Elephant in the Room

The only thing better than finding an epic beer menu in a bar is finding out that the list is inexpensive. This leads us to Sin & Redemption: a classy, inexpensive bar in downtown Toronto with knowledgeable and thankfully unpretentious staff. It's right by the Art Gallery of Ontario, so you can have a whole day of high culture. Heck, the front door to S&R is done to look like an olde monastery door, and according to one member of my group usually has a line around the corner.

So go on Sundays.

This week's beer: Delirium Tremens 


Delirium Tremens is a strong golden Belgian ale that gets its name from the latin for "trembling madness," a disease that comes from withdrawal from alcohol abuse. Apparently, symptoms of the shakes include hallucination of pink elephants.

Delirium Tremens came out just after Christmas '89, and was named the best beer in the world within a decade by professionals as well as delirium-sufferers. It's made by Huyghe Brewery (est. 1906, pronunciation still disputed) whose dozens of other beers include La Minty (3 guesses to how that one's flavoured), La Guillotine (you can taste the decapitated monarch!), and Sexy Lager (which is only drunk by society's best).

The beer was topped by a big-but-not-too-big collar and had a sweet fruity aroma. Drinking I was surprised: never having had a beer before with a noticeably soft foam head. The texture was similar to whipped cream: thick, airy, and sweet. The taste was lightly hoppy with a touch of clove for spice. Extremely pleasant and drinkable, but be careful as the beer stops being light when you read the 8.5% ABV. A mellow finish that disappears a little quickly, leaving you trumpeting for the next glass to be poured.