Best wife ever? Nah ...

Despite all odds, I was able to score my husband a brick of Westvleteren 12 for Christmas (I did not get it from waiting in line at the LCBO, but I cannot reveal my sources).

Watching him open his gift is exactly how I imagine it will be in a few years when our newborn daughter starts understanding what Christmas is - he was pretty darn excited.

The only sad part was that on its way to our house, one of the glasses smashed. But he still has one and let's face it - it's the beer that's important.

Now, to save it! Jeff plans to age it, but he did promise that the person who was able to secure this beer for him will get a chance to share the first bottle he opens.

Beau's Screaming Beaver

Jeff picked up a holiday four-pack from Beau's and one of the brews is the Screaming Beaver Double IPA.

Even before he opened it, Jeff was excited, saying, "This is gonna be good."

The beer had a good head on it and poured a nice copper red.

Knowing I'm not an IPA fan, he had me try it anyway.

I shouldn't like it. But I didn't hate it. I didn't find it insanely bitter. In fact ... it was good. I might not order it in the bar, but if Jeff had it, I'd have more than a sip.

Jeff's first impression upon tasting the beer wasn't completely glowing.

"The barrel is the dominate flavour," he said.

"I'm not really getting any of the hops," instead tasting oak, bourbon and vanilla.

"Part of the problem is that is says double IPA, but it doesn't drink like a double IPA," he said. "A label can set you up for expectations."

But as he drank, it grew on him.

"I'm liking it more now that it's warming up a bit," he said. "It's delicious."

Beau's says this beer is an "amped up version" of their Beaver River. From the website:

This monster weighs in at 9.9% alc./vol. and 99 IBUs. Screamin’ Beaver has been dry hopped and aged on oak staves. Even scarier than the stats, this beer is incredibly drinkable and nicely balanced. Be very afraid.

Les Trois Mousquetaires Oktoberfest

We went to the LCBO on the Queens Quay in Toronto, which always has beers we can't seem to find locally.

Among the several beers he picked up (including the BNL brew with Flying Monkeys, which will be a future post) he got the Oktoberfest beer from the Quebec brewery, Les Trois Mousquetaires.

"I liked it a lot, it was good," Jeff said, calling it "round and smooth."

He said there was no real hops, but it had a nice caramel taste.

"It reminded me of beers I had in Nuremburg," he added.

The beer has an overall score of 88 on Rate Beer.

Mill Street Mulled Wit

Mulled Wit from Mill St.

We went to the Christmas Market at the Distillery District in Toronto and Mill St. had Mulled Wit.

It was a nice alternative to warm cider or hot chocolate on what was a damp day.

Jeff also had an ice cream sandwich - the ice cream part was made using vanilla porter (a beer I love).

(I had a smoked turkey drumstick.)

The market itself was a tad disappointing - I was hoping to find more artisans in the booths, but it was mostly food and a few retail-type shops. Still, it was worth the drive for SOMA chocolates and some Ontario-made sake.

Augusta's Winking Judge

Just some of the taps and David, a very knowledgeable bartender.

Jeff spent a good part of his afternoon at the Hamilton, Ont., bar, Augusta's Winking Judge and all the way home he couldn't stop raving about it.

While I was doing some holiday shopping with a friend, Jeff and a friend were at this pub. They had several beers, all of which Jeff was impressed with.

He started off with Church-Key's West Coast Pale Ale. "It tasted like it was using citra hops," Jeff said.

Then he had Grand River's Judge's Darkside - a mix of the Mill Race Mild and the Galt Knife lager. "I found it had a little bit of a sour taste to it, but it was good. Like, sour in a good way," he said. This bar is the only place you can get this beer.

Sawdust City's Lonepine IPA was next. This is a new brewery in Gravenhurst, Ont. - so new, their website is still a work in progress, so you'll want to check out their blog.

"It was piney, but I really liked it," he said.

He had Niagara College's Russian Imperial stout and said it was delicious.

He finished off with Amsterdam's Boneshaker. This was his summer go-to beer (when he could get it) but had never had it on tap. He only had half a pint because we had to get going, but it was worth it. He did say it tasted almost exactly like it does in the bottle.

His friend got the Rogue Dead Guy Ale and Jeff tried some, saying it was much better than he remembered. Our friend went out to buy some at the LCBO after trying it at the bar.

"It was awesome," Kevin said of the beer on tap. "Top five."

Jeff could not stop talking about the beers and the bar on the way home and is already planning his next trip down to the Hammer.