Beer O'Clock: Earl Grey Marmalade

When Dominion City Brewing opened its doors, in 2014, I didn't know what to expect. They had paid for a part of their construction through a Go Fund Me fundraiser, and I was a skeptic. If you make good beer, why do you need people to fund the start of your brewery?

Wait until you get your brewery running, put out some beer, and I'll try it. If I like the beer, I'll financially support the company by continuously buying the product. I wasn't going to support a company that hadn't yet produced any beer.

Nine years later, Dominion City is one of my favourite Ottawa breweries and I regularly pick up a few cans from the LCBO, order a pint or two when it's available at a pub, and order online, directly from the brewery.

I've only ever been in the brewery, which is in Ottawa's east end, twice. The last time, I had joined a Brew Donkey tour: the first time, I checked them out shortly after they first opened. I sampled some of the beer from their taps and then picked up a couple of growlers—cans weren't yet available.

One of the brews that I tried, back then, was an interesting saison. It was back in the time before I had really developed a love for this farmhouse-style ale, so while I liked the sample, I wasn't ready to commit to a growler.

For years, I never saw it on their Web site, so even after having a great appreciation for saisons, I couldn't order this ale.

Until the other week.

Earl Grey Marmalade Saison (5.5% ABV)
Dominion City Brewing Company
Ottawa ON

Appearance: pours an unfiltered, deep gold with a foamy white head that clings to the sides of the glass and settles to a thin cap or very dense lace.

Nose: the spices of the Earl Grey tea come through with a bit of candied fruit.

Palate: the orange flavour is subtle but mixes well with the spices of the Earl Grey tea. I still get a touch of banana, which I expect with a saison, and there's a flinty mineral and black pepper that comes through as well. The finish is short but spicy.

Overall impression: this is an easy-drinking saison with a bit extra. While I don't get a distinct impression of marmalade, there is a definite flavour of orange peel. There's more tea and mineral than fruit but nothing overpowers.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺

You can order this saison directly from the brewery, which charges $5 to deliver in Ottawa or $15 for deliveries throught Ontario with a minimum $50 order. Or, you can just go straight to the brewery and pick some up there.

This Friday (tomorrow), Dominion City will be celebrating it's ninth anniversary. If you're in the Ottawa area, I recommend checking them out. Details can be found here.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Over the Tap

DW has a lush vegetable garden that's growing in our backyard. Every summer, she plants various squash, tomatoes, peppers, and more, but this year, she seems to have gone overboard and the garden is thriving, thanks to the ample rain we've received.

She's added cucumbers, watermellon, and various other green, leafy items, but so far the biggest harvest so far has been zucchini.

In my late teens and early twenties, I'd go to pubs with friends and we'd pig out on deep-fried zucchini sticks, so much so that after one night of heavy drinking and a bad batch of zucchini, I had vowed that my days of eating this veg were done. I couldn't help but associate the zed-veg with the mushy, slimy pulp that ended up coming out of me later that evening.

I had gone overboard with zucchini—some may say 'over the top,' and it took a few decades before I would venture to try it again, though the memory of that night is still a sore spot with me.

Well, DW decided to take her zucchini and turn it into a rich, moist chocolate cake that isn't too sweet. And do you know what goes really well with that chocolate zucchini cake?

A rich, dry stout.

A short while ago, I visited a Toronto brewery and came away with a brew that has been made in collaboration with one of my favourite Ottawa breweries, and I couldn't wait to try it, because they made my long-time favourite style of beer.

A sticker that covered the top of the short can advised me to shake the can, open it quickly, pour the contents out "hard," and serve cold. I really appreciated the instructions on the sticker, as too many times I've opened a beer can the normal way (without shaking it) and pouring the beer out gently, tilting the glass and slowly letting the liquid roll down the inside of the glass, to avoid creating a huge, foamy head, only to later discover that for a particular stout, this is the wrong way to do it.

I shook the can over the sink, cracked it open and then immediately turned the can upside down over a level glass.

What did I get? Let's take a look:

The Craic Was 90 Dry Stout (4% ABV)
Blood Brothers Brewing, Toronto ON
Dominion City Brewing Company, Ottawa ON

Appearance: as the beer flooded out of the can and into the glass, a milky-brown foam was all that was visible until the can was empty. The base of the glass turned a deep walnut as the foam cascaded downward. A perfectly creamy, taupe head lay the thickness of a pinky finger when all was settled.

