LA RÉSOLUTION ~ UNIBROUE 

Sampled on draught, La Résolution is Strong Dark Spiced Belgian Ale. It has been brewed since 2014 and is only seasonally available. It pours an opaque dark velvety brown with deep copper highlights. It had a little off white head that persisted and then left webby lacing down the glass. The rich complex smells contained gingerbread spices, cherries, dark fruits, caramel and Belgian yeasts, and alcohol. Sweet molasses, Christmas cake, dried fruit, Belgian yeasts, caramel, roasted malts and gingerbread spice dance over ones taste buds, leaving a boozy warmness. The beer had full flavour and a medium mouthfeel with medium-high carbonation. The beer finished semi-dry with herbal spicy flavours. I really enjoyed this one. Lots of flavour, very drinkable and nicely warming. I love the melange of favours and how well they are combined. Would definitely have this one again.

10% from Chambly, Quebec 22 IBU

OR THOUGHTS ON GOOD & EVIL ~ SAWDUST CITY

Sampled on draught, this brew is a dark winter saison. The beer poured a deep brown with garnet highlights and an off white head that left lacing. The nose contained caramel, dried fruit, fruity esters, spice and roasted barley. The flavour had a complexity. At first it was caramel and burnt sugar, rich malts and a touch of wood. A light sweet chocolate, spice and dried fruit were more predominant as the beer warmed. The beer gave a warming boozy feeling. The finish still contained strong sweet malts and fruit but also had a mild hop bitterness (hopped with Amarillo). The beer was medium to full bodied with lively carbonation. This beer reminded me some Belgian Ales, but hinted at ‘saison-ness’ as well. Very drinkable for 8%. A Delicious winter brew!
Barley & Malt: Pilsner, Munich II, carafe II special, wheat, Demerara sugar
Hops: Amarillo
Yeast: Belgian Saison

15 IBU

BEST ~ HENDERSON’S

Move over, there is room for all; there is a new kid on the block. Henderson’s is a brand new brewery in Toronto; currently contract brewing while their new space in the Junction is completed. Henderson’s is an up start by Steve Himel and brewmaster Mark Benzaquen, two industry veterans. This interpretation of an ESB was sampled on Draught at the release party. The beer poured the most beautiful colour of deep amber with red highlights. The small off white head lingered and left some lacing. Lovely floral fragrant hops dominated the nose with subtle malts in the background. The beer is based on a traditional ESB recipe with the English hops removed and replaced by North American west coast hops (Amarillo, cascade and one other). The beer has also been late hopped and dry hopped. Needless to say the beer is quite hop forward for an ESB…more like the offspring of an English IPA and an ESB. This is a very sessional beer and I look forward to a broader release.
The beer is named after Robert Henderson, believed to be the first commercial brewer in what was then York, but now Toronto. The original Henderson’s brewery dates back to 1800 and was located at Clinton and Henderson Street, (where the Monarch Tavern now sits and was the location of the flagship’s beers release).

5% from Toronto, Ontario

BLACK FOREST IPA ~ BEAU'S

I am lucky enough to have several local bars & cafes that have rotating taps. My 'regular' has a live draught list on line of their 25 microbrewery taps, and I often peruse it before going out. I was so excited about tasting this beer. I am fond of almost everything this brewery does, but this one stumped me. I tried to like it; I suffered through a pint, but was disappointed by this brew. I have read others reviews and didn’t quite taste what they had tasted; since this was sampled on draught, I hope it wasn’t an off-keg. Black Forest IPA is a dark IPA, and is No.49 in Beau’s Wild Oats series. The black IPA is a newer beer style, originating in the West coast of the US. The name is a nod to Black forest cake, a German sweet with cherries and chocolate, chocolate is somewhere buried in this beer, and cherries are yet to be found.   
The beer poured a dark unfiltered brown, with deep coppery highlights. There was a little beige head, which left some lacing. The first thing that I found off-putting was the smell of this beer. I found there to be a VERY odd smell, a mixture of wet cardboard, slightly burnt rubber bike tire, lots of hops and trash. I should have just asked for something new, but thought if I could get over the nose it may grow on me. My first impression of this beer is ashes, and bitterness. I have tried other Black IPA’s with much higher IBU’s and did not find the same level of bitter dryness that I did with this beer. I found the ashy bitterness overpowering; the cascade and Simcoe hops were bitter, the roasted dark German malts seemed bitter and the dried sweet cherries were nowhere to be found. There was also an earthy peatiness, unsweetened cocoa powder and floral hops. I could not find the any sort of sweetness to balance this beer until I detected a subtle sweetness in the aftertaste.

