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New beer arrivals Friday August 7, 2015

Posted on August 7, 2015

Shawn Young
Friday August 7, 2015


So, in case you all didn't notice, I took another week off from the blog. I was out of town for a wedding, and to serve as mosquito food. I'll fill you in on the stuff that came in last week along with what has just arrived! There’s a decent amount of beer here, so I hope you're thirsty! Don't forget to see our returning favorites for some treats as well!



And away we go!

Shawi Beach by Trou du Diable
A brilliant modern style from one of Canada's most talented brewers. It's an IPA with huge tropical aromas and flavors, mildly earthy with good yeasty characteristics, and wonderfully refreshing bitterness to tidy it all up. Definitely one to take to the beach! $8.09 for a 600mL bottle



Citra Sunshine Slacker by Evil Twin Brewing
Yet another in a long list of sessional ales! This one is hopped with -you guessed it- Citra! Raw orange essence is held up by a light malty base, and accompanied by a mild bitterness that rounds it all out but keeps it refreshing! $4.89 for a 500mL can

Barn Stormer by Phillips Brewing
Saison meets IPA in the latest offering from Philips. Grassy, doughy and just full of esters, generously hopped but only balanced bitterness. $7.19 for a 650mL bottle

Saison Houblon by Pike Brewing
Saison yeast seems to play so well North American hops don't you think? It's really shown off in this particular beer as well. Yeasty, fruity, spicy and estery saison yeast brings all the usual players to the field, and the hops load it up with more fruit, a hefty but balancing bitterness. A really fantastic beer! $6.99 for a 650mL bottle

Fundur Session IPA from Spider Bite Brewing
A light, tropical and refreshing beer (deja vu?). Seems like I've said that before. Although this is a trending style, and more tropical forward beers seem to be coming out, I have to tell you... I still need to have every single one of them. Super tasty beer this one. $10.79 for a 650mL bottle



First Bite Pale by Spider Bite Brewing
A light bodied American pale ale with loads of grapefruit and a little pine resin, along with mild tropical notes and bready malt. Lovely balance and really quite drinkable! $4.49 for a 330mL bottle

Aside from all the new stuff, I'm particularly excited about some of our returning favorites! Such as La Divine Comedie (both the Dieu du Ciel and the Trou du Diable versions!), Hoopers cloudy lemonade, and Dulcis Succubus from Trou du Diable to name a few.

Along with these 3 lambics that are -of course- close to my heart. This year's edition of Quetsche Tilquin, this time with 2 different versions and made with 2 different types of plums! And finally 3 Fonteinen's Oude Geuze in 750mL bottles! My mouth is watering; please excuse me for a moment.

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New August Tastings at Kensington Wine Market

Posted on August 5, 2015

Here are five new tastings to quench your thirst and keep you entertained this summer. All three start at 6PM! Registrations are in store, by phone 403-283-8000 and online!

Lost in Translation Summer Edition - Japanese Whisky including Taketsuru 25 Year!  - 6PM Thursday August 13 - $50
Sour in the Summer - Lambic & Other Sour Beers - 6PM Tuesday August 18 - $35
Very Rare Malts in the Summer - Exceptionally rare Scotch whisky! - 6PM Thursday August 20 - $125
BBQ Wines - BBQ friendly whiskies and Holy Smokes BBQ - 6PM Friday August 21 - $40
Best of Bourbon - Hunter & Bourbon, need we say more! - 6PM Thursday August 27 - $30



www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/tasting-schedule/...

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Whiskies of Summer Festival - Thursday July 30th, 2015

Posted on August 4, 2015

Our first Whiskies of Summer Festival turned out to be a great success with a great selection of whiskies and a few cocktails too! We had over 100 whiskies on offer as well as a few gins. The event was slower to fill that our Spring and Fall events, which is not surprising on a Thursday night before the long weekend, but in the end we had a full house!