Shaking and dumping delivers the perfect pour.

Nose: mild espresso and cocoa.

Palate: the body immediately comes off as light. There's nothing cloying about this stout. There's a watery coffee tone that is backed up with what I would call cocoa powder. This stout is that dry. On subsequent sips, the coffee comes out more boldly and there's a slight burn at the back of the throat from an acidity, but it's not unpleasant.

This is a dry, perfectly balanced stout. The flavours in the mouth are fulfilling but are cut short in the dry, cocoa-powdery finish. You can't help but want to take another sip.

And with the chocolate-zucchini cake? It was heaven. I would take a mouthful of the stout, swish it around my mouth, swallow it, suck in some air as if I was reverse-whistling, and then take a bite of the cake. Because the cake isn't overly sweet but moist, it almost reset my taste buds for more stout. You've got to try this decadent combination.

Overall impression: The Craic Was 90 is a perfect stout. As simple as it appears, it is complex in its serving instructions, flavours, and palate-cleansing dryness. At only four-percent alcohol, it's an easy-drinking, crushable brew. I wish I had picked up more while I was at the brewery.

Much more.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺

Because of the simple label that seems to highlight the Over the Tap Fest, which happened at the end of January in Toronto, I have a feeling that this stout is a one-off from these two breweries. Neither of their Web sites provides any information on this beauty of a brew. I hope that this isn't the end of it. I hope that they make more and offer it as a seasonal. It would be a shame to let this stout fade like its finish.

But we'll always have cake.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Almost Home

Last week, I placed my first online beer order of 2023 and I was shocked.

In 2020, after the pandemic first hit, it seemed like I was placing beer orders every two weeks, spending more than $150 each month and going through beer like it was going out of style.

My belly sure noticed the increase in consumption.

In 2021, I cut back on my beer drinking, making sure that my fridge was mostly empty before I'd place another order. I cut my consumption in half, ordering no more than once each month.

Last year, I cut back even more, so it was no surprise that more than two-and-a-half months had passed since my last online order. I was going to the LCBO, instead, and would only pick up two or four cans per visit, which would happen only once or twice each month.

I'd pick up enough beer to satisfy my Beer O'Clock reviews.

I did visit one of my favourite breweries, in January, to pick up a 12-pack of beer, but visits to taprooms are a rare occasion for me. And the beer that I picked up had already been reviewed on my blog, so I was just fulfilling an 'I like this beer and want to drink it' urge.

So, mid-March brought me my first online beer order of the year and I purchased two unfamiliar brews from a familiar and much-admired brewery. Today, I'm going to take a look at an obscure brew style that has piqued my curiosity.

Almost Home Sorrel Beer (4.6% ABV; 0 IBUs)
Dominion City Brewing Company
Ottawa ON

Appearance: a clear and effervescent reddish-pink, with a foamy-white head that settles quickly to a tight lace.

Nose: floral notes and tropical fruit, with a bit of spice (cinnamon?).

Palate: initially, I detected a bit of sourness and a spice that bit my tongue, similar to the acid from a pineapple that I get when I initially bite into one. But on successive sips, everything mellowed and blended into a light, crisp, fruity beverage with a kick of spice. There's also a bit of a tannic finish, like a mild orange pekoe tea, that hits the roof of my mouth at the back of the throat.

Overall impression: I'm not sure how I feel about this brew. The notes on the nose are pleasant but the sour flavour builds and I am thankful that the can is only 355ml and not a full pint. But I didn't dislike the beer, either. I have a healthy respect for it and welcome it to my repertoire of beer styles.

It's just not going to be a favourite of mine.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺

From the description of Almost Home on Dominion City's Web site, this beer "is inspired by the traditional flavours of Sorrel, a Caribbean drink made with hibiscus and spices." It was brewed in collaboration with Jaku Konbit, an Ottawa-based social organization that is led by our city's black community.

A portion of the proceeds from each can goes toward supporting Jaku Konbit, so I'm glad I picked up a 6-pack.

You can pick up Almost Home directly from Dominion City or by ordering online. A small delivery fee is worthwhile.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Sunsplit DDH

I've been drinking Sunsplit IPA from Dominion City Brewing for a few years now, and it's one of my go-to brews, especially when I'm in a restaurant and pub and find it on the beer menu (mind you, I haven't been to many restaurants and no bars since COVID-19 hit, in March of 2020, but I remember those days with fondness and longing).