I will not be venturing another sip of this, sorry Beau’s.

7% from Vankleek Hills. Ontario 50 IBU

Ingredients: Local spring water, organic barley malts, organic cherries, organic hops, brewer’s yeast.
Malts: Vienna, cararoma, acidulated, chocolate (all organic)
Hops: Opal, simcoe, pacific gem (all organic)
Yeast: German Ale

 ~ TRUE GRIT ~ RAINHARD BREWING CO.

True Grit is a saison/Farmhouse Ale. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a clear deep golden hue, with just a tiny bit of head, which left nice lacing. The nose contained fruit, yeasts, a little citrus and herbs. The front was a little sweet and contained cereal, yeast, a touch of citrus and a hint of fruitiness. The finish had a distinct hop bitterness (Amarillo Hops were used). The carbonation was moderate and the beer had a medium body. A refreshing easy drinking saison. A solid simple beer.

6.5% from Toronto, Ontario 35 IBU

BRAKEMAN’S SESSION ALE ~ JUNCTION

This Golden Ale was Sampled from a 473 mL tin. The beer poured a slightly opaque golden yellow colour with a good head. The head lasted several minutes then left good lacing on the glass. The nose was simple and contained a little citrus, grains and fragrant hops. The taste was surprisingly hoppy for Golden Ale. The brew was made with two malts and three hops (“Admiral”, “WGV” and “Super Galena) and ‘hopbacked’ with dry leaf Cascade and Super Galena hops. The beer is sharp right off the top, and bitterness dominated the taste. When chilled the hops had lots of pine and grapefruit flavour, but as it warmed the hops became more perfumy and floral. The malts also became more evident as the beer warmed and hinted at sweetness. The finish was dry and the hops lingered on the aftertaste. The carbonation was moderate and the mouthfeel was a little thin. The beer was simple and refreshing but it was a little too hoppy for me to be a session ale.

4.6% from Toronto, Ontario        40 IBU
Silver Medalist at the 2014 Canadian Brewing Awards

HUGHEY’S GOLDEN ALE ~ JUNCTION WITH ROBERY HUGHEY

Hughey’s Golden Ale is collaboration between Junction Brewery and Robert Hughey, beer writer and connoisseur. Sampled on draught on cask. This is an English style blonde ale. It poured a golden yellow with no head and little visible carbonation. The nose was mild but contained some mild malts and hops and an earthiness. My beer was flat, but had a creamy mouth feel. This beer is smooth and quaffable but I would have preferred something with a little more personality.

4.8% from Toronto, Ontario

2015: A SPICE ODYSSEY ~ WELLINGTON

I bought and drank this the day that Bowie died.  It seemed fitting.  Sampled in a Bomber bottle, this is a Chai Tea Latte Stout.  Originally brewed in 2014 by an all female brewing team, what was meant to be a Welly One-off has now become a Welly re-boot.  The spices used were donated by the Bollywood Bistro and a portion of the sales go to help women in crisis.  The beer pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a finger of beige head.  The head lasted quite a while and left some thin lacing.  The nose had sweet chai spice, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, and roasted malts.  The flavour began and dark roasted malts and dark chocolate, followed by hints a lovely spiciness, including vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  The finish was dry and the cinnamon lingered.  Good medium mouthful and flavour.  Overall a nicely balanced, not over done beer.  Will have this again - it is a good sipper on a winters night.  Cheers Ziggy.

 7% from Guelph, Ontario      17 IBU

COYOTE HOLE with JUNIPER ~ INNOCENTE BREWING

Sampled on cask, it is a special edition brewed with Juniper berries. Coyote Hole is a California Common in style. Traditionally California Common’s (also known as Steam Beer*) are brewed with yeast that works well at higher temperatures. The beer originated in California in the early 1800’s where refrigeration was a great luxury, so beer was cooled using shallow fermenters, and yeast that worked at a higher temperature was necessary. The beer poured dark amber with ruby hues, with a small head. The nose contained a boozy aroma, dark berries, bread and biscuits, some woodiness and a bit of spice. Taste had red berries, citrus, roasted malts, bready graininess, earthiness and perhaps a touch of spice. The sweetness was counteracted by a pleasant bitterness (but not hoppy) at the end. This beer reminded me of an ESB. A very nice complexity in flavour.

