FRÜLI ~ BROUWERIJ HUYGHE

Früli is a Belgian Wheat beer (70%) with strawberries (30%). It is brewed in a 300-year-old brewery that has been in the De Laet family for 100 years. Barley malt and wheat are first heated in water using the ‘infusion mash method.’ The mixture is then boiled with coriander, hops and dried orange peels. Yeast is then added for a top fermentation. Strawberry juice is added for the second fermentation of ten days. The beer is then matured for another ten days before bottling.
The beer pours a slightly hazy pinkish-red, with a white head. It smells of fresh strawberries and not much else. The strawberry smell is not artificial or chemically, just fresh strawberries. The taste is much the same. Loads of fresh strawberry jam at the front with a little tartness at the end. This really doesn’t taste like beer at all. I’d have this as a dessert beer, but couldn’t commit to pints of it as it is very sweet.
4.1% from Melle (near Ghent), Belgium
-beer 89-

BROKEN HIPSTER ~ INDIE ALE HOUSE

Broken Hipster is a traditional Belgian Wit.  Indie ale house brews it with rose, lavender, ginger, orange and ‘other stuff.’  The beer pours a murky unfiltered light gold.  Nose is banana, bubble gum and spice.  Flavour is yeasty/bready with citrus, clove, bubble gum and very subtle peppercorn.  I wish that some of the herbs would pack more of a punch, but this is a very drinkable wit for a hot summers day. Very enjoyable!

5% from Toronto, Ontario  

IBU 25 to 30
-beer 88-

 ~ STEAM WHISTLE  PILSNER ~ 

STEAM WHISTLE

Steam Whistle only makes one beer and it is this pilsner. The company was founded by three former owners of Upper Canada Brewery after it was purchased by Sleemans (now disappeared completely) and began production in 2000.* The company only uses four ingredients: Caledon spring water, Malted Barley, Czech and German hops and yeast – all GMO free. The beer is brewed in the Historic John Street Round House at the foot of the CN Tower. It has won a number of honours over the years.
The beer has a light golden pour, with a head that quickly disappears. Nose is grain, cereal (I taste a roasted corn flavour) and grassy hops. Fairly highly carbonated. Clean finish. It is one of my partner’s favourite beers – his go to. Very quaffable but not really my thing.
* Embossed on the bottom of the bottle is 3FG – an inside joke between the three. Originally the beer was to be called 3 fired Guys, but “Steam Whistle” was adopted instead.

5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 21

-beer 87-

KONICHWA PEACHES ~ OAST HOUSE

German Hefeweizen with peaches.  Pours a cloudy gold, with a frothy white head.  Aroma is peaches and as subtle spice.  First taste is peaches - not cloying fake peach or peach concentrate, but a fresh Ontario Peach.  A little yeast flavour and sweetness follows with a clean finish which clears the palate.  Lovely on a summer day.  Made with fresh Ontario Peaches from Lepp farms in Niagara, Ontario.
5% from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario    18 IBU
-beer 86-

GINGER LIME CREAM ALE ~ CHESHIRE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY

The ginger and lime go remarkably well together. The fresh ginger gives a warming kick, the lime helps cut the ginger and gives its own citrus flavour. Loved the gingery flavour at first, but found it a little overbearing as I finished the pint. Nice creamy mouth-feel. An interesting beer, worth trying.

5% from Toronto, Ontario

-beer 85-

SINK OR SWIM ~ BLACK OAK

A single hopped saison is a Black Oak one-off. Pours a pale straw yellow, with a white head. The citra hops shine through with a nose of zingy lemon and grapefruit. Taste is lemony, with a little pine and a mild hop bitterness. Very drinkable, and refreshing. A good session beer. 

4.5% from Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario 15 IBU

-beer 84-

ROBUST PORTER ~ CLIFFORD BREWING CO.

The original offering of the new startup brewery in Hamilton.  Co-founded by Brad Clifford, a nano-brewer at the Get Well Cafe in Toronto.  Originally it was brewed for the Get Well Cafe and called Get Well Porter.  The porter being one of Brad’s favourite recipes was the first to be brewed.  Presently being brewed on contract in Waterloo’s Innocente Brewery.  