So when Dominion City released the next incantation of this hazy, juicy pale ale, I was more than intrigued. And I was also pleased that this east-Ottawa brewery had released a handy phone app from which I could order it.

The app, available for both Android and iOS users, makes it very handy for ordering your favourite brews. And currently, Dominion City is offering a 10-percent discount code for your first order with the app.

I hope more breweries create apps to make ordering beer so convenient—not that ordering from a Web site is complicated, but I've never ordered from my phone before because I find negotiating a Web site on a small screen to be more cumbersome than a laptop.

My first order from this app included a coffee stout and this new iteration of my beloved Sunsplit. It's a hopped-up version that pumps up the bitterness without getting carried away.

Let's look a little closer.

Sunsplit DDH IPA (6% ABV)
Dominion City Brewing Company
Ottawa, ON

Appearance: pours like a cloudy, pale ruby-red grapefruit juice with a creamy white head that settles to a solid cap.

Nose: tropical notes of mango, pineapple, and light citrus. I actually found the aromas to be more closed than the regular Sunsplit.

Palate: tight hops and grapefruit. This double-dry-hopped (DDH) ale doesn't easily give away the tropical fruits on the first sip. Indeed, it takes consequent sips to bring out pineapple and citrus flavours. I found it to not be as juicy as Sunsplit IPA. The hops don't overpower, nor is the six-percent alcohol content in your face.

It's a subtle ale.

Overall impression: this is an easy-drinking DDH ale. I expected it to eclipse the regular Sunsplit IPA but it doesn't. Perhaps the dry hopping tempered the juicy explosion that I associate with Sunsplit. This ale doesn't disappoint but it also doesn't blow me away. It's a decent, easy-to-drink brew.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺

I ordered Sunsplit DDH IPA on the day that I was notified of its release, which coincided with my notification about Dominion City's beer app. My delivery came too late for me to review it, last week, and at the time of writing this review, I now see that it's no longer available for order.

Likely, because this new release sold out right away. We can only hope that the brewers make another batch soon. But in the meantime, the regular Sunsplit is available and you should snatch that up. While I appreciated the DDH version, I'm going to put my money on the original.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Sunsplit IPA

I don't know why I haven't reviewed Dominion City Brewing Company before now.

I visited their brewery, more than years ago, after they first opened their doors. Their shop was much smaller than it is today. I tried several of their first offerings: their Earnscliffe Brown Ale has great malted flavours and is an easy-drinking ale; the Earl Grey Marmalade Saison, uniquely sublime.

It wasn't until I visited the east-end brewery, last month, on a Brew Donkey tour, that it dawned on me that a review was way overdue.

On that tour, I tried four samples: a Winding Down the Bines Wet Hop Ale, a Belgian-style winter ale, Julebryg, and their deliciously decadent stout, Gomatose Ice Cream Stout. They were all very good—in fact, I brought home some of the stout—but one IPA stood head and shoulders above them all.

I haven't yet figured out the difference between West-Coast, East-Coast, or New-England when it comes to a style of IPA that, for me, seems to have the same characteristics: citrus-infused hops, tropical and citrus flavours, and a full-bodied finish. Some day, I'm going to have to sit down with an expert, and one of each style, and go through their distinctive subtleties.

Whatever their characteristics, there is one thing I know: I love this style of IPA.

So how does Dominion City's New England-styled IPA hold up? Let's take a look.

Sunsplit IPA (6.5% ABV)
Dominion City Brewing Company
Ottawa ON

Appearance: an unfiltered, cloudy, pale orange, almost like grapefruit juice but with more saturated colour. The head is a creamy off-white that settles to a firm cap.

Nose: lush, citrussy hops that revealed more grapefruit and tangerine. Hints of pineapple.

Palate: bitter grapefruit rind and peppery flint. There are solid citrus flavours that subdue any tropical notes. The flavours wash solidly over your mouth and bring a long-lasting finish.

Overall impression: as I said before, I don't know the true difference between New England IPA and a West Coast IPA, and this offering from Dominion City doesn't help me clarify those differences. But what this ale does is please my palate, my nose, and warms me on a cold winter's day. This is a flavourful IPA with lots of driving hops and a citrus powerhouse. I could drink this IPA all day long.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺

I wish that this brewery was more centrally located in Ottawa. It's Beacon Hill industrial park remoteness is far of my beaten path, and I can only hope that my local LCBO stores stock this and other Dominion City brews. But when I do find the time to make the easterly trip, I know that it's worth it.