Highlights of the evening included the Highland Park 25 Year, Adelphi Glen Garioch 1993 (sold out), Glencadam 21 Year, Hedonism Quindecimus, Taketsuru Pure Malt, KWM Kilchoman Cask (coming soon), Arran 18 Year, Glenmorangie Quarter Century, G&M Linkwood 25 Year, Octomore 6.3 and a 4 year old Japanese grain whisky from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, G13.1 (coming soon). Speaking of the Society we had Pheobe Brookes, the Society's new global brand ambassador in the house. She and the carpenters had a range of 14 whiskies, 7 of them SMWS Single Grain Whiskies. Best we can tell the largest ever tasting of Society grain whiskies!

If you're curious you can download the program. We have a list of the whiskies poured below, and a gallery of photos. Enjoy!

Download a PDF version of the tasting booklet.

KWM Tables – Hunter/Jane/Shawn/Eric

Blanton's Gold Label Bourbon
Blanton's Green Label Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Eagle Rare Bourbon
Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4                                
Glendronach 2003 KWM Cask
Glendronahc 1993 KWM Cask
Kilchoman 2008 KWM Cask #44
G&M Glentauchers 1994
Nikka Coffey Grain
Nikka Coffey Malt
Nikka Pure Malt Black
Nikka Pure Malt Red
Nikka Pure Malt White
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt   
Sovereign Invergordon 50 Year
anCnoc Peter Arkle 4
Arran 18 Year
BenRiach 18 Year Albariza
BenRiach 18 Year Dunder
Benromach Chateau Cissac
Cooper's Choice Ben Nevis 1996
Cooper's Choice Royal Brackla 1997
Springbank Society 15 Year Madeira Finish
Springbank Society Longrow 10 Year Sherry
Ardbeg Perpetuum 
Armorik Breton Single Malt
Blackadder Black Snake First Venom
Glenmorangie 18 Year
Glenmorangie 25 Year
Glenrothes Sherry Reserve
Hammer Head 1989 Czech Whisky


Gold Medal Marketing Table – Andy Dunn

Hazelburn 10 Year
Hazelburn Rundlet & Kilderkins
Springbank 12 Year Green Wood
Tullibardine Sovereign
Tullibardine Sauternes
Teeling Single Malt
G&M Linkwood 15 Year
G&M Linkwood 25 Year

PMA Canada – George McFarlane

Balvenie 12 Year Single Barrel
Black Bottl
Glenfiddich Rich Oak 14 Year
Ledaig 10 Year
S...

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New beer arrivals Saturday July 25, 2015

Posted on July 26, 2015

Shawn Young
Saturday July 25, 2015
New Beers!

Another great haul of amazing beer hits the shelf this week! Beers of all persuasions, each and everyone I consider exceptional. It seems that Stone Brewing has so many special releases that I can barely keep track of them! Yet a couple more of these have arrived, and they are some of the most exciting I've had! Not only that, I made sure to bring in some very summer appropriate offerings as the coming hot weather will demand it!

One thing I've been noticing is the focus on Kolsch style beers from a lot of different brewers. Being one of my favorite styles, this elates me, and I will make sure I bring enough to satisfy both me AND you! In the meantime, enjoy these amazing new arrivals!



Maiden in the Shade IPA by Ninkasi Brewing
Ninkasi has made a summer oriented IPA for this special release. A light, light/medium bodied west coast style IPA with plenty of citrus and pine, along with mild grassy notes and caramel malitness. Definitely appropriate for the latter half of summer! ($9.59 for a 650mL bottle).

Wunderbier Kolsch by Ninkasi Brewing
Just as the Maiden the Shade, this is one summery brew, though this time of the crisp Kolsch style. Lightly citrusy and floral notes that float across a light and refreshing malt base. Light bready flavors backed up by a mild bitterness that just beg to be consumed on a patio! ($8.49 650mL bottle).

