burger choice in the hands of the guy running the counter.  He recommended the Bombay Talkie Burger.  So I went with that.  Holly ordered a poutine.

It didn’t take long for the food to come out.

The sesame fries were really crispy.  A few were almost rock hard but overall they were perfectly crisp.  The sunflower oil, sea salt & pepper, and sesame really gives the fries a sesame flavour that separates Boon Burger Café’s fries from everyone else’s.  They are local potatoes too.

Now onto the burger, which is quite massive.  Halfway through I gave up trying to pick it up and just started using my knife and fork.   The Bombay Talkie Burger has the grilled Buddha patty (they have explanations of each type of patty on the menu), which consists of organic chickpeas, brown rice, spiced with curry, onion, fresh ginger, garlic, fresh cilantro, and lemon juice.  The chickpeas, garlic, and curry were flavours I could pick out in the patty but the ginger and cilantro were not as noticeable.  Toppings for the burger were tangy Bombay sauce, roasted yams, smoky bacun, daiya cheddar, tomato, red onion, and lettuce.

Like the promise made to me by the guy who recommended it to me.  This was full of flavour.  Surprisingly the amount of different toppings on the burger balanced really well.  Nothing stood out it was one cohesive unit of flavour.

Some days you need a veggie burger (it’s not too often but they do happen (mmmmm beef)).  On those days, do yourself a favour, and head to Boon Burger Café.  You won’t regret the decision.

What I got : Bombay Talkie Burger and fries - $14 and change.

Burger : 5/5

Fries : 5/5

Menu Selection: 5/5 (not faulting them for lack of meat!)

Price : 4/5

Overall : 4.75/5

Boon Burger Café
141 Bannatyne Street
Winnipeg, MB R3B 0R3
204-504=5394

Dragon's Milk Oak Barrel Ale

Why couldn't all milk taste like this?

Beer : Dragon’s Milk Oak Barrel Ale

Brewery : New Holland Brewing Company

Brewed In: Michigan, United States

Style : American Stout

ABV : 10%

Price : Unsure – picked this up in Edmonton.

Notes : Rotating and available in bottle form, on-tap, and growlers.

Story : The first time I got to try this I was the designated driver, so I only got a tiny sample.  This time though – I drank the entire bottle.

Appearance : Dragon’s Milk pours very dark.  You can’t see through this, it is pretty black, with the exception of a little ring of dark brown at the bottom of the glass.  There was not much of the beige head but it was thick and left lots of lacing.

Smell : The aroma is very tame.  I mostly get booze, possibly bourbon, and a hint of vanilla.  It is slightly sour.

Taste : Very booze heavy in the flavor, oak and vanilla as well, with a raisin finish.  The finish isn’t strong but it lasts, the heat from the alcohol lingers as if you just had a sip of whiskey.  As it warmed I noticed more of a chocolate flavour mixed in with the oak.

Mouthfeel : It is creamy and smooth.  Medium bodied.

Drinkability : I quite enjoyed this beer and plan on buying more of it.  You need to enjoy the heat from the booze in your beer to really take pleasure in drinking a Dragon’s Milk.

Twas a Great 2012!

Now bring on 2013!

2012 was a great year.  Seriously.

I have heard a lot of people say how 2012 was not a great year for them.  I'd honestly say it was the best one I have had in a long time.  But to each their own.  Here is a bit of a recap on my 2012.

The start of it was all school.  Tons of University stuff kept me busy.  Although I managed to throw a kick ass wine and cheese party in February.  Plus I filmed Choices with Brennan and some other cool people.  It was fun and a bit stressful but totally worth it.

Thanks for the photo Brett !

Adrian and I launched Pub Chat .  The beer podcast you all know and love.

March saw the birth of International Cenquist Day .  Which I am still unsure what the hell it really is.

Finally got my tattoo I've been talking about since I moved to Winnipeg.

For my birthday in April Adrian and I did a 15 hour pub crawl - if you can call the two of us drinking all day a pub crawl - before ending up at King's Head to hang out with all my friends.

May brought a film festival, which we called BruceFest, to my backyard.

June was the dreaded Dry Days.  A month of no booze.  I am shuddering just thinking about doing this again.

Love this guy!

I sure as hell made up for it in July with trips to Kenosee Lake for a family reunion, Edmonton to visit friends and family, and Minneapolis to hang with Rich and George - plus finally meet Dan and Chris !  A ton of great beer was consumed on these trips.  I think I even still have a couple nice bottles of beer for special occasions that I bought on these trips.

This year was also a great year for concerts.  I saw Micheal Bernard Fitzgerald, James Struthers, Sierra Noble, Noel Gallagher, Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg, Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Stars, and Metric.  I only missed a few shows this year that I really wanted to get to.

CreComm started.  Made some great new friends within the program and out of it.

Now it is time to kick 2013 in the proverbial teeth!

Pub Chat: Episode 25 - Ossian

The last episode of 2012!

For the last episode of 2012 Adrian and I enlist in some help from Taylor Cole and Nolan Bicknell to discuss the serving industry.  We also dipped into the Scottish beer world and drank some Ossian by Inveralmond Brewery, an award winning 4.1% Golden Ale.

Download here . Or subscribe in iTunes here .