4X4 ~ STACK BREWING

10.5% from Sudbury, Ontario
4 x 4 is a Belgian style quad. It is rich in taste and high in alcohol. Sampled on draught the beer poured a fairly clear brown with ruby and amber highlights and a moderate light brown head. The head left lovely lacing as it receded down the sides of the glass into a cap and collar. The nose had lots of rich malts, caramel, fruit bread, and dried fruit, spice and some subtle yeast and molasses. The palette had notes of plums, dark fruit, treacle, estery banana bread, with subtle spice and yeast. The flavour is quite sweet, with a touch of bitterness at the finish, along with warming alcohol. The body is on the full side and the carbonation was soft. Overall, quite palatable but lacking in some complexity.

PASS THE DUBBEL ~ STACK

8% from Sudbury, Ontario
This dubbed was to be had on draught at the Stack Tap take over. The brew was the winner of the 2017 Northern Ontario Microbrew Contest. The beer poured a hazy brown colour with a small off white head., which left some lacing as it receded. The nose was typical of a double with some bread malts, caramel , sweet Belgian yeasts, subtle fruit and an earthiness. The taste follows, again with bread malts, caramel, plums and fruit and candi sugar. The finish had low bitterness and a slight sweetness. Overall a nicely done example of the style.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE STOUT ~ STACK

6.9% from Sudbury, Ontario

This stout is brewed with organic cocao nibs and cherries Sampled on draught this stour poured almost black with a generous beige head. The aroma had notes of dark chocolate, charred malts, and cherry. The flavour was slightly tart with lots of dark roasted malts, chocolate and cherry. The finish had a bitter charred quality to it. Unlike other chocolate fruit stouts, this one retains more of its stout qualities. The mouthfeel was medium and the carbonation was quite soft. Nicely balanced, not over done, very pleasant.

HAWAIIAN UPPERCUT ~ STACK

7% from Sudbury, Ontario

Hawaiian Uppercut is a Belgian style pale golden ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a lightly hazy beautiful light golden straw yellow colour with a generous white head. The headed good retention and did leave some impressive lacing. The aroma had a ton of tropical fruit; lots of pineapple, citrus (lemon, and clementines, orange, grapefruit), light vinous notes. Belgian yeasts, and a slight resiny note. The beer is only brewed with four ingredients, it is hard to believe those four packed so much fruit flavour. The flavour is slightly sour and which compliments all the sweet flavours of the tropical fruits and citrus. Belgian yeasts appear mid sip and the finish has a nice citrus/leafy hop bitterness. The alcohol is well hidden - there is no alcohol astringency nor is their much evidence of malts. The mouthfeel was full and creamy and the carbonation was moderate. I really enjoyed this! Well done Stack!

LA CLOCHE ~ STACK

6.9% from Sudbury, Ontario

La Cloche is a Belgian style pale ale. Sampled on draught, the beer pours a slightly hazed pale golden straw yellow with a moderate soapy whitish head. The head stuck around for a while before settling into a cap and collar, leaving some decent lacing. The nose contained cereal grains, wheat malts, citrus - lemon and orange i think, some orchard fruits, a touch of clove and banana, and some fruity easy esters. The flavour followed, with pale malts and orchard fruit (apple and apricot) being the more dominant flavours, and cloves, banana, lemon and some residual sugars in the background. The beer is both tart and sweet. The carbonation when poured was overactive but it did calm to a more moderate level after being left to sit for a little while. The body was medium and the mouthfeel has some creaminess. Overall a passable Belgian Pale, but I would have preferred a little less sweetness.

UN KIWI EN EUROPE ~ STACK BREWING 

This beer is A Belgian imperial IPA, brewed with New Zealand Nelson Sauvin, and Calypso hops. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy bright amber orange with a modest off white head. The nose contained citrus, white wine, yeast and subtle light orchard fruits. The taste followed suit with lovely Belgian flavours along with cereal grains, grassy hops, citrus, light fruits and vinous notes. The body was medium, carbonation was average and the finish had a middling bitterness. I believe this was a test run for a future brew - test run successful!
7% from Sudbury, Ontario

IMPACT ~ STACK

Impact is an altbeir (Style originated in Germany and is top fermented). Sampled on draught this beer poured a hazy deep amber colour. It has a little beige head, that quickly disappeared, and left some nice lacing. The nose contained toasty malts, nuttiness, plum and dried fruit, with an earthiness hoppy bitterness peaking through. The Flavour began with notes of plum, molasses, currants and dried fruit with a pleasant but subtle spiciness. There were also roasted malts, a little nuttiness and herbal hops to finish. Impact is more sweet than bitter, with soft carbonation and the beer had a medium body. Overall another solid beer from Stack Brewery. A pleasant melange of flavours from Sudbury, Ontario.
5.2 % from Sudbury, Ontario

LES PORTES DE E’NFER ~ STACK

Sampled on draught Les Portes de E’nfer (trans. Doors of Hell) is a Bière de Garde. That type of beer roughly translates to ‘beer for keeping’ and is a strong pale ale. . It was traditionally brewed in the spring in the farmhouse and then aged. This one won the Gold at the Ontario Brewing awards in the Bière de Garde category and bronze at the Canadian Brewing Awards.
The beer poured a translucent deep golden amber colour, with little carbonation and no head. The beer smelled slightly boozy with notes of dried fruit, malt, grape, currants and some yeast esters. The taste was much milder than I was expecting from the nose, but tasted as expected. The beer was sweet with malts at its centre. There is lots of fruitiness, caramel, and molasses with very low bitterness. The 8% ABV is very well hidden and I found the mouthfeel quite light.

8% Sudbury, Ontario