Monday, December 10, 2018

Beer on a Monday Afternoon. McAusian Brewing, St-Ambroise Érable


After a shitty few days of lack of riding it looked like today was going to be my redemption. It all started when a ride on Saturday came to a screeching halt after my derailleur cable had finally taken itself up upon the sweet path of death. What was shaping up to be a great ride and subsequently a ride on Sunday with a long lost brethren member turned into nothing. An attempt by myself to change the cable proved to be the disaster I had expected.

I suck at fixing bikes.. Been 20 something years and many attempts in vain.

The failed brake bleeds.

The failed derailleur adjustments.

The half ass "big bike cleans" that always warranted some sort of mechanical issue in where a wheel will go flying across my basement and crashing into a wall followed by some enraged yelling.

So with Kent throwing his cape on I had the bike over at his place and I watched in Gobsmacked fashion as he fixed the problems I made and had the bike running properly within an hour.

Today was designated ride day. All was great until I went outside after not believing the weather network phone app calling for freezing rain and finding it raining cats and dogs (I'm so sorry p.e.t.a) so I sat threw the idea of riding out.

So I stayed home safe and sound and started cleaning up to impress the chick I live with. (typed with Rayban sunglasses on.) The cleanup ended once I saw the St-Ambroise Érable peering out from the back of the fridge I knew what was happening. The clean up was suddenly replaced by some good old classic Monday afternoon boozing brought you you by freezing rain!

I poured (cause I was all by myself) and it gave me (the photographer, again cause I was all by myself) a beautiful image of a darkened festive beer that will pick up my biking blue ball spirits. A two fingered head cause of the perfect pour (it was all me baby) pandemonium from the small crowd of people that had formed in my room once they heard a beer review was going down.

The first sip was met with a hard motherfucker of a bitch slap across the face full of Canadiana. Hell ya Quebec! You know how to brew a good Canadian craft beer. A strong but tolerable showing of maple with the usual suspects in a good craft beer, Caramel, toffee, brown sugar and some delectable earthy hops. I can call this a Christmas beer as it seems to have everything when you shut your eyes, sip and fantasize. Yep, that red suited fat bastard is right beside me doing jello shots.

This beer gets 4 suds out of 5.


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