#BeerSaturday is at week 202 as we happily drink away lockdown time and get back into IPAs!

Source: https://www.pinterest.pt/goldensaintbeer/ with a little Zeke design on top.

I became a beer blogger organically years ago because of the blockchain as I came to write either about that which I am learning, or know very well. The years I spent brewing for myself, the breweries I work with now on their technology and marketing, and the decades spent imbibing combine for the self-proclaimed title of the #Blockchain #Beerologist.

This week, we may still be hung over from #beersaturday 200 a couple weeks ago but I am enjoying some regional IPAs as hair of the dog.

Shorty of the Week

I like to keep a few shorties in the fridge for those times when a smaller, different beer is the right one. There have been more shorties than pints on the town because of the lockdown but I promise I will catch you up on the local draft beer scene when the bars are open again.

The shorty this week is sent to me by a guest from the big city. Here, we have a fistful of Rumblecat Double IPA from one of my favourite breweries Great Lakes Brewery https://greatlakesbrewery.myshopify.com/products/rumblecat-355ml It is rather light for a double IPA at only 7.5 ABV and a modest 60 IBU At some points, I feel GLB is simply changing the labels and keeping the beer the same as it all seems to have oats & wheat, be nice sweet and bold, and hazy hoppy. Which is fine by me as I like what they do!

DIPA for your Face

This can spoke to me so much, I bought it on 2 occasions in a sixpack of new beers and it didn't register as Wellington Brewery https://www.wellingtonbrewery.ca/ Their stouts and ales played a large part in rescuing me from drinking shitty Labatt's and Molson products but I will have to admit that I have enjoyed the newer wave of craft breweries so much more.

The eclectic artwork is perhaps better on a wall than as a brand which will stand out on a can but I enjoyed the colours and the curious clones farming some sort of produce from the faces? The side panel proudly displays the classic Wellington logo which I cannot remember ever changing and a fairly standard description of a double IPA I would like. The last line is a little presumptuous for my tastes so lets have a taste and see whether they are correct.

Truth is, I can't recall an IPA with Mosaic I didn't like. The gift of increased hops listed at 80 International Bitterness Units (IBU) and heavy 8.5% alcohol by volume that comes with a Double IPA is usually good enough for me! When you drink a DIPA that doesn't taste like a normal beer with a shot of vodka and isn't an overwhelming mess of hops, you know you are enjoying a good one. Using wheat and oats is cheating a little but it makes for a seriously good pint in this case. Glad I bought 2!

TransAtlantic is BACK!

I have a pretty direct connection with Abe Erb Brewery https://abeerb.com/ having worked with them as a network Beerologist and building their computing networks and point of sale systems for years. Earlier this year, the combination of a bunch of lockdowns and lingering ownership issues, they closed for good. I had growlers on shelves and was mourning the fact I would never have any of their IPAs again.

Then, I received a call a few months later from the controller informing me that they require our services to help update and open each of the breweries. A new ownership group joined the owner I really liked working with and I may have use for these growlers after all!

I was always a Buggy Whip IPA https://abeerb.com/pages/taplist-waterloo kinda guy 'til I picked up 6 Transatlantic 355ml cans to feature as a shorty of the week. I was uninspired by many American pale ales at the time and just happy to be trying something new. This was one delicious beer a couple years ago.

This tall can is from the latest batch brewed so the pub could reopen. It was a moment in time I feared impossible and the beer tasted as sweet as it had back then.

So great to have Abe Erb back in business, know the Transatlantic is at least as good as it was, and rejoice in knowing I will have it again soon.

This One's got Moxee

To close, a little more Great Lakes Brewery https://www.greatlakesbeer.com/ as I was pleased to once again find this on the shelf. It is usually a seasonal I enjoyed about a month ago so I am wondering if I am catching the end of the batch, it was a bigger batch, or hopefully it is available year round.

Either way, GLB has never made a NEIPA I haven't enjoyed and Moxee https://www.greatlakesbeer.com/Beer/meanwhile-down-in-moxee-ipa/ is one of the best. El Dorado hops have been such a great supporting hop for the best New England IPAs which have been my obsession the last 2 years. There is nothing to say except this is a fantastic beer and I would couple it with any in my top 10 if it becomes available year round.

#BEERSaturday!

Thanks again for this wonderful #hive #beer gift by @spirall on Twitter! Hop in on the marketing push with us and invite the world of beer bloggers to join us on Hive.

This is #beersaturday week 202 https://hive.blog/hive-187719/@detlev/the-damn-thirsty-week-202-of-beersaturday for the blockchain beer drinking crew who have developed an immunity to hangovers.

I invite a friend to the party every week and this week I invite @juanmolina because I know Venezuelans can drink some mean beers.