Night 5 already. I’ve put on a pound or two from the latkes, and lets face it, from this marathon of beer. I’m quiet for months at a time, and now I’m in the middle of my annual #8BeersOfChanukah craziness.
Normally we write about Ontario produced beer. But this is Chanukah so I break the rules and go a little rogue, and tackle all the fun things in my fridge. Most years I make a spectacle of going to the Summerhill LCBO and spending an afternoon curating the list. This year, you get a hodgepodge of whatever I feel like drinking cause that’s how I roll.
Enter a Scottish brew in honour of Kole’s Scottish heritage, Frank & Sense by Innis & Gunn. They send us beer every now and then, and I never honestly figured out why since we don’t really cover imports. But thanks for the delivery, beer fairy! This one came from their rep, and a 500 ml bottle retails for $7.95 at the LCBO. Why? Cause it’s matured over gold, dammit. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. I really hope 3 very wise men delivered this to my home, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh cause that would really add to it.
This is a limited edition release. I thought it was fitting to enjoy it in Kole’s Innis & Gunn glass, a relic from our first Christmas together when I was busy trying to teach him about beer. I got him one of those gift packs with 3 assorted Innis & Gunn bottles and a glass. What do you get a guy that you’ve only been dating a few months, anyhow?
Appearance: Golden colour, filtered, highly carbonated, with a lasting frothy white head.
Aroma: Pizza crust, bruised apples.
Taste: Palate is much stronger than the aroma. Metallic taste dominates – reminded me of a copper penny? Lingering baking spices.
Tipsy Shawna note: “Boy, you can really taste the myrrh!”
Tipsy Kole: “I’m not sure what myrrh tastes like.”
Tipsy Shawna: “A bit like frankincense with a lot of myrrh.”
Tipsy Kole: “Maybe you should step away from the candles before we burn the house down?”
So my notes just have the word myrrh underlined a bunch of times.
Aftertaste: Fairly grassy from the hops. Really balances the myrrh.
Suggested food pairing: Tabouleh salad, Moroccan tagine or scotch eggs. You know, traditional Chanukah foods here. Obviously.
Overall: Drink this with 3 wise men as you flee persecution in the desert. Wait. Wrong biblical storyline for Chanukah. Split it with your 3 wisest uncles.
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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