Cranky Review

1690 Reviews

You Don’t Have to Be Daft to Read Golden Words*

You Don’t Have to Be Daft to Read Golden Words*

Kingston, Canada. The home of incarceration and education.** Some students may think the two are one in the same. However when claustrophobic classrooms, pedantic professors and repellant roommates start to become too much, Queen’s students have a welcome respite in...

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Riding the Night Train

Riding the Night Train

Seger was making some night moves on the Silver Bullet Express, while Johnny wanted to move that train a little further down the line.*  But when it comes to the night train, Guns N’ Roses rode it so hard their Axl got busted. “I'll be loaded like a freight train,...

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Cranky Old Hen Drinking Beer

Cranky Old Hen Drinking Beer

I'd seen Old Speckled Hen on the shelves and decided to finally breakdown and drink one. I figured it was one of those 200 year old UK traditions from the sound of the name. I mean “Speckled Old Hen” sounds like one of those English pubs where everyone is drunk and...

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Crunch for Lunch

Crunch for Lunch

I was missing the snow so I thought a visit to the Muskokas would be in order. Out of the big city, up here where the snow drifts are bigger than the egos. Be careful what you wish for they say. After a morning of digging in just to get to the cottage door it was time...

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A Bittersweet Encounter with an Old Flame

A Bittersweet Encounter with an Old Flame

It had been a while since my Old Flame and I had last got together. In Port Perry it all went well, quite well actually, we agreed there were no regrets.  I still recall our chance encounter at Madrocks,  in Oshawa of all places, with fond memories. Some may think I...

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Cold Gold

Cold Gold

“It’s so cold I had to jump start the toaster” one old timer told me the other day. Now that’s cold. Been going through a cold spell recently so it’s hard to picture any new growth but we know it’s coming, just as sure as spring follows winter. As far as the art on...

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A Grand Porter and an Updated Keg List

A Grand Porter and an Updated Keg List

Holy mackinaw, a porter from Founders in Grand Rapids, Michigan! Speaking of Mackinac, Michigan, Grand and porters, I remember the porter at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan somewhere in time told me that Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour made a movie...

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Rose City & Rocky Horror

Rose City & Rocky Horror

Way back in the day, as in school daze, the future Dr. B says “Wanta to go to Suds & Cinema? Rocky Horror is playing” to which I responded, “You had me at suds”. Please note this was long before Renée Zellweger turned “You had me at….” into a meme.* As far as The...

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Top Hat is Tops

Top Hat is Tops

We’re puttin’ on the Ritz tonight, tux, tie, tails, and a top hat too! Singing along with good ol’ toe tappin’ Fred Astaire “I'm puttin' on my top hat, Tyin' up my white tie, Brushin' off my tails, Pourin’ myself a glass, of class, one of Gateway’s great ales.”*...

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Dialed in Mild is Tame but not Lame

Dialed in Mild is Tame but not Lame

English mild, sounds like an Ed Sheeran concert. Mild not wild, lets hope tame is not lame. English milds, or English browns, are typically low on ABV and malty, but apart from that they exhibit a wide range of characteristics. According to my beer bible (Mirella...

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