NIAGARA PEACH MEAD ~ TRAFALGAR ALES AND MEADS

Trafalgar has explored different Ontario terroirs with their meads. This one explores the flavours of the Niagara Region and uses local peaches. Sampled from a caged and corked bottle the mead poured an opaque vibrant golden-bronze colour, with little visible carbonation and no head. The aroma is largely peach, with notes of honey, florals, very subtle hops and a definite booziness. The taste has huge juicy peach flavour, with subtle woodsy-spicy notes - it is rich and reminds me almost of a liqueur. The finish is a mix of sweetness (but not artificial) from the honey, sweet peaches, and a lingering booziness. The body is medium-full, the carbonation was soft and the mouthfeel was oily/syrupy. Overall ad decent mead, I think it would make a lovely digestif or aperitif served with some sharp old cheddar.

8.5% from Oakville Ontario

BRIMSTONE BREWING CO ~ LAST RIDE LOGANBERRY SAISON

Last Ride Loganberry Saison is a beer inspired by the once famous summer destination Crystal Beach Amusement Park. The park ran for more than one hundred years before shuttering in 1989. Crystal Beach served a legendary Loganberry drink, the flavour that inspired this brew. Logan berries are a cross between blackberries and raspberries. Sampled on draught the beer poured a hazy dull pinkish amber colour with a generous creamy head, that left lots of lacing before reducing to cap. Ripe berries, raspberry jam and a hint of rhubarb dance on the nose, along with saison spiciness, slight funk, and light toast. There is a pleasant balance of tartness and fruit flavour complementing a traditional saison. The berries lend a ripe fruit sweetness and tartness, and give it a slight astringency. There is some graininess at the back end along with saison spiciness (clove, coriander), before giving way to a mild hop. The carbonation is lively and refreshing. A great summer sipper; hope to see more of this one!

5.6% from Ridgeway, Ontario 24 IBU

BLACK LAGER ~ SILVERSMITH

Sampled on draught this black lager or schwarzbier poured an opaque very dark brown (almost black) with an off white head. The head remained for a short while and then left moderate lacing. The nose was mild and contained dark roasted malts, a light sweetness and coffee. Roasted malts are dominant on the tongue but cacao, dark fruit, and earth hops are also present. The brew is not sweet and has a clean dry finish. The mouthfeel was medium bodied and slightly creamy, and the carbonation was moderate. I would certainly drink this brew again.

5% from Virgil, Ontario

BAVARIAN BREAKFAST WHEAT ~ SILVERSMITH BREWING

This German style hefeweizen/weissbeier is another solid beer from Silversmith Brewing. Sampled on draught the beer poured an unfiltered hazy golden colour with touches or amber. It had a long lasting white head and lots of carbonation. The nose contained the classic banana and clove with some citrusy orange and lemon, wheat and yeast. The taste is much as would be expected: wheat, clove, citrus and a touch of banana. Spicy yeasts finish the beer with a spicy finish and a hop bitterness. This is a well executed beer, made with all natural ingredients and is unpasteurized. I have not been disappointed by Silversmith Brewing yet, and this is a lovely example of the style.

5.2% from Niagara on the lake, Ontario 16 IBU

PITCHFORK PORTER ~ NIAGARA OAST HOUSE

Sampled on Draught, this porter poured a opaque dark brown, with coppery highlights and a medium sized creamy beige head. Caramel, coffee, dried fruit, dark chocolate, and slightly burned toast were all on the nose. The hops were very light in both aroma and taste. The beer tasted, as one would expect from the nose, with a very mild dry bitterness at the end, blended with roasted malts. The body was average to thin, but was quite flavourful. A straight forward modest porter. Would have this again.

5.3% from Niagara, Ontario

COUSIN ABBEY’S DUBBEL ~ OAST HOUSE

Cousin Abbey’s Dubbel is a very drinkable offering from Niagara’s Oast House brewery. Sampled on draught, it poured a clear very dark amber, with an off white head that quickly disappeared. The aroma contained lots of sweet malts, caramel, toffee, with notes of spice and fruit, and a whiff of booze. The taste was similar. The beer was sweet with lots of Demerara sugar and molasses. Sweet malts, plums and other over ripe fruits, spicy and estery Belgian Yeast, and vanilla all contribute to the flavour. The beer also tastes like it may have been stored in rum barrels, which have left an earthy and boozy taste. I find it medium to full-bodied, with moderate to low carbonation. Very warming on a winter’s night.

6.9% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario IBU 18

ROASTED CHESTNUT BROWN ALE ~ OAST HOUSE

Sampled on Draught. This Brown Ale is quite mild all around. The beer poured and dark straw colour with orangey undertones. The nose is mild with malts and a touch of tropical fruit. The beer was fairly light on the palette. Lots of malts provided the backbone, but I got little chestnut in the flavour. It was sweet like an English mild, with a wee bit of hop bitterness at the end. Not bad, but I think I would have preferred it to have more guts.

5% from Niagara, Ontario

VERJUS SOUR ~ OAST HOUSE 

Verjus (or verjuice) is the acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes, crab-apples or other unripe sour fruit. It dates to the middle ages where is was used as a condiment. This beer is brewed with Niagara Pinot Noir grape verjus (from Lepp farms), lending its sour notes. This is a naturally sour beer, created by the verjus, no lactobacillus was added. The brewery also used a specially propagated by Oast house. Sampled on draught this beer pour a hazy light yellow with a small bone coloured head. The nose has lots of sour notes, with some grains, and grapes and other tart fruits. The flavour is similar, pleasantly sour and tart with subtle grape and grains. The sourness is not overpowering but more like a gueze. The brew is smooth, with soft carbonation. I really liked this one and look forward to tasting some of the brew that has been set aside to age in wine barrels.

4.8% from Niagara 7 IBU

BERLINER WEISSE ~ OAST HOUSE

A traditional Berliner Weisse or Berliner Weißeis is an opaque sour white beer.  It is commonly low in alcohol, averaging 3% to 4% ABV.  It dates back to the 16^th in Northern Germany.   A number of different grain combinations can be used to make it as long as the malts are kilned at a very low temperature to limit the colour added to the beer.  Fermentation happens with yeast and a lactic acid bacteria which gives the beer it’s characteristic sour taste.

Oast House Berliner Weisse was my favourite of the Berliners I tried this season.    It has a good sourness, but does not shred your taste buds and finishes with a pleasant puckering sourness.  Well done Oast!

4.9% from Niagara, Ontario
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KONICHWA PEACHES ~ OAST HOUSE

German Hefeweizen with peaches.  Pours a cloudy gold, with a frothy white head.  Aroma is peaches and as subtle spice.  First taste is peaches - not cloying fake peach or peach concentrate, but a fresh Ontario Peach.  A little yeast flavour and sweetness follows with a clean finish which clears the palate.  Lovely on a summer day.  Made with fresh Ontario Peaches from Lepp farms in Niagara, Ontario.
5% from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario    18 IBU
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