EDEL HELLES ~ AMSTERDAM

Edel Helles is a new offering from Amsterdam Brewery in Toronto. It is a cold aged German Helles style lager. Sampled on draught the beer poured a clear golden apricot colour with an average white head. The nose was simple and contained, lots of grains, mild maltiness and a grassy floral hops. The flavour follows the nose with biscuity grains, subtle citrus and grassy notes - the finish had a pleasant hoppiness. The beer is smooth, crisp and quite sessionable. The body was average as was the carbonation. Very pleasent. By the way in German Edel means noble and is used to denote a beer made with premium ingredients. Hell or helles are the light hops grown in the south of Germany.

5.2% from Toronto, Ontario

AMSTERDAM ~ 3 SPEED LAGER

I heard an Amsterdam company rep saying this new lager was replacing their now defunct ‘416 local lager’, because it wasn’t selling anywhere but in the 416 (It is the original Toronto area code) Sampled from a tin, the lager poured a clear light straw yellow, with a thin white head. The nose was very mild but did contain notes of grass, pale malts and hops. The taste was very mild too but clean and straightforward - Crackery grains, a little sweetness and grassy hops. The carbonation was lively and lasted throughout the drink, and the body was on the light side, with a watery mouthfeel at times. The brew is pleasant enough, but innocuous. I would still much prefer to drink this over the macros, but light lagers aren’t really my thing. Refreshing beer on a hot day, but nothing special.

4.2% from Toronto, Ontario

Hops: Hallertau
Malts: Canadian Pilsner malt

ALL NATURAL BLONDE ~ AMSTERDAM

All Natural Blonde is one of Amsterdam Brewery’s original brews, first brewed in the brewpub in 1986 – they have been making it ever since. It has won Canadian and Ontario Brewing Awards. It is a blonde lager made with all natural ingredients and is cold filtered. Sampled from a tin, the beer poured a golden honey colour with a foamy white head. The head lasted a short while before leaving a little lacing. Visible effervescence rose from the bottom of the glass leaving a small cap. The smell was simple and contained mostly malts, bread and a mild hint of floral noble hops. The taste is smooth and mellow, barley malts in the middle; a hint of citrus and a mild dry hop finish. The carbonation is prickly and the body is light. This is a simple, very drinkable beer. It would be great to take to a Bar-b-q where you don’t know what people’s tastes are, as it pairs well with many foods and could bridge between micro and macro drinkers. Cheap and cheerful, very sessionable, good on a hot day with friends.

5% from Toronto, Ontario 14 IBU
Malts: Canadian 2 Row (Barley)
Hops: Vanguard
Yeast: Amsterdam Danish Yeast Strain

BORD DU LAC SAISON ~ AMSTERDAM BREWERY

Bord Du Lac (edge of the lake en Français) is the second instalment in Amsterdam’s Farmhouse series (seasonal saison). Sampled on draught, the beer poured a clear golden colour with a small white head. The nose contained lots of citrus along with pepper, grains, and a subtle fruitiness. The flavour is quite dry with grassy, fruity notes along with subtle crackery grains, minerals and peppery spice. The hops are floral and give a moderate bitterness throughout. The body was medium and the carbonation was lively. The finish has a very drying feel. A simple saison, very drinkable but not my favourite. The brew used Pilsner malts, low alpha noble hops and Wallonian yeast.

6.2 % from Toronto, Ontario

PHOTO COURTESY : Amsterdam Brewery

HOME GROWN SAISON ~ AMSTERDAM BREWING

Home Grown Saison is a new release from Amsterdam Brewing in Toronto, and their first of four in a series called “Farm House.” The Farm House series will use only Ontario wheat, yeasts and hops in their production, and highlight the flavours of Ontario grains. Sampled on draught, this beer poured a murky golden colour with a good head full of loose bubbles. The nose contains lots of bright citrusy lemon. Pepper, an earthiness, a little funk and light bread also made an appearance in the aroma. Lemony citrus dominated at first, followed by some peppery spice, then some tropical fruitiness, before the drying hop finish. Somewhere is the flavour melange is also a hint of sourness and a little funk, giving it a complexity of flavour. The carbonation was quite energetic, and the body was light. I think this beer is quite good and well executed.

6% Toronto, Ontario 35 IBU

Malt: Red Fife wheat, six & two row malt, spelt
Hops: cascade hops
Yeasts: mixed Ontario strain

PHOTO : AMSTERDAM BREWING

DOGBOLTER ~ AMSTERDAM

Sampled on draught, DogBolter is an American Brown Ale. It is only available at their Brew House, retail shops, and select bars. The beer was one of the first to be brewed at the original Amsterdam and Rotterdam Brew Houses in downtown Toronto in the 1990’s. The beer poured a dark Mahogany brown with ruby highlights with a medium sized creamy beige head. Dark roasted malts, molasses, piny hops, earth and cocoa make up a complex nose. The beer had a strong malty backbone, with notes of cocoa, earthiness, sweet dark roasted malts, and a touch of fruit and citrus. The finish was dry with a pleasant piny hop bitterness. The body was medium and the carbonation was moderate. I really liked the balance of the sweet and hoppy. Will look for this again.

6.2% from Toronto, Ontario 50 IBU

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
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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
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 ~ 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
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CRUCIBLE ~ AMSTERDAM BREWERY

A Framboise that has been aged in Cabernet/Merlot Barrels for 8 mouths.  I have always thought that Amsterdam’s Framboise was excellent.  By aging it in wine barrels the beer takes on quite a a lot of the wine flavours and tannins, almost tasting like a sangria.  I enjoyed drinking this and went have been back for a few pints, however I do find the wine slightly overpowering and would like to taste a little more of the tartness of the raspberries. 

6.4%  from Toronto, Ontario
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