Jay recently suggested that I avoid reviewing any beers produced by this week's brewery- due to reports of a toxic work environment within the company.  I asked myself if it was possible for a company that produced toxic feelings within it's staff to produce a non-toxic beverage... I must confess that I found the label to be kinda lackluster.  I do like the font used- as it hints a the Germanic origins of the brew's name... but was left wondering WHY they went with that particular name... and what did a pumpkin headed scarecrow have to do with it? Maybe it was because the company execs took pleasure in the toxic environment they fostered- revelled in the sexist, racist, and transphobic comments, etc reported to be frequently uttered by managers, supervisors and the like. Or maybe, as the name suggests (taking pleasure in the misfortune of others), they found it amusing and entertaining to contemplate the customer's reaction to tasting this concoction... I liked the co...

As October nears its end, we offer up one more seasonal beer for you to possibly check out:  Red Collar Brewing's Squash Gourdon... To say that the label is shit simple would be an understatement.  It's orange.  With a squash on it, and the name of the brew.  So simple, a squash could figure out what it's all about. Compared to the other two brews I've reviewed this month, I must confess that this label is probably my least favorite.  It's just a little bland for my visual tastes.  The rather rough look of the squash, and the odd nature of the font makes it feel a little amateurish and possibly a little rushed to me. If Red Collar Brewing had been located in Kamloops, I'm afraid this label would've made me pass it by. However, I am glad I didn't just move by it while perusing the liquor store. It's got a nice deep amber colour, and holds a decent head of foam as well.  The first sip certainly lets you know that ...

It's another October weekend... which means it's another October themed beer.  This week, I'll be sipping Fernie Brewing Co's Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale... This is a very sleek, and cleanly done label.  The colours are layered artistically, and very professionally.  I love the font used- and the dark colour used for it.  It contrasts nicely with the lighter orange colours, without being too blatant. It really appeals to the minimalist in me in terms of art styles.  It's smooth, and crisp, while still giving a sense of autumn and the pumpkin flavor involved. I would have to say that this is probably one of my favorite beer labels I've come across in my years of enjoying craft beers. Fernie Brewing Co's Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale has a nice rich, dark colour that echos the shadows that a real ghost rider would emerge from.  The head of foam is pretty decent as well- not too thick, and not too thin.  I'm partial to darker beers...

Every year at this time, people start going crazy for pumpkin spice lattes.  Me?  I get the urge to investigate the idea of what it would be like to combine the autumn flavor of pumpkins with the boozy goodness of beer. And thus, I found " Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale " by Howe Sound Brewing. I enjoy seeing the various labels that craft beers have on them.  Some of them are really creative and artistic, while others are really polished and profession, while other still are just messy and idiotic. The label for   Pumpkineater   is a nice, simple label that is quite appealing to me.  I like the use of the overlapping trees in the background creating a nice texture for the focus of the label- the pumpkin.  Presumably the pumpkin you're "eating" in this ale.  I love how the pumpkin is done in a woodcut style: raw and imperfect, while still  having a great atmospheric feel to it.  A great label. The bottle is pre...