Cenquist Day 2013

How are you planning to celebrate?

So this day is happening again? Why? Well why not. I had honestly forgot about it but received quite a few messages about when it is again about a month ago.

Just like last year. This is a day about having fun. Go have fun. Enjoy the day. Have a beer, or maybe some bourbon. Eat some pizza. Hit the gym. Whatever is fun for you.

Don't forget to hashtag #cenquistday2013 on Twitter to earn your cenquist day badge!


PS - This was written from my phone at work... Blogger mobile is terrible. Check back later and I'll update the post with more information.

Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout

Milk chocolate stout - a stout made for the kid in you

Beer : Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout

Brewery : Terrapin Beer Company

Brewed In : Georgia, United States

Style : Milk Stout

ABV : 6%

Price : Gift from Adrian after one of his trips

Notes : Available in the winter.

Story : You should all know by now that stouts are my favourite beer style.  Okay maybe pumpkin beer but that’s only from August-October.  Adrian knows this and brought me back this tasty treat.  I probably should have shared it with him but I did not.

Appearance : Moo-Hoo pours a pitch black, even when held to the light it is black as can be.  The head was a touch beige.  Did not leave much lacing.

Smell : The aroma was mostly chocolate and rather sweet smelling.  I noticed a bit of dark fruits in the nose once the beer warmed.

Taste : Matching the nose, this beer is full of chocolate and dark fruit notes.  The noticeable alcohol, which surprised me at 6%, gives a bite on the tongue before the watery finish.

Mouthfeel : I would say medium bodied but it is fairly light.

Drinkability : I have yet to encounter a milk stout I haven’t enjoyed.  Thanks Adrian.  Love the name of this beer too.  Moo-Hoo.

Pub Chat: Episode 31 - Stone Cold Draft and Granville Island Chocolate Imperial Stout

With a side of hip-hop

Adrian and I bring on two lovers of hip-hip, Anthony Carvalho and Clement Betiku , to talk about music we all love.  Just all of us more than Adrian.  We got the biggest bottle of beer we could in Manitoba - Stone Cold Draft.  To wash down that beer we drank Granville Island's Chocolate Imperial Stout.

Download here . Or subscribe in iTunes here .

Gouda and Olive Grilled Cheese

With a touch (okay more than a touch) of garlic

I have been getting lots of interest in posting more grilled cheese sandwich recipes.  So here is another one I made a while back.  Also considering adding a grilled cheese sandwich post to my normal blog repertoire – so if you think I should please let me know.

Ingredients :

2 slices of bread

Gouda

3 olives stuffed with garlic (or use olives unstuffed and add garlic)

Butter

Cut up your Gouda and olives.  Butter one slice of bread and place butter side down in pan, leave the element off.  Place half the Gouda on the bread and then the sliced olives on top.

Turn the element on low.  Add the rest of the Gouda and butter the other slice and place on top.  Best bet is to have a lid for the pan to keep the heat in.  Gouda takes a bit longer to melt I find – that is why I cook it on a lower heat with a lid.  This way the bread won’t burn before the cheese starts to melt.

Flip over when the bread is cooked and take out of the pan when the cheese is melting and bread is crispy on the outside.  Cut and enjoy.

Viola!

Pub Chat: Episode 30 - Kona Imperial Stout and Stir Stick Stout

With hip-hop artist Abstract Artform

In this episode we are joined by Leah Gair and Abstract Artform to talk a bit about the city we live in.  We drink two local beers - Half Pints Brewing's Stir Stick Stout and Fort Garry Brewing's Kona Imperial Stout.

Download here . Or subscribe in iTunes here .

Cannery Brewing IPA

An underwhelming IPA

Beer : Cannery IPA

Brewery : Cannery Brewing Company

Brewed In : British Columbia, Canada

Style : American IPA

ABV : 6%

Price : not sure

Notes : Available year round

Story : I have yet to see this available in Winnipeg, but one night at Adrian’s he shared this bottle with me.  Must have grabbed it on one of his trips.

Appearance : The Cannery IPA pours an oak amber with one finger white head that leaves some lacing.

Smell : Not very complex or strong but I do notice a good amount of citrus hops.

Taste : Like the nose, the citrus hops, mainly grapefruit, are a strong flavour.  Again it’s not complex, even with the malty finish the hops linger a bit. This beer could probably be more balanced

Mouthfeel : No noticeable carbonation and medium bodied.

Drinkability : Cannery Brewing beers have never blown me away and this one continues the trend. It's a decent IPA but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy more of it. Check out their Maple Stout, and pair it with waffles, if you want a really great beer from them.

The Great Burger Hunt - Moose Mountain Brewing Co (Kenosee Lake)

A brew pub without beer – at least they had burgers

The Moose Mountain Brewing Co’s “beer machine” was broken said the waitress.  She couldn't even tell me what type of beer they brew, from their “beer machine,” so I settled for a pint of Big Rock Grasshopper.  Inquiring for more information on their beer only brought me more disappointment, as the waitress made their beer sound very lagerish as they only brew the one type – “pub style”.  I still haven’t figured out what style that is.  Until they fix their “beer machine” I wouldn’t recommend going for a beer.

Anyway.

I stopped at Moose Mountain Brewing Co twice when I was in Kenosee Lake this summer.  The first time I tried the dry ribs, which I could choose to have with any wing flavor.  I chose the Greek dry rub for my dry ribs, on the waitress’s recommendations, and it didn't disappoint.

On my second stop at Moose Mountain Brewing Co, to watch the 2nd half of the Euro 2012 finals (yes I wrote this review that long ago), I decided to enjoy a burger.  The bar, aptly named Bar Bar, I was previously at watching the 1 ^st half of the game was not very welcoming to a football, or soccer, fan.  Moose Mountain Brewing Co even had a bigger TV screen, better service, and everyone was their watching the Italy vs. Spain match.  I guess it is Kenosee Lake’s sports bar.  They also had jerseys pinned to the ceiling, which was kind of cool as they had lots of minor and major sports teams from all across North America.

After settling in I ordered the Mushroom and Mozzarella burger, and turned my attention to the TV screens.  The food didn’t take very long, but maybe the 15 minutes of football made it feel like only a moment after I ordered.

My burger was placed in front of me and I dug in right away, due to my hunger.  The bun was grilled, so I was ecstatic, until I picked it up and realized it was mushy and moist on the top.  The burger was juicy, covered in generous amounts of mushrooms, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and onions.  It may have been on the grill a moment too long though as the burger had that burnt flavour to it slightly.

The fries were thick and very soft, with a little salt, making them tasteless.  I polished them all off though while I was watching the rest of the game.

Moose Mountain Brewing Co had a decent menu – and the dry ribs were fantastic.  I would be inclined to eat there again if I return to Kenosee Lake, but I probably wouldn’t order the burger.  Maybe I will get to try their “pub style” beer from the “beer machine” one day.

What I got : Mozzarella and mushroom burger - $10.25

Burger Taste : 3/5

Fries Taste : 2/5

Price Value : 3/5

Menu Selection : 4/5

Overall : 3/5

Moose Mountain Brewing Co

Kenosee Lake, SK S0C 2S0

306-577-2144