5.1 % 25 IBU from Waterloo, Ontario

FARM TABLE 80 SHILLING ~ BEAU’S

80 Shilling is the most recent instalment of Beau’s Farm Table Series. The series tries to stay true to the style of brewing and ingredients utilized in the production of traditional beers. 80 Shilling is Scottish ale. In the 1800’s beers in Scotland were classified on a ‘shilling scale’ 60/ was light and 90/ was a wee heavy. 80/ was considered an export, averaging around 5% ABV. Long after the currency was decimalized and the shilling long disappeared, it still makes an appearance in reference to some Scottish beers. Sampled from a 600 mL bottle this beer poured clear penny coloured amber, with a short lived cream head. Lots of malt on the nose with an earthiness, toast and a buried caramel. The taste was a bit of a surprize, I was expecting a maltier, sweeter brew. The taste was quite earthy, more bitter than malty. Roasted malts were evident mid palette especially as the beer warmed and the finish was an earthy-grassy hop bitterness. I found the finish quite dry. The carbonation was average to low and the mouthfeel was a little watery. Good but not great.

4.7% from Vankleek Hills, Ontario

DUBBEL CHERRY ~ WEST AVENUE CIDER

Made in a very small batch, my local was lucky enough to get one of the gravity casks for New Years Eve. It is a Cherry cider, made with Belgian candi sugar that has been aged in a Bourbon barrel for 12 months. Sampled from a gravity keg, it poured a vibrant red colour with apricot undertones and no head. There was a little bourbon on the nose with plenty of cherries and fruit. The flavour had tons of fruit, as well as a smooth oaky finish. The cider had a rich cherry sweetness but also retained some tartness. Very much enjoyed as my last drink of New Year’s.
8.6% from Hamilton, Ontario

JUBILEE AMBER LAGER formerly KING VIENNA LAGER ~ THORNBURY BEVERAGE CO.

Sampled on Draught. It is brewed in the style of a Vienna Lager, using classic European brewing methods and including Vienna hops and European Malts. This beer poured a clear deep amber colour with orange hues. It was well carbonated with a creamy off white head, which left lacing. The nose contained sweet malts, caramel, biscuity grain, earthy hops and perhaps a touch of fruit. The taste begins with sweet bready malts, with caramel overtones. Mid taste has an earthiness about it and the beer ends with a gentle drying floral hop. The beer is simple but well crafted and easily sessionable.

4.8% Thornbury, Ontario

Malts: Vienna
Hops: German Hallertauer, Czech Saaz

BLUE BUCK ~ PHILLIPS

Sampled from a tin, Blue Buck is an English Pale Ale brewed in Victoria, British Columbia. The beer poured a clear coppery amber colour, with a small off white head, that lasted about a minute. The nose had lots of sweet malt caramel, with a slight earthy hop and a floral scent. The taste was very mild and lighter than I expected. The malts were present t but could have added greater sweetness and depth, and the hop presence was very unobtrusive. The mouth feel was light and creamy and the carbonation was quite pleasant. Overall I think this beer is OK, not offensive and quite meek.

5% from Victoria BC.

TRADITIONAL LAGER ~ YUENGLING

A shout out to my friend Heather for bringing me a bottle to sample. Yuengling is the oldest operating brewery in the United States, founded in 1829. It also brews one of the largest volumes of beer in the U.S. Traditional Lager is an amber beer commonly found before prohibition, and is also Yuengling’s flagship brew. It is cheap and very popular in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a clear amber colour, with lots of carbonation and a white head. The aroma was very light but did contain sweet corn, grass, sweet grains, light caramel malt and a little breadiness. The taste was as simple as the aroma: Caramel, corn, buried citrus and light bread dough. The finish was lightly hopped but had no bitterness and the malts and corn gave it sweetness. The mouthfeel is carbonated and thin but not watery. This brew is inoffensive, easy to drink, and has more personality than many other mass-produced beers. Not terrible, not great, but definitely OK.

