YELLOW FLOWERS ~ FOLLY

5.1 % from Toronto, Ontario
Sampled on draught, Yellow Flowers is a tart blonde ale brewed with hallertau hops. The beer poured a slightly cloudy bright yellow with a loose foamy head. The nose has some pleasant tartness along with some citrus, funk and flowery notes. The beer’s taste has vinous notes along with notes of grassy hay, florals, and tart grapefruit and lemon. The body is light and the finish is crisp and clean and lightly sour - with a touch of hops. The sourness is not overdone. A very approachable sour.

Photo courtesy: Folly Instagram

PB & C STOUT ~ MUSKOKA

PB and C stout is the last Moonlight Kettle of the 2016 series. It is billed as having a Rich chocolate in the body with real peanut powder added, and a slight roasted coffee finish. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a very dark brown with a thin beige head. The nose contained notes of dark chocolate, roasted malts, coffee and the slightest hint of peanut butter. The flavour followed, mostly coffee with dark chocolate. The peanut butter flavour was very buried, and I was really looking forward to the Peanut butter. There was a nice balance of sweetness with bitterness of the coffee and dark chocolate. The body was light and the mouthfeel was a little on the thin side. A pleasant stout, but left me wanting more peanut butter.

5.5% from Bracebridge, Ontario  31 IBU

TERRESTRIAL INDIA BROWN ALE ~ WELLINGTON BREWERY

5.9% from Guelph, Ontario

Terrestrial Brown Ale was originally brewed as A Well One-Off, to be a bridge between trend and tradition, it has now been Re-Booted. It is billed as an India Brown Ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a clear rich mahogany brown with an average foamy beige head, with good retention and nice lacing. The aroma had notes of roasted caramel, an earthiness, grainy malt, nuttiness, cocoa, citrus -leafy -floral- grassy hops ( a blend of five hops: Chinook, Cascade, Centennial, Sorachi Ace and Amarillo). The favour has some nice caramel malt sweetness alongside a plethora of hop flavours (leafy-citrus, floral, earthy). Notes of cereals, nuttiness, bread crusts, and subtle dark fruit, and perhaps a touch of cocoa are to be found too. A decent amount of hop bitterness is to be found on the finish. The body is average and the beer has a smooth creamy texture. Carbonation is pleasant and average. I quite liked this hoppy brown, a nice crossover.

BUSTED SLED ~ BIG RIG 

5.6% from Ottawa, Ontario 12 IBU

Busted Sled is a seasonal one off from Big Rig Brewery. It is a gingerbread porter. Sampled on draught the beer poured a translucent deep dark brown, with a small beige head which left some lacing . The nose was sweet and rich, containing notes of chocolate, spice, vanilla and subtle roasted malts. The porter itself was also quite sweet with flavours of marshmallow, chocolate, vanilla and hints of ginger. Less like gingerbread more like a sugar cookie. The beer was smooth, but lacked a little body. The carbonation was soft and the finish had a slight hop bitterness. Definitely an after dinner, dessert beer.

DUNKEL CALLS THE KETTLE BLACK ~ MUSKOKA BREWERY

5.3% from Collingwood, Ontario 

15 IBU

This brew is the first of the Moonlight Kettle series for 2017. It is a Munich Dunkel with Black Cherry. The Moonlight Kettle Series are usually beers that have previously not been brewed, often done on collaboration with staff at Muskoka Brewery. Sampled on draught the beer poured a light bright copper-garnet colour (lighter than usual dunkels) with a cream coloured head that reduced to a cap and collar. The nose has notes of bread malts, caramel, lightly roasted Munich malts and the subtlest hint of fruit. The taste, which is a bit light, follows the nose with roasted malts, bread, caramel and a very slight cherry nuance. The carbonation was lazy and the body was medium to light. A smooth, very pleasant beer, but I would have liked a little more from the cherry.

