AMBER ALE ~ HOCKLEY VALLEY 

5.2% from Hockley Valley, Ontario

Sampled from a tin, this amber ale poured a clear reddish coppery amber with a moderate cream head. The foam didn’t stick around and settled into a small collar, leaving some lacing. The nose was fairly mild with notes of caramel, grains and grass, floral English hops, earthiness, light citrus and perhaps the subtlest bit of chocolate. The taste is malt forward and follows the nose. There are notes of caramel sweetness, spice, biscuits, toasted grains, and leafy bitter hops in the finish. The carbonation was moderate and the body was on the light side of medium. This is a very sessional beer. Easy to drink, flavourful but nothing out of the ordinary.

AMBEAR ~ CAMERON’S

Ambear Ale (an Amber Ale) is Cameron’s most awarded beer. Sampled on draught this beer pours a clear dark copper with a generous off white head. The head had great retention and left lovely lacing as it dissipated. Lovely toast, roasted malts and caramel aroma abound along with citrusy-grapefruit hops and dark stone fruit. This brew had a nice complexity to it starting with rich caramel, roasted malts, and a little nuttiness, transitioning to a an American grapefruit-citrus–pine hops and finishing crisp and dry. The bitterness was mild but nicely balanced with the malts. The beer is medium bodied with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel. A pleasant brew, very sessionable.

5% from Oakville, Ontario

LOVE FUZZ ~ BLACK OAK

Love Fuzz is a Red Pale Ale, initially made in the spring of last year as a one-off. Black Oak rereleased this limited edition spring season beer. Sampled on draught this beer pours a rich dark orangey brown with bright ruby highlights. The beer had a decent amount of off white head that lingered then left lots of lacing and ring of suds around the glass. The aroma was mild with roasted malts and citrusy hops being the most predominant. The brew was much more flavourful then the nose. It had a strong roasted malt backbone with caramel and burnt sugar and a citrusy hop finish. Legacy, Galaxy and Simcoe hops were used in the brew creating a primarily citrusy finish with hints of pine and berries. The body was medium but on the fuller side and the carbonation was moderate. Really well balanced, very enjoyable.

6.2% from Toronto, Ontario 40 IBU

BEAUTY AND THE BELGIAN ~ BLOCK 3

Beauty and the Belgian is Block 3’s newest offering, it is a Belgian Amber Ale. Sampled on draught, it poured a coppery orange colour with a small off white head. The nose has notes of toffee, spicy Belgian yeasts, bread, lemon citrus and sweet malts. Taste is very similar, it begins with the caramel malts with sweet Belgian yeasts, flowed by a little citrus fruitiness, plums and spice. Its carbonation is mellow and its body is at the low end of medium. It finished with a boozy warmness. Very palatable. 

Malts: Pilsner, Crystal 110, Carafa Special I
Hops: German Magnum, Styrian Goldings

6.3% St. Jacobs, Ontario 15 IBU