4.4% from Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Just Hit 200...
Beers 101 to 200

1. Farm table Marzen ~ Beau’s ~ Vankleek Hills, Ontario

2.    Farm table Helles ~ Beau’s ~ Vankleek Hills, Ontario

3.    …and Boom Gose the Dynamite ~ Beau’s  ~ Vankleek Hills

4.    Weiss O’Lantern ~ Beau’s ~ Vankleek Hills

5.    Fous Allies ~ Beau’s & Trou du Diable ~ Vankleek Hills, Ontario & Shawinigan, Quebec

6.    One Ping Only ~ Beau’s ~ Vankleek Hills, Ontario

7.    Péché Mortel ~ Dieu De Ciel! ~ Montreal, Quebec

8.    Trois pistols ~ Unibroue ~ Chambly, Quebec

9.    Fallen Idol ~ Indie Ale House ~ Toronto, Ontario

10.Vanilla Porter Draught ~ Mill Street ~ Toronto

11.Navigator 2 ~ Mill Street ~ Toronto, Ontario

12.L’Ours ~ Le trou de Diable ~ Shawinigan, Quebec

13.1606 ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst Ontario

14.Golden Beach ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

15.Winding Road for 7 km ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

16.#8 ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

17.Lone Pine ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

18.Blood of Cthuhu ~ Sawdust City & Bar Hop ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

19.Maple Buttertart Beer ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

20.FOMA ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

21.Searching for Lomez Braggot ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

22.Ol’ Woody ~ Sawdust City ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

23.11.05 ~ Sawdust City & Nickel Brook ~ Burlington and Gravenhurst, Ontario

24.Beers II Men Sawdust City & Northwinds ~ Gravenhurst, Ontario

25.Framboise ~ Amsterdam ~ Toronto

26.  Deep Tracks ~ Flying Monkeys ~ Barrie, Ontario

27.C2C ~ Flying Monkeys ~ Barrie, Ontario

28.Prickly Conker ~ Flying Monkeys ~ Barrie, Ontario

29.Saison Du Pump ~ Great Lakes Brewing ~ Etobicoke, Ontario

30.Heavy Petting ~ Northwinds & Great Lakes ~ Collingwood, Ontario

31.Crabby Queena Crabapple Saison ~ Wellington ~ Guelph, Ontario

32.Autumn Spiced Harvest Ale ~ Wellington ~ Guelph, Ontario

33.Cuckoo for Cocoa Husks ~ Wellington ~ Guelph, Ontario

34.County Dark Ale ~ Wellington, Guelph, Ontario

35.Berliner Weisse ~ Oast House ~ Niagara, Ontario

36.Oast House ~ Verjus Sour ~ Niagara, Ontario

37.Roasted Chestnut Brown Ale ~ Oast House ~ Niagara, Ontario

38.Squeal like a Pig ~ Oast House  ~ Niagara, Ontario

39.Cinnamon Nutcracker Porter ~ Black Oak ~ Toronto, Ontario

40.Cherrosity ~ West Avenue ~ Hamilton, Ontario

41.Heritage Funk ~ West Ave Cider ~ Hamilton, Ontario

42.The Gloaming ~ West Avenue Cider ~ Hamilton, Ontario

43.Scrumpkin ~ West Avenue Cider ~ Hamilton, Ontario

44.Triple X Cider ~ Clifford, Revel &  West Avenue ~ Hamilton, Ontario

45.Harvest Ale  Blackberry ~ Muskoka ~ Collingwood, Ontario

46.Muscles from Brussels ~ Muskoka ~ Bracebridge, Ontario

47.Summerweisse ~ Muskoka ~ Bracebridge, Ontario

48.UBER ~ Nickel Brook ~ Burlington, Ontario

49.Raspberry Uber ~ Nickel Brook ~ Burlington, Ontario

50.Pissed of Pete’s Pumpkin Porter ~ Nickel Brook ~ Burlington, Ontario

51.Autumnus ~ Nickel Brook ~ Burlington, Ontario

52.High Tea in Exile ~ Nickel Brook ~ Burlington, Ontario

53.Swamp Fly ~ Northwinds Brewery ~ Collingwood, Ontario

54.Chocolate Orange Porter ~ Trafalgar ~ Oakville, Ontario

55.Pick Up Truck Pilsner ~ Thornbury Bev. Co. ~ Thornbury, Ontario

56.Dam Buster ~ Silversmith ~ Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