The beer pours near black with a tan head.  Both nose and taste are coffee, chocolate and an earthiness.  The malty sweetness is balanced by roasted hops.  Well balanced.  Very drinkable - lovely fall brew.

5.7% from Hamilton, Ontario
-beer 83-

 ~PINBALL WIZARD ~ 
CLIFFORD BREWING COMPANY

Clifford is a new brewery (2015) based in Hamilton, Ontario.  Co-founded by Brad Clifford, a former nano-brewer at the Get Well Bar in Toronto and co-founder of Ontario Beer Company.  At this time beer is only available in kegs (on draught) and is contract brewed by Innocente in Waterloo.  Clifford is still doing much of the distribution himself.  

Pinball Wizard and APA has a fresh  hoppy aroma, with pine notes.  It pours a cloudy golden with a white head.  Flavour is bitter and hop-forward with a piney aftertaste.  A solid and tasty Pale Ale.

5% from Hamilton, Ontario
-beer 82-

BOBCAYGEON IPA ~ BOBCAYGEON BREWING COMPANY 

Bobcaygeon IPA is the first product of this new upstart brewery. Currently being brewed on contract, the beer is designed to be a hop-forward session IPA, and features both Australian and North American hops
Pleasant and light tasting, with lots of floral and citrus notes. Good bitterness. Decent but not great.
4.6% made in Ottawa, Ontario IBU 42
-beer 81-

1929 ~ DOUBLE TROUBLE BREWING

This Cream Ale is brewed exclusively for the The Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Brewed for the Hotel’s 85th anniversary, and named after the date the Hotel opened its doors, it is available exclusively at the Hotel in its bars, catered events and minibars. Brewed using a recipe that is true to the time period, the cream ale is aged a little longer and uses corn flakes as well as grains.
It pours a slightly opaque golden colour. Taste is grainy with sweet notes. Very pleasant but expensive at $8.50 a bottle.

5% from Toronto, Ontario
-beer 80-

NEW ZEALAND RED ALE ~ KILANNAN

The brewery was founded in 2012, by 25 year old brewmaster Spencer Wareham. Spencer studied his art in both Chicago and in Germany. This ale won a 2014 "Ontario Brewing Awards Gold ."
Made with New Zealand hops in a late boil, this brew pours a rich amber/red. Flavour is grainy, with caramel malt sweetness. Finish is bitter and long. Drinkable, but a little ordinary.
5.4% from Owen Sound, Ontario
IBU 37  -beer 79-

STARGAZER ALE ~ MILL STREET

This is made to be a summer session ale.  It is designed to be low in alcohol with a moderate hoppy finish.  It is made with four malts and three hops (a blend of Canadian, English and German).

Simple but very drinkable.  It pours a light copper.  Mild malts in the middle give way to a small hop kick.  Could be more full bodied.

5% from Toronto IBU 40
-beer 78-

FRAMBOISE ~ AMSTERDAM

This is a refreshing and delicious beer made  with Belgian wheat and fresh British Columbia raspberries (about 6 pounds go into every case).   The beer is double fermented giving it an intense raspberry smell and taste.  The Framboise pours a slightly opaque ruby red with a light pink head.  The nose and the favour both burst with both sweet and tart raspberries with hints of other ripe berries.  The tartness is different from a lactic fermentation as it is only the raspberries lending their flavour.   There is no artificial taste or cloying syrupiness to this beer.  It is a pleasure to drink, very refreshing on a hot day, but is rich enough to transition into the autumn.  A favourite of mine!   6.5% from Toronto    14   IBU
-beer 77-

DOUBLE PAGAN ~ SPIRIT TREE

Crabapple and sumac cider.  The cider pours golden with a pink tinge. Mouth puckering tartness with a dry finish and lingering acidity.  Full of flavour, but  definitely a sipper.

7% from Caledon, Ontario
-beer/cider 76-

ÉPHÉMÈRE ~ UNIBROUE

Ephemere has been brewed since 2001.  It won a GOLD in the 2013 World Beer Awards.   At times you can get the ‘cousins’ of this beer, I have seen a black currant, pear and cranberry Ephemere too.  It is a wit beer brewed with apple.  

