So upon my return to the specialty liquor store to pick up the bottle of Ghost Town stout which I had so callously rejected on my previous trip, I discovered that I was incorrect about its origin. It is not produced by the same New Brunswick brewery responsible for the mediocre Dark and Stormy Night, but by a Quebec brewery called Brasseurs de Montreal.
My dreams have come true.
Furthermore, it appears that my local liquor store has entered into some sort of seasonal beer pact with Quebec breweries. Because suddenly, there were several Halloween themed bottles from which to choose. Many with names that required all my powers of high school French to translate. So nice to see my favourite liquor store branching out.
I walked out of the store with Ghost Town. And Corne du diable. And St. Ambroise Pumpkin Ale, which had been recommended to me by a fellow blogger, but which until this year, I had never seen on the shelves.
Yes, it was quite a day.
As expected the Ghost Town was very . . . stout. But pleasant. And filling. In fact, it would make a nice autumn meal all on its own. I may need to revise my previous opinions of stout. The Corne de Diable was bitter and almost undrinkable. But the St. Ambroise Pumpkin Ale . . . The St. Ambroise Pumpkin Ale was fabulous. Finally! After years of fruitless searching. Years of dashed hopes. Years of crushing disappointment. Finally, a pumpkin beer that tastes as a pumpkin beer should. With autumnal flavours of pumpkin and nutmeg and allspice and a wonderful cinnamon aftertaste.
My dreams have come true.