57.Saint of Circumstance ~ Collective Arts ~ Waterloo, Ontario

58.Sour Pumpkin Saison ~ Collective Arts Brewlab ~ Hamilton, Ontario

59.Orange Peel IPA  ~ Big Rig ~ Ottawa, Ontario

60.Champion Pilsner ~ Big Rig ~ Ottawa, Ontario

61.Big Rig ~ Session IPA ~ Ottawa

62.Maris* ~ Left Field Brewery ~ Toronto

63.Eephus ~ Left Field Brewery ~ Toronto

64.Bricks & Mortar ~ Left Field ~ Toronto, Ontario

65.Grandstand ~ Left Field Brewery ~ Toronto

66.Sour Ale with Hibiscus ~ Left Field ~ Toronto, Ontario

67.Setting Sun ~ Rainhard ~ Toronto, Ontario

68.Nosebeeratu ~ Rainhard ~ Toronto, Ontario

69.Southern Justice ~ Innocente ~ Waterloo, Ontario

70.Citrouille ~ St. Ambroise ~ Montreal Quebec

71.Apricot Wheat ~ St. Ambroise ~ Montreal, Quebec

72.St-Ambroise Cream Ale ~ McAulsans ~ Montreal, Quebec

73.Living in Colour ~ Block 3 Brewing ~ St. Jacob’s, Ontario

74.King Street Saison ~ Block 3 ~ St. Jacob’s, Ontario

75.Cathedral ~ Block 3 ~ St. Jacob’s, Ontario

76.Beauty and the Belgian ~ Block 3 ~ St. Jacobs, Ontario

77.Jamaican Fire ~ Spearhead ~ Toronto, Ontario

78.Hawaiian Style Pale Ale ~ Spearhead ~ Toronto, Ontario

79.Red Racer Session Ale ~ Central City Brewing ~ Surrey, British Columbia

80.Young’s Double Chocolate Stout ~ Charles Wells Brewery ~ Bedford, England

81.Scottish Ale ~ Highlander Brewing Company ~ South River, Ontario

82.Waterloo Grapefruit Radler ~ Brick Brewing ~ Waterloo, Ontario

83.Hacker-Pschorr Weisse ~  Paulaner Group ~ München, Germany

84.Mein Hopfenweisse/Schnieder-Brooklyner (Tap5) ~ Weisses Brähaus G. Schneider & Sons ~ Kelheim, Germany

85.        Schöfferhofer Grapefruit ~ Binding Brauerei ~ Frankfurt, Germany

86.Bitter Waitress ~ Shillow Brewery ~ Toronto, Ontario

87.Dark & Handsome ~ Box Steam Brewery ~ Trowbridge, England

88.Mad & Noisy Hop & Weizen ~ Creemore Springs ~ Creemore, Ontario

89.Gaslight Helles ~ Muddy York ~ East York (Toronto), Ontario

90.Lenoir ~ Bell City ~ Brantford, Ontario

91.Lions Winter Ale ~ Granville Island ~ Vancouver , British Columbia

92.Highballer Pumpkin Ale ~ Grand River Brewing ~ Cambridge, Ontario

93.Voodoo Doughnnut Lemon Chiffon…~ Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon

94.All or Nothing ~ Underdogs Brewing ~ Oshawa, Ontario

95.Peculiar ~ Granite Brewery ~ Toronto, Ontario

96.Wild Apple Ale ~ Crazy Beard ~ Oakville, Ontario

97.Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale ~ Parallel 49 ~ British Columbia

98.Into the Shade ~ Cameron’s ~ Oakville, Ontario

99.Downhill Pale Ale ~ Collingwood ~ Collingwood, Ontario

100.      Golden Ale ~ Sweetgrass ~ Toronto

~ WATERLOO GRAPEFRUIT RADLER ~ BRICK BREWING (Waterloo Brewing)

This grapefruit Radler is a seasonal offering from Brick Brewery in Waterloo. Ontario.  It is small batch brewed in the traditional German Style according to their website.  Radler is German for bicycle and was designed to be refreshing on a hot day without the alcohol, presumably from cyclists on a long journey.

Pour hazy light straw yellow, good head of big bubbles, which quickly dissipate.  The nose is simply grapefruit soda, somewhat like an Orangina © or a San Pellegrino © Grapefruit soda.   Flavour not like beer at all, much more like a soda.  There is plenty of grapefruit, but it is too sugary for me.  Very much like a soda.  Good and refreshing on a hot day when quenching a thirst but I prefer Steigl’s version, as it tastes crisper and less sweet. 

3.1 % from Waterloo, Ontario

SCHÖFFERHOFER GRAPEFRUIT~BINDING BRAUEREI

Another Grapefruit Radler.  This one poured a cloudy pale yellowy-orange with a fluffy white head.  The nose is all grapefruit.  The taste was primarily grapefruit with a trace of malt.  Very easy drinking, especially on a hot day.  Unlike some radlers this had a nice mouth feel and did not taste watered down.  I found it tasted more like orange soda than beer, and would have preferred some grapefruit bitterness to come through.

2.5% from Frankfurt, Germany