It pours a slightly hazy straw colour.  The nose is tart apples - Granny Smith-like, subtle spice and yeast.  Somewhat sweet but pleasant combination of apples and beer.  After the nose I was expecting a stronger apple taste. which is  subtle and at times a little artificial.  Overall very drinkable but not stellar.

5,5% from Chambly, Quebec   IBU 10
-beer 75-

BLANCHE DE CHAMBLY ~ UNIBROUE

A wit beer brewed since 1992, made in the Belgian tradition.  It pours a hazy golden yellow, with a white head.  Its nose is fruity (especially orange) yeasty and wheaty.  Its taste very similar to the nose, with fruit in background.  Easily quaffable, refreshing on a hot day.

5% from Chambly, Quebec  IBU 10
-beer 74-

EZRA ~ GREAT LAKES BREWERY  & AMSTERDAM BREWERY

Now retired, Ezra was a saison, aged in cider barrels.  Both saison and ciders have farmhouse origins and compliment each other.  Reminiscent of a ‘snakebite’ this beer has wonderful flavours.  It begins with a slight lemon, and a wine flavour, going to tart apples and finishes with a dry tartness.  Very refreshing.

6.5% from Toronto, Ontario
-beer 73-

 ~ ORANJEWEISSE ~ 

AMSTERDAM BREWERY

Made as a nod to Amsterdam’s Dutch heritage, it is a traditional unfiltered Wit beer.  The beer’s spicy and fruity flavours come from, un-malted wheat, orange peel, coriander and anise.

The hazy brew starts citrusy and moves to banana, subtle spice and yeast at the end. Crisp and refreshing, definitely a summer brew patio brew.  

5% from Toronto, Ontario       12 IBU
-beer 72-

 ~MOUNTAIN LAGER ~ 

SIDE LAUNCH BREWING

Side Launch is the rebranded Denison’s Brewing.  A good session beer, but I was expecting more oomph.  Lightly sweet with pale malts, and a little hop kick at the end.  Great on a summer day.

Helles is German for 'bright.’  The beer was originally brewed in the mid 19th century.  At this time Plzen (Bohemia) lagers were very fashionable.  Munich brewers feared these would lure German beer drinkers away, so this was their alternative.

4.7% from Collingwood, Ontario
-beer 71-

 ~ 7 WEEKS OF STAYING UP ALL NIGHT ~ 

SAWDUST CITY

A light saison at only 4 1/2% alcohol.  Made with a bready pilsner malt, and zipped up with pink peppercorns and lemon zest.  Available only throughout the summer. 

4.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario IBU 14
-beer 70-

WINTERBEARD ~ MUSKOKA

Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout.  Made with chocolate malts, dark chocolate and fresh local cranberries.  

Pours very dark brown, almost black with red highlights.  Nose is very chocolatey, with subtle cranberry.  The creamy beer introduces as chocolate with the tart cranberries singing in the finish.  Very smooth and velvety - a winter gem! (Only available between November and February)

 8% from Granvenhurst, Ontario   25 IBU
-beer 69-

ORIGIN WHEAT ~ MACKINNON BROTHER

Wheat beer / Hefenweisen.   This beer is made on a small brewery, just outside of Bath, Ontario.  The farm has been in the MacKinnon family since 1784.   The brothers decided to add another dimension to the farm and add a brewery.  Beers are made from hops and malting barley grown in their fields.

This wheat beer brewed in the Hefeweisen style was darker then I expected.  It pours a slightly hazy , orangey brown.  Fruit, yeast and a very subtle malt make up the nose.   Taste is fruity, with banana, with a light yeast flavour.  a slightly bitter finish.

 from Bath, Ontario
-beer 68-

 ~ CHOCOLATE MANIFESTO ~ 

FLYING MONKEYS

This sweet milk stout is delicious.  It is smooth milky and chocolaty with a hint of cherry.  A dessert beer so to speak.  Made with organic cocoa nibs, the chocolate is on the forefront of the nose and the taste.  Best enjoyed in small quantities, at 10% this packs a punch!  Limited seasonal run. Delicious!

10% from Barrie, Ontario
-beer 67-

TOASTED OAK IPA ~ INNIS & GUNN

English IPA.  Mild hops with a malty background, a little fruit in the background too.  Little oak taste.

