SQUARE NAIL PALE ALE ~ PUBLICAN HOUSE

Square Nail is a West Coast style Pale ale. It was named after the hundreds of hand made 19th century square nails found during renovation of the brewery in Peterborough. Sampled on draught the beer poured a fairly clear coppery colour.with a finger of white head. The resilient head lasted a while before leaving lovely lacing on the glass and a foamy collar in the glass. Hops were predominant on the nose with notes of resin, floral/herbal and grapefruit (the brew was hopped with late additions of Cascade). The malts (brewed with Saskatchewan and Crystal malts) held their own too with plenty of biscuity, ready notes along with caramel and hints of orchard fruits. The full- flavoured palette is nicely balanced with bitter hops and caramel cereal malts, with floral/herbal and citrus on the finish. The body was on the heavy side for the style, the carbonation was subtle and the mouthfeel was creamy. Very pleasant, well crafted, I will return to this.

5.6% from Peterborough, Ontario

DYSANIA ~ FORKED RIVER

Dysania is an American Style Pale Ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly cloudy deep orange amber with an average sized dense off white head. The head receded into a cap and left nice lacing in its wake as it dissipated. Lots of orange and grapefruit citrus on the nose with hints of stone fruits and melons, followed by a little pine resin. The flavour has notes of bitter citrus peel, orange, stone fruit and a few tropical fruits as well. A solid caramel and biscuity malt provides backbone. The beer finished with, grapefruit and stone fruit, with an earthy piney hop which lingers. The body was light to medium and the carbonation was average. Crisp, refreshing, well balanced and quite enjoyable.
By the way Dysania is a mental disorder which makes it difficult for it’s sufferer to get out of bed.
5.4% from London, Ontario 45 IBU

ISSEKI NICHŌ ~ BRASSERIE DIEU DU CIEL! 

Isseki Nichō is an Imperial Dark Saison made in collaboration with Tanamura Honten Co., a microbrewery from Nagano, Japan. The name of the beer translated roughly means, “two birds One Stone” in Japanese. Some tout this brew as a hybrid between a stout and a dark saison. Sampled on draught, in a tulip glass the beer poured a rich dark brown-black with a finger of tan head. The head receded after several minutes leaving lacing along the glass and finishing in a ring around the glass. The nose like the beer has a fair bit of complexity containing notes of roasted malts, dark fruit, molasses, faint smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, leather, touch of funk and peppery spice. The taste is fairly bitter, matched by strong dark roasted malts, under this cloak other flavours emerge: molasses, spicy Belgian yeast, coffee, cocoa, dark cherries, liquorice, and fruit. The finish is off dry and has a lingering bitterness - a spiciness lingers as the booziness warms.The body was creaming and medium and the fine carbonation was average. This was quite an interesting brew, not for the faint at heart, but definitely worth a try.

9.5% from St. Jerome, Quebec

MOONLIGHT KETTLE BIERBUIK ~ MUSKOKA BREWERY

Bierbuik is Belgian strong dark ale. The name means beer belly in Dutch. Sampled on draught the beer poured a rich amber with garret highlights and a moderate off white head. The aroma was primarily biscuity malts and caramel, with a touch of fruitiness. The flavour has lovely caramel maltiness, with more subtle flavours of dried fruit (raisins, fig), plums and spicy Belgian yeast. The finish has a dry bitterness and the alcohol is remarkably well hidden. On a cold night these can catch up with you.

7.5% from Bracebridge, Ontario 28 IBU

SILVER FERN ~ BEAU’S

Silver Fern is part of Beau’s Greener Futures Project and is usually only available to Beau’s beer Club members. It was a nice surprise to find it on draught at my local, thought it is a bit of a treat at $8 for 300 ml. The beer is Beau’s ‘Koru’ beer (a Belgian style pale and made using New Zealand nelson sauvin and rakau hops) aged in white wine barrels for four months. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy dark golden colour with a dense white head. The aroma has a nice complexity to it: lemony citrus and tropical fruit mix with vinous and oaky woody notes from the barrel aging. More subtle notes of berries and nuts lie just underneath. The flavour is bright and fruity with a tart and slightly spicy peppery yeast. The mouthfeel was medium bodies, the carbonation was average and the finish was clean, refreshing and dry. The hops are nicely balanced with the brightness of the fruit and the oakiness. I really enjoyed this, it shows complexity but also restraint. I wish it were more available.
INGREDIENTS: Local spring water, organic barley malts, organic hops, brewer’s yeast.
6.3% from VanKleek Hills, Ontario