CHRISTMAS ALE ~ SHEPHERD NEAME

7% from Faversham, Kent, England
Sheperd Neame is one of England’s oldest brewery. Christmas Ale is their seasonal release and is a winter ale. Sampled from a bottle, the beer poured a clear copper-orange with an average creamy head, which reduced to a cap and left decent lacing. Lots of carbonation was apparent. The nose had notes of Christmas cake, fruity esters and dark fruit, caramel and brown sugar, a touch of spice and earthy floral hops. The taste is quite sweet with fruity and caramel notes, spice and earthy hops. The finish has a sweetness balanced with the earthy hops. Body is medium but the mouthfeel is little thin. The carbonation is active. I thought this was a very pleasant Christmas Ale, not to much of anything and nicely balanced.
Malts: Pale and Crystal malts
Hops: Goldings (aroma), Target, Challenger (bittering hops)

ABATTOIR ~ BLOOD BROTHERS BREWING

8% from Toronto, Ontario
Abattoir is a brett farmhouse saison. Sampled on draught the beer poured a bright apricot hue with minimal head. The nose has notes of bubblegum, barnyard funk, orchard fruit and spice. The beer is pleasantly sour, with spice up front, followed by grassy hay, grains, lots of fresh orchard fruits and brett. The alcohol is well hidden. The body is on the thin side (which is unfortunate as such a flavourful complex beer needed a heavier body). Carbonation was average and the finish was crisp and quite dry. Despite being on the thin side, I liked this and look forward to future endeavours of the Blood Brothers.

AWAKENING ~ BIG RIG

5.8% from Ottawa, Ontario
Awakening is a red IPA. Sampled on draught this beer poured, a slightly hazy reddish amber with a moderate off white head. The froth left lovely lacing as it receded. Nice aroma containing caramel malts and herbal grassy hops, with a hint of fruity esters. The beer was had lovely malty flavours with a hoppy kick (herbal with a hint of grapefruit), and some fruit flavours in the background. The finish was moderately bitter, which complemented the caramel malts. The mouthfeel was slightly creamy, the body was medium and the carbonation was moderate. IPAs are not my favourite style, that being said, I really liked this one. Well balanced with a decent amount of hoppiness.

MONS ABBEY BLONDE ~ BELGH BRASSE

This is another beautiful brew from Amos, Quebec. It is brewed with esker spring water, using Pilsen and Pale malt, Styrian Gold hops, Saaz hops for aroma, and a classic Belgium yeast. Sampled from a caged and corked bottle, the beer poured a slightly hazy golden-copper with white head. There was some left sediment in the bottom of the bottle. The head lasted several minutes before fading into a cap, leaving impressive lacing in its wake. The nose is quite sweet with notes of florals, European hops, caramel, spice, orange peel, bread, and orchard fruit (especially apple and pear), and possibly some banana bread. The beer is sweet, but not as much as the nose would suggest. Flavours include light orange, banana, orchard fruit, breadiness, spice with hints of pepper and coriander. Grassy herbal hops are present in the finish. Overall, I think this is a very acceptable example of a Belgian style blonde (the brewmaster is apparently originally from Belgium). Worth trying.

7% Amos, Quebec

PORTER ~ FOUNDERS BREWING CO.

This porter for me was love at first sip! Sampled from a bottle, the porter poured an opaque very dark brown - nearly black. A lasting dark beige head, sat atop the beer, and left nice lacing as it receded. The nose contained notes of chocolate, as well as coffee, roasted malts, caramel, molasses and a slight herbal earthiness and smoke. The taste is rich and complex with layers of flavour. Notes of chocolate and coffee abound, with toasted malts, caramel malts, a touch of smoke and herbal leafy hops. The mouthfeel is full bodied and creamy smooth, with ‘just-enough’ carbonation. It is a beautiful example of the style, highly recommended.

6.5% Grand Rapids, Michigan  45 IBU

FIELD DAY ~ FOLLY

Field Day is Folly’s first wit beer. It is quite a unique wit beer and unlike others that I have had. It is brewed with wheat flakes, finished over coriander, orange and grapefruit zest and fermented with a Ontario wild yeast (wild Thing) from Ontario’s own Yeast lab, Escarpment Laboratories. Sampled on draught, the beer pours a clean light bright golden colour with a moderate white head that leaves patchy lacing as it recedes. The flavour is crisp and clean. There was no banana or bubble gum flavours but lots of bold pepper and coriander, with more subtle citrus notes. The carbonation was very effervescent , the body was light and the finish was very dry and bitter. Interesting brew, but maybe a little on the dry side for me.

