VIENNA WHEAT ~ NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY

Vienna wheat is a golden ale, as is either a seasonal brew or a one-off from Neustadt Springs. Sampled on draught the beer pours a cloudy deep amber with a generous cream head. The head leaves patchy lacing before reeding into a collar. The nose had notes of caramel malts, grains, and a distant earthiness. This was quite easy drinking, reminiscent of a Vienna lager. There is little evidence of ‘wheaty’ taste. Very pleasant, very sessional, very smooth, but a little innocuous.

5.5% from Neustadt, Ontario 18 IBU 

 

456 MARZEN ~ NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY

Sampled on draught this märzen poured a slightly hazy coppery- amber with an ample dense white head. The bubbles had good retention and a little left lacing as it receded into a cap and collar. The nose had lots of grainy malts, caramel and an earth sweetness, a hint of hops, subtle spice, a touch of citrus and ripe fruits. The taste too, was malt driven with hints of caramel, citrus, fruit and spice. The finish has a lovely balance of piny and grassy earthy hops, going a sweet and bitter aftertaste. The mouthfeel was smooth and medium bodied and the carbonation was average. This is a little happier than märzens usually are, making for a robust and tasty beverage.

5.8% from Neustadt, Ontario

10W30 ~ NEUSTADT

Neustadt Springs Brewery has been brewing quality brews long before the wave of new craft breweries. The brewery is family owned and operated. The building used is reported to be one of the oldest operating original brewery buildings in Ontario. 

10w30 is English dark mild. Sampled on draught, the beer poured a dark mahogany brown with ruby highlights and an off white creamy head, that dissipated quite quickly. The nose had brown sugar with caramel and molasses, with notes of dried fruit. The taste was very similar with lots of fruitiness up front, followed by a strong roasted malt backbone (caramel, molasses and toast) and touch of earthy bitterness (New Zealand hops) at the end. The beer had richness and a creamy mouth-feel with medium to low carbonation. This was a very malt forward sweet beer, simple but tasty.
5.5 % from Neustadt, Ontario
SILVER MEDAL in WORLD BEER CUP 2004
SILVER MEDAL ~ CANADIAN AWARDS 2004
GOLD MEDAL ~ MONDIAL MONTREAL 2008

IDLESCHWEIN ~ NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY

Idleschwein is a dark wheat beer, or Dunkelweizen. Dunkelweizens were traditionally brewed in the south of Germany. I enjoyed this one on draught. The beer pours a deep dark amber colour. It had minimal head, which settled to a small ring of bubbles around the edges of the glass. The nose contained lots of sweet roasted malts, Belgian yeast, pear and apple, cloves and other spice. The flavour was similar to the nose, but introduced some other flavours too. The beer had the flavours of a classic hefeweizen, with banana, Belgian yeasts, and cloves, but also had hints of other spices…. almost like a banana bread. There as quite a lot of fruitiness in this beer too, I got late season tree fruit, which added both a sweetness and a touch of tartness. The malts were sweet and tasty and added a caramely-ness. It was medium bodied and full of flavours with moderate to low carbonation. A really interesting brew, though I found this quite sweet, and the bitterness was negligible. I would gladly sip on another.
4.7% from Neustadt, Ontario