Beer of the Month - January

This month's selection for The Wicked Scoff Beer of the Month is one of my favorite beers from Newfoundland, Quidi Vidi Brewing Company's 1892 Traditional Ale
http://www.quidividibrewery.ca/1892.php). I am fortunate enough to have a few of these babies left from my Newfoundland visit this summer, and there is no better time to enjoy one of these dark flavorful brews than on a cold winter's night after a hard day's work. And that's just what I'm going to do. In fact, since I have two bottles left, I'll have one to drink and I'll cook with the other one. I've been itching to make (and eat) a beef and barley soup or stew and this 1892 Traditional Ale will be the perfect additive to a rich and heart stew such as that.

While I do enjoy this beer quite a bit, and often ordered it on tap in the pubs back in St. John's, it was not always one I enjoyed. The very first time I had one was on a softball tournament. It was a hot, sunny Saturday afternoon and we had a break between games. We were playing in Argentia and there was not a beer store close to the ballfield. My buddy had a summer job working at Quidi Vidi Brewery (they were just up and running I believe) as his uncle is one of the co-founders. He had a case of 1892 sitting in his truck since the day before, and it was warm! Up until then I had little experience with dark European style beers, I was used to domestics like Labatts Blue and Molson Canadian (I know...shame on me). Anyways, lets just say that the 1892 was not a big hit amongst the crowd. They were piss warm and strongly flavoured. The only reason we drank them was because they were free, but it wasn't easy.

My palate for beers from around the world has matured somewhat since then, and really appreciate the bold flavor of 1892 Traditional Ale. The beer is brewed with two-row malt and a very generous amount of hops, giving it an amber colour and smooth finish. It is a very distinct beer for Newfoundland, and I am lucky enough to have found very similar tasting beers on tap around here. One of them is the Berkshire Brewing Company's "Steel Rail Ale". I will post my recipe for Beef and Barley Stew with Dark Ale in the coming days.



Cheers!