5.3% from Toronto, Ontario 20 IBU

& GRAND CRU ~ EXCHANGE BREWERY

 This brew is a biére de garde aged on Pearl Morisette Pinot Noir must. Sampled on draught in a tulip glass, the beer poured a slightly cloudy bright orange amber with a small bone coloured head. The head receded into a cap and collar leaving patchy lacing. There is lots of wine on the palette of this tart brew with some funky-bretty qualities too. The wine, tart fruitiness, subtle woodiness and slight funk work really well together. The body is on the light side and the carbonation was average. Quite delicious and not overdone.

7.5% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

Photo Courtesy of Exchange Brewery Instagram

RHYME & REASON ~ COLLECTIVE ARTS

Rhyme and Reason is an American Pale Ale, meant to be more sessional than an American IPA, it still holds the hops in the spotlight. Sampled from a tin the beer poured a cloudy bright golden orange with a generous tight white head, that left some fabulous lacing, after lingering for a good ten minutes plus. The aroma had lots of hops - citrus, earthy resiny pine, light malt caramel, and hints of tropical fruits. The flavour is a lovely balance of caramel malt sweetness (Crystal Carafoam and Wheat Flakes) paired with hop forward flavours of pine and grapefruit, with subtle tropical fruits, grass and citrus. The bitterness is present but not overpowering. The body was medium and the mouthfeel had a creaminess, but was also slightly oily. Carbonation was moderate, and the finish was off-dry and crisp, with a little lingering bitterness. This is a more complex brew than others in this style, with layers of flavours from the hop profile. Definitely worth a try.

Bittering Hops: German magnum
Flavour Hops: Citra and Centennial
Dry Hop: Citra, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe
Malt: Pale Ale, Crystal, Carafoam, Toasted Wheat Flakes

5.7% from Hamilton, Ontario 55 IBU

CUVÉE ~ NICKEL BROOK

Cuvee is an auburn ale, brewed with both North American and European malts, Caribbean demerara, fruits (figs, orange peel, raisin), herbs and spice (cinnamon, all spice, black pepper, cardamom and vanilla beans) and then aged in bourbon barrels. Good fresh and great for cellaring. Sampled on draught, the brew poured a very murky brown, with a finger’s height of puffy frothy beige head, which left some leggy lacing. The aroma contained spices, white wine, dried fruit, dark fruit, herbal notes, sugar, roasted grains, citrus and subtle oak, bourbon and vanilla - wonderfully complex. The flavour was just as complex, with flavours of spice, fruit, Christmas cake, wine, caramel-sugar sweetness, orange peel with a tart finish and notes of pepper, vanilla and oaky bourbon. The beer had a medium to full body, lots of active carbonation, and a slightly drying finish. A delicious and complex beer, I would love to know what an aged bottle tastes like. Expensive but worth it!
8% from Burlington, Ontario

GRENDEL’S REVENGE ~

INDIE ALE HOUSE 

Grendel’s Revenge is part of the Fates & Furies Series and is a blend of an Old English Ale and a Flanders Sour Brown Ale. The beer is brewed with a house wild yeast strain and then aged in port, red wine and Medeira barrels for one to three years. Different vintages have been blended together for limited edition releases. I was lucky to have tried this on draught and have returned for several times to have some more. The ale pours a cloudy reddish amber brown colour with a small beige head, that left nice lacing. The nose is both sour and woody, with lots of vinous and dark fruity notes along with rich malt, spice, and other orchard fruits. The taste has a lovely complexity to it. It is rich, funky, tart and sweet. Again there are lots of wine and dried and fresh fruit notes on the palette, along with an oakiness, light spice, subtle brett and sweet malts. None of the flavours predominate. The beer is medium bodies with lazy carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel. The finish has a very mild bitterness with a long sour finish. Overall a beautiful beer.
8.5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 25—30
Key Ingredients: Dry English Ale Yeast

PROSTHETIC CONSCIENCE ~ REVEL

Occasionally I venture onto the cider taps at my local. This one came recommended. Prosthetic Conscience is a pretty perry (pear cider) with hibiscus. It has been fermented with ten strains of Brett and the hibiscus flowers were cold infused. Sampled on draught the perry was a stunning colour. It was cloudy and very opaque bright golden-peach colour with hints of pink. On the nose this was MASSIVELY funky - All I got was barnyard funk, the fruit was buried far beneath. The taste too was also massively funky. Lots of tart brett funkiness at the front, giving was to sweet pear at the end. I liked it while I was consuming it, but would not want anymore than a tulip glass full.

6.4% from Hamilton, Ontario

Photo Courtesy of Revel Facebook