It may have taken me more than three years to review this brewery but it won't be the last time.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Riding on a Brew Donkey

Alcohol and weapons: what could possibly go wrong?

Absolutely nothing. In fact, everything went right, thanks to the friendly folks who organized this beer tour, which included a stop at an axe-throwing venue.

Brew Donkey has been operating for four years to whisk craft-beer-loving and adventure-seeking folks as far away as Whitewater Brewing, up the Ottawa Valley, to Beau's Brewing, in Vankleek Hill, to try new beer or solidify their love of favourites. Recently, this brew-touring company has expanded into the Kitchener-Waterloo area, and offers tours to Guelph, Elora, and other neighbouring towns.

I tagged along, last weekend, to see what many people have enjoyed over the years.

Brew Donkey's Web site is extremely easy to navigate and find the tour that suits your schedule and needs. A typical tour includes two or three breweries, with as many as four, if the breweries are in close proximity. The tour provides lunch, water, and snacks on the bus, and includes beer samples at the breweries. Prices range from about $72 to $98, plus tax, depending on the package.

It is highly recommended that you don't drive to their Wellington Street location: first, there is limited street parking in this Hintonburg neighbourhood, and you risk a ticket and possible tow, when you exceed the two-hour time limit; second, there is potentially a lot of beer samples, plus any pints you purchase, and it would be unwise to try to drive home when you return from the tour.

Get a lift or take public transportation, and enjoy the tour responsibly.

I joined the Sip, Axe & Relax tour, which took us to Dominion City Brewing, in Beacon Hill, to BATL Ottawa, near Walkley Road and the 417, and finally, to Stray Dog Brewing, where we wrapped up.

Our bus left Hintonburg at 12:45 and make a stop along O'Connor and Sparks, to pick up more folks. Our tour guide, John, handed out tasting sheets and explained some simple rules about where we were going and expected conduct. Basically, leave the bus clean and treat each other with respect. We didn't want to be the tour that made future tours at peril.

Our group was far from one of those tours.

John explained to me that many tours included folks who were already craft-beer lovers, but also included companies that were taking employees on team-building excursions, folks from out of town, and even those who would take their fathers on a tour.

Keep that in mind for Fathers Day, folks.

We had 23 people in our group, including myself but not counting John or our driver, Don.

At Dominion City, we sampled four different brews: their wet-hopped ale, a gorgeous IPA (I'll be reviewing it, next week), a Yule ale, and a delicious milkshake stout (again, see my next review). We also were taken on a tour, where we were shown how the brewers crafted their beer.

The next stop was to BATL Ottawa, where we were shown how to throw hatchets at wooden targets, about 12 feet away. There is a definite skill in throwing these axes: you must stand in a particular way and move your whole body as you follow through. the axe is held at the bottom of the handle, and you must bring it right behind you, with your arms fully bent. You must also release the axe when your arms are fully extended.

It's a lot to think about but when everything works out, the axe will find its way to the target.

After we had some practice time, we started a competition. We had three rounds of three attempts, with five throws for each attempt. You would be paired with an opponent, where you would throw your axe five times, adding your points before you moved to your opponents spot, and throw five more times. Finally, you would go back to your original spot and throw your last five axes.

I won my first round, lost the second round, and tied my third. In a tie, things change. You are provided a firefighter-sized axe and must stand further from the target. Half-points are awarded if the axe lands outside the target but sticks anywhere on the board.

On my opponent's first toss, the axe hit the floor, as did my first throw. Again, on the second toss, my opponent failed to get his axe to stick. On my second attempt, the unthinkable happened: my axe found the target and landed in the bullseye circle.

This activity is a lot of fun and I'm determined to take my family for an outing sometime soon.

Lunch was provided, while we threw axes, courtesy of Farm Boy and Suzy Q. Tasty sandwich wraps and decadent donuts kept us energized.

By the time we left the axe-throwing venue, it was dark and bitterly cold outside, but our bus was warm and waiting for us. We climbed aboard and headed for our final venue.

I had visited Stray Dog when they held their grand-opening party, last summer. I was already a big fan of their brews and have kept a supply of Shaggin' Wagon and Jeanne D'Ark in my basement. It was good to chat with brewers Marc Plante and Justin MacNeill, and sip a few more samples.