CORNISH BREAKFAST ~ GREAT LAKES BREWERY

Cornish Breakfast is a cream ale with coffee on nitro, it is part of GLB’s Project X series. The beer is brewed with cold brewed coffee from Station Cold Brew. Sampled on draught the beer pours a reddish brown with a generous off white head. The nose has some coffee notes along with a notes reminiscent of an English mild. The flavour has a little sweetness along with some coffee notes , subtle nuttiness and a some light malts and very mild bitterness. This one fell flat for me; I found the mouthfeel to be too light bodied. The carbonation was somewhat flat too. A good idea, but needs more oomph.

4.2% from Etobicoke, Ontario

CREATIVE DIFFERENCES ~ HALO 

Creative differences is a dry hopped pale ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy orange amber with a generous reliant pillowy white head, that left lacing before settling into a cap. The aroma contained lots of tropical fruit - mango , papaya and passionfruit, orange along with other fruity notes. The taste too has lots of juicy fruit sweetness, especially orange and other tropicals at the forefront. This is followed by a caramel malt backbone and finishes with a slightly resiny New World hop. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with average carbonation and a slightly fruity subtly bitter finish. Very delicious, worth checking out.
5.8% from Toronto, Ontario 22 IBU
Malts Pale Ale, Carafoam, Crystal Light, Flaked Oats
Hops Magnum, Columbus, Pacifica, Simcoe, Orbit, Centennial
Yeast London III Ale

FIEBRE DE CALABAZA ~ SAWDUST CITY 

Fiebre De Calabaza is one crazy brew! It is a sour Bourbon barrel fermented oatmeal stout with Mexican spices and pumpkin on nitro. Sampled on draught at Sawdust City’s Annual tap takeover, this stout poured a deep mahogany brown-black with a generous pillowy beige head. The nose contains a plethora of smells: sour, spice, smoke, pumpkin, fruit, roasted malts, chocolate…. The taste is as complex. The beer’s first impression is that of a sour stout, with vinous dark fruit. This is followed by roasted malts, chocolate and cocoa and woody notes from the barrel aging and then finishes with heat from the Mexican spices and habanero at the back of your throat. The body is medium and the carbonation was average to light. There is a lot going on here, this is definitely a beer for the adventurous. Interesting but I could not have more than one.
6.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 35 IBU

FRAMBOISE ~ EXCHANGE BREWERY

This is another impressive beer from the Exchange Brewery. This is their interpretation of a traditional Belgian Pale Ale with raspberries. It was brewed with coriander seeds, aged for at least 3 months in French oak barrels (from Pearl Morissette Winery in Jordan) on a bed of fresh picked Niagara on the Lake raspberries (from Quiet Acres farm). Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy reddish-pink hue with a small white head. The aroma is primarily fresh summery raspberries with a subtle laziness from the barrel aging. The raspberry notes are not overstated. The sweetness of the berries complements their tartness and subtle woodiness from the aging. The body is medium as is the carbonation and the finish is tart and off dry. This is a limited edition beer, so pick it up at the brewery or sample on draught when you can. A delish fruit beer.
7.6% (draft); 8% (bottle-conditioned) from Niagara on the Lake

Hops: Fuggle, Hallertau, and Saaz

Picture courtesy of the Exchange Brewery

THE PRINCESS WEARS GIRL PANTS ~ SAWDUST CITY BREWING

This princess is a hoppy Belgian inspired Golden Ale. Sampled on draught the beer pours a hazy light golden with a generous frothy white head. The head had both good retention and lacing. Lots of effervescence is visible. The aroma contains lots of tropical fruit (pineapple, mango) peach, citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit) pine hops, grass, and spicy Belgian yeast. The flavour has complexity with waves of flavour. There is a spicy Belgian yeast , sweet malts and grains, tangy tropical and other fruits, grapefruit and lemon rind bitterness, a medium bitter hop kick and warming alcohol. The finish is bitter and drying, but still retaining some fruitiness. The mouthfeel is medium heavy and the carbonation is lively and prickly.This beer is an interesting mix of old world and new world host and flavours. Worth a purchase and a try.

9% from Gravenhurst, Ontario 35 IBU