UNFILTERED STEAM WHISTLE  ~ STEAM WHISTLE BREWING

“Steam Whistle makes one thing really well” is the slogan Steam Whistle Brewing likes to live by, but there are actually a few variations of their Toronto Pilsner. If you are in Toronto and are having a tour of the Roundhouse Brewery there is always unfiltered Steam Whistle on draught. If you are really lucky, perhaps your tour guide will give you a sip from Tank 11 (I think), the brew-masters tank (a double hopped version). Unfiltered Steam Whistle has a slightly different flavour than its filtered counterpart. Sampled on draught it poured cloudy golden amber with a foamy white head, with average retention. Sweet cereal graininess, bread, and grassy hops are evident on the nose. I find the regular Steam Whistle to be very drinkable, but this one I prefer. I find the taste a little richer and slightly hoppier than the original. The taste has a little sweetness in the caramel malts at first followed by floral, grassy hops, with a soft yeasty-bready finish. The body was a medium with a creamy mouthfeel and lively carbonation . Apparently this is not considered a lager but a kellerbier. Keller bier or kellerbier translated to beer from the cellar, it is unfiltered (lagers are always filtered – who knew?) and naturally carbonated.


5% from Toronto, Ontario

ODYSSEY RUSTIC LAGER ~ STEAM WHISTLE PILOT SYSTEM WITH THE ONLY CAFÉ

I think this beer is terrific, but I am a little biased as I had a hand in brewing. This beer is a collaboration with The Only Café, Toronto and Steam Whistle Brewing. This beer was brewed at Steam Whistle Brewery at the Roundhouse, with Brew master Erica on their Pilot system – a small-scale tank that yields about 2 kegs. It is a Farmhouse ale with a lagered finish, and include small amounts of rooibos and blood orange & pink peppercorn teas, added at flameout. The brewing experience was a pleasure and most interesting. Sampled from a Growler the beer pours an unfiltered murky beige colour, with a small off white head. Up front you can taste the farmhouse grains, but the saaz and centennial hops give it a kick at the end, and the tea adds aromatics and a little astringency. Though there are many things happening in the beer, not one seems to overpower or compete with the other. It has a nice complexity but is still easy drinking.
5.4% from Toronto, Ontario

 ~ STEAM WHISTLE  PILSNER ~ 

STEAM WHISTLE

Steam Whistle only makes one beer and it is this pilsner. The company was founded by three former owners of Upper Canada Brewery after it was purchased by Sleemans (now disappeared completely) and began production in 2000.* The company only uses four ingredients: Caledon spring water, Malted Barley, Czech and German hops and yeast – all GMO free. The beer is brewed in the Historic John Street Round House at the foot of the CN Tower. It has won a number of honours over the years.
The beer has a light golden pour, with a head that quickly disappears. Nose is grain, cereal (I taste a roasted corn flavour) and grassy hops. Fairly highly carbonated. Clean finish. It is one of my partner’s favourite beers – his go to. Very quaffable but not really my thing.
* Embossed on the bottom of the bottle is 3FG – an inside joke between the three. Originally the beer was to be called 3 fired Guys, but “Steam Whistle” was adopted instead.

5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 21

-beer 87-