In this week's excursion to Poor Phil's, I am sampling their newest cask-conditioned ale. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I started with the traditional Trois Pistoles which is, IMHO, the finest brew out of Chambly, Quebec's Unibroue. It's a strong but fantastic beer. I start heavy and work towards the lighter beers when I come here, since I need to be able to legally get myself home. After the Trois Pistoles, I want to try something different. In past excursions it has been Smithwick's (which I've had many times in Canada, but I like to encourage US beer sellers to keep it on tap), Rogue Hazelnut Brown (it rocks), and tonight I tried Samuel Adams Winter Lager. I'd tried this previously this past weekend at Zanies in Vernon Hills at a Jake Johannsen show. I liked it then, and I like it now -- it's got a particularly nice flavor that's complex but not in the least offensive. If you're willing to try a good beer, I do recommend it. I'll say this as one who's not particularly into Samuel Adam Boston Lager, because I'm by no means a hop-head. Now, that being said, I was converted to a solid fan of cask-conditioned ales when I was in Britain this past Thanksgiving. So when I discovered that Poor Phil's had cask ales, I was hooked. For the past few visits, the cask-conditioned ale was a Bell's brew. Good, but as I noted on my first Poor Phil's entry, a bit hoppy for my tastes... initially. I still took it upon myself to keep trying this beer, and I'll be damned if it didn't grow on me. In fact, by the end, I was quite enamoured with it. So tonight, when I learned the new cask ale was the much-awaited (to me) Two Brothers Cane and Ebel, I was both excited and saddened. While I'd grown quite fond of the Bell's, and was in fact sad to see it go (never to return), I was elated to be trying a new domestic cask-conditioned ale. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to Night of the Living Ales. So here we are, with a Two Brothers Cane and Ebel in hand. It, too, is hoppy -- I think I'm going to become a hop head. I quite like it, and will certainly be getting a glass every week until we get to try the next selection. I love this place.