Night 4. The pants are getting a wee bit tighter thanks to all the latkes. I’ve almost burned the house down a few times lighting the Menorah – I never think to clean out the years of wax buildup, and those first few nights are rough on the old bugger. Kole was actually around for this beer, so I shared a bottle of Osmium Wee Heavy from Beau’s.
Osmium Wee Heavy is part of the Wild Oats Series from Beau’s, and the 7% ABV brew can only be found in the Beau’s Winter Mix 2018 4-pack of 600 ml bottles, retailing at $21.95 at the LCBO. The 4-pack includes a bottle of Double Identity IPA, one of E.S.B. Farm Table Series, and of course the staple Lug-Tread. A bottle of Osmium Wee Heavy recently showed up at our door as a gift from the beer fairy.
We shared it this week, after a very confused Kole came home from work clutching 2 sufganiyot (Chanukah jelly donuts) in his bare hands. I finally coaxed out of him that they were from the local Chabad, and they were being handed out on the street in our neighbourhood. It took me a good half hour to stop laughing. L’Chaim. Beau’s is family run and employee owned, which isn’t a far cry from the kibbutz movement in Israel. It felt like a fitting choice for the middle of Chanukah.
Appearance: Filtered, dark brown, highly carbonated. Quickly fading off-white head.
Aroma: Toasted nuts, almonds, fresh dates, fresh figs. Kole said it smelled like Irish stew. I thought it smelled more like raisins.
Taste: Sweet on the palate, pipe tobacco, almond skin, dry figs. Kole claims it tasted like slate. I don’t agree. Warming alcohol feeling – there is no hiding the 7% ABV on this one.
Aftertaste: Clean finish, does not linger.
Food pairing: You could go savoury or sweet with this flavour profile. For savoury, indulge in a baked brie with caramelized onions. For a sweet selection, why not enjoy it with a sufganiyot – preferably not one your husband has brought home mysteriously in his bare hands.
Overall: A nice treat for your Chanukah parties this year. Leave the Lug-Tread for your accountant cousin, and sip one of these while you answer questions about why there are no grandchildren yet.
Shawna has visited vineyards in 8 countries on 3 continents, and has a knack for finding the hoppiest beers around. A dedicated Booze Hound, Shawna completed the Wine Specialist Certificate at George Brown College in 2018.
She can be found drinking alka-seltzer and coconut water in the morning.
Email: [email protected]
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