One of the reasons that I chose this particular tour was because both Dominion City and Stray Dog are outside of my general driving zones. To visit these breweries is a major detour to my work route. It made sense to go where I rarely get to go, especially since I like both of these breweries. Brew Donkey was the best solution to getting out to the east end of the city.

The magic of Brew Donkey is that they offer great tours to all of Ottawa's emerging breweries while keeping you fed, hydrated, active, and—most importantly—safe. And all of this at an extremely reasonable price.

Would I do Brew Donkey again? Absolutely. In fact, as I said earlier, it sounds like a great way to treat my father on Father's Day. But Brew Donkey is something that you should do at any time.

Thanks to Brad Campeau for inviting me to join the tour, to my friendly and knowledgeable guide, John, and to our safe and sober driver, Don.

Alcohol and weapons: a perfect combination when you're with a group that knows what it's doing.

Looking For a Handout? Try Crowdfunding

I believe in working hard for what you want. But sometimes, you need a hand. Whether you get that helping hand or not depends, for me, on whether the cause is worth supporting.

Crowdfunding, the act in which you ask a large group of people to donate a small amount of money, in order to cover the cost of a project, seems to have become popular over the past couple of years. With the economic downturn in the United States, crowdfunding has been a method for keeping some struggling businesses afloat.

If you believe in that company or that project, crowdfunding is a great and inexpensive way to show your support. But should you always support a project or company?

Last year, I participated in a crowdfunding venture to raise funds, in support of PEN Canada, "a nonpartisan organization of writers that works with other to defend freedom of expression as a basic human right." The Bare It For Books project offered a calendar in exchange for your support. It features some of Canada's esteemed authors, such as Farzana Doctor, Terry Fallis, Yann Martel, and Yasuko Thanh, baring flesh in a tasteful and amusing fashion.

I was interested in the project as soon as Angie Abdou, one of my Twitter buddies, said she took it all off for the calendar.

It really is a gorgeous calendar. I feel I got my money's worth and supported a good cause in the bargain. I'm just sad that I can't hang it at work.

I don't think crowdfunding should be a means of acquiring money as a means of personal support. To me, I equate that action with standing on a street corner with a handout. I don't think that's an appropriate use of crowdfunding.

One of my LinkedIn contacts, one with whom I had very little contact but with whom I connected because she was a fellow technical writer, wrote to me and her other connections, and encouraged us to visit her Indiegogo page, and give what we could so that she could continue payments on her car. She was currently between contracts and was having trouble making ends meet.

While I sympathized with her situation, I thought that a lot of people were in a similar situation but were not looking for handouts. They were doing whatever it takes to keep going. I've been in a situation where I've lost my job, and yet I fought on. Though I was a writer, I would have flipped burgers if it meant I could keep my family afloat.

I was uncomfortable with her reason for crowdsourcing, so I declined the invitation. I also severed my LinkedIn connection with her.

I wish her all the luck in the world.

I've been recently introduced to a new crowdsourcing project, and I have mixed views on it. A new craft brewery, Dominion City Brewing Company, is starting up in the Ottawa area, and they are appealing to beer lovers to help them finish their facility. In exchange for your support, they offer swag, from singing "your name into a pot of boiling wort" to sweaters, toques, and even collaboration on a new beer.

Dominion City's Web site displays their three main beers—an IPA, a blonde, and a saison—and my mouth waters. I can't wait to try these ales and write a review for Beer O'Clock. What I find missing from the site is information about the brewer or brewers. Who makes the beer? How long has he been making it? (I know it's a he because the video on their site shows three buddies.)

Sure, swag is good, but I only want to advertise a brewery after I've tried its beer and decided that I like it. I would also only want to give money to a brewery that I believed in, whose beer I loved.

If Hogsback, Ashton, or Beyond The Pale started a crowdfunding program to expand their production, I would support them, but that's because I know their beer and would want to encourage future success. 

I can't get behind a brewery that doesn't yet exist.

I supported PEN because I believed in the cause and was receiving something I needed anyway (who doesn't need a calendar?). I didn't support my LinkedIn connection because I felt uncomfortable with the cause and felt that crowdfunding wasn't an appropriate vehicle for handouts. And I'm conflicted with Dominion City, because I'd love to support a local craft brewer, but I don't yet know if the beer is worth my support.

What are your thoughts on crowdfunding? Do you support projects in this manner? Have you created a crowdfunding project, and for what?