Beer soup, beer dough, BBQ…and beer

So, we’re hanging out at Liberty Commons, this funky, modern, Big Rock brewpub in Liberty Village. Now for me, Big Rock is the official Battle of Alberta beer, so when I heard they were bringing a brewpub out east, I knew I had to come check it out! And since it’s Summerlicious, right now they’re serving up a three-course prix fixe menu for 28 bucks–and you can bet yer bottom dollar every dish has beer in it, bro!!!

We’re starting off with this funky take on a comfort-food classic, beer can chicken noodle soup. This dish actually comes inside a topless can of Citradelic IPA, and they pour it into the bowl right in front of you. The massive, meaty chunks of chicken had some great flavours going on, but what really makes it is the beer broth–which, if you asks me, kinda tastes like Big Rock Traditional, albeit in soup form. You know I lapped up every last drop, dude!!!

But of course, our main course was The Commoner’s Smoke Plate–beef brisket, ribs, coleslaw, tater salad and cornbread, with a side of Big Rock BBQ sauce. Now, this wasn’t the best BBQ I’ve had in Toronto–there can be only one Adamson’s, son! The brisket had a nice flavour and texture, but it was cold as Vanilla Ice and had some yuuuge chunks of fat in there. The ribs were really dry and tough, like someone left ’em in the smoker too long. You definitely needed to add some sauce. But still, even bad BBQ is better than a meatless meat sandwich, right bro?

Now for dessert, they’re serving up these funky little beer balls called Beer-ver-tails. They deep-fry beer dough and top it with cinnamon sugar, served with a side of maple cream. The only way it could get any more Canadian was if they had Burton Cummings sing the national anthem before it hits your plate!!!!