1945 Berliner Weisse by Black Market Brewing
A wonderfully wheaty, mildly tart sour wheat ale that fills that summer sour beer prescription just perfectly. Mildly funky with flavors of sour fruits and wheat. ($8.59 650mL bottle).



W00tstout by Stone Brewing
This is the third release of this (soon to be your) favorite. A big bad imperial stout made in collaboration with former Enterprise ensign Wesley Crusher (Will Wheaton) and Fark.com founder Drew Curtis. This year's release has a generous portion of last year's release that has been aged in Bourbon wood for a year. It was also brewed using rye and pecans, all together making this one age worthy, but unrelenting powerhouse of flavor and complexity. You can drink it fresh, or lay it down, your choice! ($22.39  650mL bottle).

Ruinten by Stone Brewing
This is a rerelease of their anniversary of the same name. Stone took their famous (but now discontinued) Ruination IPA, and intensified it three fold! This is more like an India pale barley wine, but they call it a triple IPA. Heavy, full flavored malt both biscuity and caramelly hold up an absolute onslaught of hoppy aromas, bitterness, and tropical fruit and resiny goodness. Yet another of their famous releases that simply won't last long! ($13.79 650mL bottle).

170th Anniversary Ale by Fuller's Brewing
170 years is indeed cause for a great celebration! Fuller's comm...

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Summer Wine Festival - Thursday July 23, 2015

Posted on July 30, 2015

Riley Fisher
Thursday July 23, 2015
“Summer time and the living is easy!” It’s official, patio season has arrived and everyone is spending every night outside! A beautiful evening isn’t complete without raising your glass filled with lighter, whiter and brighter wines for summer. Here’s how we made summer sipping easy at our recent summer wine festival held  Thursday July 23.  We left the gigantic, tannic reds on the shelf and poured guests an array of whites, roses and sparklers, all perfect for the dog days of summer. Okay, okay, we snuck in a few lighter reds too!

Although our famous wine festivals typically run at 80 people in a storewide event, we were only able to catch about 20 people home from their holidays. Rather than cancel, we created an intimate space for our guests to meander through the wines and snack on the lovely cheese and charcuterie spread provided by our favourite neighbor, Peasant Cheese Shop. It was a lovely evening and many were sad when it came to a close.



A huge thank-you to everyone who came out!

Here are the wines we tasted and ones you don’t want to miss out on this summer:

Laherte Brut NV – France - Champagne
The Laherte family has been making Champagne for five generations! This Champagne comes from the Coteaux Sud d'Epernay, Vallee de la Marne and Cote des Blancs. $51.99

Casa De Oleiros Vinho Verde NV – Portugal
A fresh, pretty white wine from Portugal! This example of Portugal's famous Vinho Verde comes from a fifth-generation winery dedicated to preserving ancient traditions. According to the winery team, the label is inspired by Valentine handkerchiefs, embroidered by the region's young women. "These embroidered handkerchiefs depicted verse, drawings and some patterns symbolizing longing, absence and memory." A lovely story, and a lovely white wine to share with someone special! $20.99

Lamadrid Torrontes 2011 – Argentina
A Kensington Wine Market exclusive! In each bottle of Lamadrid we open a door and discover a world of unique experiences and sensations," says winery owner Guillermo Garcia Lamadrid. This bottle is filled with sensational notes of citrus, stone fruit and a hint of flowers. If you're a fan of Chard and Viognier, you'll want to check out this classic, classy Torrontes. Suitable for vegan diets, too, according to Barnivore. $18.99



Angel Rodriguez Verdejo Martinsancho 2013 - Spain
A great price and a very cool producer! The 2013 Martinsancho is a classical wine within the inox-fermented Verdejos from Rueda, produced from an old vineyard that was used to propagate many of the Verdejo vineyards in existence today. It has the telltale aromas of fennel and apple, quite typical, without any interference, as it was fermented with the indigenous yeasts. It shows...

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