Beer Review: Mad & Noisy "Hops & Bolts"

Beer review by Bernie the Beer Baron !




Best of both worlds.
A little bitter like an ale
Smooooth like a lager!
A caramel cloudy colour.

The beer made Karen prettier & made Johnny funnier, or visa versa. ( I'd recommend buying a pitcher )

This is a beer worthy of "Big Mark's " approval .

I give it a 4 out of 5

Wednesday Night Ride

Hi All,

There will be a Wednesday Night Ride (January 23rd)... yes yes, I know it seems like summer out there and we should be sitting on a patio enjoying the warm weather, but instead we will be riding our bikes yet again to continue the tradition of the Wednesday Night Ride.

Parking off of the 3rd line by the barn..

Typical, but not sure the trail condition, play it by year when we get there...

Dress WARM!!!! Weather looks like -20C with chance of Flurries....

See everyone there.

Fat Tire Trail Report

Sunday Ride
Dufferin Forest
January 20th, 2013

We had an awesome ride and turnout again.  Tyler, Johnny, Jeff, Mike, Chris, Ed, Heather and Max rode, Karen, Jenny and Sadie ran, but we didn't see much of the runners, way to fast for us.

Weather wasn't too bad, windy and a bit chilly, but all in all was definitely tolerable. The temperature did drop off near the end of the ride, but sun stayed out with the odd snow flake here and there to make the ride very picturesque....

Trail conditions could not be better, the thaw freeze that we have been lucky enough to endure through was just what the trails needed. This gave the single track just enough traction for both fat and skinny tires and allowed us to do the whole manculada (less the trail to nowhere), so really an abbreviated version of the manchulada.

The ride started out heading to the North of 20 trail, back onto Johnny's trail, then down Ken's, Steve's trail... At this point everyone was feeling pretty good, a little tired but excited to head to Simcoe.  One thing that everyone neglects to remember is how hilly Simcoe and the Ridge trail are.... Even in the summer this trail takes a lot out of your legs on a good day, so why we thought it would be a great idea in the winter I don't know.... but hey we did it and survived, for the most part.

We did have some injuries on the ride...
Chris stepped on a stick which did the old rake trick and cut his lip, so he was bloddied up a bie....

And poor Max bit his tongue near the beginning of the ride and was bleeding for the most part rest of the ride... which did end up everywhere from boots to tires...

At the end of the day we do not think that we will get another ride as good as it was on Sunday! And if we do, we will have to remember to bring either a lunch or more water....

Comment of the ride: "Lets ride Simcoe!!!"..... 2hrs later....... "I'm Tired"

Fat Tire Rating: 5.0 out of 5 

Skinny Tire Rating: 5.0 out of 5 

Weekend Ride

Sunday January 20th, 2013
Location: Mansfield
Time: 11am ride start

Updated:
Ride will be at Mansfield, 11am ride time. 
Breakfast at the Country Cabin, 9:30am. (Let Johnny know if you are going to breakfast)

Johnny checked out the trails and should be good to go for both fat and skinny tires alike.  The freeze, thaw freeze may have worked in our favour!


Hi All,

Discussions after Wednesday's Mono ride, we have determined that Sunday will work for the majority this weekend.

Johnny is going to check out Mansfield today (Friday) and see whether the singletrack there is rideable.  After the thaw we had, Mono was in great shape, and we figure anything that wasn't packed down by snowshoers would be in great shape.. but i guess we will see today.

An update on the ride location will be given either tonight or tomorrow.


If you want to ride, check the blog Saturday for any updates. 

Also, prior to the ride, there might be a family breakfast, this will be confirmed as well tonight or tomorrow.
If you wish to go to breakfast, please let Johnny know before Saturday as he needs to give them number to reserve tables etc.

Current Weather Forecast for Saturday: -5C and flurries


If you don't respond you are considered not going. 

Fat Tire Trail Report

Wednesday Night Ride

Mono Cliffs

January 16th, 2013

We were able to get out yet again to Mono cliffs for another edition of the Wednesday night rides… Smaller group, but still a group, Tyler, Johnny, Mike, William and Max…

Weather was cool, and some flurries but the weather really didn’t play a factor in the ride at all.

The stair’s climb out of the parking lot was a sign of what was to come in the ride.  The warm weather melted a lot of the snow, but seemed to pool and freeze in different locations. 

The ice sections were few and far between, but when you found one you knew you either needed to bail into the forest, ride it out, or do an impact angel on the ice… 

The night was perfect for skinny tired bikes, and fat tire bikes alike with some sections of snow, which was crusted up to the bikes floated over with ease. 

We managed to ride the majority of the fridge trail, until the section where the logging has started.  The trail was in great shape, lots of traction, no ice and lots of fun.  At that point it was best to turn around and do the nice fast double track downhill section before the upper parking lot.  The only problem with the nice single track before the downhill was that you kinda forgot about the ice.  Near the bottom of the downhill Johnny did a bit of a speed wobble, and Tyler did an impact angel and slid for a bit.