5.6% from Edinburg, Scotland

Malt: I & G Ale Malt & Wheat
Hops: Goldings & Styrian Goldings
Maturation: Lightly toasted American oak heartwood in our Oakerators®
-beer 66-

ORGANIC LAGER ~ MILL STREET

This German style Pilsner is 100% certified organic - contains no pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers.  A crisp, clean and very thirst quenching beer.  Lovely on a hot summer’s day.  

4.2% from Toronto, Ontario      IBU 11 
-beer 65-

LUCKY BUDDHA ENLIGHTENED BEER ~LUCKY DRINK CO 

European Pale Lager. Ok, I have to admit, I bought these for the bottle. Made with both grains and rice. Very light in flavour. Bottle is way better than the beer!
The “Laughing Buddha” depicted on Lucky Buddha beer is actually not THE Buddha and therefore not religious but cultural. He is incorporated in Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto traditions. The term buddha means “one who is awake”, connoting one who has awakened into enlightenment. - from Lucky Buddha website
4.8% from Thousand Island Lake, China
-beer 64-

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ~ BEAU’S

American IPA.  Bold and bitter.  IPA was first brewed in England and aggressively hopped to survive the long journey by boat.  As time passed the style became more malty and less high in alcohol content.  Early American brewers used American hops, which gave the beer a citrusy and piney taste.

It pours an unfiltered orange with sediment and capped off by a white foamy head. Part of the ‘Wild Oats’ Series #35.

 6.7% from Vankleek Hills, Ontario   IBU 65

INGREDIENTS: Local Spring Water, Organic Barley Malts, Organic Hops, Brewer’s Yeast.

MALTS: Pale Ale, Two Row, Munich, Carafoam (All Organic)

HOPS: Simcoe, Cascade, Rakau, Citra, Centennial (All Organic)
-beer 63-

NOCTURNE ~ BRIMSTONE

A smooth dark ale, pours the colour of mahogany. Notes of caramel and coffee.  Lovely after dinner beer.

5.0% from Ridgeway, Ontario
-beer 62-

LANARK COUNTY BLUEBERRY MEAD ~ TRAFALGAR ALES & MEADS

Mead is an ancient brew made by fermenting honey and water.  It is often fermented with fruit, spice and/or hops, which provides flavour but also acts as a preservative.  There is evidence that mead has been made since 6500 to 7000 BCE, as pottery found in China contained all of its organic compounds.  Residual samples have also been found in Europe dating back to well before 2000 BCE.

This mead pours a cloudy purple, with head that quickly dissipates.  It begins sweet from the honey, followed by blueberry notes and finishes with a dryness like wine. 

8.5% from Oakville, Ontario
-beer 61-

#5 SORACHI LAGER ~ DUGGAN’S/COOL BREWING COMPANY

A Japanese rice lager made from Sorachi Ace hops and rice flakes. A very light lager with hints of floral hops, grass and a little citrusy lemon. 

4% from Toronto, Ontario
IBU 15
-beer 60-

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LEMON VERBENA & RASPBERRY SAISON ~ THE LOCAL 7 

This beer, a favourite of mine last summer, on draft was offered in bottles at the end of the season. A delicious saison with the tartness of raspberries and lemon verbena. The fruit is not domineering but leaves room for spice, sweet malts and a floral hoppy finish.

6.5% from Toronto, Ontario
20 IBU
-beer 59-

POMPOUS ASS ~ GREAT LAKES BREWERY

Pale Ale. Full flavour, low in alcohol...not all that common. Very palatable, good session beer. Bright citrusy taste to begin, malts are a little lost in the middle, and a hoppy finish.
4.2% from Toronto, Ontario.

-beer 58-

CHERRY PI SAISON ~ SAWDUST CITY & BLOCK 3

This beer was specifically created to be released on Pi Day at 1.59 pm - (you know that magical number π  (3.14159 ...) and it is 3.14% alcohol.  It is a farmhouse ale flavoured with Niagara Cherries.  My first impressions was that of wheatiness with a little sourness.  Cherries are very subtle and buried in the background.  I would have like a bolder cherry taste.

3.14% from Gravenhurst, Ontario

-beer 57-