It feels worse than it looks, and this morning it didn't look good at all..... 

Every other aspect of the ride was good, took it a little easy in sections but other sections you could let the bike go with no problems.

Comment of the ride: "That’s going to hurt tomorrow"

Fat Tire Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (2.5 When you were laying on your side on the ice)

Skinny Tire Rating: 4.0 out of 5 

Wednesday Ride

Hi All,

We are still riding Mono Cliffs Provincial Park Tomorrow (Wednesday January 16th), 6pm ride start.

Parking off of the 3rd line by the barn..

Not sure what the trails will be like.  They could be good, they could be bad, only one way to find out.... Fingers crossed they are okay!

Weather looks like -5C with chance of Flurries....

See everyone there.

Beer Review: Amsterdam Big Wheel Amber Ale

Back for another edition of the infamous Beer Review.

Like on every beer review, I’ll give my forewarning that I am bias, and please go out and try this and many other beers as they all are good in their own special way…

This review will be of Amsterdam Breweries Big Wheel Amber Ale.  As in the name of the beer it is an amber ale, so if you go to the beer store to buy a porter and pick a pack of this beer up you’ll be sadly disappointed…… 

First impressions, the beer has a picture of a bike on it!!! How can it go wrong!  If you pour the beer into a glass it has a nice brown/amber appearance, hence the name…. 

The first sip, which usually is more of a large swig, gives the drinker a nice malt taste.  There is a hint of hops not strong by any means, but a nice blend of the two.  There isn’t a strong carbonation so it leaves the beer very smooth.   

The smell, well it smells like beer… people say they can smell a hint of caramelized malts, but I must have a cold or something because I didn’t get that….

I would consider this to be a great post ride beer, for fall and spring rides.  A great beer to toast after a fun ride in the forest.

Below are the ratings that I would give this beer.

Would I buy a case of this beer: For sure, and I have bought many cases of this beer.  

Did it taste good: Yes

What was your initial thought when you drank the beer: The bike on the bottle increases the initial thoughts.  The beer was smooth, not an outstanding beer, but definitely above average.

Was the beer Hoppy: A slight hint of hop, but no overpowering at all.

Score: 3.95 out of 5

Fat Tire Trail Report

Saturday Weekend Ride
Mansfield / Dufferin Forest
January 12th, 2013

We had a great turnout for the ride!!! Johnny, Tyler, Mike, Don, Joe, Bernie, Anthony, Jeff and Max joined us for the snowmobile trail ride.  The weather played a key factor in the ride, ride selection and the wet feet.

Weather was fantastic, warm partially sunny, just an all around great day to be out on the trail.  You can tell by the pictures the snowmobile trail looks to be almost back down to dirt was very deceiving!
Every once and a while the bike would decide it didn't like riding ontop of the snow and the front wheel would sink up to the axle and throw the rider off of the bike.

Most of the front flips were done with ease and grace.

We stuck to the snowmobile trails which were a tough chug for fat and skinny tires alike. 

Can't complain, as it is Mid January and we are still riding, and riding strong....

At the Dufferin/Simcoe forest border, we were able to jump onto some single track that wasn't hiked or snowshoed, which was very ridable...

If the weather drops like the weatherman says it is going to, we should be good to ride, and studded tires may be a better choice if the conditions ice up....

All in all, covered about 15km in 2.5hrs of riding time, so not the fastest of rides, but we would not be able to ride any faster in the conditions that is for sure!

Comment of the ride: "You need to keep the bike on plain!!!!"

Fat Tire Rating: 3.0 out of 5

Skinny Tire Rating: 2.0 out of 5 


It's not the size of the tire, it's the Girth!

Weekend Ride Update

Update....

Ride Location: Mansfield
Time: 11am
Snowmobile trail

Weekend Ride

Saturday January 12th, 2013
Location: TBD (Read Below)
Time: 11am ride start

Hi All,
after last night's mono ride discussion was for a ride on Saturday this weekend.  With the weather going to be approx 10C, I don't see a snowshoe happening, but maybe a hike if people want to do that.

On Friday, Tyler is going to check out Palgrave, Johnny is going to check out Mono.  Whichever looks better to ride will be the ride location.

If you want to ride, please let either Tyler or Johnny know as it will be a Friday decision and I'm not going to promise that it will be published on the Blog.

Also, prior to the ride, there is going to breakfast at the Country Cabin in Primrose, 9:30am.
If you wish to go to breakfast, please let Johnny know before Friday as he needs to give them numbers.

Current Weather Forecast for Saturday: Sunny, Partially Cloudy, 10C!!!!!


If you don't respond you are considered not going.